Zune HD review
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted September 17th 2009 12:04PM
posted September 17th 2009 12:04PM
So the time has come for the Engadget review. Does the Zune HD finally match up with Microsoft's ambition, and can it stand up to the heat and ubiquity of the competition? Read on for all the answers.
Hardware
The first thing you'll notice -- the first thing everyone notices -- is just how incredibly sexy the Zune HD is. The sleek casing and big, glossy touchscreen is a far cry from previous devices in the line. The body of the player is a sandwich of brushed metal bread with plastic "meat" through the center. On the face of the device is a tall and thin 3.3-inch OLED display and a lean home button at the southern end of the panel. The back is slightly curved on the edges and fastened with four prominent, industrial screws. On the bottom of the device there's a Zune adapter port and 3.5mm headphone jack, while the top houses a power / sleep button, and a "media" button lives on the left-hand side of the unit (more on that later). All in all, the package is smartly put together, and while it sometimes felt a bit light (or not quite there) in the hand, we have few complaints about its build and style. It's one of the more mature offerings Microsoft has made to the gadget world -- and we're taken with it.
Inside, the ZHD is powered by the much-lauded Tegra APX 2600, a system-on-a-chip with a focus on HD video and complex graphics performance -- minus the typical battery suck associated with said activities. The 65nm CPU features eight separate cores, including HD encoder and decoders, a 600MHz ARM11 component, and a stand-alone 3D GPU. What does that mean? Well, presumably (and based on myriad demos we've seen from NVIDIA) the Zune HD is capable of some pretty fierce graphics performance, and given that Microsoft has just announced "3D games" for the platform, it's likely we'll see it put to the test. Thus far there aren't any real examples of the power of this Zune beyond the smooth handling of images and HD video (and it is smooth). We imagine this portion of the system has yet to be fully tapped.
The Zune HD comes in 16GB and 32GB varieties, and we had the pleasure of checking out both the platinum and black iterations, as our original unit was completely broken. We would have liked to see a larger option for storage, but for most users, we're guessing there won't be a ton of complaints. When paired with the Zune Pass service, it's almost an afterthought, as you'll likely be moving lots of music on and off of this thing -- we sure did.
Up top the unit boasts a stunning 480 x 272 OLED display -- still a rarity for most PMPs. The screen also happens to be capacitive (Microsoft's first foray down this road), and features multitouch input along with gesture support. The Zune HD's display is highly responsive and performance is super snappy -- if you're used to the action of an iPod touch or iPhone, this should feel about the same to you. More to the point, the color saturation and deepness of blacks is unmatched by almost any handheld device we've used. It's a gorgeous screen, and a great choice for a product so laser-focused on media. There is one minor gripe though... and you probably can see this one coming. OLED screens aren't known for their performance in direct sunlight, and the Zune HD doesn't hugely improve on that point -- the image below says it all. Just pretend it's Dracula or something.
The player comes with a few accessories as well -- a set of standard earbuds which are unsurprisingly weak (we found them to be overly bassy and muffled sounding), and a USB cable for connecting the device to your PC.
Software
The big changes here aren't just in the hardware that makes up the device, but in the totally new software which lives inside. The Zune HD features a completely revamped Zune interface, one which utilizes big text, big gestures, a multi-dimensional layout, and multitouch input to help you navigate through your media. Not only does the device provide the standard support for music and video, but it looks like Microsoft is taking a deeper dive into applications, providing a few non-game titles out of the gate, with plans for more robust experiences in the upcoming months. In addition, the company has revamped its desktop software to feel more closely in line with the new features it's providing on devices, and is pushing the Zune Marketplace out into Xbox Live for video content (soon, but not yet). Let's take a closer look at the software side of the Zune HD.
User interface
The user interface of the Zune HD is just about as sexy looking as the player itself. Microsoft continues its push towards big, big typography here, providing a sophisticated, neatly designed layout that's almost as functional as it is attractive. Like all good touchscreen devices, the Zune HD provides a lock screen which requires a swipe up to clear. Once you've pushed away the very-slightly informative page (you get the time and the battery life here), you're greeted with a clean menu of content options. Scrolling through the list is smooth as butter on the HD, but you're also able to swipe to the right, bringing up a list of "pinned" media (essentially favorites which you select by long-pressing on an item), recent selections, and the newest content that's hit your device. A swipe left takes you back to the main menu. The key to this kind of navigation is layers and fluidity -- every time you move from one place to another, you're being pulled into or out of a section... dimensionally. When you click on "music" in your list, it feels as if you're zoomed down into a new region of the device, when you click on your side menu you flutter out of one list and into another. The effect is quite different from the navigation on a touch or iPhone, where you feel like you're constantly managing lists.
