Zune

R

ray4389

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
1,156
is awesome.

I love it. Better than my iPod 5g. More features than my Samsung YP-Z5...not necessarily better though. It's like the Zune is the video and the YP-Z5 is the nano.
 
ray4389 said:
is awesome.

I love it. Better than my iPod 5g. More features than my Samsung YP-Z5...not necessarily better though. It's like the Zune is the video and the YP-Z5 is the nano.
Click to expand...
Why do you say its better than the iPod 5G? Just curious. From what I saw, it was lacking in a few areas. For example,

No Contacts
No Calanders
No Games
No StopWatch
A larger screen that still shows video in 320x200

I only ask because I would like to know how its better. Is it the wireless 3 by 3 "squirting" (yuk)?
When I looked at one at my local Target, the photo viewer looked fuzzy and had added a boarder around the edges making photos look widescreen and the subject matter kinda fat. Kinda like watching a 4 by 3 broadcast on an HDTV and how it stretches the image.

-E
 
yeah, at my local electronics store I really didn't like photo viewing on it either.

Movies, however, were *really* beautiful... Even though the crappy resolution (which theoretically bugs me).
 
MrE said:
No Contacts
No Calanders
No Games
No StopWatch
Click to expand...
Who the hell buys an mp3/video player for those features anyway? Thats what phones are for

As for the Zune, i'm in Aus and they havent even announced a release date yet which sucks but i'll be getting one the day they come out (mainly due to its sound quality)
 
ZOMGWTFBBQ said:
Who the hell buys an mp3/video player for those features anyway? Thats what phones are for
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Well, people complained when it didn't contain a built in FM tuner on the iPod. I thought I was buying an MP3 player, so whats the big fuss about a FM tuner? Or voice recording for that matter? You cant please everyone all the time.

As far as the features I mentioned, its a nice add on. Alarm clock is useful if you travel because you can set it up as an alarm clock and wake to music. World clock is cool cause again, if you travel, you can set your time to that region. Dunno, those are cool bonuses.

-E
 
I agree. How is judging a cell phone for its multiple extraneous features different from an mp3 player? My opinion goes far away from any Ipod. I like to use them as flash drives without the need for any kind of software.
 
MrE said:
Well, people complained when it didn't contain a built in FM tuner on the iPod. I thought I was buying an MP3 player, so whats the big fuss about a FM tuner? Or voice recording for that matter? You cant please everyone all the time.
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A digital music player that can tune into FM music stations,yeah,I can't see why anyone would want that :rolleyes:
 
ZOMGWTFBBQ said:
Who the hell buys an mp3/video player for those features anyway? Thats what phones are for

As for the Zune, i'm in Aus and they havent even announced a release date yet which sucks but i'll be getting one the day they come out (mainly due to its sound quality)
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The sound quality is excellent.
 
Blown 89 said:
A digital music player that can tune into FM music stations,yeah,I can't see why anyone would want that :rolleyes:
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Hmm let's think--emergencies--bored of your music and want to hear radio--want to listen to a talk show....
 
MrE said:
Why do you say its better than the iPod 5G? Just curious. From what I saw, it was lacking in a few areas. For example,

No Contacts
No Calanders
No Games
No StopWatch
-E
Click to expand...


I played the games--for 3 seconds

I fiddled with the stop watch, but running with the iPod vid is bad as it damages the HD

Calenders were a pain and so was contacts unless you were on a mac.

Sounds like most people don't care about that crap.
 
Cloudy said:
I agree. How is judging a cell phone for its multiple extraneous features different from an mp3 player? My opinion goes far away from any Ipod. I like to use them as flash drives without the need for any kind of software.
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People are fixing that already.
 
This may seem like a very obvious or very strange question, but in addition to the FM radio tuner on the Zune, does it also have AM?
 
I am actually thinking about a zune.. I have been looking at them and playing around with them at the stores.

Even though it plays video at the same res as the ipod, it has a bigger screen so you can see it better. Its the same reason some people get a bigger hdtv even though it still has the same 720p/1080i resolution of a smaller one. I also like the navigation better how you press the navigation buttons instead of using the whack finger sensitive ipod navigator.

