Microsoft unviels ZUNE - Official

[jordanspringer]

if only the wi-fi was designed so that you could transfer songs wirelessly from your computer to your zune player. as well another cool feature you could do with it is this: your zune player could be anywhere in the house, and you can be listening to tunes on your computer which are stored on the zune player. i'm dissapointed that such an easy addition to the already wireless product was not included :(

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

I personally love the Brown one from just a color standpoint, it is more my personal taste with things.

Overall I can say I am intrigued, and when my Video iPod dies, it is definitely a product I would at least consider.

[tomwarren Veteran]

It looks ugly as hell.

[Luis.A]

The UI looks really nice. Thats it. The design is ugly IMO, the fake scroll wheel just a pathetic attempt at copying an iconic design to draw in more customers. If the interface is designed to use directional scrolling, then put directional scrolling in there, don't try and fool customers into thinking its a scroll wheel.

The colors are eh okay, the big screen is nice but it has to suck having to flip it over to watch movies. The wi-fi is just a feature to add to a feature list, it wastes battery life and the average user is most likely not going to use it. Built in FM radio is always a nice feature, something Apple needs to include.

Time will tell how this thing performs but I see it as maybe taking at the most 10-15% market share from Apple. This thing will never top the iPod for the simple fact that Apple got user interface and interaction down to a science. And with a drop in 50 dollars, a regular iPod is a killer deal.

That isn't to say that the Zune doesn't have nice features, it does. Like I said the GUI is beautiful and though other players have FM, its a great feature to have. But I am unimpressed by everything else and I think the majority of MP3 buyers will be as well.

In response I can see your point about the wi-fi but I think it will only be turned on when it's time to share, much like bluetooth on cellphones, about the video I think it will mostly likely automatically flip when watching movies or pictures. And as i said before it will be nice to see it integrate into WMP and not having to use that damn iTunes which i loath so much. agreed on the gui, very nicely done and with the ability to add themes to it you can really customize it (Vista pack for Zune, that would be nice). I think this device will draw it's user base from people that want to set up things just the way they like them, edit every detail they want to edit.

[Slimy]

I'm very curious to see how many of these actually sell. BTW, is the screen bigger than an iPod's?

Can a mod move this to BPN?

[Billthy]

wonder what the battery life is gonna be on this thing.

[Joseph B]

I wouldn't touch this with a 10 foot pole. I know the whole business thing is to get ideas off of others, but this just looks way too much like an iPod... :no:

[Elliot B.]

I wouldn't touch this with a 10 foot pole. I know the whole business thing is to get ideas off of others, but this just looks way too much like an iPod... :no:

There are only so many designs for an MP3 player with a screen.

[PaulCabby]

There are only so many designs for an MP3 player with a screen.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

I will await the release of the Zune. Then base my judgements then.

[maash]

[Bobster]

There are only so many designs for an MP3 player with a screen.

Exactly. I'm just sick to death of people whining about "oh this looks like an ipod", "they stole the design from Apple", just please shut up. Do you expect it to be a star shaped device with a screen in the center and buttons around the edge or something?

Just like King Mustard said, there are only so many designs for an MP3 player with a screen.

[Groffy77]

Wow, thats a very nice interface from what I can see.. I hope its not going to be a Vista style interface because I hate the Vista style. :D

[Slimy]

Thanks, but couldn't you have posted this in one of the many zune threads?

[DomZ]

They look quite nice, and I like the brown. It's different. I look forward to seeing reviews for these.

[Elliot B.]

I will await the release of the Zune/

Any idea when that will be?

[fu5i0n]

Nice! I like the fade out effect. the colors on the screen look very vivid.

[gdodson]

lol at the lame replies on youtube. Apple fanboys trying to come up with a pathetic excuse to put down Zune. And who cares if it's not hip? I'd rather have higher quality and more features over hipness.

Anyways, the UI is very sweet looking.

[maash]

Part 2: Wireless Connectivity with other Zune players:

[Gavin001]

That is a rather beautiful interface! I want one now :(

[Alladaskill17]

Pretty cool.

[morganpugh84]

There are only so many designs for an MP3 player with a screen.

Very true however other companies have done well in developing their own interfaces and I would like to have seen Microsoft think out of the box a bit more, how I don't know however it does feel like a poor imitation of the iPod. Wireless is nice but more evolutionary than revolutionary (we all knew it was coming). Not saying Apple is any better though.

Personally I like my iPod mini, it does the job just fine. It is too early to judge the Zune. AFAIK nobody even has a working unit yet to really try out. I am sure it has the same limitation as the iPod though (DRM) so its really no better anyway.

One thing I think Microsoft have done which is a serious mistake is not make the Zune widescreen. Scoble has a great piece about this which I agree with completely. Have a read at http://scobleizer.wordpress.com/2006/09/13...d-latest-ipods/

[Qoogirl]

I'll consider buying this over an iPod or Meizu if it works with Mac and PC, plays back DivX and allows shared listening of songs I've ripped from my own CD collection with other Zune users. I have way too many DivX files to bother converting them for plane rides...

And, personally, it doesn't look like an iPod. I don't like the shockingly strong black/silver contrast on the White Zune, but I'll survive it if is a 1) thin player 2) has reasonable battery life (replaceable batteries, please?).

[bdsams Veteran]

now thats a pretty cool gui

[fascist]

If it was any thinner I would would buy one.

[phantasmorph]

My sig says it all. This thing will bomb.