One style of navigation isn't necessarily better or worse than the other, though we must say the Zune HD takes some getting used to in this department. Before you really get a feel for the flow of the UI, it can be a little confusing as to how you back out of a menu or move over to another option. Since the home button provides a consistent path to your main menu, it's not that jarring, but it does have a learning curve. The counterpoint to that, however, is that on a device like the iPod touch, a lot of your menu options are always front and center, which means you're poring through those boring lists, but you're also able to track your location and jump from A to B more quickly. With the Zune HD, it's always a few extra steps this way or that. Once you get a feel for it, however, it's quite a pleasant experience -- zooming through content on the Zune HD goes beyond simple navigation, and makes just using the device a kind of bizarre alien pleasure.
Whle the UI is mostly good news, Microsoft made what we consider to be a pretty poor hardware and software choice with the use of its "media" button. Where you would expect a hardware volume rocker, the company provides a single click button which brings up your media navigation menu. Here you get options for back / forward and volume adjustment. Unfortunately, what that means is that every time you need to change the volume, you not only have to click this button, but you have to be looking at the screen, and be able to touch the plus or minus symbols. If you've ever walked down a busy street in New York and needed to turn your volume up or down, you'd know what a backwards experience this is. Having to use a two step process and look at the screen makes no real sense for something as basic as volume adjustment -- especially since the Zune HD provides no option for leveling your audio. A standard rocker would have been a much smarter choice, or even a dual-use rocker that served both purposes.
Besides those gripes, however, getting into your content and playing back media is a cinch, and most users will take to it easily. Occasionally we felt like there one-too-many targets for us to click on (a play button, a letter, and an artist name all in one section, for instance), but generally the HD has its priorities straight.
Apps / Internet
One of the biggest issues swirling around the launch of the Zune HD was the app question. Knowing that the device had been supercharged with Tegra, had a multitouch capacitive screen, and a completely reworked OS, it only made sense. Since from almost every angle the ZHD looks like an iPod touch competitor, applications are the logical next step. Of course, how do you go about creating a new silo for applications when you've already got a dedicated mobile ecosystem and separate games console? The answer is very carefully, and very quietly. It was only upon launch that Microsoft made its intentions clear about apps coming to the Zune HD, and now it looks like we're going to see at least a handful of small programs headed to the device.
For starters, you can download a free calculator, weather app, and a smattering of games for the PMP. Nothing seems to be taking advantage of the horsepower just yet, and truthfully we felt that loading and closing times for even the simplest of applications were longer than they should be. Of course, this is a platform in the earliest stages of infancy, so we expect better things down the road. The big M has promised "3D gaming" -- which we know the Tegra is more than capable of -- so it's possible the company will choose to aim more enterprise-oriented software towards the Windows Phone platform, keep hardcore gaming orbiting the Xbox, and go after that casual market for the ZHD (which Apple is currently cleaning up on). Regardless, the Zune HD OS seems ripe for richer content, even if the device's awkward place in the Microsoft lineup doesn't make that prospect as simple as it should be.
One item that bears mentioning: Microsoft is sticking interstitial ads on the player when you load applications. It's a bit jarring and a bit off-putting to see an advertisement on your device when you're trying to get into an app, and we think the company may want to investigate some other options here -- it just feels sleazy.
Beyond the application situation, there's also the small matter of the web browser which the Zune HD ships with. Built upon the existing mobile Internet Explorer, but sufficiently tweaked, we found it to be mildly useful, though sorely lacking in key features. It's clear that Microsoft had some trepidation about putting anything too robust out there. The browser renders pages nicely and utilizes pinch zooming like a champ, but there are no tab options, no history, and hardly any navigational elements at all. Additionally, the performance on page loading and rendering wasn't even in the same league as most webkit-based mobile options (Android browser, iPod touch / iPhone, Pre). Forget about YouTube or other rich media as well -- it's just not happening here. On the plus side, the included on-screen keyboard is surprisingly accurate, and we're not-so-secretly hoping that we see this QWERTY pop up on future Windows Mobile devices -- it's actually quite good. But good keyboards notwithstanding, at the end of the day the browser is still barebones... no matter how smoothly it renders pages.
