I consider the Crunchgear story unbelievable, and officially de-bunked. Somebody fed them bad info... or else Microsoft is keeping you and the Zune team in the dark. Doesn't seem likely.

- Harvey

Zunerama

PS I love says-it.com.  Their vinyl records are cool, too.

bowling! yes! Some of these reports act like they work for the Enquire or any of those stupid gossip magazines. Only, they talk about products. I cant decide which one is worst.

A Zune phone would be nice, but there's a huge difference between rumor and reality.  Some of these rumors can be so convincing and cool-sounding that people will eventually believe anything...... but if there is a Zune phone in the works, it should totally be with Verizon!

Cesar, It seems you guys would be focused on getting the 1st gen device working properly and then get out a device that competes with the Nano before you went focusing on a phone device that will be even more challenging to implement than the current device.

Oh, and maybe going to Europe where Apple is a bit less entrenched would be a good strategic decision. But doing that and lining up content partners for stores across Europe isn't a simple task.

I'm saying I think this story is BS & FUD being put out there simply to deflect focus from the iPhone.

I don't think there is a chance in hell that Microsoft can fix the current Zune, get out a Nano competitor, launch across Europe AND get a phone out in the same time period.

Can't be done without compromising somewhere, and you already can see the results of the compromises Microsoft made just to get the 1st gen Zune out the door by last Christmas. Lots of bad press and less than impressive sales.

I say a true Zune phone is a lot farther off than this coming holiday season. Now just slapping the Zune software into an existing device - oh that's doable - but would be a big mistake in trying to compete with the iPhone.

Let's come back here around November and see what actually happens!  ;-)

How about a Zune-Blackberry Pearl? That would be way more cool than Apple's new "iNewtonPhone".

You know what'd be awesome?

If you guys had a press conference and announced a surprise new cassette player instead.

I'd just laugh and laugh....

:)

Hi guys,

I'd like to let you guys know that zMeta v2.510 has been released! zMeta is a simple program that allows users to modify all Zune-used meta tags of "Zunable" media. For example, it will help organize videos on your Zune to the correct categories. (TV Shows, Music Videos, Movies, etc.)

Screenshots and more info on download here: http://www.zuneboards.com/content/view/42/2/

LPX - will this work on the new Zune Phone?

;-)

LOL Dan H.

LPX - that's cool, thanks for posting it here.

Cesar, you might be the next Zune employee who gets fired. hehe Seriously you guys need improve this thing. There's so much potential, but very little movement. I saw a Spanish mp3 player that lets you swap music without the 3 day rule. How come some 3rd rate company can beat Microsoft to the punch? DO SOMETHING!!!!

I'm a Zune fanboy as much as the next guy, but shouldn't Microsoft worry about crushing the iPod before it moves onto crushing the iPhone? I mean, one thing at a time, guys!

It took years to crush the OS competition before people had no choice but to start using Windows and we're all better off for it. But imagine if the Xbox had been released in, say, 1994. MS's attention and resources would've been fighting on two fronts. Windows would be probably still be fighting OS2 today and then where would we be?

Random idea that's been rolling around in my head:

You should change Quick List to Play Queue, or whatever you want to call it.  One of the good things about QL is that you can start playing it, then add songs to it while it's being played and it will pick up on the new tracks.  However, I'll often start an album or a song and as it's coming to a close want to queue something else up behind it.  I can't do that unless I started off by using the QL.  Often I don't think I will when I first start out, and always using the QL just in case is too many steps because you have to clear the old one, add the album to it, and then play it.

If it was a play queue, whenever you selected a song or album normally it would be the equivalent of automatically clearing the QL, adding that song or album to it, and then playing it.  I can add things after what's currently playing no matter how I started off.  If you worry about the possibility of automatically erasing something someone created, you can have a Save Play Queue option to turn it into a playlist.  In fact, it could probably replace the Clear Quick List option because it wouldn't be necessary anymore.

I had a Rio Karma before a Zune so I'm kind of spoiled with all the playlist and play queue editing options it had.  I'd love for the Zune to be able to do some of the things it did, but I realize you want to keep the interface simple and straightforward and it would be hard to cram that all in.  Still, I think this one feature at least is a relatively painless switch.

