Nice. I believe you guys got it right.

Thanks for the clarification!

I think there is one thing everyone would like to know:

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WHERE IS THE CLOCK?

This is how it usually goes at school:

Me: "Anyone have the time?"

Them: "Doesn't your iPod thingie have a clock?"

Allow me to say:

"Yes it does! And it's Zune to you, iPods are soooo last gen"

sweet. both options. now one more question.  does it check for updates. say i use it then stop and it syncs then i use it again for about 10min after another minute is it gunna sync again?

That raises a very good question:

Is there support for "over the air" Firmware Update Checks (Perhaps with Auto Syncing at home, and manual update when you're on the go)

If not, would this be too a far fetched idea to implement? I know it's not EVERYDAY there is an update, but it'd be incredibly handy (And a pleasant surprise) to find a Zune update while I'm at work.

Additionally, how does the Zune handled passworded networks?

yea because my wireless at my house is encrypted so maybe entering the wep code is a nice beginning to surfing the web haha

Here's another wireless sync question...Will the Zune support WEP, WPA or WPA2?

Over the air software updates are generally considered to be a bad idea by most hardware vendors.  There's too great a possiblity that the network connection gets broken, and your device ends up as a brick (a la the iPhone!)

Cool feature to have.  In line with that, I'd like to throw out "internet radio" available to the Zune through WiFi from the Zune Marketplace as a feature request.  The Sansa Connnect had this, and I thought it was not only a great idea, but seems like a perfect fit for the Zune.  Coinciding with that, once the Zune Social is up, I could listen to a radio station of other people's recommendations / preferences (a la Last.fm).  Just a thought.

So just to get in on the Wireless sync here are my questions based on an issue I have run into.

My computer got a little messed up over here and so I uninstalled a number of programs including the zune software.  As some people may know once you do that and reinstall it, it stops recognizing your zune and begins to see it as a guest.  There are two options at this point: erase the whole thing completely and start over with nothing (including preloaded content) or choose songs to manually Sync each time.  In My case I kept the preloaded content and chose to sync manually.  From what I can tell I will need to still manually choose songs on the computer before I can Sync my Zune; is that correct or can I choose the songs to sync using the zune?

    Second what if you have more than 30 GB of songs to Sync?  Will it just do a random sync of pictures videos an music or will it require you to choose what you want synced on the computer ahead of time?

Cesar one question about the firmware update. When will it come out? The same time as the new Zune or sooner? Either way I'm thankful that we know what's in it. And another question. You still doing the contest thingy again? For a new 8gb Zune maybe, A picture contest maybe,Hmmm Hmmm? Will we have to wait for the Zune software to get the update in its UI or will that be the same as in the firmware update for the Zune? Have an awesomer day than usual.

Thanks Cesar!! :) that clarifies a few doubts. None of the info on zune.net describes the manual option, so the confusion.

well anyway! Zune 2.0 ROCKSSSSSS!! Nice work guys!!

Nelson, OTA firmware updates are a fairly bad idea.

Imagine you're doing a firmware upgrade through WiFi and for some reason at your work the admin reboots the wireless router.  Poof, bricked Zune.

Even cell phone companies will only allow certains types of programming/provisioning that won't brick the device to be done OTA.

My Samsung i730 for instance.  It's received 2 Windows Mobile OS upgrades, from Windows Mobile 2003 to Windows Mobile 2003 R2 and Windows Mobile 5.  Both of those had to be downloaded and executed from a PC with the PDA firmly hooked in to prevent a brick situation.

What about canada, or the other countrys that are feeling left out? This is obsurd!!! Its about time us canadians get some kind of news on this!

Sounds cool...bring it on!

Thanks for the updates on the wireless syncing, that should answer a lot of people's questions on the matter.

One more question, does the Zune's "Home" computer have to have wireless or can it just be on a network that has a wireless router?  If it's the latter I'm really curious how that all works, does the Zune software have to be running, do you have to logged in or does the sync portion run as a Windows service.  Anyway, the software engineer in me is excited to see the implimentation.

@Nelson

I have the same question regarding passworded networks! bcoz my iPhone cant connect to my college network bcoz it passworded, tht really sucks.

Hope Zune has all the common authentications available.

Sorry Nelson, just have to say that for me a clock isn't all that useful.  I actually use a watch (yeah, I know, old school) or my cellphone for a clock.  I wouldn't complain if there was a clock but if there was a big feature priority list that would be way down there.

Cesar, any word if we'll be able to play music directly off our Zune's via the new software?  One thing that's annoying now is if I want to listen to a track from my Zune at work I have to first transfer it off the device, which in turn in a double-pain in the arse if I end up rating the song because I have manually add the track back to the Zune.

