Zune User Group

Zune 3.0 Report

Check out my friend Jason Dunn's report about Zune 3.0 at zunethoughts.com . It appears that Zune now has MVPs and Jason is one of them. Great report and photos, Jason!

Zune 8 Review: Zune Owners Can't Leave the US

By Ash Nallawalla

Thanks to good friends in the Microsoft Windows group in Redmond, I received a shiny new, red 8 GB Zune at CES. It has a beautifully engraved "www.zuneusergroup.com" on the back.

Package

The compact packaging of the 4/8 GB Zune does not contain a software CD like the original Zune. You get a manual, a USB cable and a set of earphones. The box comes in a soft pouch and could be mistaken for a perfume box.

Setting Up

You first set up the Zune software on the PC by going to www.zune.net/setup. You get to choose between the "full Zune experience" and simply downloading the software. I already had the latest software on account of my old Zune, so I explored the Zune.net site and noticed ZuneOriginals.net. This site apparently lets you customise your Zune.

This is where the typical Zune customer who dares to leave the 50 states gets a rude shock.

Zune Device Sync Diagnostic Tool

Click to enlarge

Microsoft has just released this tool that helps to diagnose advanced sync errors. Use it only as instructed by Zune technical support. The Zune Device Sync Diagnostic Tool compiles information about your system configuration to help diagnose specific wired and wireless sync connection problems.

Download Link

Zune Review: Also for the Older Demographic

Microsoft released the Zune player earlier in 2007 (only in the United States). I got hold of one the other day, so I avoided any early version problems if any. This is the first such device I have managed to keep from my teenage son, so I got to know it quite well. I have not owned or used an Apple iPod, so you won't see any comparisons here. This is just about the Zune.

Zune can talk to an Xbox 360

What is the Zune? It is a portable picture viewer, video and music player, as well as a radio. It is about the size and weight of a pack of cards. It has a 3x2-inch (320x240 pixels) colour screen and a 30 GB hard drive. Its circular control wheel is really a 4-way switch and the centre is a push-button. There are two smaller Back and Play/Pause buttons. At the base there is a docking socket and at the top is an earphone socket and a locking switch. The only accessories that you get are the earphone and a USB connector.

There is built-in WiFi but it only works with another Zune, with which you can transfer music (not video). These tunes only last for three days and you can only play three times. You cannot re-send the same tune after three days have elapsed. Once you name your Zune (its "tag"), you can participate in the community of nearby Zunes within WiFi range and share your music or let them see what you are listening to.

How much can you fit on the 30 GB Zune? The official estimate is about 30 hours of video, 25,000 pictures, or 7500 tunes. Some people have hacked it to take an 80 GB drive, but this will void the warranty.

Zune TV Watcher

SM Woodward has released what seems to be a great program for watching TV shows that are on your Vista Media Center's Recorded TV folder. These are copied to the Zune after conversion to WMV format. It is a free download from the forum post that announces it. Check it out at http://www.zunetvwatcher.com/forums/.

ZuneTVWatcher

Impart Media Micro Kiosk at Lunch at Piero's

Pat Meier-Johnson always puts on a great mini product show at Piero's restaurant near the Las Vegas Convention Center at the same time as CES (Comdex in the past). VIA (motherboard maker) is a regular exhibitor and one of their products is used in the Impart Media IQ-mini-Z micro kiosk seen in this image.

Impart Media IQ-mini-Z micro kiosk

Impart Media is Microsoft's official in-store interactive marketing partner and the IQ-mini-Z merchandising system uses an LCD touch screen that is driven by Microsoft Windows XP Embedded platform. These displays will be used for both Zune and Vista in-store sales.

More information about the VIA EPIA mainboards is on their site: www.viapc-1.com. EPIAcenter also has some nice pictures of similar motherboards used in the kiosk.

Zune Accessories at CES 2007

I was privileged to attend the CES show for a couple of days. The Microsoft Zune stand featured many third-party Zune accessories as pictured below. They included brands such as Dual, Altec Lansing, Memorex, VAF, iHome, Monster, JBL, Valor IME, etc. (Click the images to see a larger copy)