120GB Zune shows up on Amazon
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted Sep 7th 2008 10:52AM
posted Sep 7th 2008 10:52AM
[Via Pocketables]
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nobody cares
Well I care. So I guess i'm nobody. But then again nobody's perfect.
Nice one! =)
These kind of comments are getting old, don't you people get tired? I mean, seriously, enough already.
It's happening, whether you people like it or not. It was the only PMP who gained market share (now 4%). So bash all you can, you'll buy one eventually.
well, for a Superman, you are not being caring and compassionate...
Biff would be all over it if it was a 120GB iPod Touch or iPhone. Since he's an Apple fanboy though, he doesn't care. It would be "revolutionary" in Biff's opinion if Apple released an MP3 player that was 120GB, but since it's Microsoft, nobody cares.
The obviously irony now, is that Apple computers have the same market share than Zune has in the pmp market. So I guess is just a matter of choice. I, for one, had the chance to buy an iPhone (the only Apple product that matters IMO) and got a Diamond instead. I've never been happier. Whaddahell the thing IS a REAL smartphone. It even CAN beam files via bluetooth!! Incredible!!!
*I meant obvious... sorry early in the morning. xD
I've noticed that not many new features are made into PMPs, even my old Nomad Jukebox 3 could do more out of the box than iPod...
@ Bob
Just saying...Apple already has a 160GB MP3 player. Yes, its more expensive, but it's there. I'm not agreeing with the original poster btw. Bringing out a 120GB Zune is not bad at all, infact if any companies' actual MP3 marketshare was able to still pursue the iPod in the massive wake its left behind, its probably the Zune, so kudos for that. If Apple all of a sudden releases a 120 GB iPod classic for the same price, then this Zune would be in trouble, not because the iPod is necessarily better, but simply because most people know of the iPod, not the Zune.
@ Boolean22
Bluetooth is like one of those technologies that's going nowhere (slow speeds, constraining distance). Once wifi starts becoming more and more the norm globally, this will be the FIRST technology on cell phones that's going to go down. This is a personal statement, but pretty much everyone I know who uses a cell phone, from Razrs, to Shines, to Blackberries all say that Bluetooth is probably the least used feature on their cell phones. Heck I know one guy who even uses the calender feature on his Razr on a daily basis...more than he's ever used the Bluetooth feature. As an iPhone user, I know the iPhone does have it's downsides (and serious ones sometimes), and that the Bluetooth on the iPhone is admittedly primitive, but It's easily not one of those deal breaker things IMO. The deal breaker would be if it had no Wifi, or downloadable apps, etc. I'm a Mac user, but that did not brainwash me to just go get an iPhone...infact I researched the Touch Diamond (tested it out too), Instinct, and a few Blackberries, and overall the iPhone came out way ahead for my level of use(except in the bluetooth arena, but I explained that above).
@PM replied for truth
As I said before: It's a matter of choice. My point wasn't against iPhone's capabilities per se. I was stating that you just can't bash Zune because it's the competition (on topic of the originally replied comment). I think they used «some» innovation on it (the touchpad, the squirtle, or whatever is called, the Wifi sharing, tho crippled somehow... you can see there is a future on tethering devices). Of course you can choose to NOT buy it, but then again, IT'S a matter of choice. They could just insert Zumobi inside and have a decent web-apps framework.
I personally don't use any mp3 player anymore, since I bought a ROKR E2 long time ago, cell phones have been my pmp of choice. I hate carrying around more than one device of such category. My last standalone player was a Creative Zen (1st Gen), so go figure.
I think convergence devices ARE the future. Devices that can provide entertainment, communication, interaction with other devices of similar classes and compatible interconnection. For that, companies should work in standarizing stuff, to avoid monopoly. I think NONE has approached as it should. Not even Linux, right, I said that.
Well to be correct, the apple can do no wrong fanboy cult group does not care.
@PM. I disagree about Bluetooth. For many things, Bluetooth is a far better solution than WiFi. I don't need my earpiece to talk to my phone from 100 meters, nor do I want the battery hanging from my ear to support that capability. Ditto keyboard and mouse. For many things a low power solution is far preferable. I'm not sold on A2DP however. I have yet to hear a pair of A2DP headphones that sound as good as a decent pair of wired ear buds.