Oh, and bookmarking on podcasts/audiobooks (non-DRM MP3 books from emusic, don't care anymore about Audible support as much anymore)?

What about Media Center Content?  Currently my Media Center with tuners serving my Xbox 360s thru the house is not my primary Zune sync'ing PC... So how should we sync Recorded TV?  Will recorded CableCARD content be available as well?

I should also note - GREAT UPDATE.  Can't wait to get it!!!

Sweetness. I was getting a little concerned that you could only sync while plugged in, which kind of nullifies the whole reason for it being wireless! This is good to hear, thanks Cesar.

I notice that there haven't been any annoucements about releasing it outside the US. Is that something that is being considered? Even if there hasn't been an official decision, it would be nice to know if a Canada/Europe launch on the table for this November/holiday season.

Thanks!

Cesar,

I'm curious as to reasons why users should get these gen2 Zune's? If the first gen ones are getting the same software, why bother getting the 80gb version?

Cesar, is it possible for the people that bought the Zune Premium head phones (like me), to get the news one's comming out like an exchange, or are we stuck with the ones we have now?

I was curious how the zune handled passworded networks as well....

Also kinda out of the blue question, but are we ever getting any kind of a open source web browser or should I just forget about that right now?

Excited up the update THANK YOU!

Some kind of comment about the absence of a clock would be greatly appreciated.

I do have a couple more questions:

1: Will we get the new firmware and software before the new devices ship, or is everything happening at the same time?

2: Besides DVR-MS, are any other new codecs being added (either natively or possibly through 3rd party plugins)?

3: Why no native support for formats like DVR-MS on the device?

4: Can we add our own podcast feeds, or do they HAVE to go through the Marketplace?

5: Will there be age and/or location restrictions with Zune Social (I live in the UK, and while I understand that there are licence issues with the Marketplace, surely we could use the Social)?

6: Will firmware updates be any more frequesnt this time around?

Great job today by the way. I look forward to November.

will you guys add this to the old zune?

What wireless protocals are supported? As long as I can enter a WEP key for my home network I'm happy. Even if I have to enter that key via the Zune software. :)

Wireless sync is the ultimate goody for this device. I love it ... what about HomeServer compatibility?!

well.. now I have to sell my Zune before the new comes out :), here in Mexico i can sell it for a very good price :) jajaa

Bienvenido A La "Social" xD

Hope you make a progit DavidMP. I noticed that the new Premium head phones are made of cloth? Is it more durable or less durable that plastic covering on the Premuim head phones now?

When is firmware 3.0 coming out?  It's been like 22 hours since I read about 2.1 and nothing but silence ever since.

Nice work.  They look good.

lol tom!

Hey Ceasar, is there a possibility of you choosing a few questions from here and addressing them in a future post?

Could help clear up some misconceptions to people blogging about the Zune.

Sorry for the bad grammar in my last post, but another question, will there be custom equilizers? I know people wanted a better selection and choose their own equalilizer. Just wondering.

Scenario: i just got done downloading a grip of banging jungle/drum n bass sets each about an hour long. now i don't want all those sets cramping my hard drives style because i need the room for pictures and other stuff and i just want them on my zune... i delete said sets from my computer... i plug in my zune 80 and crash... when it auto syncs the next time i turn on wifi to add some tracks... bye bye bass??? clarify that and im sold...

@Brian Hughes:

I don't think gen 2 is really marketed towards those with the gen 1s. I think it's more towards people that don't have a zune yet, or the zune owners that have to have the latest greatest stuff. I doubt I'll be buying a gen 2, unless something unforeseen happens to my current one. The only real difference between generations is size, and the touch pad thing.

@Zune Team:

Thanks for adding the new features to the old devices. You guys didn't have to do it, but you did.

@Brian

Well first of all 80 > 30.  With podcasts (epecially video podcasts) i can see this becoming an issue if you are like me and like to have all your media on your Zune at once.

Second, did you see the videos of the new control scheme with the touch pad?  That, to me, is pretty rad and enough to make me want a bigger one.

I appreciate that MS isn't abandoning the first adopters, but will definitely be buying a Zune 80 the day i can. :D

Couple of comments:

I read that you will be able to get podcasts from any source - not just through ZMP.

The wireless sync is awesome. Can't wait.

My son is very excited about replacing his Nano with a Flash Zune!

Finally - would you guys knock it off with all the clock bitching? A clock??? Why in the world is that soooo important that you have to post about it 10 times a day? Don't you own a watch????

Great work Zune Team!!!

