New Zunes revealed

[michaels]

Hard drive Zunes

* It's called the Zune 80 and, shockingly enough, it has 80GB of storage.
* Uses the new Zune Pad -- four way touch-sensitive d-pad (with up, down, left, and right buttons).
* It will sell for $250 (with "premium" headphones).
* Available only in black (to start).
* Screen size has increased to 3.2-inches (from 3-inches). As far as we know the resolution is still QVGA.
* Dimensions are 61.1 x 108.2 x 12.9mm (2.4 x 4.25 x 0.5-inches), some 1/3rd smaller than the classic Zune.
* The classic Zune will now be known as the Zune 30 -- it's not going anywhere. More on that in a sec.

New flash Zunes

* Zune 8 and Zune 4 are the names for the 8 and 4GB flash based models.
* Also uses the Zune Pad.
* These will sell for $200 and $150 respectively.
* Both will be available in pink, green, black, and red.
* It will feature a 1.8-inch screen (compare to the nano's 2-inch screen).
* Dimensions are 41.4 x 91.5 x 8.5mm (1.6 x 3.6 x 0.33-inches) -- compare to the new iPod nano, at 69.8 x 52.3 x 6.5mm (2.75 x 2.0 x 0.26-inches).

Everything else

* New Zunes ship in November, date not yet announced.
* All Zunes (including the Zune 30) will have a new, redesigned interface and feature parity. In other words, early Zune 30 adopters will have all the same software features as new Zune 80, 8, and 4 users.
* Additional native video codecs for h.264 and MPEG-4 -- users no longer need transcode those file types to WMV.
* WiFi sync to host computer!
* Podcast support! (Sorry, no over the air downloads -- sync only.) Podcasts can also be shared via WiFi.
* The 3x3 song sharing DRM has had its three day restriction removed, but users can still only play files three times.
* There is still NO wireless music store.
* The Zune software is all new and rewritten, and is supposed to actually be more than a rebadge of WMP10 now. Friggin finally.
* The Zune music store is going DRM-free, with over 1m MP3 tracks being made available for download. Other details (like which labels, whether there is a DRM-free upgrade path is for users who've bought music with DRM, price differences, etc.) are not yet revealed.

 

[Anubis]

link for pics?

 

[Jeff7]

Did they take the opportunity to hook up with Mazda to do some promos?



:music:
Zune Zune Zune!
:music:

 

[ultimatebob]

STILL no wireless music store? Wow, that's dumb!

 

[michaels]

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/...10/new-zune-family.jpg

 

[Pabster]

So apparently it has WiFi but you can't do anything with it. Except squirt. LOL :laugh:

Apple can rest peacefully.

 

[michaels]

I used to have a Zune, it was nice. I liked it better than my Ipod Video.

 

[Ika]

http://www.engadget.com/2007/1...in-80-8-and-4gb-sizes/

^blog link

 

[destrekor]

so, everyone was hyping it being thinner, and that plus 50gb more storage almost convinced me to sell my current Zune and grab this. However, .08" thinner is not really noticeable to the hands.

i find that part funny too. Engadget states it's 1/3 smaller than Zune Classic. Um... 4.25"x2.4"x0.5" is NOT 1/3 smaller than 4.4"x2.4"x0.58"
lmao
shame. a thinner Zune would have been hot.

Originally posted by: Aflac
http://www.engadget.com/2007/1...in-80-8-and-4gb-sizes/

^blog link

then again, the difference in the photo quoted makes it more noticeable and again makes me interested. hmmm

 

[ultimatebob]

Originally posted by: Pabster
So apparently it has WiFi but you can't do anything with it. Except squirt. LOL :laugh:

Apple can rest peacefully.

Bummer. A web browser would have been nice! Maybe they'll add it in a firmware update, and I can pick one up for $120 the next time it shows up on Woot

 

[Ika]

http://www.sizeasy.com/page/si...2-vs-iPod-Classic-80GB

Someone posted a Sizeasy link in the Engadget comments. Still seems kinda chunky compared to the Classic... hmm. I wish they would 1) release the chains on the wifi, 2) have better battery life, and 3) be released sooner so I can check it out myself!