What we don't need is a plethora of additional protocols like 802.15, etc.
@Trent, yeah, just like the Microsoft fanboys think MS can do no wrong, the Sony fanboys think SOny can do no wrong, etc.
Fanboys suck. Objectivity FTW.
I care because you get 120GB for 250 bucks instead of 80GB for the iPod classic.
Then again, I don't own a Zune so i wouldn't know quality but I would go for a nice aluminum quality iPod.
80GB is hard to fill up anyway. (for me).
@ CraigJ
While it is a good point to use bluetooth for low level tasks, such as basic connectivity/pairing of cell phone accessories, what I really meant was it's level of importance (or lack thereof) for heavy data transfer tasks, and seeing how the current shift in cell phone features focuses a lot on music, videos, pictures, chatting, internet, etc, a phone would likely need a very fast network technology in order to be able to accommodate all that. Granted, the bluetooth, when first introduced in phones as a high end feature, was infact used for transferring of pictures, ringtones, etc from phone to phone, but I feel its use has somewhat been sidetracked automatically to something it was probably not intended to be used for (pairing for earphones, etc).
As for the keyboard and mouse which use bluetooth, I don't think it will be able to get that far. One reason is that it has to heavily compete with already the different types of optical technology currently employed in this generation of mouses. The only advantage to using a bluetooth keyboard/mouse is to avoid the small receiver being stuck in a USB slot. It's negatives far outweigh its positives I believe, because not only does the current laptop it's being paired with have to have bluetooth capability (admittedly not an issue these days), but it's almost fully incompatible with older laptops that don't have built in bluetooth, in which they have to use a USB bluetooth adapter, which beats the whole purpose of using a bluetooth device. A regular wireless device will serve that purpose just fine, not to mention the cheaper costs associated with it.
For low level tasks, I agree that bluetooth currently serves the purpose well, but as more and more features start to get added on to phones (as if that race hasn't already started), then I think the sole usage of bluetooth will be channeled down to just being paired with earphones. I highly doubt bluetooth keyboard/mouse will takeoff, simply because of the already heavy competition and proven technology in that sector. Judging by how fast current trends become obsolete, I wouldn't be surprised if a light footprint wifi earphone solution was developed in which it puts bluetooth to rest altogether. I wouldn't say it's days are numbered though.
I care, and I am a Mac User.
Ill even go through the hassle of rebooting every time I want to sync it into windows.
Should I want to replace my iPod, Ill get the Zune.
re: jhoeforth:
>These kind of comments are getting old, don't you people get tired? I mean, seriously, enough already.
>
>It's happening, whether you people like it or not. It was the only PMP who gained market share (now 4%). So >bash all you can, you'll buy one eventually.
Wow. Talk about reality distortion field. Sandisk also gained marketshare in the PMP market, at 11% as of Q1 2008, up from 10% from Q1 2007.
GiF:
Wait until the 9th. (Or whenever the Apple event is.) MS always screws themselves by announcing this stuff right before the iPod (and now iPhone) refresh.
My bet is you'll be able to get a 160GB iPod for $249 or less.
hm, this is actually kinda the player i've been waiting for, and i think i'm going to go buy it. go figure!
*looks for the savings*
i'll find this for 225 or less in a week, and no i still wont buy a zune.
forget the new hardware, give me the new software dammit!
Yes, new software is the only thing keeping me from getting a Zune. Also, I don't like the new faceplate :'( .
I wish Amazon would fix that "used and new" bit. There clearly aren't any used ones so it's just sloppy.
try to wrap you brain around my experimental theory / concept. two buttons instead of one.
new - xxx units
used - xxx units
i know its a little ahead of its time but something this revolutionary should be shared.
Especially when you sort by price.The "...used & new" price gets used in the sorting and you have actually look at the product's page, then click on another link to see which items are used, which are new and at what price and in what condition.
Also, what the fuck is with not having a sign-in link and calling it that? If you're a logged out, returning customer you have to click on the hyperlinked "...personalized recommendations" text at the top. Baboons must be running Amazon.
Does Universal Music still get money whenever one of these units are sold? If so, then there no way I'll ever buy one.
i seriously do see how that has anything to do with you. perhaps they do that for the availability of zune pass music in the marketplace and stuff.