Yeah, props to the zune team for making an awesome update and from the looks of it, some killer software. and here we thought you just sat at work all day listening to music on your zunes. =P

I love the look of the Zune 80, but why a metal back? I love my zune's scratch resistant matte finish. It is scratch proof and looks amazing. Please tell me you will consider putting back the doubleshot finish on your 3rd generation. ( even if it is clear double shot, just give us that great look and feel again )

I'm also from outside the states. So the question is, is the Social website going to be restricted just to US IP addresses?. Hope not, its still a pain in the neck to have to use an English version of Vista to get the Zune software to work :).

Hey, Cesar, you look good in the video.

jus one last question ceaser..

when will i be able to update my ZUNE................

"Finally - would you guys knock it off with all the clock bitching? A clock??? Why in the world is that soooo important that you have to post about it 10 times a day? Don't you own a watch????"

I hope you're not implying the consumer has no right to critique what he is paying for especially when such it's such a trivial yet essential feature.

Trying to pass a Clock off as an irrelevant feature is foolish, considering that it's what the majority of the people ask about. It's very much relevant, and very much something people would like clarification on.

Just because you enjoy living in the dark about something you're shelling out money for doesn't mean I do.

@ Ron: regarding  the clock. I find the clock very useful on both my iPod and iPhone (Yea I am one of them.). . What I don't understand is that since any device with a CPU microchip has a clock. Why not implement at least a minimal display? It could be synched to a myriad of sources especially with the expanded connectivity that wi-fi provides. It is almost like MS doesn't trust you with a clock. Actually it does feel like they are just being stubborn. But wait are you sure there is no clock display maybe they just don't have it turned on in any of the marketing material we have seen. Let's get Cesar to give us a thumbs up or down on a clock display.Anyway congrats Zuners I think at least on the software side the Zune team has delivered a very nice product both for new users and the original adopters.

i will have to agree with the original submission.

having a clock is FREE ADVERTISING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@Bobr: Completely agreed.

This is reflected in my orignal comment asking about the status of a clock. I know there may be things in the firmware not shown off yet, and I want to give the Zune Team the benefit of the doubt.

PLEASE give us a clock, the Zune will be perfect then. I guarantee I'll pick one up the first day if you put a clock in.

But not before you give yourselves a pat on the back for making the best PR comeback I've ever seen.

Just some info about the clock. I know for a fact that the zune has a clock. The 3x3 rule for shared songs and the zune pass wouldn't work without one. It would pretty much be a matter of just putting in a clock somewhere in the ui. Setting the clock would raise issues though, because you could just set the date ahead to keep songs longer than the exp. date. That could be fixed though by just having 2 clocks, one that the user sets, and one locked in by the device that cant change.

Personally, I don't really see a point in a clock on the zune. I carry around at least 2 other things all day that would have the time. Not to mention, pretty much anywhere you go has a clock.

I agree with Ron, a clock is not necessary. I used to have a Creative zen and that used to have a clock. It was useful. But then I got a Zune, and you know what? I survived. Yeah! it's true! But you know the most amazing think happened, I found out there was the time on my cell. OH and it was also on my wrist too!

OK enough with the sarcasm.

@Bobr-- You are rite, all electronics with CPUs(and what electronic these days doesn't?) have clocks. But you are not correct in assuming that the clock is the same thing as that big round thing with numbers that you often find on the wall. A clock in electronics is more like a metronome... it's something used to keep a rythm. A CPU needs to know when it can read from memory and write to memory.

To keep time the player needs to keep power on or have a secondary power supply (that's why motherboards have a small watch battery on them). It seems sometimes the Zune powers off during long periods of inactivity. Not sure if having a clock is even possible because of hardware(I might be way off base here -- someone with indepth knowledge of the engineering behind the Zune should be able to tell you).

@Woody56292-- second that. Why the metal back on the zune2? Don't you think iPod owners are going to mock us for having a look-alike?

Does this player has audio resume?  Like audiobooks or podcasts on the ipod?  I need the ability to store multiple long audio files, but be able to resume where I left off, in each file seperatly?

Thanks..

Two more questions because I think I got my answer from the Zunerama interview for the first questions I asked.

Can Wireless sync be iniated from the Software?  Can I set up a Sync list and then click Sync now and have it iniated without the cord?

Can Syncing be done Manually? ie:  Can I select videos and songs to sync, place them in sync list and then iniate a wireless sync from the Zune?

Cesar, still I have to say I am ultra pumped.  I keep showing everyone here on the firebase all the new stuff on the all te websites (yours, IWAPZ, Thoughts, etc)  I think they are ready to banish me.  Its gonna be like getting a whole new Zune come November... SWEET!

Um, I can't wear a watch, and I don't have a cell. So I'd get quite a bit of use out of a clock on the Zune. Maybe it could be optional?

