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December 29, 2006
Will 2007 Be the Year of the Zune? It's Too Early to Tell.
In case you're wondering, Zune is the name of Microsoft's new digital media player. Marketed as an alternative to Apple's popular iPod, the Zune faces tough competition. We ordered one in mid-October and it arrived just before Thanksgiving, following the official release on November 14. As regular visitors to the Library know, we've been busy redesigning our network to serve you better, but we've managed to get an initial feel for this new player. Here's what we've learned so far.
Among the key features of the Zune are:
- 30 GB player (7,500 songs, 25,000 pictures, or 100 hours of video)
- 3-in color LCD screen (clear, easy-to-read display)
- Wireless sharing with other Zunes and/or Xbox 360 consoles
- Songs available for individual download or through a subscription pass
- Built-in FM tuner (allows you to listen to local FM radio stations)
The player costs about $250 and comes in an attractive box complete with headphones, USB cable, and software CD. Accessories, like a handy AC adapter, are available for an additional charge. The first step to entering the Social--Microsoft's term for the Zune online experience--is installation of the Zune software on your pc. This proved to be somewhat challenging in our network environment. It should be easier on your home pc, as long as you have administrative privileges and an updated version of Windows XP. Once the software is installed, you can attach your player to your computer by USB cable and charge it. This can take about 3 hours for the initial charge. Once charged, you're ready to explore the Zune Marketplace.
Similar in format to Apple's iTunes Store, with lots of colorful graphics and links, the Marketplace is limited to music only at this point. (Contrast this with iTunes, which offers video clips, TV shows, podcasts, and audiobooks in addition to a broad selection of music.) You can search for music by artist, song, album, or genre. Browsing by genre proved more difficult for me than in the iTunes Store, with more clicks needed to reach a specific artist or song. The Marketplace uses Microsoft points instead of dollars. Each track costs 79 points. By purchasing points with a credit card before you download music, you avoid repeated use of your credit card. If you prefer to sample before you buy, you can purchase a monthly ($14.99) or a 3-month download pass ($44.97). We purchased a monthly pass and it has worked seemlessly so far. But beware, if your subscription runs out, your downloaded songs become unplayable. If you want to buy a song to keep, you must purchase it with Microsoft points. Points are available at a rate of 400 points for $5 to 4000 points for $50. You can, of course, load any CDs you currently own into your Zune library and then sync (or transfer) them to the player at no charge. Called "ripping a CD," this process worked as well using the Zune software as it does in iTunes.
Our research on the Zune continues and we invite you to join our efforts. If you found a Zune under your Christmas tree, we want to hear from you. You can comment on this blog and let us know what you think. Or, if you'd like to try ours, stop in to our Tech Center on your next visit to the Library. We'll hook you up and give you a chance to experience the Zune first hand.
For more information on the Zune, visit Zune.net and Zune Scene. The latter includes a useful MP3 Player Comparison Chart, which compares the Zune and the iPod side by side.
Posted by JudyS at December 29, 2006 09:54 AM