I noticed that the 3.1 firmware is more responsive and snappy on my 80.  But I also notice that long video descriptions still do not auto-scroll.  (that feature was removed in the 2.x update)

While not related to 3.1, anyone know of the GOW2 Zune is available in store, or only online?

Hey, neat.

Busy week at Microsoft's Entertainment division, it seems.

I got excited that there was some new NXE integration coming out.  Looks like I'll be working on updating my Zune tonight befroe I get NXE tomorrow.  :)

Yay!  Can't wait to download this.

I really hope there is more integration between zune and xbox. Great work guys, the zune gets better and better

Does this update allow for consistency between multi-disc albums in the Desktop and Device experiences?  Do the albums display correctly on the Zune now?

Hopefully it fixes the freezing I've been getting when changing albums on the Zune :(

Just updating my zune right now before I go on a walk. Cant wait to give this new firmware a blast on. Thanks guys for the hard work over at zune

Still no quicklist?  Please give us this back. Such a useful feature to be just tossed to the side, for what? "Now Playing?" I know what was playing, it was in my quicklist!

Excellent. Can't wait for my Zune to update.

How is quicklist different from "Now Playing"?  You can add songs to Now Playing and make it your own little quicklist.

Microsoft unexpectedly released an update to the Zune PC software and device firmware today, bringing

thanks so much for the update =)...but would you guys mind putting video playlists =)

Now playing puts anything you listen to in the list, not just select songs. Plus it gets wiped. Quicklist was saved on the device until you erased it. I could sit on a plane and quickly make a playlist that I wanted to hear, or make one right before a run without ever going back to my PC. Now if I want to make a playlist I must go back to my home PC. "Now Playing" is worthless

hey thanks for the update zune team! hopefully this fixes the UI freezes and stuff. also the new games will keep me busy at work.

I can't wait to get this on my device. I hope this has to do with the NXE, maybe Zune downloading movies from the xbox?

still no sleep timer? that has to be like 5 lines of code. what gives?

I can't update my Zune Software when I click on 'Check for updates'. It always says me there are no new updates. The sotware version I have is 3.0.532.0

Is there not just the file? So I can find an installation file to download 3.1?

When will there be an easy way to turn OFF album previews? Loading all those icons slows my system to a crawl when I bring up the software.

I also want "quicklist" back!  Sometimes it's nice to have a playlist on the go and be list computer dependent.  

i agree! i want the quick list back!

Great work Zune Team!!

Awesome.  Can't wait to see the improvements.  And thanks for the new games.... :0)

Zune Social and that lot in the UK would be possible the best update microsoft could do!

Great work on this update though, kudos.

Thanks!  I agree with others above though...please bring back the quicklist!!!!! (Please)

I'd like to be make a playlist on the Zune.  I know there is Now Playing but then I'd like the option to save that list or clear it.  If if the Zune generates the name and I have to update it using the software I'd like the feature.

awesome! thanks for the surprise update!

Please do NOT bring the quick list back; it seems that no one here actually understands how now playing works.

Or rather, do not bring it back at the EXPENSE of the now playing.  It works just like WMP, and I love it.  But adding the ability to SAVE your current now playing list as a temporary and editable playlist would appease all parties, I bet.

I cant download the new 3.1 Zune update.Its saying that my Zune is already up to date with the 3.0 version.What do i do??

Picking between a screen visulization or the ability to make playlists on the go is hardly a contest. Boot the "Now Playing" if we can have quicklist back.

Quicklist and now playing are the same thing. If you want to build a "quicklist" you add it to "now playing". If you want to erase the "quicklist" just play something else. Now Playing is the quicklist on crack...far more efficient and better if people would just pay attention to what it is.

I can't believe you guys haven't fixed this yet: the device still doesn't sort multi-disc tracks properly. It groups all the same track numbers together, so you get 1,1,2,2,3,3 instead of 1,2,3,1,2,3. It basically means I can't listen to multi-disc tracks on the device.

PLEASE sort this out soon.

For those having problems getting the update, make sure you click on the software tab in settings not the device tab.  Go to general and then check for updates.  Also, make sure to have your Zune disconnected before getting the update.  Hope this helps.

Another vote in favor of Now Playing. It was the one thing I missed from my old Creative Zen; the ability to start playing an album (what's that?) and then queue up another at any point to start playing after the first one finished. The old Quicklist required too much preplanning and jumping around in the UI to accomplish that IMHO.

