Zune HD v4.3 firmware out now: fixes playcount bug, adds lots of great things (video)

Who says Microsoft ain't lookin' out for those who selected its Zune HD over something Designed In Cupertino? Just days after countless owners went berserk over a playcount syncing issue, Microsoft has released a new firmware update that not only solves that very quandary but also adds a gaggle of fantastic new and / or improved features. The v4.3 update is available now by selecting "Player Update" from within the device itself, and with it will come "support for upcoming 3d games and applications, as well as an auto-suggest feature for better text input, and other minor improvements." We're hearing that those "minor improvements" include a snappier browser, so it's pretty safe to say you're only harming yourself if you don't get this download going right now. (Psst... there's a vid of the new software running after the break.)

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Neutral Posted Nov 7th 2009 4:19PM]

I just found sme sales numbers. iPod touch even though pricier still has outsold zune by 18 to 1 sales figure. In other words this proves desirability rate of zune n touch. Zune sales numbers n desirability rate r on downward decline slope.
No touchkiller here. Only overhyped product. Even my iPhone is a better pmp than this.
This ashame bill gates is this best u can do. Apple gave u formula n blueprints due to iPhone was unveiled almost 3 years ago. N somehow u still managed to fcuk that up. No wonder your wife wants iPhone.

[Christo27 Posted Nov 7th 2009 4:34PM]

I was about to respond to the first part. Then I read the second part and saw how ignorant you are. I now refuse to defend the zune, as I see it will be pointless against you

[uwaga dude Posted Nov 7th 2009 4:39PM]

Hey, dumbass, the Touch has been out for 3 years. Why not get a real comparison: iPod Touch 3rd gen vs. Zune HD?

[ridley182 Posted Nov 7th 2009 4:47PM]

So true. Microsoft LOVES to pimp sales numbers. The fact that they haven't said anything yet makes it even more obvious that the Zune HD is a huge failure. They are probably waiting until it hits 500,000 or a million before they say anything, which is probably going to take a while. How long did it take the original Zune to hit a million again, like a whole year? That's what new iPods sell at launch lol

The only people buying Zune HDs are:

1) Apple haters/Microsheeps
2) Socially-inept kids trying to be "different"

[Lewis Posted Nov 7th 2009 7:44PM]

Ok, Ridley first, word i'm coming to you.

"The only people buying Zune HDs are:

1) Apple haters/Microsheeps
2) Socially-inept kids trying to be "different"

Or the intelligent people who understand the advantages of the Zune HD. Better MUSIC quality and UI for MUSIC, superior software for managing and finding MUSIC on our MUSIC player. Some people...... like proper music compared to 100,000 lets face it mostly useless apps and if I do want an app for something I just use my G1.

Now you word,

1) Learn to spell!! You sound like a teenage girl texting at a party!
2) **** OFF

[ridley182 Posted Nov 7th 2009 11:41PM]

@Lewis

Uh, the iPod Touch is more than a MUSIC player. By the way, the Zune HD is also supposed to be more than a MUSIC player. In case you haven't noticed, Microsoft is also advertising it as a movie, internet and apps device. Sadly (for all the unsuspecting Zune HD users) the Zune HD seems to be an amazingly incompetent device when it comes to browsing the web, watching movies outside in the sun, and running apps that are worth a damn.

To put it simply: if you purchased the Zune HD JUST for MUSIC then congratulations: you've just purchased the wrong product. Go you.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 8th 2009 12:33PM]

I just found some sales numbers. Windows 7, even though pricier, still has out sold Snow Leopard. Guess this proves once and for all that OSX is an inferior product in every way.

http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/11/october-2009-os-stats-windows-7-passes-snow-leopard-linux-1.ars?utm_source=microblogging&utm_medium=arstch&utm_term=Main%20Account&utm_campaign=microblogging

[kingblind Posted Nov 7th 2009 4:33PM]

32gb zune hd won't download update either.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2009 7:35PM]

Here's the full HD tutorial on how to upgrade your Zune HD firmware:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO-q89n_coc

[aopolis Posted Nov 7th 2009 5:12PM]

Commenting from my Zune :P this auto suggest and correct is great. Just hit the spacebar if the first word is what you want.

[BigFatDuck Posted Nov 7th 2009 5:28PM]

wow, that keyboard looks HORRIBLE. hardly any borders between keys, and the pop-out isn't even big enough to see with your finger pressed so you can't tell at a glance what key you just hit (isn't that the only point of having the key pop-out??). that's not even considering that the screen is SMALLER, and with the incredibly bad use of space makes the keyboard look much smaller than ipod touch. oh yeah, but someone stupid enough to be using bing search is trying to find a reason why ipod touch sucks, so that must be the case.

[JasonDassh Posted Nov 7th 2009 6:18PM]

Have you actually USED this keyboard?? Frankly, even in the smaller landscape version I was more or less instantly typing with hardly any errors at all, and with the bigger one, well now there are no errors at all o.O Same goes for most people that I've shown it too and have used it, its ridiculously easy to type with for some reason. Maybe it is the fact there are no gaps between the keys, more area to press?

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 8th 2009 12:34PM]

Spoken like someone who has never actually used the thing. Good job showing your ignorance.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2009 5:28PM]

08816 - East Brunswick, NJ!! Big time!

[ArcSyn Posted Nov 7th 2009 5:52PM]

All I want is a firmware patch from 3.2 to fix the infinite time bug. Come on Microsoft, stop focusing on improving things until you've fixed the things you've broken! I still can't listen to an album straight through ever since the HD released.

[fieldcar Posted Nov 9th 2009 2:19PM]

You actually have damaged media when the player cant track its location in the song. I would try to rebuld the ID3's for your songs with a program like MP3 Tag tools.