The wireless feature is nice, even though it is criticized. And, the people that criticize it are usually the ones who are on the side of being a gung-ho anti-pirate. Yet, their arguement is still "you can only play them 3 times or have it for 3 days"... or whatever the rule is. But, of course microsoft isn't as retarted to make a 'permanent' p2p wifi file swapping device where you could essentially pirate music as you walk by people. I like the wifi idea, and of course people are already working on hax for it. =)

Also, everyone is complaining about DRM content and all these formats that you "can't put on the zune". Its honestly not hard at all to get the content on the zune. I downloaded the software, and if you can get it to load into the sync software, it will go to the zune for playback. I got every single one of my mp3's and protected content into the zune media library. For the DRM content, all you have to do is remove the DRM with a script or other program. There are tons of apps for itunes protected content to batch process all of your itunes songs into mp3's with one click. The same goes for videos as well. I could get all my content re-encoded very easily to go on the zune. Divx, xvid, asf, x264, avi, wmv, etc.. It all is easily encodable to go on the zune.

Accessories.. I love the toughskin for the zune. Its probably one of the best looking skins I've seen for an mp3 player to protect it somewhat from being dropped. It looks like it should belong on the battlefield or with a swat team. haha. Of course, there are already quite a few accessories out for it, and there should be tons within the next few months.
zune-tough-d4.jpg


Last of all.. modability. There are already hard drive kits available for the zune for up to 80gb. In addition, there is an enhanced battery, and all the internal replacement parts available. http://www.ipodmods.com/shop/microsoft-zune-parts.html I was talking to some guys on the zune mods forums, and they are figuring out hacks for the zune and said its going to be very modable software wise. They were saying its about on the same level with coding/modifying as the pocketpc devices. I think I'll just sit back and wait for another month or two into the new year to see how things play out.
 
Ahh, that's a bummer. The sports and politics talk radio I listen to is all AM.
 
ray4389 said:
Hmm let's think--emergencies--bored of your music and want to hear radio--want to listen to a talk show....
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure he was being sarcastic.

I can't recommend this player more. It's got fantastic features, design, duribility, and support for lots of stuff.
 
ray4389 said:
I played the games--for 3 seconds

I fiddled with the stop watch, but running with the iPod vid is bad as it damages the HD

Calenders were a pain and so was contacts unless you were on a mac.

Sounds like most people don't care about that crap.
Click to expand...

It sounds to me that those are features you personally don't care about, not necessarily most people. I think the calender is one thing that is a fantastic feature on any portable electronic device. Didn't you say that it was something you preferred on a cell phone? I still can't follow your argument that it's ok for one type of device but not the other.

As for your problem with the stop watch, not everybody has one of the mainstream, easily scratchable players. Many that have stop watches don't get scratched. I can vouch that it's a nice feature to have.
 
Yea, for video viewing it's not the best, but I rarely do that. I don't think I even have any videos on it right now. It's a pretty sleek screen, but you are right; it's small and the quality isn't as good as others. Saying that though, if there's any sacrifice that's it.
 
3x3 wireless sharing should be the least of Zune owner problems. The real problem is finding another person with a Zune to share music with :)
 
lot's of people buyinh Zunes at my school for Christmas. I was the first. :)
 
Blown 89 said:
A digital music player that can tune into FM music stations,yeah,I can't see why anyone would want that :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
I'm sorry, but if you have 30gb of music, movies, audiobooks, pictures, podcasts and you get bored, wouldin't it make more sense to load on new content? Most people that buy MP3 players are moving away from the 30 commercials 3 songs FM radio. I realize that its a nice feature to have as a just in case, but I personally wouldn't use it.

Also, another feature the Zune doesn't support: Audible audio books. I spend over an hour each way to my work and back. If I didn't have audio books for the car I'd go insane. Also, no Podcast import feature. You must manually download podcasts to your computer and then add them to your library. Maybe I'm just spoiled with the auto sync of podcasts feature of iTunes.

I wanted the Zune 1st gen to have more features then Microsoft released but was left dissapointed. So my original question to the OP stands, what makes the Zune a better DAP than the iPod or other MP3 brands on the market other than 3x3 wifi sharing?

-E
 
I like listening to NPR in the mornings, and you can't do that on an IPOD. Also certain 24 Hour Fitnesses, broadcast the tv via the fm waves. So it is nice to be able to tune into heros when it is on.
 
