Zune3.0 -- Engadget

Microsoft ratchets down pricing on flash-based Zunes

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 18th 2008 at 5:41PM

If you were this close to snapping up a new Zune after Microsoft pushed out its 3.1 software update, boy, are you glad you held off. At least, if you've been eying a Zune of the flash-based variety. Beginning today, the US Zunes are coming a little more in line with their Canadian brethren by falling from $129 to $99 (4GB), $149 to $139 (8GB) and $199 to $179 (16GB). The Car Pack / Dock Pack are also seeing a $10 decrease while the Home / AV pack is being reduced $20. You already purchased two in the time it took to read this, didn't you?

Zune 3.1 update out today - now featuring Sudoku!

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Nov 18th 2008 at 2:52PM

We asked how you would change the Zune 3.0 software and Microsoft responded -- by upgrading Texas Hold 'Em. In addition to adding a multiplayer mode and some new single player difficulty levels to the venerable card game, the 3.1 update (out today) should find Zune Social easier to navigate, and a new "like minded listeners" feature lets you compare your music tastes to other users on the service. Additionally, the update promises an overall increase in stability and performance for the Zune PC app and the device firmware, including improved play count reporting and content synchronization. Rounding out this embarrassment of riches, the new software packs in freebies of Checkers, Sudoku and Space Battle. What are you still doing here, Zuneophiles? Hit the read link!

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Poll: What's your Zune 4.0 must-have?

by Paul Miller, posted Sep 18th 2008 at 4:05PM

Now that the dust has settled on Microsoft's impressive, if not quite revolutionary, Zune 3.0 update, it's time for us all to do what we do best: start demanding a new version of desktop and player software -- and a hardware refresh, of course -- chock-full of features that we've been asking for since day one, and a few things we dreamed up along the way. Pick your top-priority from the poll below, or just go nuts in the comments -- the floor is yours.

Zune 3.0 hands-on

by Paul Miller, posted Sep 16th 2008 at 11:04AM

After a couple misstarts, we've finally got Zune 3.0 running on our computer and that shiny new blue Zune 8 we nabbed yesterday. We had problems with the straight installer, but updating from within Zune 2.5 worked quite well, and after a restart we were able to perform the same feat on the player. The software choked up on the first sync, but we canceled out and it twasn't a problem.

With 3.0 all ready to go, we wasted little time jumping onto Marketplace wirelessly, which felt especially delicious on a teensy little flash DAP. Naturally, we could've squandered all our Microsoft Points on song buys -- which are quite easy to accomplish, with a cart-based purchasing system -- but we're all about subscription music, and Zune Pass speaks our language. The browsing, selecting and downloading processing couldn't be much easier, and you can pick a song to play from right in the store while browsing other wares. There were a couple hiccups in playback when switching tasks, but they were always brief.

Gallery: Zune 3.0 hands-on

Continue reading Zune 3.0 hands-on

Zune 3.0 update now available

by Thomas Ricker, posted Sep 16th 2008 at 5:29AM

The Zune 3.0 software update is now available, go get it! Unlike some vendors who shall not be named, 3.0 brings all the new features to generation one devices -- brown Zune, you never looked so good. We'll be back later with our first look. Until then, why not shout out your experience in the comments.

[Thanks, Adam H.]

Zune site down, 3.0 software update imminent

by Thomas Ricker, posted Sep 16th 2008 at 12:59AM

It's Tuesday and the on-line store is down which can mean only one thing: new aluminum MacBooks. Huh? Oh, the Zune store is down. Well, in that case the Zune 3.0 software update is just around the corner.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Microsoft confirms new Zunes UPDATE: Zune 3.0 coming September 16

by Nilay Patel, posted Sep 8th 2008 at 2:31PM

So much for that ta-da moment tomorrow -- Microsoft just confirmed the fall Zune lineup a little earlier than planned, and it's almost exactly as leaked: capacity bumps to 120GB and 16GB, new WiFi music store, Zune 3.0 software with recommendations and pre-programmed theme channels, and two new games, Hexic and Texas Hold 'Em. Oh, and that snappy blue flash Zune we just spotted. Pricing is similarly unsurprising, seeing as we've had it for a week: the 120GB Zune is $250, while the 16GB flash model is $199 and the 8 gigger is $149. Oh well, at least we still have those new mice and webcams to look forward to tomorrow, right? Certainly nothing else is going on.

Update: The official PR is out, looks like Zune owners can look forward to the Zune 3.0 software update on September 16. Oh, and there's new Audible support as well. Rock on, rockers.

[Via CNET]