Must. Have. Windows. Vista. And. Zune. I want that "I am a Zune and I am an iPod" commercial on TV (Apple will probably sue you for copying the "look and feel" of their commercial) (you can also make some really god ones with vista (which you will do, if you know what I mean) Zune will rock!

That song and video was cool. I'm wondering if Cee-lo from Gnarles Barkley is in the group or if he's just doing the hook for that song.

US only? Completely incapable of PlayingForSure? I just want to establish my credentials here: I like Microsoft. I'm running Vista and Office 2007. I think they're awesome. Office especially - I didn't think there was a way to make Office better, but you did it. I've got an Xbox 360, I think that's awesome too. When I rip music, I rip it to WMA, and I use Windows Media Player 11 to stream music to my 360. I've bought songs from Napster and MSN Music. I think the Apple iTunes + iPod bit is anti-competitive garbage which the antitrust people who are normally knocking down your door should be investigating. In other words, I'm your customer. I would say that not playing protected WMA is a deal-breaker, but you're not even offering me the deal, because I happen to live in the UK. I simply don't understand why you're thumbing your nose at your customers this way. The only thing I can think of is that rather than competing fairly with the likes of Napster, you're just going to lock people who buy a Zune device into getting music from the Zune marketplace, which I find appalling. If you build an excellent service with competitive prices, people will use it. You're already going to get people using the marketplace just because the credit is shared between Zune and Xbox Live. Instead you're pushing the same crap Apple is. Right off, you're pretty much admitting that Zune Marketplace either sucks or is overpriced or both. Not to mention the 3x3 media sharing between Zunes, which to all intents and purposes renders an otherwise interesting and exciting feature practically worthless, assuming Zune ever gets the marketshare to make doing it worthwhile. I can imagine it now... "Hey, this song's great, you got a Zune so I can let you play it three times before it just becomes an ad for you to buy it?" "No, I've got an iPod." Lame. I can destroy my battery life with Wi-Fi to let someone listen to a song three times. Thanks Microsoft. If people really want to share/steal music they'll do it. They'll just do it over MSN Messenger rather than Zune. What's next? DRM wrapped MSN file transfers? I could be sending my friends copyrighted material! :O How can you manage a worldwide launch of the Xbox 360, but not the Zune? What's the stumbling block? I actually thought Microsoft was starting to get a clue, too. You guys did a great job with the 360 launch. I mean that, fantastic product, wonderful packaging (I liked the words on the bags, nice touch). I don't think the Zune launch is going to be so good, seeing as how you're alientating most of the world straight off. I'm just disappointed. You could have done better. Seriously, I want you to really hurt Apple's marketshare. I do. You're just not going to do it with this. I hope you're already at work on the cooler-and-better-in-every-way Zune 360.

First of all...I somewhat agree with Andy, in that you are alienating many of your customers by not allowing the device to play Playsforsure tracks they already own...but I also understand where your coming from in that your aiming to take down Apple, and to hit the mainstream you need an all-in-one idiot proof system...it's a hard problem to solve. Secondly, the "I'm an iPod, I'm a Zune" video sounds awsome, is it just the product teams that make these in their spare time, or do you guys hire professionals to come in and make it? -Charlie

Andy, you just wrote what I've been thinking these past couple days. I'm also from the UK, have an Xbox 360 - again, the small touches were great (although I only managed to get mine in January this year) - use Vista and Office 2007 (thank god I downloaded it before you started charging!). Personally, I don't see why Microsoft don't just test the Zune in the UK to get a rough idea on how it will fare. Two of my favourite companies, Nintendo and Microsoft have dealt me some blows these past few weeks. I know this is a new area for Microsoft and this may be a contributing factor in the decision to only release in America this year, but please consider the rest of the world as well - Europe, Asia, Australia and France. Keep up the blogging.

Hope you make it quick to Europe... or make an announcement when you will be here... Cause I'm not willing to wait 12 months for last years music player.

Ditto, I am a MS fanboy, in fact, and I have yet to see the appeal with what your doing with this product. It actually seems to be so out of touch with the consumers thats its mind boggling. I'm still waiting to see the final product before I decide but if it works the way people are talking about I am going to buy a Zen. Unless the info going around is not accurate and were all just misinformed.

I hope you guys at MS find a way to get the Zune out worldwide before xmas. If you do then I know what im hitting my parents up for this christmas :D p.s. can I sync the zune with WMP? Thanks

I'm surprised how many of our forum readers are from Canada and overseas. There is a LOT of Zune interest abroad and in Canada. Will Zune launch in Canada this fall, or is strictly US as you say? (Sometimes Canada gets assumed when statements are made about "US launch".) Thanks Cesar. Harvey http://www.zunerama.com

Why? Isn't Microsoft / Toshiba able to produce enough Zunes before christmas for the US and Europe? I live in the Netherlands and I really wanted to buy the Zune as soon as it's introduced. But I'm also not willing to wait 12 months for last years music player. I could import a Zune, but the WiFi-feature will be useless since almost nobody in Europe owns a Zune.

