Zune 80, Zune 30, Zune 8, Zune 4

[dallow]

Microsoft has revealed the new Zune 80, and a flash Zune 8 and 4.
The older Zune 30 will not go away and drop to $199 effective now.
A new firmware upgrad for the older Zune 30 has also dropped giving it ALL the features of the new Zune 80 and Zune 8/4.

That's right, if you have the older Zune (a great mp3 player), you're going to be able to do everything these new Zunes can do.
Just look at the following feature list, it'll be like getting a whole new player.

WiFi sync to computer! YES!
Support for h.264/MPEG-4! YES! (i hated convertint to wmv)
Lossless support!
Podcast support.
Zune software is completely rewritten. (thank goodness)The Zune 80 is slimmer, and shorter, but has a larger screen. 3.2" LCD.


http://www.zunescene.com/zune2pics/zc3.jpghttp://www.zunescene.com/zune2pics/zc7.jpg

The whole family.

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2007/10/2nd-gen-zune-02.jpg

Zune 80 - $249
Zune 30 - $199
Zune 8 - $199
Zune 4 - $149

Available early November.
New Zune upgrade for older Zunes available now.

[sailorchrono]

Wow, that's pretty awesome that Microsoft is giving support to the older Zune like that :O Almost makes me wish I didn't spring for the Classic just a few weeks ago -_-;

[dallow]

Yeah, I'm happy about that, except my older Zune is already full.

I can't wait to get the 80gb.

I was planning to get the Classic 160GB, but the beauty of the Zune screen and now wifi sync has called me back.

[eswat]

Why aren't you in Canada yet? >_>

[shrike4242]

Time to start waiting for Zune SW 2.0 SP1. :D

[crazytalkx]

If I can get an original Zune for cheap (Let's say $150) I'd drop the cash for it since Wi-Fi syncing and MPEG-4 support seem damn sexy

[InuFaye]

Thats pretty cool with the new wifi sync features. Podcast support is also awesome. I was gonna pick up a spiffy new ipod classic but Im thinking of going to the zune with all these awesome new features. Any Hint on price for the 80 gb?

[BattleChicken]

I was PISSED when I heard about the features the new zunes had.. having bought an old zune less than a month ago.

Then I read they were upgrading old ones via firmware -- and I felt like I made the right choice with my money. Seriously, it's a classy move to upgrade the old players rather than force an upgrade.

Edit: I LOVE my Zune, but am not a fan of the Zune PC software. The Zune interface is WAY better than the iPod interface, IMO... but iTunes blows away the Zune software. I'm not a fan of iTunes either, though.

My previous player was a 20 gig iPod which died recently. I was torn between an iPod classic and a Zune, from my research on the internet.

For me the scales tipped in the Zune's favor because of the price drop, the built in radio tuner, and the wireless sharing. Ars did a very good article on the old zune.. if anyone is in the market for a player and wants to do their homework, I would check it out.

http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/zune.ars

[SAGExSDX]

my only negative remark to make about last night's midnight press release was the fact that i have to wait till november till the firmware update. november cant come sooner...

btw that new "dpad" seems really slick.

[evanft]

The sound quality is also better.

[BattleChicken]

The sound quality is also better.

Who sounds better than what now?

[dastly75]

awesome, I'm glad they are supporting older players but that new 80 gig model is damn tempting

[CocheseUGA]

There's a huge thread in the 360 section that already had this info.

[sblymnlcrymnl]

If I can get an original Zune for cheap (Let's say $150) I'd drop the cash for it since Wi-Fi syncing and MPEG-4 support seem damn sexy It was on woot the other day for $135 shipped. I already sold the one I ordered though. :lol:

[evanft]

Who sounds better than what now?

The Zune is known for having good sound.

[dallow]

There's a huge thread in the 360 section that already had this info.Why would I go there for my off-topic, non-game news?

my only negative remark to make about last night's midnight press release was the fact that i have to wait till november till the firmware update. november cant come sooner...

I thought the firmware update was already up?

Thats pretty cool with the new wifi sync features. Podcast support is also awesome. I was gonna pick up a spiffy new ipod classic but Im thinking of going to the zune with all these awesome new features. Any Hint on price for the 80 gb?

And the prices are at the bottom of the post.

[Xevious]

I would like to get a Zune for Xmas this year. I wonder if there will be an 80 gig Halo model.

[A7las]

Wow, that's pretty awesome that Microsoft is giving support to the older Zune like that :O Almost makes me wish I didn't spring for the Classic just a few weeks ago -_-;

Me too...

[Azumangaman]

Why aren't you in Canada yet? >_>

THATS why I ordered the Ipod Touch. Otherwise, I would've gotten the Zune.

[crazytalkx]

It was on woot the other day for $135 shipped. I already sold the one I ordered though. :lol:

:rofl: Wow. Was it due to what is known as "suckage"?

[Liquid 2]

btw that new "dpad" seems really slick.Is that what it is? That's disappointing.
It's damn hard to have to click the button once per artist when scrolling when you have a large library.

[dallow]

Is that what it is? That's disappointing.
It's damn hard to have to click the button once per artist when scrolling when you have a large library.You can hold it in.

When scrolling large lists a letter pops up so you can see your place while it's scrolling quickly.

I like it much better than my old iPod.

[VipFREAK]

Just a tad... late. xD

[dallow]

Just a tad... late. xDWhat are you talking about?

[VipFREAK]

If the kinda wanted to make any sort of dent in Apple (supposing they could) they should've gotten them out BEFORE the classic and nano. xD

They might have something on the touch though considering it's worthless.

