Available this holiday season in the United States, Zune includes a 30GB digital media player, the Zune Marketplace music service and a foundation for an online community that will enable music fans to discover new music. The Zune device features wireless technology, a built-in FM tuner and a bright, 3-inch screen that allows users to not only show off music, pictures and video, but also to customize the experience with personal pictures or themes to truly make the device their own. Zune comes in three colors: black, brown and white.
Every Zune device creates an opportunity for connection. Wireless Zune-to-Zune sharing lets consumers spontaneously share full-length sample tracks of select songs, homemade recordings, playlists or pictures with friends between Zune devices. Listen to the full track of any song you receive up to three times over three days. If you like a song you hear and want to buy it, you can flag it right on your device and easily purchase it from the Zune Marketplace.
Zune makes it easy to find music you love — whether it’s songs in your existing library or new music from the Zune Marketplace. Easily import your existing music, pictures and videos in many popular formats and browse millions of songs on Zune Marketplace, where you can choose to purchase tracks individually or to buy a Zune Pass subscription to download as many songs as you want for a flat fee.
To get started with great music and videos out of the box, every Zune device is preloaded with content from record labels such as DTS, EMI Music’s Astralwerks Records and Virgin Records, Ninja Tune, Playlouderecordings, Quango Music Group, Sub Pop Records, and V2/Artemis Records.
Every Zune device creates an opportunity for connection. Wireless Zune-to-Zune sharing lets consumers spontaneously share full-length sample tracks of select songs, homemade recordings, playlists or pictures with friends between Zune devices. Listen to the full track of any song you receive up to three times over three days. If you like a song you hear and want to buy it, you can flag it right on your device and easily purchase it from the Zune Marketplace.
Zune makes it easy to find music you love — whether it’s songs in your existing library or new music from the Zune Marketplace. Easily import your existing music, pictures and videos in many popular formats and browse millions of songs on Zune Marketplace, where you can choose to purchase tracks individually or to buy a Zune Pass subscription to download as many songs as you want for a flat fee.
To get started with great music and videos out of the box, every Zune device is preloaded with content from record labels such as DTS, EMI Music’s Astralwerks Records and Virgin Records, Ninja Tune, Playlouderecordings, Quango Music Group, Sub Pop Records, and V2/Artemis Records.
To enhance the Zune experience, three accessory packs help Zune users enjoy their music where they want to, at home or on the road. The packs and the individual accessories, all designed exclusively for Zune, will be available at launch:
• The Zune Car Pack includes everything needed to hit the road with a Zune device, such as the built-in FM tuner with AutoSeek and the Zune Car Charger.
• The Zune Home A/V Pack enhances your experience in the home through five products that integrate Zune with the TV and music speakers: Zune AV Output Cable, Zune Dock, Zune Sync Cable, Zune AC Adapter and the Zune Wireless Remote for Zune Dock.
• Zune Travel Pack is a set of five products designed to keep friends and family entertained on the road: Zune Premium Earphones, Zune Dual Connect Remote, Zune Gear Bag, Zune Sync Cable and the Zune AC Adapter.
Providing consumers with additional options to customize and personalize their Zune experience, Microsoft is also working with leading accessory manufacturers Altec Lansing, Belkin Corp., Digital Lifestyle Outfitters (DLO), Dual Electronics, Griffin Technology, Harman Kardon and JBL, Integrated Mobile Electronics, Jamo International, Klipsch Audio Technologies, Logitech, Monster Cable Products Inc., Speck, Targus Group International Inc. and VAF Research
In addition to the features available at launch, built-in wireless technology and powerful software provide a strong foundation to continue to build new shared experiences around music and video. As Zune evolves, the device can be easily updated. The Zune software on your PC will let you know when these updates are available for download.
Zune is Microsoft’s music and entertainment platform that provides an end-to-end solution for Connected Entertainment. The Zune experience includes a 30GB digital media player, the Zune Marketplace music service, and a foundation for an online community that will enable music fans to discover new music. Inspired by the vast and varied community of music fans, Zune focuses on helping emerging artists shape the digital canvas. Zune is part of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices division and supports the company’s software-based services vision to help drive innovation in the digital entertainment space. More information can be found online at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/zune.
