How would you change Microsoft's new Zunes / v3.0 software?

Microsoft's newest Zunes (along with the 3.0 software) have been out for well over a month now, which means you've had ample opportunity to really test one out and form some educated opinions. Now, it's time to open up and let loose. Are you still down with the design? Do you appreciate the extras that came with three point oh? What else could've been added to really spice things up? Do us a favor and tell the suits in Redmond what you would've done differently, and moreover, how things can be made better the next time it feels the itch to bust out a software update.

[SteveJr_Ri @ Oct 31st 2008 10:37PM]

spent the time and money on fixing vista :)

[SITEiNK @ Oct 31st 2008 11:56PM]

Mac compatibility - duh.
...and while your at it, a good few of us use Win 2K3 as a development platform on our laptops (mainly for the expanded IIS) not as critical servers, so support for what is essentially Win XP without the Fisher Price graphics would be nice.

[THizzle7XU @ Nov 1st 2008 1:35AM]

The ability to play the DRMed digital copies of movies that are coming with DVD/Blu-rays now. The Martix came with a .wmv version? Why can't I play it on my Zune. Makes no sense...

[THizzle7XU @ Nov 1st 2008 1:39AM]

Also view Music by Folder, like Pictures.

And possibly delete items using the device itself.

[Wwhat @ Nov 1st 2008 1:33PM]

It's not a lack of money that ruins vista, in fact it's probably the opposite, too many overpaid people working on it and too little sense used and a project leader who should not be project leader.

[Extinction @ Nov 1st 2008 2:15PM]

Remove the lockdown on using it as a USB hard drive.
Clock
Support streaming video from the 360 like PS3s remote play.
Games dont reset the system when you quit
an in-game menu for accessing music playback functions
An email client
MSN messaging
Achievements in games
Web browser (use IE from windows mobile since Zune runs off of it)

[Jeff Lewis @ Nov 1st 2008 2:36PM]

@Extinction:

Zune 3 has a clock. You turn it on in Settings and it's in the upper right corner of the screen.

Now, alarms and countdown timers...

[garrenteed @ Nov 1st 2008 3:28PM]

I want a customizable equalizer that we can use when playing back from the software and you can load it onto your zune. That would make me happy.

[inteller @ Nov 1st 2008 4:27PM]

I want UNICODE SUPPORT that even a f#cking $10 Cowon player has!

[Atropos @ Nov 1st 2008 11:56PM]

@Extinction

"Clock" - Has one.
"Support streaming video from the 360" - Why do you want to stream movies to your Zune if you are near a 360?
"Games dont reset the system when you quit" - They don't do that now.
"Achievements in games" - ...

[Skullfighter @ Nov 2nd 2008 10:08AM]

I desprately want the Zune software to dock on my taskbar. I've become addicted to that in WMP so it doesn't interfere with my ALT+TAB.

I really like how the Zune player currently rotates the artist and song playing, so I would keep that feature. When you mouse over the dock, it changes to play/pause volume and all that jazz...

[Mark @ Nov 2nd 2008 10:49PM]

Stability. Seriously, I've been experiencing a lot of hangs with this update. If I could I'd revert back to 2.5.

DivX/non-.mp4 container support for MPEG-4.

[MastrCake @ Oct 31st 2008 10:37PM]

Get it officially endorsed... BY GOD!!!

Because the iPod is the DEVIL's iPod!

[MastrCake @ Oct 31st 2008 10:39PM]

Erm... the iPod is the Devil's MP3 Player! Not the way I said it.

Sorry, my english sucks when I am handing out candy to the kids.

[MastrCake @ Oct 31st 2008 10:41PM]

And just in case you didn't catch that joke...

http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/31/al-qaeda-endorses-the-zune-on-conan-obrien/

[deyanimay @ Oct 31st 2008 10:50PM]

If you have to explain your own joke you're doing it wrong.

[aaron @ Oct 31st 2008 11:00PM]

Freudian slip?

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Oct 31st 2008 11:09PM]

Wow, a correction AND a clarification, in separate posts. I ranked you up, though, for effort. And for the candy. Man I loved Halloween as a kid. I don't like kids and neither does my roommate, but he won't even buy candy to hand out to the kids. WTF man, that's just plain wrong. Mini peanut butter cups all around, for that perfect ratio of chocolate to peanut butter.

[PCIV @ Oct 31st 2008 11:27PM]

And lethality to peanut allergic kids.

[Backlin @ Nov 1st 2008 3:36PM]

There's an Acts of God clause in the warranty.

[greg @ Nov 5th 2008 10:37PM]

MasterCake, I laughed so hard when I saw that video you posted.!!

[DefPo3t @ Oct 31st 2008 10:38PM]

A simple rss reader that updates when connected to wifi would be nice

[usedHONDA @ Oct 31st 2008 10:49PM]

I second the motion!

[The Dude @ Oct 31st 2008 11:39PM]

Well, as long as it's not a bag of hurt.

[Paulypies @ Nov 1st 2008 10:09AM]

yeah that'd be awesome. And a smart way of bringing the internet to the device without the need for a browser.

[Mam00th @ Nov 1st 2008 11:47AM]

Great idea matey

[John Miller @ Nov 1st 2008 1:09PM]

I fifth that. Great idea.

[Temo @ Nov 18th 2008 3:26PM]

I third this!!!!!