Rampage1329 said:
I like listening to NPR in the mornings, and you can't do that on an IPOD. Also certain 24 Hour Fitnesses, broadcast the tv via the fm waves. So it is nice to be able to tune into heros when it is on.
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Exactly--back int he day when Adam Corolla was on Love Line, a radio show with Dr. Drew that helped people with sexual issues, I would have loved to have had an FM player on my music player. Love Line is what got me listening to The Starkcast podcast which in turn got me into NLO, RBR, KATG, and DV. I <3 Podcasts, but sometimes your favorite shows aren't in Podcast format, or you ran out of new ones to listen to.
 
Jason_Wall said:
This may seem like a very obvious or very strange question, but in addition to the FM radio tuner on the Zune, does it also have AM?
Click to expand...

You're not alone; I'd love to have an AM tuner on my H340, to be able to listen to Coast to Coast AM and the Roe Conn Show and the Cigar Dave show and all those. :)
 
Rampage1329 said:
I like listening to NPR in the mornings, and you can't do that on an IPOD. Also certain 24 Hour Fitnesses, broadcast the tv via the fm waves. So it is nice to be able to tune into heros when it is on.
Click to expand...
I listen to NPR as well and they are in Podcast format, but I see your point. In that case I'd guess that being without and FM tuner would suck. And, even though you can buy an FM tuner for your iPod, most people would like it integrated.

-E
 
Question for Zune owners:

Are you able to add 1 song or video at a time instead of just syncing the device with your library?
 
MrE said:
I listen to NPR as well and they are in Podcast format
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I like Wait Wait Don't Tell Me on Saturday mornings but they don't Podcast the show in its entirety which sucks.
 
JustinSane said:
Question for Zune owners:

Are you able to add 1 song or video at a time instead of just syncing the device with your library?
Click to expand...

You can manually add to the sync list, but I"m not sure if there is a command to disable autosyncing. Sure would help because I had porn that was located in the same tree as other videos, and I was getting tired of it trying to sync my porn every time.
 
Rampage1329 said:
You can manually add to the sync list, but I"m not sure if there is a command to disable autosyncing. Sure would help because I had porn that was located in the same tree as other videos, and I was getting tired of it trying to sync my porn every time.
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LOL. Alright thanks.

1 more question I think I am a bit confused. When it syncs with your library, does it delete songs from the Zune that are no longer in your library?
 
JustinSane said:
LOL. Alright thanks.

1 more question I think I am a bit confused. When it syncs with your library, does it delete songs from the Zune that are no longer in your library?
Click to expand...

It might, because somehow i lost the preinstalled music and video, but when I had to reinstall the os my first sync was as a Guest. I was able to sync from the zune to the harddrive. Then I setup a sync for my permanent device, so it either deleted the songs and movies on the zune and resynced them or just left them on. Either way I didn't lose anything but the preinstalled music.
 
I'm probably getting one of these for Christmas, so I'm watching these Zune threads carefully. I hope it rocks :D

For the stuff about not having games/crap like that...

-The games on the iPod (at least mine) sucked royally. They didn't even work right. Worthless.
-I have a stopwatch that acts as a stopwatch. My running is too hardcore for an iPod :p
-Calender interface on my 4th gen iPod wasn't easy to use at all. Thus, I never used it. My cell phone's calender was just as insufficent. Now I have a PDA.
-Contacts.... I can't think of a good reason to have contacts on a mp3 player.
 
I'm getting a Zune soon here. My friend has been bringing his too school and it just LOOKS so much better... I never really realized how empty the iPod looks with its scroll wheel, but it does. It looks empty and fugly compared too the Zune.

I am wary of the disaster stories I've read from the reviews of the installation and syncing. Horray for porn played through VLC and not WMP :)
 
I am also getting a zune for xmas. My whole family has ipods, so i thought i would be different. What really caught my attention was the fm tuner, the larger screen, and the black matte-like finish. From what i have heard, it isn't easy to scratch either, and that is a very good thing for me.
 
I got the 30gb Zen Vision M because it doubles up as a portable HD (16gb max). I run LinUx on it :). If Zune had that feature, I would get it. But seems like a waste to have a 30gb player that can't act as UMS device.
 
{NcsO}ReichstaG said:
I got the 30gb Zen Vision M because it doubles up as a portable HD (16gb max). I run LinUx on it :). If Zune had that feature, I would get it. But seems like a waste to have a 30gb player that can't act as UMS device.
Click to expand...

So you returned your Zune?
 
synergyo1 said:
So you returned your Zune?
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No. The Zune was an mp3 player for someone else in my family. They like it so that;'s all that matters. I like it a lot and especially the screen. However, no UMS :(
 
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