Yeah, I would like the Quick List back too.  Or even better, give us an option in the Settings menu to choose between Quick List or Now Playing.  That would be great.

And...

When are those movies going to be available on the Zune Marketplace????  :)

Now just build this into a sexy high quality phone and I will ditch the iPhone no matter what the cost.

Is it possible to store files on my 30Gb Zune? I have all my music and all my photos on it and have loads of free space left for file backups.

my update gets stuck at 99%. any help?

Thanks Eric T. (Ultraman5000).That help me update it.

Another free system update...awesome!!!  I am sooo sick of buying devices where the company offers no firmware updates.

To those saying Now Playing is better than Quick List aren't informed as to why some preferred the Quick List.

With Now Playing, the playlist is destroyed when you accidentally click play instead of Add to Now Playing.  This makes doing things quickly annoying.  Also, if you are not 100% familiar with a songs title, you may want to listen to the song before adding it to your playlist.  With Quick List, you could interrupt playing the Quick List, play the song, add the song if you liked it or drop the song if you didnt, then jump back to your playlist.

Now Playing wouldn't be as bad if you could hit Back and go back to your old playlist as per WMP.

Allows the Zune to keep the Noe Playing like quicklist was done....more On-the-Go features, crossfading, FM recording. Come on, Zune Team.

Start developing the device and forget for at least one release of the software.

WOW SUDOKU! I'M SURE THAT AINT ON AN IPOD TOUCH

Espiox, for multi-disk albums, just re-number the tracks on disk 2 starting with the next number after the last track on disk 1.

love space battle. freakin awesome. i appreciate zune more than xbox (i just sent in my 4th xbox 360 back to MS yesterday), and i like that they give us games for free. I like most ppl, want quick list back, but i like now playing also. Its just like quicklist except i have to go back and make the playlist again if i decide to play something else. I wholeheartedly agree with Tathanen though on that subject.

when will you make zune compatible with Macs ??? Please I need a zune but it won't work with my mac !

My update also gets stuck at 99%

Have tried to download it twice, both times it sticks at 99%. Been stuck there for 30 minutes now. The download got to 99% fairly quickly though.

Great! Thanks a bunch!

Worked perfectly!  Checkers also has multiplayer too!

Close the software window if your update get stuck. I repeat close the software.

DO NOT CLOSE THE UPDATE WINDOW.

Another problem with the current "Now Playing" is that it does not shuffle. It plays the music in the exact same order as you added them every time until you go to the main menu and turn shuffle off and on. It's really annoying as I have shuffle set for a reason.

I like the extra games and I'm still fiddling around seeing if I get any weird playcounts or slowed-down songs.

I see they still have changed back the order of items when you click the center button while playing a song. It use to be Show Song List/Ratings, but now it's vice versa and I can no longer click 3 times fast to the Song List real fast - I've screwed up a lot of ratings when I forget this.

I also wish they'd change the rating system. Keep the hearts for all I care, but please add more to them. I just hate sorting songs in 2 categories and adding "blank" as a category just doesn't work - blank for me is a head's up that I have a new song that I need to listen to and sort.

But everything I'm happy with. Keep up the good job, zune team!

Allows the Zune to keep the Noe Playing like quicklist was done....more On-the-Go features, crossfading, FM recording. Come on, Zune Team.

Start developing the device and forget for at least one release of the software.

by Ricardo Dawkins at Tuesday, November 18, 6:33 PM

Really? How?

I love 3.1 I have been going crazy for new games. I have all ready beaten space battle.

Im stuck on 99%

Eh, I would do Linux before mac, more people use Linux and Zune would be the perfect Thing for Linux

Good update, excellent games,

BTW Half of "The Cool Zune Kids" aren't around anymore, or aren't updated at all. Y'all should think of some housekeeping of those

@Homunkulus. The whole point of having the option of multidiscs albums is that you can number them 1, 2, 3 for each album. The software does it correctly, the device doesn't.

When I update my album information, I don't want to re-edit it for every multi-disc album I have.

My update says that it can not contact the Microsoft Update center, and then when I want to retry the update, it won't launch.  Anyone want to help?

Well i guess that means no marketplace for canada then eh....

Australia??  please MSFT show us some love and release the device and store down here!!!  PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!

So still no clock? I know its not a big deal, but it shouldn't be THAT hard to code right?

Yes - bring back Quicklist, please!!!!