[DefPo3t @ Oct 31st 2008 10:38PM]

A simple rss reader that updates when connected to wifi would be nice

[DefPo3t @ Oct 31st 2008 10:40PM]

next topic. " How would change Engadget's comment system'
Hmmmm. I wonder

[MastrCake @ Oct 31st 2008 10:43PM]

no no no.... you got off topic!

You were supposed to say that you want the Zune to fix Engadget's comment system!

[North101 @ Oct 31st 2008 10:39PM]

Being able to use it as a storage device!
I really like my Zune, but when I first got it I couldn't believe it missed such a simple yet useful feature.

Oh! And a clock would be nice as well.

[Ellianth @ Oct 31st 2008 10:43PM]

There is a clock...

I would like the software to automatically enter my password when I connect the zune to the computer.

[connor @ Oct 31st 2008 11:12PM]

it already has a clock

[Xerloq @ Oct 31st 2008 11:24PM]

You cant use it as a storage device? Surely there are hacks to get around this? No? I was gonna switch, but I might not now...

[Mike Cerm @ Oct 31st 2008 11:30PM]

I cannot stand devices that don't mount as mass storage. I hate not being able to drag-and-drop files. The iPod/iPhone is the worst in this regard, because iTunes is such a worthless piece of crap (especially on Windows). Zune is second worst, followed by anything that supports MTP instead of UMS.

Why should I need special software to transfer files? I already have special software... it's called an operating system. iTunes and the Zune could just as easily drop the special file systems and transfer protocols, and perform standard file operations on devices mounted as storage. Why can't they just do that?

[Fitz @ Nov 1st 2008 1:44AM]

There is a hack for using it as a storage device...no worries....see lifehacker.com

[Jonathan @ Nov 1st 2008 7:59PM]

All this clock clock clock talk so they added a clock. But does anybody else think it's crazy that they stopped there? I mean, no sleep timer or alarm??

I feel like I just got a sandwich and it's just bread.

[brandoshido @ Oct 31st 2008 10:40PM]

clock is already available turn it on in the settings.

[brandoshido @ Oct 31st 2008 10:41PM]

also, i wish microsoft would release a 120GB blue like the ones pictured.

[Brett @ Oct 31st 2008 10:42PM]

How about support for East Asian fonts? I can't listen to Jay Chou without guessing which song is next...

[Boards of Canada @ Nov 1st 2008 12:24AM]

really? that suck... I dont have a zune but its already piss me off one cant change his OS language at will... I think mac user have that. Come on microft, do it.

[jakem @ Nov 1st 2008 4:55AM]

You can do this in Vista Ultimate.

[Irwin @ Oct 31st 2008 10:45PM]

I have been using it pretty regularly, and so far, the upgrade to 3.0 has been awesome. I had to try hard to see if I could remember anything that I would like to change about the software..lets see

1. Still kinda disapointed that the Zune wasn't just integrated into WMP, even though I comfortably havn't used WMP now for quite some time.

2. Gues support for more codecs to play on your Zune would always be nice.

3. Make the rating system a bit more elaborate like WMP's. Not just a single heart.

4. Add a smart playlist feature like the iPod.

5. Give badges achievement points and incorporate them with your gamer tag (trying really hard now).

[Rotaryfan @ Nov 1st 2008 2:09PM]

Also, an alarm clock would be nice.

I had a 4th gen ipod before my zune, (which broke) and that had an alarm.
I like waking up to music.

also, the abillity to create/delete and name playlists should have been a zune feature from the start. my first mp3 player, the zen xtra could do that, and that thing is ancient.

E-book support (or does it have that?) as well as E-books in the zune marketplace. it'd be really sweet if I could buy a book I need for school or whatnot from my zune.

@defpo3t:
thats a really great idea, I prefer my feeds over my podcasts, (except for discovery podcasts. those are irreplaceable )

overall, I just hope that MS starts from scratch and rebuilds the zune for the third generation. the first two are no different in capabillities. for starters, a real wide screen, in a 16:9 format. I'd buy a zune that was slightly longer if it had a 3.5" screen with 800x450 res. 64gb and 128gb flash should replace the hd. prices will drop eventually.

lastly, stick with a matte finish, the glossy zune 120 looks awful, the non-colormatching squircle is the worst offender.

[Kool2bchilln @ Nov 2nd 2008 6:33PM]

schoolbooks on the zune would be abso-frikin-lutely stupid...

"Class turn to page 378"
*Use sideways to skim to page 378, then zoom in to read, search around the one page, eventually all of this searching through the now-packed hdd running the battery out, and leaving you without music and a book*

fun...

[Aaron @ Nov 3rd 2008 2:28PM]

@ Irwin

The Zune software has excellent "smart" playlists. They are called autoplaylist. I have a playlist for my top 40 most plays, a play list for all of my my heart rated songs, a playlist for all the songs added in last week, the list goes on...you just have to be creative.

I would love .avi and divx support

[Sean @ Oct 31st 2008 10:46PM]

One of the things I'd love would be the ability to add songs to & edit the playlists directly on the device. Just a little thing, but I'd love to be able to go to a song and have a sub-menu that'll allow me to add the song to (and then another menu to choose) a certain playlist.

[Maxwell @ Nov 1st 2008 12:48AM]

I totally agree! The iPhone/iPod touch needs this as well. I don't see why they don't! Especially since the iPhone/touch has a "full version of OS X." At least Microsoft doesn't get so delusional about how amazing their mobile OS is.

[Eriq @ Nov 1st 2008 5:00PM]

That's a 5.25 floppy drive, actually.