Desktop software
Microsoft has made some decent changes to its Zune software, but while the headliners like Smart DJ and a new Zune HD-style "Quickplay" home screen might grab all the attention, we're most enthused by the general speed and stability improvements. When it came to Zune 3.0 -- particularly when searching the Marketplace (a constant for Zune Pass subscribers) -- there were some incredibly annoying hangups and delays (or even outright failures) in populating search results. We'd bugged Microsoft about it, and the company claimed to be working on the issues. Well guess what? Zune 4.0 indeed solves most of these problems. In fact, the interface from top to bottom seems accelerated and a bit more logically laid out, though in general Zune's desktop software continues to defy most traditional interface paradigms.
The new Quickplay screen basically duplicates the functionality on the device, letting you pin favorites, check out a "history" of plays (which wasn't populating very frequently, to our eyes) and peep the newest additions to your library. Below that is a row for your favorite Smart DJ artists. If you're using a Zune Pass (and let's be honest, you should be) you're not getting just a mix of your own tracks, but of anything in the whole Marketplace. Honestly, we expected better playlists out of the feature -- Jack Johnson and The Fray tracks in a MGMT mix does seem a bit odd -- but perhaps Zune is just going for irony. The Mixview feature still seems mostly useless to us, and the Marketplace "picks" still vacillate between oddball and insulting, though we're working on a fresher machine without our full play history, so perhaps 4.0's picks will improve in time -- 3.0 only seemed to get worse.
Syncing content was mostly painless, though we did run into a few snags when trying to dump big stacks of files onto the device. More than once we had to erase our syncing items and re-download, or quit the app and reboot in order for all the bits to fall into place. We're not sure if it's a simple communication issue between the player and software, or if there's a more complicated answer.
Overall, however, the software seems mostly unchanged both in interface and functionality (outside of the odd tweak or there). Aside from the considerable speed improvements we're noticing and the Quickplay option, it's essentially the same. If you never liked Zune 3.0, Zune 4.0 won't do much to change your mind, but for existing users it's a big leap forward in frustration-free usability.
Audio quality
Zune players have always been known for their stellar audio, and the Zune HD is no exception. Forget about using the included earbuds -- they're pretty much junk. When we tested with decent in-ear buds, however, we thought the quality was rather excellent. Compared to the touch or iPhone audio, the Zune HD seemed to have a wider stereo field and deeper, more resonant low end. Where other players seem crunchy and muffled, the Zune HD feels expansive and open -- like someone popped the top off of a soda can. It's not such an outrageous difference that most people will notice, but those who listen closely should be able to hear it, and we're certainly not complaining about better audio when it comes to the realm of the digital.
Video quality
Video quality on the Zune itself is handsome, which should come as little surprise. You don't combine that kind of small screen, tight pixel density and OLED technology and not end up with some solid results. HD content we threw onto the device was clear and crisp, though when we used the A/V dock, we found the 720p content to be a bit more compressed than we'd like. Overall most video was fine, though we had some maddening issues with trying to get video from other sources playing. The Zune software isn't exactly a whiz at finding media from outside the Zune ecosystem, so if you're fresh to the platform, you may find yourself scratching your head while hunting around for the videos you downloaded in iTunes (or from Amazon, or anywhere else). Once you solve that problem you should be good to go... unless you want to get down and dirty with any even remotely weird format. If that's your endgame, you're going to have to figure out some more creative ways to get video onto your Zune HD. For all it's awesome media functions, it's not really a jack of all trades. For instance, there's no DivX support here (as other reviewers have noted), and you're definitely out of luck with the more modern formats such as MKV.
A/V dock
Microsoft was kind enough to send along the A/V dock and remote (MSRP $89.99), which puts the Zune HD in a whole new context. The dock worked beautifully out of the box -- we just plugged it into the wall and into our HDMI jack and away we went. As soon as the ZHD was slotted it brought up a familiar looking menu which is navigated rather simply using the included (tiny) remote. What's intriguing about the dock is that it transforms the Zune HD into a kind of mini all-in-one STB, allowing you to pull video, audio, radio (HD or otherwise), still images, and podcasts from an easily accessible location which requires zero setup.