Once again the clock feature is not just for looking at the time. How can you set the Zune to sleep if you don't have a clock? Say you're listening to Audiobooks (does this Zune support it?) in bed and want to set the Zune to turn off in 1 hour, how would you do so without some type of clock? The iPod had this feature for years now! A clock allows for you to have the Zune sleep and wake (Alarm) at a certain time.

Does the Zune now have resume in Audio and podcast?

Does the Zune now support Audiobooks (where resume comes in handy)?

I'm sorry but I just don't see how a clock could be considered an "essential feature."

To be able to look at my Zune and see what time it is... that's not essential to me.

On the other hand... a sleep timer would be nice - I agree on that point.

Sounds beautiful.  I'll actually have another free USB port and can just lay my Zune charging just to the side of my desk and add new music that way.

It's like you all there took nearly every complaint, and more than a few "what if the device could do this" ideas into the V2.  November is going to be sweet.

I am however in the small group that feels a clock is a necessity.  I wouldn't ever use it to tell the time but it would make a nice sleep timer and if it had an alarm function I would consider pairing with the Zune with the VAF Octavio speaker and the Telarc recording of Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture."  I'd imagine the Howitzers would be able to wake me up rather reliably in the morning.

That would be a NICE use of a clock.

@FM, I basically understand the architecture and agree that what we are talking about is really a counter of how many cycles (classically of a crystal) have passed since a given point. However if one of the things done in the power-up / reboot sequence is to query a time server over wifi (Forgetting of course that the Wifi could be off / out of range or otherwise incapable of making said connection) or when not available to make a non binding request to the user to set the display clock, it could be implemented. By time server i would include the Zune software on your PC.

Would love to see wirless marketplace or wireless podcasts... My computer is bound by the chains of dial-up, but school has wireless.... anyway, no complaining... But I did notice that with the metal backs that the zunes can now compete with the ipod on another level... great place to store your fingerprint collection... Glad I got me a brownie already :)

Will I be able to wirelessly sync to Windows Home Server?

I just purchased a Zune 30 for $99!! I am so excited that you guys decided to offer the firmware upgrade for the older models. This is a true gesture of looking out for the customer. Keep this mentality going, and the Zune line will eventually be as successful as the iPod. Keep up the good work.

As for the synching, it sounds great. But like the others said, I too would eventually like to have a wireless Music store. Hopefully you guys support multiple MP3 sites, like eMusic, Amazon, and Zune marketplace - much like Windows Media Player does. That would make for the ultimate media device.

Shane,

"Nelson, OTA firmware updates are a fairly bad idea.

Imagine you're doing a firmware upgrade through WiFi and for some reason at your work the admin reboots the wireless router.  Poof, bricked Zune"

This is very, very wrong. There is absolutely no OTA firmware updating system that updates the firmware _as_ it receives it. All of these systems download it first, do a CRC, then update the firmware. You couldn't do it the way you propose anyway as when you update the firmware, you drop out of the OS so you'd have to include wireless networking into your firmware loader which is insanely difficult and pointless.

OTA Firmware updating is actually a pretty cool idea and the only way it could fail due to it being wireless is if your battery level is too low but I can't see MS developers overlooking something like that.

This time please tell the marketing department to point out these cool features when advertising! You guys seem to have done very little job in marketing the 1st gen Zune compared to Apple. Maybe you were saving the money for the next iteration, as long as the marketing gets done correctly. Educate the audience that the new Zune better than the Ipod. Apple's whole slue of I'm-better-than-you ad campaigns generated a coolness definition among the hip crowd, which Microsoft lacks. Yes, I know it's arrogant, but so what? Zune is it's own animal, unleash it!

i just updated the firmware on my Zune 30 and i think that OTA firmware update isn't as dangerous as it sounds.

it seems that ZMP dloads the firmware, syncs it to the device and the device does the updating on its own. please correct me if i'm wrong. i personally think it's an excellent behaviour and bricking should only occur if you attempt a OTA update with a dying battery and not being plugged in to somekind of power source.

i do wonder how it would work as the software seems to wait for the Zune to say it's updated successfully.

If I want to sync out a particular song/podcast/video from my computer wirelessly, it it possible? I'm thinking of a scenario where I want to access my entire library through my zune and choose the songs I want to be synced wirelessly.

First impressions of the announcement were: Fantastic, my Zune's family will be expanding at least two fold.... then I saw the post above mentioning the metal backing.... damn- stick with the doubleshot guys!

We all take it for granted that, more or less, there's a separation between hardware and software . I

We all take it for granted that, more or less, there's a separation between hardware and software

A sleep function that lets you play for a selected time would be a great feature. I know loads of people who like to fall asleep listening to music but don't want to wake up to a flat battery.