I love my 80gig, wished I had 120gigs, but I'll stick with my 80gig.
The darker/black back and the shiny front I don't like.
i hate all these people who just trash the zune. i got an 80gig and i love it, far better than an i pod. i guarantee if you gave these people one to mess around with they would change there mind about zune. and with the av pack its great for watching movies on the tv.
I have both. The Zune sits in my storage room and collects dust. The software and UI is abysmal.
the software needs some work, runs too slow. but the update is on the way. as far as the ui goes your crazy nothing wrong with it i have a 12000 + song music collection and i have no problem getting to what i want quickly and easily
Yeah, iPod doesn't have bad UI and awful controls, oh no...
Please explain how the iPod has "awful controls"
Can't speak for avester, but something about using circular motion to navigate a left-right up-down menu system has never clicked with me (pun unintended). Why translate clockwise/counterclockwise into up/down when you could just use up/down? Of course, it's becoming irrelevant as Apple transitions more to touchscreens. I've got no problem with controls on the Touch or iPhone.
@Marty, send it to me then.
Sweet, I'm putting my 8GB touch on eBay as I post this.
Ill wait for the 3rd generation touch model.
Nice crooked touchpad!!!
I have noth an 8gig iPod touch, and a Zune30, and i would have to say they are about equal. While the touch has wifi, it can't wirelessly sync like the Zune, and the Zune (sadly since it's HDD based) gets better battery life. Though the touch is best for games and videos, the Zunes interface is MUCH better for sorting through large libraries, since you don't have to keep swiping your finger up and down to get to where you want, and the A,B,C's on the side is a joke, if you have large fingrs like me, you can't hit it, it's impossible.
Feel free to flame me since i just compared an iPod touch and a Zune.... /end rant
Learn how to use the iPod Touch first...
You don't need to put your fingertip directly and only on the tiny letters on the side.
Ooooooooo......dissss!
You may want to note that Amazon isn't actually selling this; it's "shipped and sold by ANTOnline."
No, they are. If you look the bottom-right hand corner you can see the other sellers. Amazon is listed for $249.99.
So to all who bash the Zune, what do you use? iPods?
LOL!
So to the one dork who bash the iPod, what do you use? Walkman with auto-reverse?
LOLLOLLOOLLLOL!
hahahah Oh The Good ol' Auto-Reverse
Ive got an 80G and i love it, EVERYONE I show it to loves the features. People buy IPODS out of drone like obsession. 120G is great.
Same here. When I got my 80GB, everyone I knew with an iPod was impressed with it's look and had to mess around with it. Overall, they were impressed by it and are considering getting one, after their current iPods die.
I have a 80GB Zune, and I like it.
The taste of its anodized aluminum.
It felt so wrong, it felt so right.
Why didn't they just go for 160GB and make it on par with Apple's largest capacity player?
I think the zune looks pretty good :) Wireless syncing looks great, could really do with ditching this propriety iPod cable. Still don't like the look of the software and online store, or Microsoft's shady deals with music labels.
Sadly, it's Windows only so can't look to this as my next player :)
The Zune 120 has a one platter HDD
iPod 160GB has two platter HDD, Zune with two platter HDD will be thicker - and I think MS don't wanna build another "casing mold" for the new, thicker one.
Yeah, i'll agree with you, if it could run off of iTunes I'd buy it, but the main reasons i bought an iPhone was cause my old phone sucked (old moto V3), I didn't own an MP3 player/iPod and Windows Media player doesn't like my computer (no matter how many times i install and uninstall). I also prefer iTunes for the extensive features on it.
oh, and I am truly sorry for bring the iPhone into this conversation :-)
I have an original 30 gb zune (I know I am like one of 12 people in the world, oh my gosh!)
I hate it! the hard drive freezes all the time, the battery life sucks. I want to like the new zunes, but I dont' dare try again. are there any zune people out there who had an original and now have a new one. Can anyone give a description of the differences/similarites?
Horrible battery life? I ordered a 30g brown Zune from NewEgg last year (at $99, I cannot argue with a bargain) and I loved it. Okay, my first one had some sort of error message and it was swapped out immediately via Zune (customer service was surprisingly friendly...didn't expect that, but I digress). Both of them had great battery life. Once I had added all my music and videos, I literally could go a week (business week) without charging it; everyday I watched videos and listened to music. Mind you, however, I did turn WiFi off and lower the display brightness. Hope that may help your battery problems.