Audio and video out of the dock via HDMI seemed more than sufficient, though as we said previously, we thought some HD content we'd purchased in the Marketplace was a bit more compressed than we would have liked. Overall it's a fairly compelling package to have, though it comes at a not-insignificant cost to the end user, and it's obviously not going to appeal to everyone (especially when you've just shelled out for the player). It does, however, seem like an ideal setup if you're a student or someone with limited space, as it solves quite a few problems all at once.
Wrap-up
Perhaps the most compelling reason to buy a Zune HD right now isn't the gorgeous screen or forthcoming apps, HD radio, or slick design. Make no mistake about it -- this is a fine, fine device, and no one would fault you for buying one -- but it's not the device itself that is the most attractive part of this package. To us, it seems like the single most compelling reason to choose this device over something like the iPod touch can be boiled down to one thing: Zune Pass.
We know what you're thinking -- that's crazy fanboy talk. But look at these facts: as of right now there isn't a huge price advantage to purchasing the ZHD over a touch (in fact, $199 gets you into a lower capacity touch, while you're looking at $229 for the base Zune), you don't have access to more media (certainly in the video department) or applications, the sound quality isn't so much better that we'd ward you off of another product, and there are generally major deficits in the utility of the Zune HD versus Apple's player (like that web browser). The Zune HD is a great media player, but we can't pretend it's the only PMP on the market.
But the one thing that Microsoft has that Apple doesn't is Zune Pass -- and that's a major "but." We won't bore you with the details of this service, though you should know that for $14.99 a month, you can basically enjoy all the music you can find in the Zune Marketplace (and download ten tracks on the house every 30 days). The Pass should appeal to both casual and obsessive listeners alike, since it provides benefit to either. Whether you're gobbling up music or just snacking, having an all-you-can-eat buffet in front of you is handy.
So let's pretend for a moment that these players are exactly the same in every way except for how you get music on them. In that scenario, we think Microsoft's angle has some real advantages. Of course, these players are different -- you're still sacrificing a lot for that $15 subscription -- and even though the Zune HD is a tremendous media player with a lot of great features, we still don't think it competes 1:1 with a device like the touch. Still, it competes, and for Microsoft and the Zune brand, that's a major leap forward.
Note: In the coming days, Engadget HD editor Ben Drawbaugh will be taking a deeper look at the Zune HD's integration into the rest of the Microsoft ecosystem, including Media Center and Xbox Live.
Ne mention of the HD Radio? How does it sound? How does t hold a signal. there are some nice HD stations where I live so this is relevant to my interests...
It sounds freaking awesome, no static and perfect quality sound(had a couple people think that I was listening to a cd). For moving around, it depends where you are. If you're in a suburb or urban environment you won't have any problems at all. If you're out in the middle of nowhere you likely won't get any signal.
@Nick S. if you cant see the difference you are a blind rabid fanboy. NONE of the apps made by apple have ads in them. Only 3 out of 25 free games on my phone have ads in them.
I am personally not an app whore. I do not have time to play around with thousands of apps. (I like to do more than JUST mess with technology all day) So this Zune represents what is important, KILLER SOUND, fluid usage ui, and a great look with intuitive controls.
App whores really have nothing else to do all day except play with apps...
I think you underestimate the value of apps. For instance, the Tom Harrison map apps. I have Yosemite and Kings Canyon/Sequoia Nat'l Parks and when coupled with the GPS, they are invaluable for hiking in those areas. Google Maps has saved me more than once. Granted, I have frivolous ones such as a monitor for my solar panels and games, but there are tons of useful apps that I would never willingly trade away. MS needs to realize this, and fast. The Zune HD is in a weird no man's land. Most people that want just a PMP don't want touch screens. Those that want touch screens want more functionality likes apps and phones.
+1. The inclusion of a browser is definitely useful to me. Does anyone know if this supports Microsoft exchange?
I don't have an iphone neither an ipod, why as soon as you put out some facts people assume you are a fanboy of the direct competitor?
I'm just a regular guy who is looking to buy a new pmp device, and now because of this, the zunehd is definately off my list.
I don't understand the concept of fanboyism unless the big corporations pay those people. I care about MY money.
