windows 8 xbox music app vs zune software?


Recommended Posts

is it just me or does the new xbox app look ugly compared to the zune software? well i am still going to use zune if i upgrade.

Be forewarned that it appears the Zune software can no longer setup Wireless Sync with devices on Win8. I found this out the hard way.

Lets see, one is the best available on any platform, and the other is a complete and utter piece of ****.

I knew it wouldn't take them long to rape the best music app they've ever created as soon as I heard about the rename.

  • Like 2

Wow, I wasn't aware the Wireless Sync problem wasn't fixed by RTM. That's a showstopper right there. Where is the big disclaimer on that one? Sorry WP7 adopters, we've screwed you on the upgrade path and now we've broken one of the great features of your device. If this is their way of forcing us into Xbox music...

Zune for sure...

The one on Windows 8 is slow at loading album arts for me. Where is the search?....

Search is the same place that search is for every single Metro application - in the charms bar.

Frankly I'd probably be embarrassed to see how the Xbox Music application performs on a tablet when it can't even run smoothly on my i5 desktop with a proper dedicated graphics card.

  • 4 weeks later...

i hate the new look, i think it is ugly compared to the zune software (which i will continue to use). but this blog post details what the ui differences are, i couldn't nail it until i found this.

UI! Xbox music has stayed true to Metro (I?m going to keep calling it that regardless of what Microsoft & some store chain in German says about it) UI guidelines. In the consumer preview the music app was pretty much unusable but now it?s linked to your Zune pass & it?s gotten a much needed upgrade. It?s a lot more usable now. But it?s going to take some getting used to. Picks for me & quick play is dearly missed. The beautiful parallax screen saver has changed and not for the better. Rather than give you artist photos in surreal colors, it gives you plain artist photos doing basic ken burns effects. Then going to what looks like the classic Zune mix view. This should never have been altered and I hope that it changes back. I?ve used Zune music on my PC and through my Xbox to entertain guest. This has always been impressive and elegant. If it ain?t broke, don?t fix it more than applied here. I do hope they change this back. This is a tie. Point goes to Zune for being beautiful while functional but not touch friendly and point to Xbox music for being Slick and fun but missing aesthetics that drew people to Zune in the 1?st place.

http://metroheads.wo...ry/windows-8-2/

Microsoft could have really made it great. this is a really stupid move. but its done now, its not going to be changed.

edit: omg....i am the op? i didn't even realize it lol.

nope compatibility mode not working.... :-(

J-River Media Jukebox installed with no problems at all and the version is nearly 2 years old. I got a metro skin for it and changed its icon to a metro monochrome white one.

Ok! I got Zune working!

You must extract the first .exe file (use WinRAR), Then navigate to C:\Users\UserName\Downloads\ZuneSetupPkg\x64\packages

and run this file:

zune-x64.exe

and then it will work!!!

  • 5 months later...

i hate the new look, i think it is ugly compared to the zune software (which i will continue to use). but this blog post details what the ui differences are, i couldn't nail it until i found this.

http://metroheads.wo...ry/windows-8-2/

Microsoft could have really made it great. this is a really stupid move. but its done now, its not going to be changed.

edit: omg....i am the op? i didn't even realize it lol.

Haha,this is awesome. You felt so passionate that you found your original post and replied to it :) I feel exactly the same. I think Zune is a very beautiful piece of software and it seems functional enough for me but my first Windows Phone is WP8 so I've never synced anything to Zune. As the quote says, I was initially drawn to WP8 because I've used the Zune software for so long for my music needs. I dreamt of the day I'd be able to unify my phone and PC and of course, they make them incompatible. I was pretty steamed about it but I enjoy the ability to download whatever song I want as long as I'm paying the $15.

In any case, I dug up this thread because I found it through a search when trying to find a video comparing both applications. So I'm not missing anything really apparently.

Does anyone know if Windows 8 can download the Zune software and run in the desktop mode?

