I noticed on the About area of the zune it says the hardware is version 2.0. Can you divulge what hardware 1.0 was?

I think the zune teem needs to get something on the market like the ipod nano. Small, flash memory, video playback and wifi.

have a great thanksgiving...

look forward to some firmware updates soon.

What about the rumors the zune will work on Windows Vista this year?

JHP - that's not a rumor; I posted about that: http://zuneinsider.com/archive/2006/11/15/zune-software-questions-some-answers.aspx

-cesar

Here's another vote for a Flash Zune ASAP! iPod aside, on Amazon.com SanDisk Sansas are hot sellers, demonstrating demand for that type of player.

Cesar. I got a chance to "play" with one at a local store. I'll give Zune props for the screena and UI. You really can't tell much about how it feels in the hand, though, given those enormous bricks they are locked down in. They also make the Zune look even bigger than it is - whoever designed those things should be fired!  ;-)

I think the main reason that Zune is getting ragged on in the press is you just get this feeling that everything was rushed just to get this thing out by Christmas. I mean, come on, even the wireless feature doesn't work until you upgrade the firmware. So I think the bad reviews are Microsoft's own fault. You aren't going to compete effectively with the iPod this Christmas shopping season, and now you've got a lot of negative press that just makes your job even harder.

Why didn't you guys just wait until you "got it right" before rushing the Zune device and software out the door? I think you had a chance to introduce a killer device with great buzz, and you blew it.

Yes, the iPod wasn't "perfect" when it was first released, but the market is a lot different now than it was five years ago, and I the Zune will always be compared to what's out in the marketplace right now. Yes, the capabilities of the Zune will be different 6 months or a year from now, but so will the capaiblities of your competitors.

Oh, and I got to see Bitter:Sweet live in L.A. at the Roxy last week, and they were killer. If you haven't seen them live, they kill! Check them out.

A very important observation:

My preloaded content disappeared.  Very bad.  I liked those songs, and now the only way to get them back is to return my zune to Best Buy and get a fresh one.  I had to reinstall the software on my laptop and reestablish a link with my zune, and *poof* the music was gone.  I cannot over-emphasize how bad this is - a bad experience on a very large scale.  Very, very bad.  Fire-someone-at-Microsoft bad.  These files needed to be protected - I could tell by the tone in the voice of the support person I called that I was not the first one with this issue.  Others are going through the same thing.  This must be fixed in future builds.

I like this thing a lot, so much I am going to Best Buy to return it.  Isn't that sick?

Here's a thought - why not make a file on the zune marketplace where zune owners who have gone through what I've gone through can reload the music/videos that may have gotten lost?  Pretty much everyone who goes to the marketplace already owns a zune, so the content will be redundant, correct?

Just a thought.  I suspect this makes too much sense for it to actually happen.

Seriously - this is bad.  Someone should be fired, or fix this issue.  It's going to affect a visible percentage of users who will be very, very upset when they call support and are told there is nothing they can do.

Well put Thomas...

I do not own a Zune. I fall out of the favoured (yes that is spelled correctly) geographical region that will receive this device for the holidays, so for now I wait.

I have lurked here and there since word started spreading about a device from Microsoft that would change things in the MP3 market. I was really excited about there being a real option to the iPod.

I told myself that I would wait for real user reviews and take all the pre-launch, fanboy-biased reviews with a huge grain, and see what the masses really thought. Now that these reviews are slowly rolling in, there is one thing that is very apparent... Microsoft will be Microsoft. Like Vista, it is obvious that the product was shipped to make a deadline and not because it was ready.

Don't get me wrong, the hardware seems to be up to snuff, but Thomas is not alone in experiencing these little bugs that turn people off. How can a simple process like syncing be so fundamentally flawed so to delete the preloaded content? Are these scenarios not tested for in Beta? As a developer I would be out of a job if stuff that simple slipped through.

I am giving Thomas and the multitude the benefit of the doubt that there is nothing in the user manual stating what not to do if you are interested in keeping the preloaded content. But, honestly there has to be some headway made in repairing the problems.

Darryl

hey microsoft, make us zunesters proud and whip out those firmware updates -- fast and plenty! please implement "folder-shadows" for the zune so that that the windows folder structure will be followed in the zune app (for all music, pics, and videos). it's the only practical way to organize stuff for us.

and please implement built-in podcasting. this to me is an absolute MUST in this podcast-age. i know you have clever folks there.. make it happen for us!

thank you!

Lol, trying to get the pre-loaded content back myself. Fruitless.

Do you guys plan to have a section on the Zune.net site where the latest firmware and previous history for firmware updates will be posted? That would be very cool because it would offer a quick stop for updates, not to download them, but just for what they do and which is the latest. Just so we don't have to plugin in the device and load the software every time we want to check for an update. Just asking, I've been searching and I haven't found anything like it on a Microsoft site, so what do you guys think?