[dallow]

If the kinda wanted to make any sort of dent in Apple (supposing they could) they should've gotten them out BEFORE the classic and nano. xD

They might have something on the touch though considering it's worthless.They don't need to beat Apple, they just need to be successful and make money. Which they have.

And FW updates allow for new features so you don't get screwed too badly when a new model shows up.

The ONLY advantage the Classic iPod has over this in my opinion is the 160GB drive.
But I'll sacrifice that for that much lusher screen and wifi sync.

[Jewelz23]

sweet, I was waiting to see how the new zune was going to pan out and it looks nice. I am going to pick up the red one for my GF for christmas.

[Liquid 2]

You can hold it in.

When scrolling large lists a letter pops up so you can see your place while it's scrolling quickly.

I like it much better than my old iPod.
How precisely can you select the artist you're looking for when scrolling like that?

[dallow]

How precisely can you select the artist you're looking for when scrolling like that?You'll hardly ever stop exactly on the one you wanted.
You'll be either about 3 clicks above or below the artist intended.

Certainly nothing like clicking down a list of 200 entries.

Try it at a store next time. It's pretty good.

[darthbudge]

I am so happy about this, I have wanting a Zune but not willing to pay more then 150 for them. Now maybe the old ones will go down in price.

[Chris in Cali]

Hmmm... this looks nice. A bigger screen on a smaller, slimmer device, and totally re-written Zune software. I might just ditch my 30gb iPod for a new Zune. Apple's been getting greedy lately. Plus, I just got a new comp and I heard if I plug my iPod into it that all my music will get wiped out because it's synced to my old system.... is that true?

[dastly75]

Hmmm... this looks nice. A bigger screen on a smaller, slimmer device, and totally re-written Zune software. I might just ditch my 30gb iPod for a new Zune. Apple's been getting greedy lately. Plus, I just got a new comp and I heard if I plug my iPod into it that all my music will get wiped out because it's synced to my old system.... is that true?

Yes that's true, that happened to me. I ran through all 5 of my "authorizations" when I had an ipod on justtwo of my computers with different hard drives or formatting.

[PapiChullo]

Nice, it'll be good to have podcasts on my Zune now.

[sblymnlcrymnl]

:rofl: Wow. Was it due to what is known as "suckage"? No, I didn't even open it. I'm glad I didn't know about the new software and wireless syncing or I might have kept it, and I really couldn't afford to do that. :lol:

[SAGExSDX]

Is that what it is? That's disappointing.
It's damn hard to have to click the button once per artist when scrolling when you have a large library.

well it's kind of an analog "dpad". its touch sensitive so u can flick down a few or click it like the original zunes. go watch a video somewhere (http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/zune/first-video-of-zune-2-and-flash-zune-306446.php)

[BustaUppa]

can you drag and drop files onto a Zune (i.e. use it as if it were an external hard drive)? Or do you have to run some sort of "syncing" software on any computer that you plug it into?

Drag-and-drop is pretty much my one must-have feature on an MP3 player. It's one of the few things that's kept me from getting an iPod. My iAudio X5 player is nice in that I just hook the USB cable to a computer and it pops up as a lettered drive.

As a side question: can the open-source Rockbox firmware add drag-and-drop functionality to a player that doesn't natively support it? I'm not sure if that sort of thing is even within the scope of the firmware or not. But if I could get, say , a 160 GB iPod and replace the firmware to allow drag-and-drop, I'd be all over that.

[SAGExSDX]

theres no dragdrop. it uses the syncing methodology.

[Ugamer_X]

30GB Zune for $105 shipped.

http://www.woot.com/special.aspx?k=vipzune

[dallow]

30GB Zune for $105 shipped.

http://www.woot.com/special.aspx?k=vipzuneDamn that's a great deal!

[Callandor]

30GB Zune for $105 shipped.

http://www.woot.com/special.aspx?k=vipzune

Damn, I already have a brown one, but this is still very tempting...

[Mojimbo]

Any Texans taking advantage of the Woot deal should use the coupon code "TAXSUCKS" to get free shipping.

[Foo228]

I'd love to test one of these out a store...they do look nice and the interface is alot better than the one apples providing

[hiccupleftovers]

I really really want a Zune so badly, but until they can at least compete with an Ipod size-wise, then I'm just going to have to pass. 160 fits most of my music comfortably.

Oh, on the new Ipod 160s, do they have to use the Itune 7 software? That software has given me nothing but problems when I try to update my Itunes 6.5 software to it. Always crashes my Ipod and then I need to format it back to factory settings.

[Kendro]

Damn. Was thinking about getting an iPod touch (small space) and an iPod classic (small screen) but the new Zune is the best of both worlds. Too bad it can't have the Click Wheel. That is one major reason why I can't use any other MP3 player besides Apple products. The user interface is too perfect. It is almost as if user interface is to gameplay what features are to graphics. I love the features of the new Zune but I need my Click Wheel.

[SL4IN]

this is really making me want a zune more now. I have a creative zen, but I do like the zunes (NEVER been a fan of apple at all).

[ratzombie]

Damn, not bad.

Might pick up the 30 GB Zune, those fuckers are getting cheap.

[crazytalkx]

Damn that's a great deal!
I have an Ipod and I'm soooo close to buying it

[crazytalkx]

30GB Zune for $105 shipped.

http://www.woot.com/special.aspx?k=vipzune

Alright, I bought one. Damn you Ugamer!!!

[CocheseUGA]

30GB Zune for $105 shipped.

http://www.woot.com/special.aspx?k=vipzune

Holy shit. I'd trade half my tradelist to get one of those. Damnable lack of funds. :grr: