Zune is a digital media brand owned by Microsoft which includes a line of portable media players, a digital media player software for Windows pc's, a music subscription service known as a 'Zune pass', music and video streaming for the Xbox 360 via the Zune software, and the backing software for Windows Phone 7.
Microsoft announced new versions of Zune once in a year prior to 2010. Recently, Bloomberg.com published an article[7] claiming that Microsoft would stop introducing new versions of the Zune music and video player. The article has been widely quoted over the internet and by news agencies. However a Microsoft representative for Zune business development denied this rumor saying that the Windows Phone 7 platform introduction should be considered to be the annual Zune update for 2010.
A new feature called “Buy from FM” will enable Zune users listening to the Zune’s built-in FM radio to tag, purchase, and download any song they’re listening to while they’re connected to a wireless network. If the Zune isn’t in range of a Wi-Fi hot spot, the device will queue the tracks and download them when the player is able to connect to a network. Microsoft tells us the “Buy from FM” feature uses Radio Data System and RT+ data feeds within the FM broadcast frequencies to identify song and artist data.
Microsoft’s Zune Marketplace gives customers the choice of purchasing and downloading albums or single tracks, or paying a monthly subscription fee of $15 for a Zune Pass that allows them to “rent” as much as they can fit on the player. Any downloads that haven’t been purchased become inaccessible once the customer cancels their Zune Pass subscription. The Zune can’t play music purchased from other online music sources, including iTunes and Rhapsody.
Zune Marketplace subscribers can share music via the Zune Card, a real-time playlist consisting of each customer’s favorite and most recently played songs that’s accessible from the Zune software or from a network-connected player.
Several other new Zune features are more similar to what other service providers already offer. The new Personal Picks algorithm embedded in the Zune software, for instance, is very much like the Pandora and Last.FM music-recommendation services. Personal Picks analyzes the music you listen to and recommend new artists, albums, and tracks that share similar attributes. Microsoft is also introducing a series of channels programmed by experts from magazines such as Billboard and The Fader, as well as deejays from KEXP public radio. This feature reminds us of similar offerings from Slacker and RealNetworks’ Rhapsody services.
The new features will be available to existing Zune owners via software and firmware upgrades on September 16. Microsoft also announced new models (including a 16GB flash player that will sell for $200 and a 120GB hard-drive model that will go for $250). Prices for the existing 4- and 8GB flash models will drop to $130 and $150, respectively.
A word of caution to consumers thinking of buying music from Microsoft: When online music services who have relied on Microsoft’s PlaysForSure DRM scheme have exited the market (including Yahoo Music), they’ve left their customers in the lurch. People who thought they owned the tracks they purchased can no longer play those tracks because their licenses can’t be renewed. Microsoft’s Zune Marketplace uses an entirely different DRM scheme, but if Microsoft ever decides to leave this market, the consequences for its customers will likely be the same. Fortunately, Microsoft also sells tracks in MP3 format without DRM.
The first-generation Zune device was created by Microsoft in close cooperation with Toshiba, which took the design of the Gigabeat S and redeveloped it under the name Toshiba 1089 as registered with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) starting in 2006.[9] Xbox 360 overseer J Allard ran the project, codenamed "Argo," staffed with Xbox and MSN Music Store developers[10] who worked on "Alexandria", finalized as Zune Marketplace.[11] Both products were later united under the Zune brand name in the U.S. market.
At approximately midnight Pacific Standard Time, on the morning of December 31, 2008, many[12] first generation Zune 30 models were reported to have automatically rebooted and frozen during the boot process.[13][14] Microsoft has stated that the problem is with the internal clock driver written by Freescale and the way the device handles a leap year; with an intermediate official "fix" to drain the device battery and then recharge after 12 noon GMT on January 1, 2009.[15] Specifically, a third party analysis of the clock driver's source code revealed an infinite loop in the way the clock driver calculates years based on a given number of elapsed days
The Zune has the features and support that the Ipod simply does not. As for the comments pertaining to viruses that I've seen on these reviews, rest assured, the zune is secure from any possible virus contamination. The only draw back off the bat for the Zune is the lack of accessories. Many customers that we help want a purchase based on the amount of accessories that the device offers. There are optional docks, chargers, fm broadcast devices as well that interface with the Zune. The drawback is that the accessories are not readily available in retail stores.
With all of that being said, I don't believe that the sound quality will compare to that of a Creative device (amazing signal to noise ratio) but the audio should still beat out any .acc format encoding. We've tested the new 80gb Ipod against the Zen Vision M using Shure E3c headphones and were dissapointed with the audio quality on our Demo Ipod.