Does this update work with Vista 64? The link on microsoft's site is only for x32 and won't install on my system. I've been waiting for this update for forrrever, and would love for my zune to stop freezing when i change tracks and to be able to play some of those new games!

i dunno , i think if ur i canada u can change ur computers regional code on the coputer settings to get marketplace, i have podcasts and such

good job zune people.

we need equalizers

and playlists we can save

sides that its good

Update hangs at 99% and then cancels itself. :(

I am only getting to 99%. I have even tried closing the software as suggested here. HELP

thanks zune team

I just downloaded the new update.  Space Battle is a lot of fun.  It took a while, but I finally got it.  Thank you Zune!  I'm feeling loved.

thanks you so much guys, way to keep your customers just as ecstatic as we were on day 1

I didn't even know this update was coming! thanks microsoft for all the free games! if we were with apple, we would have 2 buy a whole new $350 device just 2 play games.

Please bring Zune to mac. With all the college kids getting Macs like me, how do you expect anyone young to buy Zunes?

dude, stuck at 99% that sucks.

nvm, mine started to install randomly. just give it a lot of time, i guess.

Dang Zune has done some pretty good upgrades, but what gets me is the wi-fi it has. What zune should think about doing is trying to make a new software with internet, i mean come on it's microsoft and the zune has wi-fi. I'm just throwing it out there

i cant download this update its saying my device is up to date any advice?

Great update! I love the new games and the bug fixes!

I think being able to view and update our FACEBOOKS would be a great feature to add to the zune! Ceasar, What bugs did this fix exactly, I am always curious about all the things the firmware does, not just the cool stuff.

I'm stuck at 99% update too. I just canceled and started over.

stuck at 99% any advice?

Getting onto the internet and updating facebooks would be great in theory, but there's no way to input text that doesn't involve using directional buttons to navigate an on-screen keyboard, and that would be far too tedious. I'd rather just wait 'till I could get to a computer.

What I would really love to see is the ability to click on album covers in Now Playing view.  Often times I listen to music and see an album I'd love to hear and want to click on it but no success.  My friends who do not own Zunes also naturally try to click on the album covers but no go.  Come on!!!!

I'm also having trouble downloading the update. I will try again tomorrow after the bulk of people download the update and see if that doesn't work.

Awe-some. Really hoping for a online games store --or an apps store-- in the future. Getting closer!

Am I the only one who still only finds version 3.0 for download on the website?

Ah, found it. In the MS download center and not on the zune website though...

@Medic Re: So still no clock?

Clock was added in 3.0. You have to turn it on in Settings.

Please add the ability to download and view mobile web pages via wifi. ie google maps, weather, etc. This would kill iPod nanos for sure.

@Medic

There is a clock... Set it in the settings menu on your Zune. It's been around since 3.0

For those who don't get prompted, you can download it via www.microsoft.com/.../details.aspx

i agree now playing sucks. i liked the quick list

Now playing and Quick list, good ideas, but how about keeping the Now playing and make a playlist editor? I have a lot of music on my 80GB, and some times I do a play all. I would like to be able to pick out a song that is playing and add it to an existing play list or create a new one, and add songs to it as the play from the now playing list.

Back in the saddle tonight after taking the night off last night more details on the show. The 24hr Podcast has been postponed till December 20-23 but until then the show goes on. Please Support my Show Sponsors!: [Save 10%...

well... nice update... but we still don't have unicode/asian font support. Microsoft... you guys made a great mp3 player and I love it. My only only gripe is the lack of unicode/asian font support. Us users support microsft, but if you don't support us, how is that going to work?

Bring it to France, at least the software and the social. It is great! And it could be a quick win.

Updated,  Was forced to remove all content from my Zune30 and then a complete sync.  Pretty frustrating and admittedly some panic.  All seems working

Will there ever be a fix for the unexpected reboots when running on battery power?  that is really what needs to be fixed!

We would really like to use digital copy!  When is that coming?

• Ziff Davis To Close PCMag Print; Focus on Online; Still Looking For Options For Gaming Division - Print edition of legendary computer magazine is going away. • Mac OS X Snow Leopard (10.6) Due in 1st Quarter of 2009?...

When you open the Zune Software today, you’ll be presented with the option to upgrade to the latest revision

Zune 3.1 here I come.

I am upgrading as I speak lol.

I was stuck at 99% for a while; had to wait about 10 minutes then it finished updating.  The whole process did take awhile; from beginning to end about thirty minutes.  I finally got it, and enjoyed playing Sudoku on the subway this morning@

My big gripes are Mac support (I switched to Mac the same week I went from an iPod to a Zune) and enhanced podcast support (multiple "bookmarks" in podcasts)... it would also be nice to "hear" clips of what you're listening to when fast forwarding.  Hard to get through sections of a podcast you don't want to listen to when you have no idea if that person stopped speaking yet.

I'm in the process of downloading off the MS download center. Hopefully, this works.

Also, is there any way that you guys can put up the Zodiac Series wallpapers up on the site so that those of us who don't have the Zodiac Series Zunes can at least have the wallpapers?

Thanks!

Nothings work with my zune. No update when i start the zune sofware and when i check zune update they tell me : error code C00D11CD (80244419) , very frustrating. I'm in canada, hope that's not the problem.

I'm also very disappointed that the multi-disc album thing isn't sorted yet. The fact that it works correctly in the software but not on the device should be a huge red flag for the developers. Not to mention, as a programmer I have an idea that this would be relatively trivial to fix. To me this is way more important than poker games since listening to albums is actually what I bought a Zune for.

I'd also love to be able to sync with WMP 11 instead of waiting for the Zune software to catch up with it in features but I guess I'd need to get an IPOD to do that.

When the Zune software will also manage the filenames and folder so that when I change a tag (i.e. the Artist Name)it is reflected also to the folder name in wich it's contained?

A bookmarck for audiobooks I would like to see.

I'm still having problems downloading the update. Would the best thing be to uninstall Zune 3.0 and reinstall with Zune 3.1?

.

I don't think that's necessary.  Maybe try early in the morning when traffic is low?  Also, as was previously suggested, make sure your Zune page is closed (after you've started downloading the update).  I also didn't keep too many windows open until the software was fully loaded.  it takes awhile, but its worth it. good luck.

you need to update the software first then it will see the new firmware update and you can download it. i had no problems with it, it looks good :)

Zune software wants:

1. Unicode font support.  Why is it supported in the zune software, but not on my zune PLAYER?

2. Quicklist.  I used it when I was on break at work or in the doctors office or well just about any time to make a list of the songs I want to listen to when I got back into my car.  Now playing is just NOT the same because I have a lot of songs where I have multiple versions and need to hear it to see if it's the one I want today.

3. Zune software background changes.  There's a hack for this.  The fact that there's a hack for something so basic should prove that it's a wanted feature.

4. Clock(added in 3.0 thanks ms.)

Things I do not need on my zune:

Games.  The battery life is bad enough as it is without the backlight on forever for sudoku.

The Update crashed my computer, but when it restarted, everything was fine.  You don't see the Blue Screen of Death on XP that often.  And no, my Zune wasn't plugged in.

Odd.

Are you serious.  I hate to leave this here, but there is never a good place for this.  My Zune always fails the update check, so I can't get the new update and games.  I have had this problem before, and fixed it by going to a new internet network. Why can't Microsoft just let me download everything in one package instead of forcing me to "check for updates" every time.  There has to be a better way.

That said, is there a link to an installer/updater that does not "check for updates" but instead contains everything I need when I download it?

Love this unexpected update!

Loving the new games as well...

Keep up the good work!

Like some others here, I was stuck at 99% and I closed the software AND unplugged my zune and that worked for me. So this might work, if not, I read that the update application assumes (if you have Windows) that your firewall is on, and if it's not the update pukes, so turning on your firewall may be the solution.

Smooth update for me! no 99%

I love the work you are doing, but I did want to jump in and second the sentiments about the rating system.  

The heart system seems great in theory, but practically, it simply fails to be useful.

It is too rudimentary and I try to ignore it as much as I can.   Keep the hearts if you must, but give us five of them.  Thanks!

they should make the zune accesible using just Windows explorer, instead of HAVING to use Zune software, becuz sometimes songs just wont synch using the Zune software, also i dont know if this is Playstations fault or Zunes, but they should make it compatible to plug in the zune to the PS3 and albe to "browse" the zune, like in the Xbox

Still NO EQUALIZER, NO SLEEP and NO WAKE-UP or Alarm function!

Zune can take the market of iPod if these functions are added along with the present options.

STUCK in 99%

Redmond... Please help !

Still waiting for Unicode support. Getting annoying seeing all my opera and video game music in squares.

Thanks Redmond it is installing now !

I tried to update and it got stuck at 99% I then tried to manually download the 3.1 and it gets stuck at 95% I wish the zune team would make it easy for everyone to update it seems like alot of people are having problems updating.

haha my zune wouldnt conneect i ahd to manuelly close all my zune.exe about 3 of tyem just to re open my zune progrm and be able to plug in my zune now i get to see how the update looks

Everyman Links for November 19, 2008

Please add a way to sleep the player in the next update.  I hate it when I fall asleep with it on and forget to turn it off.

Well I got my software to update (meaning I could update my player), but it was hard to find.  Here's the file I used to update - it skips the "checking for updates" part if that's what you're getting hung up on.  It did have to restart and do it over and over again, but didn't get stuck checking for updates: www.microsoft.com/.../details.aspx

Also, this is a similar package, but they only updated it after I got the other package to work. full package: www.microsoft.com/.../details.aspx

Now I have to say thank you for the update.  My Zune basically died this summer and I have been living abroad, unable to send it in for warranty repair.  I was using my old Zune 30.  With this update my Zune8 Is fixed!  The battery no longer overloads.  I was afraid to try updating with a low battery but it worked (as far as I can tell my Zune works fune). Thanks again!

Hey, I have a first gen 30 GB Zune, and when I plug my Zune in and check for device updates it says that it's running 3.0 and that its up to date, anybody have a solution?

Since updating to 3.1 I can no longer wirelessly stream entire songs from the Marketplace, only the 30-second previews. It's like I haven't got a Zune tag.

Was that supposed to happen?

I just updated to 3.1 and now my computer doesn't recognize my zune when I plug it in... It says it malfunctioned. I tried restarting my computer, but it says the same thing. I'm not sure what happened. The zune software no longer recognizes that my zune is plugged in so I can no longer add or delete songs. Is there a way to fix this?

Also, I would love Unicode support too. I have so many Japanese songs that come up as boxes on the device. It would be much appreciated if this came with the next update.

... that is when browsing on the device, not the PC (which still works fine)

I'd love an equalizer as some headphones sound 'off'.  How about two settings that could be configure via setup menu.

Stuck at 99%.

Running Windows Vista SP1 64 bit.

Tried closing software and removing Zune.  Going to see firewall.

wtb quicklist :(

Great Update!  My wishlist:

1.  sleep timer

2.  Volume Level 1 is too loud in a completely quiet room.  It annoys my wife when I lie in bed listening to my Zune.

3.  More audiobook support.  My local Library only works with NetLibrary eAudiobooks

Smooth update here, too. Thanks for the behind-the-scenes improvements and the new games. The spring update should be substantial. Since everyone's doing it, I might as well chuck my wishlist on here:

1. My Zune won't connect to any access points on-campus. It won't even see the network. The iPhone had the same issue before the most recent firmware update, but it'd be good if the Zune team looked into compatibility issues. I'll try to find the exact brand and model of the access point. This is my biggest impediment to getting a Zune Pass.

2. Cover View would be fun. This will let you browse through your collection on the device the way you browse through pictures (you will see all the thumbnails stacked next to each other).

3. A text reader. I know this is far-fetched, but I'd really like to be able to read ebooks in .txt format on my Zune. I don't mind that it'll look pretty much the same as the descriptions for videos. There's currently a roundabout way to do this by converting your text into images, but that's too cumbersome.

4. On-device support for common video formats! This is a big thing, and even Windows 7 will ship with support for DivX, Xvid, and more. I know that the video decoder on the Zune can handle this, since it can handle the much more demanding H.264 codec. This is something that can be patched with a firmware update. It's just a matter of playing nice with the MPAA, I suppose. I wouldn't even mind paying a one-time cost of $10 to be able to play videos encoded in these formats on my Zune. You could even call this the MPAA-tax!

I had more ideas, but seeing as how my suggestions are getting outlandish, I'll stop now. If you managed to read this far, you deserve a virtual cookie!

Ooh, I had some more suggestions for the device itself (these are much more practical, I assure you):

1. Volume lock. Sets the maximum volume you can get to, so that you don't inadvertently deafen yourself when you plug in your headphones.

2. Auto-volume-leveling. You could just use the algorithm used in WMP for this. It's annoying in videos/podcasts, too, but I'm not sure if the hardware can handle real-time auto-leveling for vi