View: Neowin forum discussion
Link: Zune Images
News source: Microsoft PressPass
Like this, exept it'd show different controls for the appropriate media.
Where's my Beige!!?
i'd like to see a pimpy chrome or something!
i'm sick of brushed silver.
i'd like to see a pimpy chrome or something!
i'm sick of brushed silver.
decalgirl dot come i guess.
I can see you hurt KeR and phantasmorph who obviously either are teenage girls or should be.
I can see you hurt KeR and phantasmorph who obviously either are teenage girls or should be.
It's awesome how you managed to be a prime example of the greater internet *wad, yet you used the word phatasmorph.
Get your sissy e-penis fights outta here. "oh noes I think my mp3 player is better than yours! THE DRAMAS!!!1"
Give me a break, you guys are acting like fangirls arguing over their favourite jrocker. That and kindergarden kids.
can you imagine walking into a board room, going through your samsonite and pulling out a green iPod mini?
any of the zune's colours would fit in perfectly well with the corporate-type crowd.
Sidenote: Alleged pricing will be 299$ but seing and the ipod had a price drop microsoft more than likely lower this or will keep it as is but include any of the three packs (A/v, Car, Travel) bundled with the Zune.
Last edited by bostonfanx on 14 Sep 2006 - 20:23
Last edited by superhuman on 14 Sep 2006 - 22:39
I thought the Shuffle was smaller in terms of overall volume. Besides, wouldn't a Shuffle fit better in your pocket than a cube?
With a competitior like Apple, who definitely is a great designer of everything including hardware and software, MS better do something real quick, for their own good.
Apple doesn't design stuff that looks like crap. So, in a way, you're probably right, since if Apple had designed this it would have looked much better and therefore we'd probably like it.
After seeing some of the interface videos of the Zune on youtube, I had a slight sigh of relief. The UI doesn't seem too bad at all. And MS does seem to have a good history of decent UI for mobile devices, ie. Windows Mobile 5..but then again, they dont have much of a competition in that area, and I'm sure, inside, Microsoft is happy as long as Apple doesn't step in.
I personally think it looks great and compact. The iPod is also great looking. Both are great looking devices but since its a Microsoft product I guess we should all jump on the hate-Microsoft bandwagon.
I personally think it looks great and compact. The iPod is also great looking. Both are great looking devices but since its a Microsoft product I guess we should all jump on the hate-Microsoft bandwagon.
Funny, this player looks exactly like the end result of that toilet paper.
And brown? I thought they said they wanted it to be "cool."
No, but it could be considered an accessory, and people like their clothes and accessories to match. I'm sure people will buy the brown. I just don't think it will be as popular as the white and black ones.
i only wish it would launch sooner then later, because i'm looking for an MP3 player for the gym, and this would be perfect... i don't want to settle for an iPod, or a creative zen...
No because flash-based MP3 players are right now size limited eg 1 or 2GBs
No because flash-based MP3 players are right now size limited eg 1 or 2GBs
8GB Nano?
Seriously, you don't want an HDD player for the gym. You won't get a nice steady stream of music, you'll get a bunch of skips.
What I am disappointed about is the lack of a smaller, flash based version of this player, which probably won't see the light of day until next Christmas (if ever), considering how long it's taking MS to even put out a single device (we've been hearing about this
since early this yearfor what seems like all year). With all my running, I don't put a lot of faith in a player that have internal moving parts (ala a hard drive) while I myself am moving a lot, bouncing up and down as I run. Sure, others do it and have no problems, but with my luck, I'll be one of those few special casesUm... I think it wont be that far away - "if ever"???? Come on, flash based MP3 players have been around since the beggining, and flash based storage aint going anywhere. Just be patient.
Um... I think it wont be that far away - "if ever"???? Come on, flash based MP3 players have been around since the beggining, and flash based storage aint going anywhere. Just be patient.
I wasn't referring to flash based stored in general, but to a flash based Zune player and to how slow MS seems to be in getting something like this out. MP3 players have been around for five or six years now, and they're finally getting into the game.
"Because of the sheer magnitude of work it takes and the ever so complicated features that go into making a flash based MP3 player, we will see further delays of the Zune Mini. We may even see a delay after that delay." Ah, the typical MS way.
Is this Ad for real?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI3B9XX3lf0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwGol5D9Csg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS4qlYwTdnk&NR
Though the last link there was alright.
Apple, how are you going to beat that now??
Apple, how are you going to beat that now??
Dude, have the word "Battery" ever popped up in your mind?
Think about how much power wifi would draw!
2-4 hours of music, No Thanks.
Think about how much power wifi would draw!
2-4 hours of music, No Thanks.
Another Apple fanboy. Can't you just see innovation in that? By the way... Ever heard of Polimer-LiIon batteries??
Apple, how are you going to beat that now??
Dude, have the word "Battery" ever popped up in your mind?
Think about how much power wifi would draw!
2-4 hours of music, No Thanks.
do the DS and PSP have any serious battery problems?
they feature WiFi, don't they?
i honestly don't know the battery life for those devices, but i figure just video+audio can beat 3d+audio+video on battery life.
Apple, how are you going to beat that now??
Dude, have the word "Battery" ever popped up in your mind?
Think about how much power wifi would draw!
2-4 hours of music, No Thanks.
do the DS and PSP have any serious battery problems?
they feature WiFi, don't they?
i honestly don't know the battery life for those devices, but i figure just video+audio can beat 3d+audio+video on battery life.
Well, if you're using Wifi a lot, you'll drain the battery on the PSP within a couple of hours, which is about the sort of life you would get watching a movie on it too. On the 5g ipod, you'll get about 2 hours watching movies as well, unless you turn the brightness down.
So yeah, in general, Wifi slaughters batteries.
Think about how much power wifi would draw!
2-4 hours of music, No Thanks.
Another Apple fanboy. Can't you just see innovation in that? By the way... Ever heard of Polimer-LiIon batteries??
http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/features/gi...snap-200716.php
Giz: OK, if I'm using a Zune, am I really going to troll Wifi for other people's music? What is that going to do for battery life?
J Allard:It's a tough problem, and we're not done with it yet. What we have is different power modes. Oversimplifying, we have a beacon mode that says "I'm around." The next level that uses more power says "hey, I want to do something, and share, whether that's music, photos."
Read, learn, understand.
Last edited by coolchan on 16 Sep 2006 - 07:50
And Bluetooth? Are you kidding? Do you have ANY idea how long a 4MB song would take to transfer over bluetooth??? The Zune Phone may have bluetooth though...
And Bluetooth? Are you kidding? Do you have ANY idea how long a 4MB song would take to transfer over bluetooth??? The Zune Phone may have bluetooth though...
Bluetooth may not be for file transfer. Could be used for a set of bluetooth wireless headphones.
'casue then you could have some Zune Zune Zune with your Zoom Zoom Zoom
if its cheaper then the ipod in comparison with Gigs/$$$.
does it have games on it?
that screen size would be nice for mini games .
mini halo?
super mario?
NUMBER MUNCHER!?!
It really annoys me when ppl say "omg it looks like a ipod" i mean wtf lol, how does it look like an ipod? other than it has a screen and a round directional pad, stupid apple fan boys is all i have to say
But i quite like the the design, wasnt sure about the direction pad, but the reviews say its easy to use, and i love the menu system, and the screen quality looks really good, as long as its no more than £230 then i might buy one,
...thats my friday morning bitch out the way....psh..had better...
...thats my friday morning bitch out the way....psh..had better...
http://www.thenewsmarket.com/CustomLink/St...99-52830ef4b4db
I've never been a fan of the iPod, it's just not my style. However I want an MP3 player that I can use in the car, and most MP3 players don't have the appropriate add-ons to do this (apart from the iPod). I've been looking hard at a Zen Vision:M, and if there was a car kit I would have one by now.
Good to see that they're thinking of this right from the start.
Buying a MP3 player for its games shows your inteligence my friend....
It appears (for now) that the Zune has really come in and just leaped well above the iPod functionality wise. I can't wait to replace my failing 40G iPod.
And for Fubar, I think the "wipe the songs after 3 days" is for the "sample" song (which is surprisingly the entire song) that someone sent to you over the WiFi...