Also, while I'm giving feedback, here's another tweak:

When you play an individual song from an album, the entire album gets added to the play queue.  That's a nice touch, I like it.  However, when you're doing this with shuffle on, tweak the shuffled order so that the song you selected is always at the top of the list.  This way I can select the first song I want to hear and the entire rest of the album will still be there to play shuffled.  Currently a chunk of the album won't play because they appear before the current track.

Dave, it's because they don't care about US based copyright law.  Just becuase they are doing it doesn't mean it's on the up-and-up.  Their copyright law may also be different for locally created music so that could also be a very valid and legal reason they have no limits.

The music sharing limitation is hardly the doing of Mircosoft nor is it their sole responsiblity to fix IMO.  It's amazing you can legally share at all given the the general stance of an industry that seems to fear technology.  Though I belive that fear is purely in a fiscal sense.  This is the same industry mind you where most of the artists don't even own their own music after signing with a big label.  So how much do you think they want to let you just freely spread it around?

Someone's excited about it! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FncILxajmlw

Hey Cesar I hope MS doesn't name the device 'Zune Phone' or use the Zune brand in any way.If the phone is a unique phone it needs its own brand name.

Microsoft in the past has been very incompetent at branding 101.

Would be nice...that's why it's not gonna happen.  But seriously, I don't think anyone but the voices inside J Allard's head knows where this platform is going.  MS is just winging it all the way.  All I can think is that this is supposedly a platform and not a device, which would make a phone convergence device an almost necessary step.  But, I just can't see MS not playing to their strengths first though and at least offering up a zune/gaming hybrid device first.  Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part, but I want a gaming handheld first and a phone second.  I already have a Q and it works just fine.  Instead of copying Apple with this phone nonsense, get gaming on the zune for v2 with a gamer friendly button layout and I'm sure a lot of people would be happy.

mike, I disagree. I think it would be best to build up a reputation for the brand Zune first.

LPX

Family Brands and Brand Extentions are just stupid.Each product should stand on its own.MS was smart to name their game machine 'Xbox'instead of Windows Games Box.They were smart to name their music player 'Zune'instead of Xpod.In the mind of the consumer 'Zune' should stand for 'music player' not 'all small devices from Microsoft'.

Take a page from the #1 consumer marketing and branding company in the world Procter and Gamble.They have over 300 brands.You don't buy P&G soap,P&G toothpaste,and P&G detergent.You buy Ivory Crest and Tide.

@ Mike

I agree about their branding in the past but Microsoft did do a great job at branding the XBox.

Before anyone will consider buying a phone from the Zune brand, you guys need to fix all the problems first with this current Zune and worry about building a reliable player. It's the butt of jokes!

well it wasnt me who spread the rumor.. but im always up for some bowling. so if the guy doesnt show gimmi a call. :D

It's just my opinion, but Zune + Xbox is where the platform should be taken, not Zune + Phone.

Xbox is one of the few things Microsoft has done right for consumers. Admittedly, it took a major Sony blunder with the PlayStation 3 launch for the 360 to do as well as it did, but Xbox is still a cool platform.

Better Zune + Xbox integration with small games you download from Xbox Live onto your 360 and then sync with your Zune would be great.

Zune Round 2? Flash-based, sleeker case design, bigger screen, more game friendly button layout.

I knew the story was fictitious when I read:

It is said that it will be able to sync with the Xbox 360 and stream video from the system to the phone via a wireless data connection.

Like movie studios would let you pay once and use video on more than one device. Ha, ha, ha, ha! Good one.

DLF..that stream idea sounds great.  I just wish Microsoft made clear that Media Center was just as important as XBox to Zune future.

We've been hearing rumors on a possible problem with the Zune havings its screen cracked due to an expanding battery from leaving it charging all night. We haven't run into this problem ourselves, and Microsoft's official statement is that they...

dude, that's an old Depeche Mode tape, if the serial number is any indication.

There is this press release from a call center based in the Philippines (from Zunescene.com)

"Microsoft recently awarded Global Sky - a Manila-based call center outsourcing company, the task of providing customer service and research support for their latest project: the launching of a mobile phone device that operates anywhere users can get Wi-Fi access. ...

I still think, Microsoft plans on making a phone...not a Zune phone as other may say, but just a hardware phone of different brands..Is this possible?

http://zuneph.blogspot.com

Another quiet day in Microsoft-land. Most everyone is at TechReady 4 this week, so not much news today.