It's official: Zune's 2nd generation is going to hit the stores before this holiday season; read it here before it appears on ZuneInsider (if it ever will appear on ZuneInsider): http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:%20/2007/07/21/microsoft-zune-20-hitting-stores-before-holiday-season-zune-10-hits-1-million-mark/

I really hope an ultra-wide touchscreen zune is coming this holiday season.  It would only make sense.

I'm certainly digging Dappled Cities (on MOKB). The guy has a really interesting voice. I'm still kinda disappointed that Spoon won't be coming to Atlanta on their tour, since they are one of my favorite bands. But The Valley Arena will be playing in LA while I'm out there in August, so Yay!

Thanks for the tunes.

Sportsunit...although I think touchscreens can be fascinating I think content/service/community/connectivity additions are far more meaningful.

Hope you guys have some exciting news to announce this week.

Seriously? You lot are talking about 2nd generation hardware while you've completely failed to deliver some hideously simple features in this generation? Come on guys, how long does it smegging take to get podcast support fixed? Or are you married to Windows Media Player 11 and have to wait for that team to get the functionality in there before you can do anything with it?

This has be a joke right?

http://www.appletechnews.com/news1/news112.7.19.07.html

A widescreen touch screen zune would be awesome. It should have all the features of the zune with these additional features:

1) Podcasts (This should have been implemented already)

2) Internet browsing w/ IE (or Firefox with a plugin of sorts but I doubt it)

3) Online Marketplace (The market is ripe for this. Big moneymaker)

4)Zune Accessible Hard Drive Mode.

Microsoft's comments on 2nd gen and new 1st gen Zune features.....crickets.

The rumor stated that these new products would be available by the holiday season (November).  This would also mean that we have no hope of a new firmware to add some features until that time.  Logically, Microsoft wouldn't want to give you the features that the 2nd gen will have as this will reduce sales of the 2nd gen product.  At least there is a registry setting change to turn your zune into a portable hard drive.

Jason, I disagree with your premise that releasing new features now will negatively impact sale of 2nd gen Zune devices.  First of all, what makes you think that current Zune owners are the target for a 2nd gen Zune device.  Many Zune consumers including myself bought into the product because of the promise of upgradeability.  This upgradeability is a key differientator between Zune and iPod.  Also a "new generation" usually implies that it replaces the current Zune..not run head-to-head with current devices.  Introducing new Zune features now..should generate demand which in turn helps flush out existing inventories.  As much as we like to keep our eye on the future..Microsoft can't lose sight of now...Microsoft needs to continue driving sales in *any* way they can.

DUDE. Thank-you very much for introducing me to Freezepop! They rock enough for me to buy their latest single on Zune's Marketplace. (And while I was there, I picked up Alice Cooper's "School's out for Summer" 'cause I've been needin' that one.) BTW, I found another 2 Zune users at my workplace and swapped both volumes of the Halo 2 soundtrack for two Beavis and Butthead soundtracks. Odd, but hey that's how the Zune community's growing! ;)

IMHO... Zune 2.0 will not be a software upgrade from 1.0. As MS has said, they *WILL* upgrade the 1.0 software. 2.0's biggist differance will be Hardware. They are building the new one from the ground up. Not recycling another manufacturers old model. I would expect (hardware wise) 2.0 to be vastly diffenent from the original.

Ceaser creates yet another posting of new free music, and the first response is someone posting some rumors, complaining that Cesar doesn't disclose all news all the time, then the next post a few down complains that Microsoft is talking all about Zune 2.0 while he isn't happy with the features of the first Zune.

You guys are really sick.

Thank you Ceaser for continuing to do what you do in the face of all this.