 

[JackBurton]

What?! No doodoo brown Zune? That was such an awesome color!

 

[arod]

wifi sync will still be an awesome feature... and media center sync sold me on one. i also really like the fact they they arent screwing zune 1.0 customers and giving them new software like some other company i know.

 

[loup garou]

I like the Media Center sync...I'll see once the Sansa View comes out which will be my next player. I'd really like 16GB in a flash model....and what is with that border around the flash models' screens? Sucks.

 

[theprodigalrebel]

8GB for $200, 80GB for $250

Question about hard-drive vs. flash-memory models: apart from the smaller size, what other reasons are there to go with the flash model? For someone who doesn't have/need that much music to carry around (nor wants portable video), are the flash models really that much more responsive? Are they less susceptible to failures? Do the hard-drive players get sluggish as you start to fill them up? This is about portable music players in general.

Another question: let's say you have all your music ripped in FLAC. Does the Zune software transcode FLAC to WMA/MP3 on-the-fly as they are transferred to the device? If not, can a third-party-plugin do this?

I have an el cheapo player and I simply drag-and-drop folders. But with the way things are going, on-the-fly transcoding might be better than having two sets of files - higher (archive) and lower (portable) bitrates.

 

[Kadarin]

Any more info on the DRM-free music store? DRM-free competition for iTunes can only be a good thing. Props to Amazon for their effort.

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

Originally posted by: michaels
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/...10/new-zune-family.jpg

LOL at the fail colours.

 

[intogamer]

Originally posted by: MmmSkyscraper

Originally posted by: michaels
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/...10/new-zune-family.jpg

LOL at the fail colours.

:laugh:

 

[pstylesss]

I'm glad I didn't sell my Zune now. The fact that I get the new software is very pleasing. Also the DRM-free is another win imo, same with the new codec support. Now we just need to have TV shows on the marketplace.

 

[intogamer]

Originally posted by: ZeroIQ
I'm glad I didn't sell my Zune now. The fact that I get the new software is very pleasing. Also the DRM-free is another win imo, same with the new codec support. Now we just need to have TV shows on the marketplace.

Hmmmm... Microsoft delivering good software? We'll see.

 

[McGyver]

imma happy ipod convert

 

[pstylesss]

Originally posted by: intogamer

Originally posted by: ZeroIQ
I'm glad I didn't sell my Zune now. The fact that I get the new software is very pleasing. Also the DRM-free is another win imo, same with the new codec support. Now we just need to have TV shows on the marketplace.

Hmmmm... Microsoft delivering good software? We'll see.

I said new

 

[Raduque]

Originally posted by: michaels

* Uses the new Zune Pad -- four way touch-sensitive d-pad (with up, down, left, and right buttons).

:thumbsdown: I detest touch-sensitive controls

* All Zunes (including the Zune 30) will have a new, redesigned interface and feature parity. In other words, early Zune 30 adopters will have all the same software features as new Zune 80, 8, and 4 users.
* Additional native video codecs for h.264 and MPEG-4 -- users no longer need transcode those file types to WMV.
* WiFi sync to host computer!

[/quote]

Excellent, now I don't have to bring the Zune inside, connect it, wait to sync, blah blah. Now, I can simply sync from my drivers seat!

Originally posted by: Pabster
So apparently it has WiFi but you can't do anything with it. Except squirt. LOL :laugh:

Apple can rest peacefully.

Congratulations for being unable to read. It can sync music over WiFi.

 

[intogamer]

Originally posted by: ZeroIQ

Originally posted by: intogamer

Originally posted by: ZeroIQ
I'm glad I didn't sell my Zune now. The fact that I get the new software is very pleasing. Also the DRM-free is another win imo, same with the new codec support. Now we just need to have TV shows on the marketplace.

Hmmmm... Microsoft delivering good software? We'll see.

I said new

But if it's good or not, we'll see

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: arod
wifi sync will still be an awesome feature... and media center sync sold me on one. i also really like the fact they they arent screwing zune 1.0 customers and giving them new software like some other company i know.

until you can charge wirelessly its not that great a feature.