No ZuNe for You!

Ok, I was really excited when I found out that there was an update for my Zune and it's software. There is a number of updates and some of them were "demanded" by the fans for so long, they have listened. Probably one of them was the return of Auto-Playlists, but I will never know because with the update they introduced some kind of IP filtering. Apparently, they don't want non-americans to have this update and probably the reason is the introduction of a Video Marketplace along with 800 tv shows from NBC and some other networks.

It's a shame, really. I didn't want the shows, I just wanted Auto-Playlists and some other things like Add to now Playing... a default playlist that always played your favorited songs, what else? OH!... no, no, I think that's it.

Anyway, sucky sucky for Microsoft.

Boo Hoo for me....

-Edit- As of today [7.5.08], I managed to download the update through Windows Update. Actually there were so many thing they added that way improve the functionality of the player and it's software. Top 2: Autoplaylists and Gapless Play.

Google's Next Acquisition

This in no way represents an expert view of these matters but I guess Google's next acquisition will be Last.fm. Reason: Last.fm just made a deal with Warner so all of Warner's will be played (streamed) trough this social network's player/radio. Last is also looking for deals with the other three major labels. If this happens, Google will have covered pretty much everything. Though I'm thrilled if this happens, I woould also like it if Microsoft makes this acquisition. Why? Well, I have an xbox360 and a zune ( and a bricked zune 80, damn) and I would love if this service was available to them, especially the 360. What do you think my IR?

Ubuntu Now

I recently made my choice about the OS issue. I will migrate to Ubuntu at my home PC and sync my zune at work (which was the main restriction in doing so). Maybe I'll have to double boot (two OS) my home PC, i haven't decided on that yet. I'll let you know soon how it went...

Zune Premium Earphones

Well, I 'had' the Premium earphones offered by MS and I really loved them. The bass and crystal clear sounds they produced were like nothing I heard before. But yesterday was a, let's say, disillusion as suddenly one side (the left side) just went mute. I took it off one minute, turned off my zune, came back and put it back. While i was putting it back, I could hear music coming from it then nothing. I have already plugged another pair of EP into my zune and plugged the premium EP into my girlfriend's Zen.

It's been a day since this shitty experience and began listening to my zune through regular earphones. Let me say regular earphones suck and after a while (1 hour) my ears begin to hurt. Too bad I threw away the box/receipt, I've got one year warranty and the EP were out not long after the zune (Nov 14, '06). I would buy a new pair, miss the clear sound and the deep base but a similar pair of EP will suffice.

Damn, MS, how come my EP just lasted what, a little more than one month?

TRieD & TRue

I have been using the Zune player for a little more than a week and honestly i haven't used that much an iPod, though i find it easy and not that hard to use as other reviewers claim. It is NOT an iPod, or an iPod killer as many claim. The iPod, as i have said before, is already too rooted in the market and, what? 5 years of experience which make it a tough adversary. MS's objective is not to dethrone the ipod, but to take a bite off the market.

There has been harsh criticism over the zune solely for the mere fact that is MS made. There was even one reviewer that admitted having NOT used one and described how and why the zune will fail. I mean, i'm not a MS fanboy, i know the OS could be better, i hate about the monopoly stance they have, actually, i hate plenty of things they do and am joyful when google or some other company manages to outbest a product MS is in.

I searched around for the mp3 player for me and my choice was the Creative Zen Micro Photo, which is an amazing little player I must say. But after a friend of mine told me the rumour MS was designing it's own mp3 player i was determined to see it it was true. After all I was really happy with the recently acquired xbox 360. Some time later I bought it and have to say it is really good at what it does. I have found things that I don't like but hey, nobody's perfect.

Coming ZUNE !!

I want a ZUNE!! But, what is a zune you may ask avid reader. It is the 'new' (don't know why they call it like that, M$ haven't had mp3 players that I know of) mp3 player from Micro$oft, in an effort to have a share on the mobile entertainment market. I really don't think that they will dethrone the iPod, in short, it is not an iPod-killer; the iPod is too rooted already to be taken out. You just have to see the iPod-ready cars, iPod-ready coffee machines to know that this phenomena will not go away very soon. What i DO hope is that this is the beginning of a new era in mobile entertainment.

The only player i have had was a cd mp3 player, which was cool, but a heavy, battery-sucker cd walkman. I considered for a while getting a Creative Zen, which played video, pictures, i think i had an FM tuner and a voice recorder. But i found out about the Zune by a friend who told me that M$ was in the process on developing this gadget.

Why not get an iPod and let go right? 'Cause I loath iTunes. Simple as that, I hate the fact that i have to use iTunes so i can make playlists, and let me tell you I have a HUGE library. I use Windows media player and there will be a player for the Zune, the zune marketplace which is similar to WMP 11, if not merged to it. For a fee you can suscribe to an 'all you can eat' membership. It will have Wi-fi, so you can share mp3's to other zunes and xbox 360 connectivity. One doubt i have is the way someone will scroll through the library. Release date is set for this November 14, just 7 days (i guess) after Emergence Day (the day Gears of War comes out).

Anyway, there is a lot of stuff out there on the Zune: the ComingZune page, the official Zune page, a blog, a virtual pressroom. So check it out.

This is a video showing the GUI the Zune will use, and the video playing as well.

And this one shows a commercial being broadcasted over the US about the ZUNE, cool.

And my favorite video, the Fiery Sharing Birds:

Cheers to all of you Zune fans.