Or perhaps you may have just gotten a defective one.
Ive got a 30gb (though its full, so Ill be getting an 80gb or 120gb in the next month) and I havent had ANY problems with it.
My recommendation would be to call MS up, and be VERY persistent that they give you a new one (new 30gb) at no cost. Even if you arent under warranty, if you really push, they will go ahead and give it to you. They are actually pretty helpful with their customer support.
As far as new features for the new ones, well, there really arent any -- YET.
There will come a time when MS wont be giving them the same updates. The new button scheme is better set for things like games, since the buttons on the 30gb wear out after time (mine still work, they are just loose)
I have an 8 and can only assume the other 2nd gens are of the same quality, which is top notch. I've never had a crash or anything similar, always ran perfectly.
I wouldn't be too surprised if the 1st gens had problems. They're based of the gigabeat, which I had and many similar problems you've stated periodically occurred to mine. 2nd gen isn't though, so go for it.
LMFAO @ Zune
LMFAO @ ZUNE
More like Mrdumb
My 80 just fell off my hand today - and gravity takes it to the genuine italian marble floor, no scratches - but i'm afraid of a long term effects to the HDD inside...
They need to put some suspension system inside these portable HD player thing - Like G Protection from Sony's
Better be safe than sorry. Huh?
with the wii and ipod touch/iphone bringing motion sensing more mainstream i wonder if they could use them to stop the hard drive from spinning like my macbooks' sudden motion sensor. i cant see hard drives leaving the portable music industry until flash gets to at least 150 gigs cheaply. even then someone will market a 500 gig hdd based player.
That feature is actually pretty common in laptops in general, not just Macbooks. It's probably small enough to fit in a PMP too, but I don't actually know for certain.
i dropped my zune the first day i went to nvison, and it hit the concreet and the hdd screwed up. so sad. but i went straight to the zune site and put in for a replacement and the box came in no time. easiest RMA i ever done.
I found ANTonline to be a disreputable company and I would not recommend doing business with them.
Could you give some specifics or do you prefer to keep your lies simple?
Do you work for ANTOnline?
I would like to get one.
I can't stand my 30gig Ipod any longer. What a POS.
Hope they drop in price just a little :)
Do another article on how Seinfeld looks like an aging clown and Bill Gates looks like he owns him now... poor George Co-seinfeld, I mean Sell Out Jerry. You can almost smell the invisible leash around his neck made of hundred dollar bills.
Wow, that was just weird.
Oh for fuck sake!!! Come one Microsoft would you put more video codecs on the Zunes. If they did the sales would be alot higher.
haha "check out those savings" nice... BANTER!
Although I'm not a big fan of the Zune, I'm a great supporter of competition. So, as long as MS keeps on producing a product that people are willing to buy, the market will remain healthy.
Most intelligent comment in this thread
Not quite. This thing won't sell. It's not an iPod.
And besides, iPod is and will be the #1 best selling MP3 player of all time. People will still buy it regardless of the price point (ex. the iPhone price debut last year).
Agreed. Competition = good for the consumer in the long run.
How does the desktop software for Zune work? Is it drag-and-drop friendly or some kind of convoluted overly complicated syncing process like that awful iTunes?
It is really easy to get your music into the library. All you do is set where to look for the music. I made myself a music folder, put everything in it, and had the software look in there for the songs. Everything showed up, as I expected.
I prefer the Zune software to iTunes. I love the design and the "social" idea. The Zune Card is pretty cool. It's like a Gamercard, except other people can see what music you are listening to, while you can look at other people's music as well. It shows all of the songs that you have played recently.
Better than Drag and drop! When you assign a folder for it to scan, it automatically picks up the new files added to that folder. Works like a charm.
I don't think there's an auto-scan feature on iTunes, is there?
It's a lot like the WMP11 syncing philosophy. You drag your items onto your Zune icon in the software, and then hit the icon and then hit "Start Sync". You can also hit it to automatically sync your Zune with your software. Mine takes about an average of 20 seconds to update my friends' ZuneCards and the few songs I've bought on the Marketplace.
It's not extremely impressive, but everything works like it should, and even better, how you'd expect it to work.