Nothing would be more frustrating than seeing a competitor’s product being used in your own backyard. This is what it seems happening at Microsoft. The company is apparently offering “amnesty” to Zune employees who give up their iPods in favor of the Zune MP3 player.
Microsoft’s Zune group headquarters now sports an “iPod Amnesty Bin” into which employees are supposed to dump their iPods. A photo of the bin has been posted on Flickr.
Rex Sorgatz, an MSNBC.com employee, said he thought the bin was someone’s idea of a joke, nothing more. Sorgatz said he is an iPod user, but could be convinced to switch if he found a superior product. MSNBC.com is a joint media venture between Microsoft and MSNBC.
Matt Rosoff, an analyst with Directions on Microsoft, also suspects the bin’s placement is meant to be funny, as it would in the Zune team’s best interest to use the latest iPod devices to better understand the competition. Indeed, none of the iPods in the bin in the photo were current versions.
According to Macworld News, Apple has declined to comment, but a Microsoft spokesperson said she felt the bin might be either a joke or a morale booster for the Zune developers.
It’s unlikely to be a morale booster. After all, it would be even more discouraging to see a bin of such size containing only a handful iPods.
Sure, it could be a joke, but if it’s a joke, what is it supposed to mean? is it the joke saying that “yes we know the iPod is better, but you’re a Microsoft employee, so hand it over” or is the joke that nobody wants to hand over their iPods.
No wonder Microsoft is having a tough time selling the Zune
was brought into the world of subscription music back in the days of URGE, which I believe was bought by Rhapsody. I got a first gen Zune and loved it until my recently purchased iPhone 4. So, I am clearly now a (happy) Rhapsody customer.
I was so pleased to see how much better the user generated content (playlists), and staff generated suggestions are compared to Zune, where I believe they cut costs by cutting out the human element.
However, I am definitely missing how slick the Zune software is compared to Rhapsody. It was faster, more aesthetically pleasing, and easier to navigate. This is particularly evident on the iPhone, where you can't do things like automatically jump to an artist from the now playing screen, rate songs from that screen, and download songs from that screen. It makes listening to the Rhapsody radio a less fulfilling adventure since you can't add songs you like to your library.
I read that Rhapsody 5 development has stopped. Are there plans to start again, and what improvements are planned?
Finally, I'm REALLY disappointed I can't login with my Rhapsody account to post this. That ticks me off.
Microsoft announced new versions of Zune once in a year prior to 2010. Recently, Bloomberg.com published an article[7] claiming that Microsoft would stop introducing new versions of the Zune music and video player. The article has been widely quoted over the internet and by news agencies. However a Microsoft representative for Zune business development denied this rumor saying that the Windows Phone 7 platform introduction should be considered to be the annual Zune update for 2010.
A new feature called “Buy from FM” will enable Zune users listening to the Zune’s built-in FM radio to tag, purchase, and download any song they’re listening to while they’re connected to a wireless network. If the Zune isn’t in range of a Wi-Fi hot spot, the device will queue the tracks and download them when the player is able to connect to a network. Microsoft tells us the “Buy from FM” feature uses Radio Data System and RT+ data feeds within the FM broadcast frequencies to identify song and artist data.
Microsoft’s Zune Marketplace gives customers the choice of purchasing and downloading albums or single tracks, or paying a monthly subscription fee of $15 for a Zune Pass that allows them to “rent” as much as they can fit on the player. Any downloads that haven’t been purchased become inaccessible once the customer cancels their Zune Pass subscription. The Zune can’t play music purchased from other online music sources, including iTunes and Rhapsody.
Zune Marketplace subscribers can share music via the Zune Card, a real-time playlist consisting of each customer’s favorite and most recently played songs that’s accessible from the Zune software or from a network-connected player.
Several other new Zune features are more similar to what other service providers already offer. The new Personal Picks algorithm embedded in the Zune software, for instance, is very much like the Pandora and Last.FM music-recommendation services. Personal Picks analyzes the music you listen to and recommend new artists, albums, and tracks that share similar attributes. Microsoft is also introducing a series of channels programmed by experts from magazines such as Billboard and The Fader, as well as deejays from KEXP public radio. This feature reminds us of similar offerings from Slacker and RealNetworks’ Rhapsody services.
The new features will be available to existing Zune owners via software and firmware upgrades on September 16. Microsoft also announced new models (including a 16GB flash player that will sell for $200 and a 120GB hard-drive model that will go for $250). Prices for the existing 4- and 8GB flash models will drop to $130 and $150, respectively.