They forgot to mention all of the other great features that have been with Zune for a long time, such as the social aspect. I love being able to listen to what my friends are listening to with my Zune Pass.
Too bad only one of my friends has a Zune he seldom uses. (I'm not trying to knock Microsoft or anything, but let's face it: The Zune has never been popular, so social aspects aren't important to those of us surrounded by iPod and Sansa users.)
It will be interesting to see if Microsoft integrates apps with Social in the future, and what that'd mean if the Zune HD becomes more common.
@Jordan: Yeah a lot of free apps have AdMob banner ads in them, but these aren't third party apps, they are ones that Microsoft has put on the marketplace. And they aren't just banners, they are full on video commercials that play.
The Zune seems like it is an awesome PMP if you are focused solely on the Media experience. The interface looks smooth as silk and it has better audio quality than the Touch. Once you go beyond the media it gets a bit iffy. It seems like the Zune HD interface must do a ton of pre-caching to be so smooth, which would explain why apps take so long to load. The Zune OS is probably taking up most of the RAM to provide a smooth experience, but if you try and run an app which needs its own space the Zune has to drop some of its cache, then when you quit the app it fills it back in.
I was also expecting more from the browser, but I guess it is still showing its roots.
I've loving my Zune HD over my previous 80 model. The browser functionality could use some work though. I agree with Engadget on the Zune Pass, I've been using it for at least two years now and it really does expand your capability to discover new favorites to add to your collection. The 10 DRM free songs a month alone almost pay for the monthly fee.
That was intended for Ryan. Damn comment system!
The video demos make the screen look unresponsive and the navigation complicated....the instructions make it pretty clear, tap the top of the screen to go back. I've got both iPod Touch and Zune HD, by far the Zune HD is a better experience for media, iPod is better for apps.
While the UI does indeed look very nice, it fails in usability. As Josh said, it takes more "touches" to get to things vs. the Touch, most notably play controls and volume. Play controls should be persistent on a now playing screen and volume should be hardware and always persistent. Also, there are three different types of "back" buttons/messages depending on where you are in the interface. There should be a single convention for going back in the menu no matter where you are or are going to.
I just don't like the narrower screen. If I watch a 4:3 video (like South Park for example), you're going to see the video in 363x272 (2.2"x1.65"). It would be 426x320 (2.6"x1.94") on the iPod Touch. That's 40% bigger on the Touch! On the Zune HD, the video would only be 2.75" diagonal, only 20% bigger than the iPod Classic's small screen!
The TV out UI is great though. It's not as nice as the Apple TV, but it sure seems to get the job done and it's portable.
Poor battery life and being useless outdoors just doesn't sit well with me. I'm not ready for the tradeoffs OLED brings at this time.
"It's clear that Microsoft had some trepidation about putting anything too robust out there. The browser renders pages nicely and utilizes pinch zooming like a champ, but there are no tab options, no history, and hardly any navigational elements at all. Additionally, the performance on page loading and rendering wasn't even in the same league as most webkit-based mobile options (Android browser, iPod touch / iPhone, Pre). Forget about YouTube or other rich media as well -- it's just not happening here."
Can you even call that a web browser? Lol.
Forget the lack of apps (though that is major). Microsoft could've at least given the thing a decent browser.
I don't understand all this hype about mobile browsers. I've used almost every mobile browser with exception to the one on the Zune HD, Pre's browser and Fennec, and they're all pretty bad. It's great that I can check NBA scores on the go using a browser, but it's so much better to use a dedicated application. It's just such a pain to do some of the necessary things on a mobile browser, like panning around to read text, zooming in to see stuff, then zooming back out to look at the next thing and etc. There are sites that are optimized for mobile browsers, but those sites often have a dedicated application to deliver their content, without a browser.
Is there some mysterious, amazing feature about mobile browsers that I'm not seeing?
The Internet Explorer on the Zune is a failure cause it is slow and does not support flash, when the Nvidia Tegra chip supports flash acceleration so it is not utilizing the hardware properly. Too bad about that, maybe there will be an update.
I'm loving the Zune HD over my previous 80 other than storage capacity. Been using Zune Pass for a couple of years now and saved soo much money from buying some of the garbage that record companies release these days. The 10 DRM free songs a month pays for the fee almost in itself. My wife and daughter have Zunes as well. Its nice to have the access to all the music at a fraction of the real cost.
