Pros: Subscription, great software, durable, and very easy to use.
Cons: Sometimes the lock on the top of ipod has to be moved back and forth.
The Bottom Line: The Zune is great for anyone heavily invested in a Microsoft environment with the ability to stream the subscription music, as well as a long batter.
jonnyboy2483's Full Review: Microsoft Zune Black (30 GB) MP3 Player
What is Zune?
Microsoft's Zune portable audio and video player is a direct competitor to the Ipod video, encouraging a strong Social community from an internal wi-fi connection to a 30 GigaByte capacity. With the Zune settled in the market as a direct competitor to the highly rated Apple Ipod, one would wonder what makes this MP3 player different, or alike.
Sync ability: The first and most important element of confusion, this device can not sync with Media Player. Once you get your Zune you will need to install the Zune software which will auto find your current DRM-free ripped albums and video. The greatest part of the Zune compared to the Ipod is that the software includes a capable Marketplace Music subscription (14.95 a month), and podcasting. It contains a wifi capability so if you have it plugged into a wall jack in a wireless network it will sync with the computer(must be on) even if not physically connected.
Social: The Zune has the ability to sync with other Zunes to try other Zune music track for a limitted amount of time; I don't use this feature at all; but that is because I work in the field seperate from my co-workers. It would be fun to try, but I never really get a chance to use it.
Marketplace: The marketplace is very useful for me considering it costs about the price of one CD per month, and I can download as much as space allows. Buying tracks off of Zune Marketplace will be a waste of money in my opinion considering it would be more effective to buy a CD and rip it, rather than forcing yourself to a Digital Rights limitation on the music you paid for, unless of course you would rather pay for something that you can only use on your Zune and not on your Ipod, and the oppisite is also true. So in summary the best feature of the Zune is most deffinitly the ability to access a very nice marketplace for a low monthly price.
Build Quality: This thing is actually pretty tough, I probably have dropped this device a few 100 times from about my waist down, it seems to still work great, but then again your ear phones take about 85 percent of the blow and pull on your ears. If the earphones somehow make their way out of the Zune it will automatically pause what you were listening to, awesome feature especially when listening to Podcasts. The battery does have a shorter life when it is below 20 degrees faranheit outside, but for it to run at all is impressive.
Summary: If you are comparing it to the Ipod the great advantage is the Music subscription. If Apple manages to successfully implement a unlimitted music free for the life of the Ipod, first you should get a Ipod, secondly the music industry leaders will probably change their business models.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 250.00 Recommended for: Music Lovers - High Capacity Storage for an Entire Album Collection
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