Hey Cesar, glad to see you're not fired! Was beginning to wonder where your posts were ;)

Hey Cesare,

Canada wants to know when it's getting the Zune, particularily the guys who run ZuneCanada.com. Are there any plans to release it before the holidays?

Proud owner of a black Zune.  Loving it.  ... now it's all about content.  I've been able to get my home movies, pics and music on the device as well as signing up for the ZunePass "All You Can Eat" model... totally digging it.  (Although I also subscribe to Rhapsody for integration with my Sonos system - MSFT should really buy them)... can't wait til tomorrow when they're supposed to launch TV and movies on the Xbox Live Marketplace - will this be compatible with Zune?  How long until we get new content?  We've got to get Zune's Marketplace to catch up with iTunes!!! ... what good is a big screen with blurry albumart? (You gotta admit - the album art really does look fuzzy)... we need TV shows and movies!!!! ZUUUUUUNE!

I am seeing comments about Album Art being blurry, not showing up on the Zune player, etc.  Album Art is a huge thing for me and a reason for switching to Zune.  Can anyone (Caesar or anyone who has a Zune) tell me how the Ablum Art looks on the Zune player?  I have seen the preloaded content on the display model at Best Buy, but I am wondering how album art downloaded by the Zune software or copied from a website like allmusic.com looks.

Thanks!

The Album Art looks good.  It definitely is a bit distorted - doesn't look BAD, but it's not as sharp as it should be in my opinion.

Daniel Stack: Microsoft probably won't buy Sonos because of their relationship with Real.  But I'd agree that Sonos has the best home/network audio solution out there today.  You would think having a few Zunes around the house and the right software, Microsoft could provide the same mult-room functionality.

We just made a list of the 10 most nicest things said on the Zune. And they were not that difficult to find!

Read <a href="http://www.cliczune.com/2006/11/zune_reviews_10.html">here</a>

Are the Zune and Media Center teams collaborating or are your efforts isolated?

John from S.Florida - Yes I'm sure you're right... Sonos does rock and I'm sure MSFT won't buy them - wishful thinking

Thanks Daniel.  How does the preloaded album art compare to the other album art?  Does the preloaded art look sharper than your other album art?

ChrisS - No... the preloaded album art looks the same... it doesn't seem to be a problem with the display but rather an album art resolution size issue... it's like they take tiny thumbnails and then zoom in on them loosing the sharpness.  Don't get me wrong - it's not awful, but it should be better.  I would never consider it a deal breaker.  Having said that - my photos and video that I've put on look pretty nice.  I'm not disappointed at all with the device - as a matter of fact it's possible that I would never have even brought up the album art fuzziness without first reading it on one of the forums (probably 'Scene) first...

I never received any errors installing or syncing. So far I've caught my zune restarting its self once. This is the extent of the problems I've had. No information was lost and I wouldnt have noticed if I didnt just catch out of the corner of my eye the zune logo pop on screen. Is this version 1.1 software people are having bugs on?

From a Bloomberg.com article:

``The most important thing for us is to be relevant,'' said Chris Stephenson, who joined Microsoft from concert operator House of Blues to lead the marketing for Zune. ``We would like people to say there's a clear No. 2 in the marketplace.''

On Amazon.com, the "clear No. 2" is currently Sandisk Sansa. Zune management needs to take some kind of emergency action.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aBLgYAyJLFug

http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/electronics/172630/ref=pd_ts_e_nav/103-8813283-8969460

Thanks again Daniel.  I am excited to get my Zune.  I am working on my library right now.  One thing nobody has mentioned about the Zune software that is really nice...if you move or rename a music file in your music folder, the Zune software automatically locates the file.  In iTunes, if you move or rename a file, you have to manully locate it again.

TotT and other who are pointing to the fact that Sansa is number 2…please put some thoughts in your comment. The Sansa is 2GB player and THAT’S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT MARKET. Don’t confuse these low capacity player with the 30GB models. Zune still does not have a presence in that segment. So let’s not compare Apples to Oranges. Beside its still early in the day. I know of three people at my work place who will be buying a Zune but are waiting to get closer to Christmas.

As for the reviews I would say that 80% of the bad reviews are from people who have MS phobia. Even if all the missing features were available in Zune there was bound to be some issues in 1G device and software and each one of those would have been blown out of proportion.

iTunes which has been in market for over 5 years now had a lot of issues with their latest update and somehow all these reviewers who are crying foul on Zune Marketplace were much more understanding. You see I don’t think there was a way out for MS regarding bad reviews so their decision to go ahead with the launch was the right one. The holiday season gives them the option to build a installed base (which would have taken much more time after the holidays).