Well if they are going to log in to their other account to down rank any truth's they see, they might as well parrot their other 14 accounts before they log into their next one.
I do not think MS wanted just a pocket computer like Apple just yet. They want to focus on things that are important. Video, sound, and usability.
What is wrong with that? I guess if you want a computer wherever you go you can just get an Ipod touch...
Please everyone look at this effing tools posting history. Its nothing but the same scripted lies FUD and garbage all day long. Also he is the other user Hamidxa who had the exact same posting history. Engadget you really need to rethink having a complete tool like this posting 40 times per thread. He is an idiot, a serious nerd rage fanboy, and a complete disruption to EVERY conversation with his unintelligent anti everything that isnt MS bullcrap.
Thanks for that guys, your review looks very fair.
The advertisement only gets played the first time you open the app. After that, it's just a short banner ad that gets displayed while the app is loading.
Yeah, just took mine outside DIRECTLY in sunlight, and it's more readable than my previous ZUNE 80 my Cowon D2 or any ipod touch I've seen. Just wait till next year when the ipods have oled screens. Then you'll all be shoving them up your ass like suppositories singing the praises of Apple. If apple had a zune pass esque subscription service all the apple fanatics would be blowing out their O-Rings. Suck it retards.
No it's not. The Touch screen is reflective, so the sun makes it far more readable.
I use my iPhone outside every day, and other than the fact that the screen suddenly has a light colored border around it (due to the reflection), it looks great.
I dunno how bright the Zune HD screen can get. It'd be unusual if it could battle the sun. And with how much power OLED uses, you're still going to have problems with battery life when you use it outdoors, even if you can see the screen.
You mean how much power you THINK it uses? You have no idea. In fact, that's one of the areas the review left out. Wait until next year, you'll love oled as long as it's got apple's logo attached to the back side of it. Sing its praises then.
Just took my Zune HD and my iPhone outside. The iPhone is way more readable. You might be able to blow that smoke up your fellow MS shill's rear, but it isn't going to make it past people who know better.
I work with OLEDs every day at work right now. And it's not like the info is restricted to those of us who actually do so. So find a Samsung spec sheet (they make the displays we are looking at and they make them for Nokia, probably for this too). You should learn to be less of an ass.
The sun outside on a cloudy day is 5x as bright as the brightest it ever is indoors. On a clear day the sun 10x AGAIN brighter than that. So that means your display if it wants to be as readable outside in direct sunlight has to be 50x as bright as it is when indoors. That means you either need to use 50x as much power emitting light (which is what an OLED does) or you need to make your display so it uses reflected sunlight to make itself brighter (as a reflective or transflective LCD does).
So that means every minute the display is on outside on a bright day and it's fully readable (as you say it is), it is going to use as much power as it would take running most of an HOUR indoors. So what does this mean? Well, it means crummy battery life outdoors. Or more likely, they just don't turn the display up that much, so they get better battery life, but you just can't see the display.
So you've seen the battery life reports then? Really? Nothing more needs to be said...I'll just wait to read your praise next year. It's fine. Continue on.
I don't need to see the battery life reports. It's called the laws of thermodynamics, look it up. If you want to make a transmissive display 50x brighter it will take 50x the power. And given that the display is already the largest power user in a portable video player, this is a problem.
And it's not just an OLED thing. A transmissive LCD has the same problem. This is presumably why these are not used on displays that are used outdoors.
Have you ever looked at a glass building in the daytime? Can you tell in which offices the lights are on and in which the lights are off? No? You can't even see in, because the light in the office cannot stand up to the sun even on a cloudy day. But at night, you can easily tell which offices have their lights on. Now just think as these office windows as pixels. You either won't be able to tell if a Zune pixel is on or off when it is outdoors in sunlight or they'll have to jack up the energy to the pixels 50x on a sunny day.
Don't be an idiot just because you happen to like a product. It's not an excuse to shut your brain off.
Thank you dear Messiah. I was formerly unable to not only locate, but also comprehend technological pages on Wikipedia. You have shown me the light. All praises.
