Zunes News

Google's music download store could come by Christmas - HitFix (blog)

Google's music download store could come by Christmas
HitFix (blog)
Google's music download store could launch by year's end, giving Apple its first real competitor since Microsoft bowed the-DOA-Zune. ...

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Zune Pass For UK Unveiled - I4U

Product Reviews (blog)

Zune Pass For UK Unveiled
I4U
The pricing for the UK edition of the Zune Pass has been revealed. WMPowerUser reports that a "tipster" provided them with a screenshot from the Zune ...
Zune Pass UK Price LeakedeverythingWM (blog)
Windows Phone 7: Zune Pass UK pricing leaksElectricPig.co.uk
Updated Zune HD with ARM CPU and Windows Phone 7 Series rumoredGeek.com
Product Reviews (blog) -Geeky gadgets -ConceivablyTech (blog)
all 8 news articles »
Hands On with Apple iTunes Ping - PC Magazine

The Guardian

Hands On with Apple iTunes Ping
PC Magazine
Apple watchers probably won't remember that a service very similar to Ping appeared out of the Northwest nearly three years ago—Microsoft's Zune Social. ...
Apple's Ping seems half-baked at launchCNET (blog)
Apple iTunes Ping: All You Need to KnowUSANewsWeek.com
Apple's Ping hits 1 million users in 48 hoursipodnn
Shanzai.com -TechFlash (blog) -Erictric
all 1,013 news articles »
Rumor Alert: Microsoft Developing New Zune HD Model - Erictric

Seer Press

Rumor Alert: Microsoft Developing New Zune HD Model
Erictric
According to Mary-Jo Foley from ZDNet, Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft could potentially be developing a new Zune HD model. Foley reports receiving the ...
Microsoft Zune HD Refresh in the Works?SlashGear (blog)
New Zune HD coming from Microsoft?UberGizmo (blog)
Zune HD Refresh Rumors Interrupt Apple's DayCrunchGear (blog)
Electronista (blog) -MOG (blog) -Zunited
all 199 news articles »
Jobs demos iPod, iTunes, Apple TV updates (video roundup) - CNET (blog)

ABC News

Jobs demos iPod, iTunes, Apple TV updates (video roundup)
CNET (blog)
However; the "social" feature of the Zune lacked potency. This is mainly attributed to the fact that for the Zune "social" feature to be effective, ...
Apple's Music Devices Get Updates, While Apple TV and iTunes' Social Features ...Popular Science
Wolverton: Apple makes big push into social networkingSan Jose Mercury News
Why An iPod Touch With Cameras Would Be A Serial KillerGizmodo Australia
BetaNews -New York Times -brandchannel.com
all 3,873 news articles »
Apple patches 13 iTunes security holes - ZDNet (blog)

Apple patches 13 iTunes security holes
ZDNet (blog)
Likewise, most people who have used Zune software have used iTunes but very few people who have used iTunes have actually used any other media manager. ...

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The Most Disappointing Sansa Fuze+ Unboxing Ever - Anything But iPod (blog)

CNET Asia

The Most Disappointing Sansa Fuze+ Unboxing Ever
Anything But iPod (blog)
Sure, many of us are not big fans of the walled garden, but there are a lot of great things going on with the Zune- sturdy hardware, ultra easy to use user ...
First TakeCNET Asia

all 4 news articles »
What's hot (and not) about Windows Phone 7 - CNET

PC World

What's hot (and not) about Windows Phone 7
CNET
I hope so, because the built-in Zune player--particularly streaming music over the Web--is one of the selling points of the phone. And, although we haven't ...
Microsoft will spend more than $400 million on Windows Phone 7 marketingZunited
Microsoft confirms real-time console-to-phone gamingSiliconrepublic.com
Microsoft claims that Google's Android is not freeInquirer
BusinessWeek -San Francisco Chronicle -WinInformant.com
all 238 news articles »
Microsoft launches Bing search app for Android - CNET (blog)

Microsoft launches Bing search app for Android
CNET (blog)
If they could get Zune and Zune Pass on iPhone and Android I think it would really help people realize how cool Zune is which would help Windows Phone 7 (a ...