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • Amazon Prime Day slashes Samsung's newest Galaxy Watch Ultra by 45 percent by Karthik Mudaliar Samsung’s flagship Android smartwatch has received one of its steepest Prime Day cuts. Amazon has dropped the 2025 Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra in Titanium Blue to $357.24, saving buyers around $292 from its $649.99 list price. That's a 45 percent discount (purchase link below). The 47mm Galaxy Watch Ultra uses a titanium casing and a 1.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 480 x 480 and peak brightness of 3,000 nits. It includes LTE connectivity, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, NFC, and dual-frequency L1+L5 GPS for more accurate outdoor route tracking. The 2025 model has 64GB of storage, a 590mAh battery, sapphire crystal glass, 10ATM water resistance, IP68 protection, and MIL-STD-810H durability testing. Its health and fitness tools include heart rate monitoring, sleep coaching, Energy Score, Running Coach, body composition analysis, temperature sensing, and ECG support, where available. This model is best suited to Android users who regularly run, hike, cycle, or train outdoors and want cellular access without carrying a phone. The larger battery, rugged construction, bright display, and dedicated Quick Button also make it a stronger option than Samsung’s regular Galaxy Watch models for extended workouts and demanding environments. Grab the Titanium Blue Galaxy Watch Ultra before the Prime Day price resets: Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025) [Sold and Shipped by Amazon] Good to know This Amazon deal is U.S. specific, and not available in other regions unless specified. We only use first-party seller links (at the time of article publishing); ensure that you purchase from a first-party seller link only. Check out Today's Deals on Amazon | or our recent tech deals. Become a Prime member (for Students or SNAP) via Neowin Get Prime Access - Prime for half price (for qualifying Medicaid, EBT, SNAP) Subscribe to Prime Video, Audible Plus, Music Unlimited or Kindle Unlimited via Neowin As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
    • Google begins rolling out its post-Epic Play Store billing model next week by Karthik Mudaliar Google has confirmed that its redesigned Play Store billing and fee structure will take effect on June 30, 2026, in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Economic Area. The changes will let eligible developers offer their own payment systems or send users to an external website for purchases, while separating Google’s platform service fee from the cost of using Google Play Billing. The rollout puts concrete dates and detailed rate cards behind the broader Android policy overhaul Google announced in March. That announcement followed a proposed settlement with Epic Games intended to resolve their long-running disputes over app distribution and payments, although the U.S. portion of the agreement still requires court approval. Under the new billing choice program, developers selling digital content or services can display an alternative payment option alongside Google Play Billing. They may also direct users to their own websites to complete a purchase. Developers can use Google’s standard payment-choice screen or design one that complies with the company’s user-interface rules. Choosing another payment processor does not eliminate Google’s cut altogether. The company will continue charging a service fee for transactions associated with apps distributed through Google Play, regardless of whether payment is handled by Google, an alternative provider, or a developer’s website. Google argues that this fee covers the value and infrastructure provided by Android and the Play Store. For developers earning up to $1 million annually, the service fee will generally be 10 percent. That rate also applies to auto-renewing subscriptions. When Google Play Billing is used in the U.S., U.K., or EEA, Google will add a separate 5 percent billing fee, and developers processing payments elsewhere will not pay that additional charge. This means Google’s familiar flat 30 percent commission is disappearing, but developers will not necessarily see a dramatic reduction on every transaction. An in-app purchase from an existing user processed through Google Play Billing can still reach a combined 30 percent. The biggest savings are likely to come from subscriptions, smaller developers covered by the $1 million tier, and companies able to move customers to their own payment infrastructure. Google is also offering lower rates through its Apps Experience and revamped Games Level Up programs. Apps and games that satisfy the company’s requirements can qualify for 15 percent service fees on new-install transactions and 20 percent on existing-install transactions. The criteria include performance and reliability