A word of caution to consumers thinking of buying music from Microsoft: When online music services who have relied on Microsoft’s PlaysForSure DRM scheme have exited the market (including Yahoo Music), they’ve left their customers in the lurch. People who thought they owned the tracks they purchased can no longer play those tracks because their licenses can’t be renewed. Microsoft’s Zune Marketplace uses an entirely different DRM scheme, but if Microsoft ever decides to leave this market, the consequences for its customers will likely be the same. Fortunately, Microsoft also sells tracks in MP3 format without DRM.
The first-generation Zune device was created by Microsoft in close cooperation with Toshiba, which took the design of the Gigabeat S and redeveloped it under the name Toshiba 1089 as registered with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) starting in 2006.[9] Xbox 360 overseer J Allard ran the project, codenamed "Argo," staffed with Xbox and MSN Music Store developers[10] who worked on "Alexandria", finalized as Zune Marketplace.[11] Both products were later united under the Zune brand name in the U.S. market.
At approximately midnight Pacific Standard Time, on the morning of December 31, 2008, many[12] first generation Zune 30 models were reported to have automatically rebooted and frozen during the boot process.[13][14] Microsoft has stated that the problem is with the internal clock driver written by Freescale and the way the device handles a leap year; with an intermediate official "fix" to drain the device battery and then recharge after 12 noon GMT on January 1, 2009.[15] Specifically, a third party analysis of the clock driver's source code revealed an infinite loop in the way the clock driver calculates years based on a given number of elapsed days
The Zune has the features and support that the Ipod simply does not. As for the comments pertaining to viruses that I've seen on these reviews, rest assured, the zune is secure from any possible virus contamination. The only draw back off the bat for the Zune is the lack of accessories. Many customers that we help want a purchase based on the amount of accessories that the device offers. There are optional docks, chargers, fm broadcast devices as well that interface with the Zune. The drawback is that the accessories are not readily available in retail stores.
With all of that being said, I don't believe that the sound quality will compare to that of a Creative device (amazing signal to noise ratio) but the audio should still beat out any .acc format encoding. We've tested the new 80gb Ipod against the Zen Vision M using Shure E3c headphones and were dissapointed with the audio quality on our Demo Ipod.
Nothing would be more frustrating than seeing a competitor’s product being used in your own backyard. This is what it seems happening at Microsoft. The company is apparently offering “amnesty” to Zune employees who give up their iPods in favor of the Zune MP3 player.
Microsoft’s Zune group headquarters now sports an “iPod Amnesty Bin” into which employees are supposed to dump their iPods. A photo of the bin has been posted on Flickr.
Rex Sorgatz, an MSNBC.com employee, said he thought the bin was someone’s idea of a joke, nothing more. Sorgatz said he is an iPod user, but could be convinced to switch if he found a superior product. MSNBC.com is a joint media venture between Microsoft and MSNBC.
Matt Rosoff, an analyst with Directions on Microsoft, also suspects the bin’s placement is meant to be funny, as it would in the Zune team’s best interest to use the latest iPod devices to better understand the competition. Indeed, none of the iPods in the bin in the photo were current versions.
According to Macworld News, Apple has declined to comment, but a Microsoft spokesperson said she felt the bin might be either a joke or a morale booster for the Zune developers.
It’s unlikely to be a morale booster. After all, it would be even more discouraging to see a bin of such size containing only a handful iPods.
Sure, it could be a joke, but if it’s a joke, what is it supposed to mean? is it the joke saying that “yes we know the iPod is better, but you’re a Microsoft employee, so hand it over” or is the joke that nobody wants to hand over their iPods.
No wonder Microsoft is having a tough time selling the Zune
was brought into the world of subscription music back in the days of URGE, which I believe was bought by Rhapsody. I got a first gen Zune and loved it until my recently purchased iPhone 4. So, I am clearly now a (happy) Rhapsody customer.
I was so pleased to see how much better the user generated content (playlists), and staff generated suggestions are compared to Zune, where I believe they cut costs by cutting out the human element.
However, I am definitely missing how slick the Zune software is compared to Rhapsody. It was faster, more aesthetically pleasing, and easier to navigate. This is particularly evident on the iPhone, where you can't do things like automatically jump to an artist from the now playing screen, rate songs from that screen, and download songs from that screen. It makes listening to the Rhapsody radio a less fulfilling adventure since you can't add songs you like to your library.
I read that Rhapsody 5 development has stopped. Are there plans to start again, and what improvements are planned?
Finally, I'm REALLY disappointed I can't login with my Rhapsody account to post this. That ticks me off.
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