With iTunes, you can go into prefs and select 'consolidate Library' and 'keep music organized,' and then to add music to you library, you just drag and drop the files (or set your downloader to 'add to itunes library,' many have that option) onto the itunes window. They are automatically organized in folders trees by artist -> album. As you correct album names and artist names (by selecting the items in iTunes, right clicking, and selecting 'get info'), it automatically renames the folders and mp3 files.
It took some discipline the first time around to not mess around and reorganize the folders through the desktop, but the automated media file management that iTunes has built in is best in class (at least that I've tried).
The problem with iTunes involves moving folders around, the Zune software has no such problems. It will find the media again.
I wonder why people always get low ranked when the said something bad about microsoft...
Probably because:
a) What's said is completely untrue, and is a downright lie
b) Irrelevance to what's posted
c) Praising how Apple does it so much better
d) Saying 'M$, copycat, me-too, monopoly' constantly
e) Just plain attacking because "it's Microsoft"
It really gets annoying, so a low rank is well deserved for all of these.
Honestly, the Zune (the original one, I have never seen or interacted with the new one) was a pretty fine piece of hardware, worthy of consideration.
Of course, I'm a Linux user, so I went with the Meizu.
Contemplating the upgrade from my 30.. :)
The software/UI of the Zune is far superior to any other MP3 player software I've encountered, including the abominal iTunes.
I don't use the online store so I can't really speak for that, but the basic player/syncing experience is excellent.
Different strokes for different folks, I suppose.
To voice my personal opinion, I still think Windows users should use a Zune and leave the iPods for the Apple Fanbois and those who are particularly susceptible to marketing and peer pressure.
I should note, I suppose, that ALL Zunes got updated to the 2.0+ software when it was released. So my 30 has the same interface/software as the Zune 80 and now 120.
So any comparisons of usability of the 30 vs the 80/120 are kind of moot.
I feel the same way about it. Having used the software and both the Zune 30 and 80, I am going to ditch iTunes and my iPod touch. I like the Zune's UI better, while the Zune 120 is cheaper than the Classic 160GB by a substantial margin.
The Zune hardware is really nice. I'm a mac/ipod user but I'll give credit where credit is due.
That said the zune software is junk. But once Songbird starts supporting this zune on all three platforms (windows, mac and linux) I'll seriously consider one of these.
Matt G>>> I personally prefer the Zune to an iPod. The UI is awesome, the syncing is super easy(no all or nothing sync rocks) I get 3 free songs a week from the store, and i get free software updates, I wish they would release a mac version though. I do still use leopard on my macbook(btw, anyone considering it, Vista Ultimate SP1 run like a fuckin champ on a macbook). But dude, theres no reason to bash, you'll give us the same rap the ipod fanboys get.
Yeah, i love the UI, and i love about Zune is the fact that they give the old Zunes firmware upgrades too, so you don't have to go out and buy a new one because the UI changed with new Firmware.
Still rockin' the old Zune 30
I had the 30 GB Zune and the 8 GB Zune and loved them both. However, I can't stop myself from updating and went with the iPod Touch. The thing I look for in a PMP is a coolness factor that when I show others, they all go "WOW!"
So, the iPod Touch wins in coolness... but that is just currently.
I agree.
Because nobody's paying for a function that most big screened smartphones can perform for less money (and one less device in your pocket)
So it figures how ppl would pay solely for the cool factor.
Now that middle range phones have big screens, expandable memory, and plenty of 3rd party apps, I don't know why some people would rather carry 2 devices in their pockets.
I'd say that the Zunes and iPods are dying, if not already dead. They would be justified if they were in the sub-$99 category. But $250? I'm sorry too much for a glorified PMP.
Because no phone has hundreds of gigabytes of storage even if they have memory cards in them.
No... but they're getting there. 32GB SDHC cards, 8-16GB microSD with 32GB coming soon.
You have to ask yourself if capacity is the most important factor though? Is Apple hurting itself by offering a max of 16GB on the iPhone? Capacity falls into two camps- those who want their entire media library with them at all times, and those who are content to carry a selection.
What a total failure of a product. Releasing a higher capacity drive with nothing else to enhance its capabilities is simply laughable. Apple has leapfrogged the Zune is so many ways that simply copying what Apple does is impossible now.