American launch first? Wonderful marketing there, really makes me feel special knowing the Americans get to test the Zune before me. I could look on the bright side and say at least all the bugs will be fixed by the time it hits Europe, but to be honest I'm to disappointed. :( Thanks for the info anyway Cesar

RE: "'I'm an iPod.' 'I'm a Zune'" spoof. You blatantly copy the iPod then you rob Apple's advertising as well. LOL. WTG Microsoft innovation!

If it doesn't show up in Canada, then I'm making a quick road trip to the States to pick one up.

Cesar, Hey if you could email me with the responses to these. I have alot of questions from my RSPs. Mass Storage capabilities, and are headphones going to destroy the unit like 3rd party did to the iPod after 6 months? That's about it for now. I'm sure you'll hear more. Peace man, thanks for the help. Lex

Will I have problems when Zune does arrive in The Netherlands when I import one? With other words is the thing region locked?

Comeon dude! Get them to get me a Zune! Ill spread good word and show to all my friends ! Thanks :P

I agree with alot of the comments here, especiall Andy Simpson (http://www.zuneinsider.com/2006/09/on_the_company_.html#comment-22809113), this guy just voices my exact opinions and situation. I too love Microsoft, I'm a .NET developer, adopting all the latest Beta software that happens to come out of Microsft.

Looks like I am also an unwanted UK customer. Also very surprised that M$ could manage to bring the 360 here on time but not the zune. My interest went from highly anticipated to very dissapointed.

I've got to say, I agree with the comments so far. I'm from the UK and I was on the verge of buying a Creative Zen Vision when I heard about Zune, and I've been holding off buying one for over a month now in anticipation of getting myself a Zune this year. Now it looks like I have a choice - buckle and get a Zen, which could be completely overshadowed by the Zune, or have to endure at least another 3 months without a working MP3 player. Great.

I feel for you guys. ( Europeans and etc. ) It really would probably be a better idea to do a global launch as done by 360. However, you should still be able to import a Zune from an online store or trusted friend. It isn't an ideal solution, but it would at least assure that you are getting a cutting-edge mp3 player when it is still... cutting-edge. Also, I don't think it has any sort of region-encoding. I don't know why it would??? All you would have to do is make a US account on the Zune Marketplace. (disclosure: that is probably against the TOS agreement and can get you in trouble) =P

Cesar can you email me please? Also...I think that the store would be US bound if it's only launching in the US this year aswell exactly like Apple have done with iTunes 7 and movies!

The zune is sparking a few reactions it seems. The swede musicians have an interesting point of view on the iPod and iTunes look aliks you might want to check out ;-) the url is www.unzune.net and forwards to one of their subpages, but the site seems to be pretty popular up there www.poinch.net they seem to be looking at a future world where the OS, dap, ... will not be center stage. I wonder what would happen if musicians in the us started to think like taht.

To mitch: They are Swiss. You can click on these links http://unzune.net or http://poinch.net (yours where not clickable). Poinch is a Swiss association that has been active for the French-speaking part of Switzerlans since a few years and has a history of a few important impacts on the local media.

Find it strange its only launching in the US, I certainly don't remember any music player as "big" as this launching in just one place. Seems a bad marketing move and one that certainly won't endure it to anyone outside America.

I would buy it, if it just was 80GB instead, or at least 60G. I got a Photo iPod 60GB - and I am currently using 32GB out of it, says iTunes. PLEASE MAKE A ZUNE TO COMPLETE WITH iPOD's 80GB.

Hi! I'm someone that owns an iPod but I don't like it. I'll tell you why: - I hate itunes its a horrible software and it is extremly complicated to use - You cannot drag and drop songs (I installed a winamp plugin where you can do that so good bye itunes) - You cannot fill the ipod in the windows explorer like a USB device - theres no easy way to transfer songs from the ipod to a computer I'm very excited with the Zune release, since I'm a convinced PC user and i don't like apple very much, but I hope that you can do this with a Zune: - Drag and drop songs from windows explorer to zune and from zune to pc like a USB device - Use it as a USB device - Watch compressed videos - A universal "Anything -to- WMV" software included with the device - Use another software to fill it in (like winamp) - Install third party plug ins (for some functions you havent thougt off) - It would be perfect to transfer song permenently to another zune. I think that if you own a song you should do whatever you want with it I'm from Guatemala, so pardon my english, but seriuosly im very excited about Zune and desperate about getting rid of my ipod, but I hope that the Zune has good software and the capability of DOING WHAT YOU WANT WITH YOUR DEVICE (configuration, personalization, freedom... thats why I love PCs... because MACs are for people that use only half of their brains). Please answer my questions, since I'm aldready saving for my zune :D... Add me to google talk: pedrodavid@gmail.com