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How to Tell If Your Boss is Lying - BNET (blog)

How to Tell If Your Boss is Lying
BNET (blog)
He's also the author of numerous books, including How to Do Everything with Your Zune. When he's not chained to his keyboard, he's usually shooting hoops or ...

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Find where to Buy a Cheap Zunes!

Info on Zunes:

Zunes is an umbrella term from Microsoft that will cover the upcoming portable media player, the software that will drive the device and a service for acquiring and sharing media. The project was previously known as codename Argo. The Zunes is currently under production at the Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Washington.

It was previously thought that Zunes was one of Microsoft's media players under "Project Argo", similar to Apple's iPod family. However, it now seems that the "Zunes" brand will be used for all media players and other services, throughout the new project.

In an interview with Billboard, Chris Stephenson of MSN Entertainment Business affirmed that first device is planned to include Wi-Fi connectivity for wireless Internet access, with the ability for users to transfer files wirelessly and share files between each other. Billboard also reports that other devices are planned for release under the Zunes brand, including a portable video player. A rumored portable gaming device has not been confirmed.

Xbox branding
Certain reports have suggested that the Zunes will carry the Xbox branding. These reports also suggest that there is a portable gaming system in the works, much like the Sony PSP. Analysts predict that Microsoft will debut a portable console in 2007/2008. This device is speculated to be released as part of the Zunes initiative.

J Allard, creator of the Xbox 360, is rumored to be overseeing development.

iTunes
Microsoft is said to be offering the chance to swap already-purchased songs from the iTunes Music Store, in exchange for WMA versions, for playback on Zunes. This would help iPod and iTunes users move to Zunes, as Apple's FairPlay content protection scheme that protects iTunes Music Store purchases is not available on any non-Apple software or device.

One intriguing rumor is that Microsoft would offer iTunes Music Store's customers the option to repurchase all the songs they've bought as protected Windows Media files. This would certainly be a bold move that would remove one of Apple customers' barriers to entry, but it smacks of the kind of win-at-all-costs freebiemania of the dotcom era. Surely, there are already customers who have spent hundreds of dollars or more at the iTunes Music Store. Completely reimbursing those customers would essentially amount to giving the player away. Imagine if Microsoft had offered a free Xbox game for every PlayStation 2 game purchased when it entered the video game console market.

Online store
Microsoft is rumored to have plans for an online music service. It would offer two options, the first being a monthly subscription where users could listen to any songs in the Zunes music store library for as long as the user is subscribed. Also, subscribers to this option of service would also be able to share their own music and playlists with other Zunes subscribers. The other option would be like every other music store where individual songs could be purchased for permanent download.

The Zunes service is also intended to give artists many ways to connect directly to the service's users such as having weekly updates from the artists to fans.

Hardware
In the week-and-a-half since the rumors sprung up, all sorts of details about what is being dubbed the Zunes have emerged. Reportedly, the player will have a click-wheel interface similar to that of the iconic iPod. However, the hardware inside is reportedly much beefier. It will run Windows Mobile on a 400MHz DSP processor, contain a 30GB hard drive, and built-in WiFi.
Price
If the rumors are true—and our sources at Microsoft have chosen to remain silent on the issue—we can expect to see a full-featured mobile device from Microsoft that's tied into its URGE music venture and will support music, video, playing games, and possibly even satellite radio. The price point is rumored to be US$399, the same as the high-end iPod, but the Zunes will only have a 30GB drive inside. If Microsoft actually is developing an iPod killer—and we think there is a large dose of truth to the reports—expect to see it just in time for the holiday shopping frenzy. Whether it will be enough to grab 20 percent of the iPod market, as Microsoft reportedly hopes, remains to be seen.

Hype campaign
On July 21, 2006, several news sites reported that Microsoft launched a viral video marketing campaign for Zunes. The site, ComingZunes.com features a short animation of a man, a rabbit, and a very small person with Regina Spektor's song "Us" in the background, followed by the official Zunes logo and a form to sign up for updates. Various claims have been made that the site is a fake, and not associated with Microsoft.