Engadget Podcast 117 - 11.07.2008: Zune giveaway edition

Yes -- it's happening again. Another installment of the beloved Engadget Podcast has made its way to the virtual airwaves of the ever-loving internet, and now you can listen in for personal enjoyment and edification. Today Josh, Paul, and Nilay get to the heart of our recent "preferred OS" poll, Apple's treatment of iPhone developers, Amazon's abandonment of painful packaging, and more. Included in this podcast is a first-ever (for Engadget at least) on-air unboxing. That's right, hear the sounds of a Gears of War 2 Zune getting ripped open.

As a treat to our faithful listeners, we'll be giving away that very special edition 120GB Zune! Follow the instructions after the break to learn how to make it yours.

Update: We've also included that Best Buy rap discussed in the podcast. Enjoy!

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, and Nilay Patel
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Smells Like Teen Spirit

01:43 - Poll: Which OS do you prefer?
12:38 - Apple adds OTA podcast downloads to iPhone firmware 2.2, continues to burn developers
27:14 - Amazon takes a stand to eliminate wasteful, hard-to-open gadget packaging
34:30 - Circuit City announces store closure plans, full list of locations revealed
45:51 - Dash cuts 50 employees, drastically changing business model
55:05 - Gears of War 2 canvasses special-edition Zune

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The contest rules:

• Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, though a mention of your favorite moment of the podcast, or anticipated activities with your new Zune are welcome.
• You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
• If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
  
• Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
• Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) 120GB Gears of War 2 Zune. Approximate value is $249.99.
• Entries can be submitted until Friday, November 14th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
• Full rules can be found here.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:19PM]

I'd like to get the Zune in order to begin development for the Zune using XNA.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:17PM]

Yarr. GoW2 Zune? I want. :)

[Corky Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:17PM]

I'm just excited that if I have that Zune, I can fit all of my music on a device, for once.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:18PM]

Zune..Zune...Zune I hope I get you soon.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:18PM]

Zunes rock.... the podcast was a bit stale though

[seanchud Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:27PM]

suuuhh weeeeeet

[NapkinDoodle Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:18PM]

Using Zune to replace the doorstop / brick that is my iPod 3G...

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:18PM]

ZUNES are teh hotness!

[ty1911 Posted Jan 6th 2009 4:02PM]

OTA podcast for iPhone?
I use an iPod for my podcasts.

I love YOUR podcasts though...
Thanks for bringing them back.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:18PM]

Looking to buy one myself. Nice one too!!! Sure love the WiFi sync!!!

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:19PM]

I'll duck and cover, and kill Locusts with my Zune!

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:19PM]

Gears of War 2 Zune edition is awesome. I love you podcast

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:25PM]

I wish i can have at least any MP3 player but if i would have this one i would take care of it very much, i would keep it clean, try to put music and videos here at the library (if they would let me) and just have fun with it. Thank you very much and everybody have a nice day.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:19PM]

....dreaming of not being at work.... and listening to the Engadget Podcast instead.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:19PM]

ZUUUUUUUUUUUUUNE!!!!

*AK-47 gunfire*

[Riles Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:20PM]

I would enjoy running through the fields of space offered by the 120 gig drive, as well as the video capacity. I'm on a 2g ipod with only 4 gig of space.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 10th 2008 3:28PM]

I need a new Zune. Hopefully I won't break this one.

[dbready Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:22PM]

See, I've got this problem where all I can do is think, "How much better would life be right now if Marcus was in my pocket?"

[TrueEddie Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:20PM]

Zune me!

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:21PM]

I would love it! Much thanks!!!!

[rpatrick2282 Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:21PM]

ys baby ya!

[OshiHidra Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:21PM]

I never thought I'd see the day, but I'm having space problems with my 30GB Halo Zune being full... A 120GB Gears Zune sure would be nice! :(

[GusBrown Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:21PM]

My fleet of Zune 30s from Woot would nicely consolidate on a shiny new Zune 120.

[manvir88jatt Posted Nov 7th 2008 3:10PM]

awesome man
love engadget for tech stuff
n now for this giveaway
long live engadget

[dliening Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:21PM]

If I had the Zune I could listen to the podcast!

[mercuryinabottle Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:21PM]

Listening to some tunes on my zune!!!

[Richie D Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:23PM]

Quite possibly the best looking Zune yet...Hope I win!

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 14th 2008 10:13PM]

with exception of the halo 3 edition zune of course

[Human1 Posted Nov 7th 2008 4:23PM]

Mmmm... I heard Zune has been embraced by Al-Quaida. Ipod is the devil's mp3 player.

[craino Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:43PM]

This would be awesome.

[EBassett1981 Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:23PM]

I would film myself blowing up my Cry-Pod if I had this Zune. Awesome.

[zer0basis Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:23PM]

Would like the Zune please... I intend to use it for listening to music.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:23PM]

I really want a zune

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:25PM]

That Zune is AMAZING! I'd love to have that to rock out while me and my brother-in-law play GoW2 in his basement.

[gonintendo Posted Nov 8th 2008 12:05AM]

my brother-in-law and I

[smcb Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:23PM]

A new zune would be hot!

[Hearsay Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:29PM]

I have been wanting a zune. I could use it to replace my dinosaur of an ipod

[mtnb08 Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:24PM]

I can't wait to fondle the Zune alone once I get it.

[njsrikar Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:24PM]

The best podcast moment for me was when one of you guys (I think Nilay) was bashing Apple for removing FireWire from their latest line of MacBooks.

[dizilbdog Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:28PM]

A zune would be nice

[ben dover Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:24PM]

My fave moment of the 'cast was when they all took their clothes off.

[ITSREAL Posted Nov 8th 2008 2:14AM]

zune me up, scotty

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2008 5:04PM]

Woot! That zune is amazing :)

[mscdex Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:24PM]

I wouldn't mind having a Zune to replace my very aging Creative Zen Xtra mp3 player.

[jeffliwag Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:25PM]

All I want for Christmas is a... 120GB GoW2 ZUNE!!! I will show it off to my iHype friends; I will sleep and shower with it; I will listen to engadget podcasts while mowing the lawn...

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:27PM]

Podcast? Who really listens to those anyways? Just give me a chainsaw lancer and I'll be happy. That GOW2 Zune is the bomb. I'd love to update my 30gb zune with that one.

[White Noise Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:28PM]

TE QUIERO!!!!!

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:25PM]

I actually like the zunes

[bioadam Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:25PM]

I could be a Zune owner, no tat required.

[easymacfu Posted Nov 7th 2008 2:26PM]

I'll use the Zune, but be terrified of the artwork while eating at mcdonalds and surfing on their music store