[Darwin Posted Nov 7th 2009 5:55PM]

Thats what you call fantastic? Heh. You would have to be pretty clueless to buy one of these over an iPod Touch. Which is why they
are not selling.

[uwaga dude Posted Nov 7th 2009 8:32PM]

What the fuck do you mean not selling? They're sold out everywhere and they've only been out a goddamn MONTH.

[fieldcar Posted Nov 9th 2009 2:20PM]

c'mon uwaga dude, keep it clean, profanity just brings you to their level.

[AiR1890 Posted Nov 7th 2009 7:18PM]

The only thing I wish the ipod touch/iphone had that the zune HD has is the ability to play 720p video from it, the oled screen is very nice to, wish it had that to.

[A Brown Kid Posted Nov 7th 2009 7:27PM]

I want one in Canada, please!!!

[MikeMc Posted Nov 7th 2009 8:40PM]

[gadget name here] f*ckin' sucks! [gadget name here] totally kicks [gadget name here]'s ass! [gadget name here] has [feature] and [feature] but everyone thinks [gadget name here] is better because of [gadget name here]'s [worthless metric here]. F*ckin' [giant corporation name here] fanbois!

[SeveringGecko Posted Nov 7th 2009 11:22PM]

I have both a zune and an iphone, and several other ipods, i think they both have their strengths and weaknesses, and both can coexist, i mean i helps to have a good alternative so that they are always trying to outdo each other. I am a mac and pc user, i love my macbook pro but i also built a computer for games.

just my two cents, and i had to change to canada to get the update to work, going to go stress test it now!

[ideaz Posted Nov 29th 2009 1:30AM]

@SeveringGecko didnt you consider charity?

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2009 11:24PM]

I may be wrong but that little beep that is heard occasionally during your video means: YOU NEED TO CHANGE THE BATTERY IN YOUR SMOKE DETECTOR, SOON!

FYI.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2009 11:38PM]

YESSSS...... With this update now I can comment on engadet
by the way this was sent from a Zune hd :)

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 8th 2009 1:00AM]

once this gets youtube I might never touch my netbook again!

[Arkv2 Posted Nov 8th 2009 12:47AM]

It's been quite a while since I read your comments; are you Steve Jobs?

[jareth86 Posted Nov 8th 2009 1:17AM]

Dear Microsoft,

GIVE US APPS OR OPEN THE DEVICE.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 8th 2009 1:58AM]

Great! A bunch of features the iPod touch/iPhone already have! Still playing catch up I see...where's the innovation? No wonder it gets mediocre reviews all around...its a mediocre device. All it has going for it is the OLED screen and the HD in the title so stupid people will think it has an HD screen and has a better quality picture than everything else and blindly buy it. Ugh..I love Microsoft...got Windows 7 Ultimate and an Xbox 360 Elite but I will never understand the Zunes...fanboys...lol

[Copenhagun Posted Nov 8th 2009 3:40AM]

I've owned a 160gb ipod since it came out and to be honest, all it had was storage. I bought a 16gb Zune HD and after that, I was hooked. I sold my 160gb ipod, since I wasn't using much space on it and bought a 32gb Zune HD and I'm hooked. I've had an mp3 player since Archos started making them and to date, the Zune HD is the absolute hands down best, the only thing lacking is probably a 64gb version which I'm told is on its way.

[Jerome36 Posted Nov 8th 2009 3:43AM]

Just to test things I timed how long it took to load some webpages, including Engadget. It took about 29 seconds for my Zune HD to load the entire front page. I hadn't cleared my internet history and what not either. So then I went and got the update, cleared my internet settings, and tried again. This time it took 13 to 14 seconds to load the page. I tried a few other pages and they're a LOT faster now. For this reason alone the update is excellent. Now I just can't wait to see the 3D games we'll be getting, and I look forward to the Facebook App.

Ooh... and I guess it's nice the playcount bug/glitch is fixed as well.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 8th 2009 2:23PM]

ne one know when new apps are coming out?

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 8th 2009 2:27PM]

ne one know when new apps are coming out?

[fieldcar Posted Nov 9th 2009 2:27PM]

["Rumor has it (according to RedmondPie anyway) that Zune HD users will see the first batch of 3D games and apps for the Zune HD as early as November 17, 2009, the same day the next Xbox 360 update is scheduled to arrive. We're wondering if the new ones will also have pre-roll ads."]

-arstechnica.com

http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/11/zune-hd-43-adds-support-for-upcoming-3d-games-and-apps.ars

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 8th 2009 2:34PM]

ne on e know when new apps are coming out?

[Disabled Posted Nov 8th 2009 5:45PM]

Those of you having problems, you don't necessarily have a problem with your region and it has nothing to do with 32gb v. 16gb. Simply do a system restore on the device.

1. Press POWER/MEDIA (side) butons together for 15 seconds. wait for the full time or until you see the screen that tells you you will need to connect to use the device THIS WILL NOT DELETE YOUR CONTENT.

2. Start the Zune desktop software and reconnect your Zune. The update should start right away.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 8th 2009 7:06PM]

The performance increase on the browser is actually pretty nuts. It is very, very much faster at loading pages now.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 9th 2009 8:19AM]

We're sorry, but your search returned no results.

[Kid Red Posted Nov 9th 2009 9:46AM]

@ matt - EXACTYLY!!! And I wager you still use Windows!?!?! Oh the irony...

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 9th 2009 3:38PM]

This is a huge update. all the things posted that were wrong with the device are now fix. Thank God for enterprise network connections now :D

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 9th 2009 4:51PM]

I hate this. The update came out and my pc software messed up. Whenever I open it it just says this error code, C00D11CD, also Ive uninstalled and reinstalled several times and restarted my computer but it doesn't work. At least my zune didn't get messed up to.