Hi! I'm someone that owns an iPod but I don't like it. I'll tell you why: - I hate itunes its a horrible software and it is extremly complicated to use - You cannot drag and drop songs (I installed a winamp plugin where you can do that so good bye itunes) - You cannot fill the ipod in the windows explorer like a USB device - theres no easy way to transfer songs from the ipod to a computer I'm very excited with the Zune release, since I'm a convinced PC user and i don't like apple very much, but I hope that you can do this with a Zune: - Drag and drop songs from windows explorer to zune and from zune to pc like a USB device - Use it as a USB device - Watch compressed videos - A universal "Anything -to- WMV" software included with the device - Use another software to fill it in (like winamp) - Install third party plug ins (for some functions you havent thougt off) - It would be perfect to transfer song permenently to another zune. I think that if you own a song you should do whatever you want with it I'm from Guatemala, so pardon my english, but seriuosly im very excited about Zune and desperate about getting rid of my ipod, but I hope that the Zune has good software and the capability of DOING WHAT YOU WANT WITH YOUR DEVICE (configuration, personalization, freedom... thats why I love PCs... because MACs are for people that use only half of their brain). Please answer my questions, since I'm aldready saving for my zune :D... Add me to google talk: pedrodavid@gmail.com

Cesar, I take a little offense in you calling your readers "troll-boys". I agree that some people are a little harsh in their ranting, but not every criticism is the work of a troll. In fact it's necessary that people who aren't yet convinced of the Zune share their opinion! Only constructive criticism can make an evolving product like the Zune better. So please re-consider what you call your readers (and possible future Zune customers!), since I'm sure they don't like it if their legitimate concerns about the product are rejected for "nonrelevant troll babble". Regards, John

I can't believe that it will not be out over here (UK) this year. I was thinking it would be out in Nov. :) I will have to import.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdBQvUq7fC4 Zune Launch Party Video

Hey everybody. Hope you all had a good weekend. I'm with Woody, I (we) feel for you guys in Europe, etc. Honestly though, don't take "We'll add additional countries over time," as "we're never coming to (insert country here)." John, you raise a good point. I actually love the criticism and intelligent dialog you guys are having about Zune. Comment's like Andy's http://www.zuneinsider.com/2006/09/on_the_company_.html#comment-22809113 are exactly the kind of dialog I'd love to see. Keep em comin!

Hey - just thought I'd drop a quick line... I found it a fun exercise to search Froogle for Zune. Many of your accessories are pre-listed, some with pricing, some without. I saw a Zune FM Transmitter, so that squashes any rumor that one would be built-in to the device. Also saw 'car kits', 'travel kits', armbands, and more. Gotta love Froogle. And hey, for those of you P4S folks concerned about your library, just search for FairUse4WM. While I 100% agree that MS should support P4S in the Zune, hey, at least there's a workaround.

I think ms are making a very misguided decision in only launching the zune in the states before christmas because now they are allowing apple to gain an even bigger market share in the crucial holiday season when people are buying gifts for each other. I can't believe that microsoft have put such idiots in charge of launching such an important product for them. I live in ireland and was very dissappointed to learn that i will have to wait even longer to get my hands on one. I have been telling my friends to ask for a zune for xmas but now i just know that their parents will buy them a new boring ipod as usual. I think that ms should begin advertising of the zune as soon as possible to get people familiar with it and make it a household name just like the ipod because at the moment no one i have talked to has even heard of the name zune. by the way, will it be possible to transfer videos over wifi and if so will they also be tied up in the 3days/3plays rule? i think microsoft are doing exciting things at the moment but i just hope that they dont mess things up with silly mistakes like not having a worldwide release.

good question ray. Can we transmit movies/videos?

So as I've said before, this blog has some readers that seem to have sworn a blood oath against Microsoft

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I just want to know if I can import the Zune to the uk with out any problems. I mean isn't there different voltages used over in the US?

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Its strange how Zunes are still not available outside the USA (and now Canada?) but are still being sold via amazon.co.uk . I was suprised considering amazon usually sticks to almost every international rule.

Also strange that they are promoting their Zunes within the UK using adverts.

I have had affiliate ads shown on my site www.thezune.net promoting the Zunes being sold on amazon.co.uk

Its strange, what are your thoughts on this?

(Oh.. sorry for bringing up an old topic by the way..).

Its strange how Zunes are still not available outside the USA (and now Canada?) but are still being sold via amazon.co.uk . I was suprised considering amazon usually sticks to almost every international rule.

Also strange that they are promoting their Zunes within the UK using adverts.

I have had affiliate ads shown on my site www.thezune.net promoting the Zunes being sold on amazon.co.uk

Its strange, what are your thoughts on this?

(Oh.. sorry for bringing up an old topic by the way..).