MS will have to deal with these reviews and generally negative comment. I think the best thing they can do is stick to their message and concentrate upon some cool features. In the long run if they always have something different and better to offer than iPod, MS will be successful.

Lets look at the sale figure at the end of January.

Rohit

TomT: According to Amazon.com, Zune seems to be consistently outselling Creative's top models. Creative has more models so collectively their numbers are probably better.  Still not a bad showing out of the gate.

Admin,

  No you posted Vista would be supported in January. Thats not this year.

I heard rumors the Zune software could work with Vista as early as next week. I'm trying to figure out where I read that at now..

There's been a few questions about the preload content so here's the deal...

If you are a subscriber on Zune Marketplace you can download and/or purchase the preloaded music.  Go to Zune Marketplace, Playlists, Stories and look for Zune Preload.  As for the videos, we're out of luck.  Sorry.

James@Zune

My Zune review went up today, and if I do say so myself, I think it's one of the better ones:

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2061973,00.asp

I was really unimpressed with how un-thorough most of the reviews online have been. They seemed like they didn't hardly use the product at all. So I spent a lot of time with Zune and wrote the review I wanted to read days ago. :)

Hey all - yes, Cesar did mention that Vista support will be this year (you could argue FY07 as this year) :).  In reality, we are targeting Vista support before the "consumer" availability of Vista (read EOM January 07).  Which means, when Vista is sold in the retail stores, there will be an updated version of Zune that will install and work with Vista.  Sorry that I can't give you more details than that.

James@zune

>So let’s not compare Apples to Oranges.

On the other hand, Zune decided to put all of their "launch apples" into the "hard drive player basket", and offer absolutely nothing to prospective customers who are interested in flash players.

I think an initial two-product launch would have been preferable, with one hard drive Zune and one flash Zune.

M$ is dumb! Apple is superior!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jason - good review. We're still waiting for our review hardware as Microsoft hasn't been that forthcoming to our site for once in getting one, perhaps because I was critical of the Zune I saw a few months back on the site.

Your review seems to hit the nail on the head though, if the software and firmware doesn't improve fast then people are not going to bother getting not only this generation of player, people won't get the next one either.

I'm surprised by the lack of Vista support so far too - why? Well most of the users who would have snapped Zune up are pretty tech savvy and have MSDN, beta test etc, those guys have Vista yet can't use this gadget.

It certainly feels rushed, but I won't say much more until we get our hands on one, but in saying that I can't see me getting one as I'm in the UK and can't be bothered to import one.

TomT…

There is no way in the world that a company could have come out with a product which would have made an impact with 1G player. Even if it would have been loaded with features only early adopters would have found that helpful. With a single model it gives MS a chance to feel the market and work out all the issues with the software. This is a long battle and the first model is just a tiny step.

Whenever others models are released I bet you will see a lot of ideas implemented in it which MS has gotten with this first launch. Basically first launch is to give a general direct for the strategy.

Rohit

I have a buddy who quickly figured out how to install and run the Zune software on Vista and so far it seems to work great. Hopefully he will be able to post the fix/process online for everyone to try soon, but rest assured that the functionality isn't that hard to obtain and I am sure Microsoft will have an official fix before Vista is released to the general public. While it would have been great to have Vista support out of the box, I don't think it is fair to slam the Zune since the general public doesn't even have Zune yet.

Thanks for the responses guys! I like the product thus far.

hey guys,

personally i don't know if the zune is good or bad, still havent been able to build my opinion. however i found this review on a design blog a visit regularly about the zune, might be interesting:

http://www.studio469.com/blog/2006/11/marketing-monday-1-what-will-santa-bring-this-year.htm

Jhon

I agree with Conzumer. I debated long and hard with myself about Zune v. iPod.  Zune won out, however, I'm a big pod(net)cast fan and am in need of podcast support on the Zune so I can bookmark where I left off.  I can't always remember how far foward I was.  Please, support pod(net)casts soon!

Oh, yeah, I want my pre-loaded content back too.

MY Zune restarted twice on me 3 times while i was at work

and all of those times it was in my pocket. the second time it restarted was the scaary one cos i was lifting a plastice trash bag out of the can, my zune was in my apron pocket and the wire was running under the apron to my ear, well right after the plastic bag slid up my body my zune shut off then my ear piece shocked me. ( i didnt put the black spongey covering on them) made me wonder is heat like the kind in my pocket, or static harmful to my zune?

Aagh!  Same problem with the preloaded content!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Help us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My son wants the pre-loaded videos back that he lost while syncing... What now?

how do i delete the pre loaded songs