Dwayne's Blog : Zune

Zune Upgrade & New Games Available

dwaynef — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:21:00 GMT

Minor Zune software upgrade available (upgrades you ZuneHD to 4.3) with some new 3D games as well. Log in and check for updates :)

Check Engadgets review here

Have you tried playing your Zune Pass through a browser yet?

Zune software

dwaynef — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:48:00 GMT

If you read my blog, you know I'm a Zune user (surprise on a microsoft blog). However I honestly believe that subscription music models do change the way that you listen to your music, instead of carefully deciding (especially in present economic conditions) if you really want to buy a CD, you change that to a model where any music you have an interest in or hear about you download and listen to.

Zune does this through the Zune Marketplace, there is a subsciption option with the ZunePass, sub $15 a month and you get to keep 10 songs permanently each month. One of the nice suprises with the ZuneHD release was the upgrade to the Zune 4.0 software and some really nice features.

Some of the really nice features are the SmartDJ (that makes a mix based on some of your music pics) as well as the ability to stream your music to a browser login (Zune Software actually not required)

More Xbox integration coming soon as well

Zune HD

dwaynef — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 07:48:00 GMT

Hopefully you have heard about Zune HD, the next version of Zune player from Microsoft (see earlier post for some pics), and you know beyond being a great device, it offers a subscription service for music, monthly fee under $15 for all the music you can consume on up to 3 devices.

The next generation devices are being sold for pre order on most of major online retailers with the upcoming september release date. However this week-end (Saturday & Sunday 22nd/23rd August) Best Buy is showing off the ZuneHD in certain stores around the US, if you feel up to seeing, locations and schedules here

ZuneHD is official!

dwaynef — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:27:00 GMT

Anyone who has been following the rumor mill for the last month or so would know that a lot of speculation existed about Microsoft releasing a touch screen HD version of the Zune sometime in the fall, complete with leaked images of what the new device might look like.

Seems the device is confirmed, so it will be a capacitive touch screen with HD Radio, HD out via a dock and further integration between the marketplace and xbox live. Engadget blog here. Further details to be released at E3, so I will post something next week.

As a current Zune Marketplace user who perfers the $14.95 all I can eat music model, really looking forward to this device.

10 reasons for a Zune?

dwaynef — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 04:07:00 GMT

Jeff Blankenburg's blog with his opinion of why a Zune over the competitor, my two favourite reasons (out of his ten) are the Zune pass (all I can consume for three devices) for a monthly fee and the fact that I'm still using my version 1 Zune due to the upgrades of the firmware that keep it current.

Whole article here

Zune 3.1 and more

dwaynef — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:02:00 GMT

Lots of changes for Zune, one of the things I really enjoy about the Zune experience is the fact that the firmware is constantly upgraded, hence the device you bought 6 months ago is so much better today than when you bought it. Interesing that the new updates are in time with Xbox update again ...

Recent changes

- New prices, price drop for the devices as well as accessories

- Zune 3.1 Software update, available now, stability update, new games including sudoku, new feature called "like minded listeners"

- Tracks to keep, Zune pass users get to keep 10 tracks from their subscription each month permanently, number of DRM free tracks is also up to somewhere in the 80%-90% range

Zune insider, Zune.net

Zune updates Sept 16th

dwaynef — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 02:21:00 GMT

The Zune software updates on Sept 16th, with a bit of the highlights being

- Yes, updates for the first Zunes still (none left behind)

- Use wireless hotspots to connect to marketplace, sync, exchange songs

- Buy from FM, tag a song you hear on Radio and you can buy later from Marketplace

- Channels (sort of playlists you subscribe to)

- Games & Clock

More info here

MSN Music DRM extended

dwaynef — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:25:00 GMT

Good news for MSN Music buyers (before there was Zune Marketplace)

Microsoft has reversed its decision to pull the plug on MSN Music's authorization servers, according to an e-mail sent out to customers this afternoon. Customers who bought music from the now-defunct service will now be able to continue listening to their music and transferring it to new machines until at least the end of 2011. At that time, Microsoft says that it will evaluate how often the servers are being used and will determine what (if any) further steps to take to support customers.

Article here from Ars Technica

Zune update

dwaynef — Wed, 07 May 2008 15:46:00 GMT

Version 2.5 available, info here

WHAT'S NEW IN VERSION 2.5

We've updated the Zune software with features our community's been asking for, including gapless playback, smart playlists, new sorting options, multiple-device syncing, and advanced song info editing, including drag-and-drop functionality. If you have Windows Live Messenger running, it'll let your contacts know what you're playing. And when you go to Zune Marketplace, you'll now find over 800 episodes of popular TV shows to download, plus more than two million DRM-free MP3s.

Great news for members of the Zune Social: the discovery experience is now fully integrated into this update. Send messages and listening recommendations directly from the software. Zune Pass subscribers: sync your friends' Zune Cards with your device and their music comes along—their recent plays, favorite tracks, and top songs from their most-played artists^[3]. Even if you don't have a Zune Pass, you'll still see their play data on your device, so you can choose what you want and buy the songs next time you sync.