standards, support for additional Android device categories, and selected platform features. Those program rates are scheduled to become available in the initial markets and Australia on September 30. For consumers, the immediate effect will depend on whether developers adopt alternative payments and pass any savings on through lower prices. For developers, however, June 30 begins a more flexible but considerably more complicated Play Store economy in which distribution, billing, install dates, revenue thresholds, and program participation can each affect Google’s final cut. Google is also separately developing a Registered App Stores program designed to simplify the installation of qualifying third-party stores. That initiative is expected to arrive with a major Android release later in 2026 and will launch outside the U.S. first. Google says the rest of the world will receive the changes by September 30, 2027, although billing rates for markets outside the US, UK, and EEA have not yet been announced.
    • 38% off a super insane price is still an INSANE price.
    • 1TB Samsung T9 and Samsung 9100 PRO SSDs are now selling at great prices by Fiza Ali Amazon is now offering the 1TB variant of Samsung T9 and Samsung 9100 PRO SSD at great prices with limited-time 38% and 39% discounts, respectively, so you may want to check them out if you have been looking to upgrade your storage solution. The Samsung T9 connects via a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20Gbps) interface and delivers sequential read speeds of up to 2,000MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 1,950MB/s, making it suitable for transferring large files, backing up data, and handling high-resolution media content. When it comes to the security features, the SSD includes AES 256-bit hardware encryption to help protect sensitive data. Designed for portability, the drive is reportedly resistant to drops from heights of up to 3 metres. Furthermore, it operates within a temperature range of 0°C to 60°C and can be stored at temperatures between -40°C and 85°C. Samsung Magician Software is included for drive management, firmware updates, performance optimisation, and health monitoring. Finally, the T9 is certified to multiple international standards, including CE, FCC, UL, UKCA, and RoHS 2 compliance, and is backed by a five-year limited warranty as well. 1TB Samsung T9 SSD: $179.99 (Amazon US) - 38% off The Samsung 9100 PRO uses the M.2 2280 form factor and connects through a PCIe 5.0 x4 interface with NVMe 2.0 support. Built with Samsung V-NAND TLC flash memory, an in-house controller, and 1GB of low-power DDR4X cache memory, the 9100 PRO is engineered for high-performance computing and gaming workloads. Furthermore, the SSD delivers sequential read speeds of up to 14,700MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 13,300MB/s. Random performance is rated at up to 1,850,000 IOPS for reads and up to 2,600,000 IOPS for writes, depending on system hardware and configuration. The drive supports TRIM, S.M.A.R.T monitoring, automatic garbage collection, and device sleep mode to help maintain performance and efficiency over time. In terms of security features, it includes AES 256-bit encryption, TCG Opal support, and IEEE 1667 compliance. The 9100 PRO operates within a temperature range of 0°C to 70°C, is rated for 1.5 million hours MTBF, and can reportedly withstand shocks of up to 1,500G for 0.5 milliseconds. Finally, Samsung Magician Software is also included for firmware updates, performance monitoring, drive management, and optimisation. 1TB Samsung 9100 PRO SSD: $206.99 (Amazon US) - 39% off Alternatively, you can also check out other SSD deals here. Good to know This Amazon deal is U.S. specific, and not available in other regions unless specified. We only use first-party seller links (at the time of article publishing); ensure that you purchase from a first-party seller link only. Check out Today's Deals on Amazon | or our recent tech deals. Become a Prime member (for Students or SNAP) via Neowin Get Prime Access - Prime for half price (for qualifying Medicaid, EBT, SNAP) Subscribe to Prime Video, Audible Plus, Music Unlimited or Kindle Unlimited via Neowin As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Dedicated
      Scoobystu earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • First Post
      Tom Schmidt earned a badge
      First Post
    • One Month Later
      D0nn13 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Rookie
      +ChiefOfNeo went up a rank
      Rookie
    • One Year In
      Tom Schmidt earned a badge
      One Year In
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      463
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      177
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      124
    4. 4
      Michael Scrip
      81
    5. 5
      Xenon
      76
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!