This is the problem with you MS fanboys. The guy you are being snarky with says he works with OLED screens every day and the way he talks im inclined to believe him. But yet here you are, on your what 5th? 6th? Engadget account doubting him like you know how jack crap.
exactly my point - thank you cahsmonee, Daylight seeps into a lot of environments in our lives, unless you're a hermit crab and live under da sea, or you enjoy vitamin D deficiencies...
If they somehow put a Digital TV Tuner into this thing I would be drooling even more than I'm drooling now.
engadget they deleted my comment, haha delusionals. tell the truth the screen doesn't look like that in the sun light well anyway youtube will prove it
Dude...its an evolved mp3 player. Not a mini computer. When APPLE and MS start marketing them purely as pocket computers THAN I shall consider them pocket computers.
You know they can help your internet addiction right? You do not need to be connection to the nternet 24/7 like you are in the matrix.
Best Zune review yet. I do agree on the fact that the Zune Market Place is the big plus you are getting with the Zune. I'm a very music centric person I even traded my iTouch for a Fuze just because of the audio quality... and this serive just seems great
Good review, but I was a little disappointed that you didn't review the HD Radio feature.
Hmm.
Doesn't look outdoors (at all !)
No apps
and the major reason to buy is too shell out more money every month.
Zune Pass
You got that right.. I'll pass
how much do you blow on itunes every month?
@bdb205
Let's just say I'm 'torrent friendly."
So almost zero.
I'm a fan of torrents to, but don't kid yourself and make it out like they're easily accessible or as if you can find what you want all the time and without often terrible time restraints on the downloads. ZunePass + Tunebite = Unlimited music I actually own, LEGALLY(though I'm not a stickler for that either.)
If you watched the App video posted in the review, you will notice that while Calculator loaded slowly there was no advert whatsoever.
Obviously I think Microsoft needs to speed up load times and rethink the whole app experience.
"HD content we threw onto the device was clear and crisp, though when we used the A/V dock, we found the 720p content to be a bit more compressed than we'd like."
Did you have the Zune software set up to transfer videos for watching on the Zune or TV?
I like the look of the Zune, but if the main selling point over one of apples beasties is the Zune Pass for £10 a month I could have the same with the spotify app (£10). I know these are pretty much region specific but that seems to me no difference between players. With that in mind I'd go apple, first off itunes is still a very good media management software and the second main selling point is the 3rd party app support. I mean look at windows mobile and the decade or so that was about and how many apps did anyone show off on that platform? Then within 1 year you have thousands of apps, doing everything from shabby games, to handy utilities.
For me thats the winning decision. Media wise there isn't much to choose between them, spec wise not much, price not much and ability to have as much music as you want not much, so for me it would boil down to which does other things.
It seems like the Zune is starting at a point *below* where the iPod touch was over 2 years ago.
Like this Zune, the iPod touch was initially released without a mail, maps, notes, or 3rd party apps, and with a read-only calendar. But it did have a very compelling mobile wi-fi browser, and once Google and others started releasing iPhone/iPod specific web apps that was enough for me to finally pick one up.
By October 2007 Apple released an app package for the iPod that included most of the apps from the iPhone (Mail, Maps, Notes, etc.), and the Jailbreak scene blossomed to provide a ton of 3rd party apps, from games to SSH clients. This is what made the iPod touch the killer little device that it is.
So here we are approaching October 2009, a Zune without any compelling apps, a weak web browser, and a screen that's apparently invisible in daylight.
Hardware aside, how long will it take for the Zune catch up to where the iPod touch was in October 2007? Will it ever?
Really? So the iPod Touch had HD-radio, a screen that looks even half as good as the one on the Zune HD, could play 720p video, had 33 hours of audio battery life and 8.5 hours of video, a subscription model that gave you unlimited ability to swap music into and out of your library, anywhere near as good of an interface? Oh right, most of those things still aren't in the iPod Touch. Maybe next year it'll catch up to the Zune HD.
Mark, the features I mentioned make the iPod a killer device. Only a fool would give those up in exchange for FM Radio.
The display on the touch looks far more than half as good as the Zune HD display. The touch interface is again, much closer than "anywhere near as good". And HD radio sucks if you are moving around, it reacts poorly to intermittent signal.
As far as I know the Touch can play 33 hours of audio if you turn the WiFi off. No way you'd get 8.5 hours of video though.
720p video is nice, although $90 to use it sucks. Still, Apple doesn't have it at any price.