Pros: Screen and audio quality, interface, sturdily built
Cons: Too heavy, default ear buds, battery-life, horrible software, didn't age well
The Bottom Line: The First Generation Zune is easy to please, but very outdated--I can't wait to get my hands on a newer model, but this will hold me over till then.
JiggyJay's Full Review: Microsoft Zune Black (30 GB) MP3 Player
Last summer while jogging I stupidly dropped my trust 30GB iPod and it smashed upon the ground with such force that it couldn't stutter back to life. Needless to say I walked those two miles back home clutching my broken MP3 player and morale for running as I had no companion.
After going through my second iPod (the first one being stolen, those jerks), my girlfriend decided that I should try a new MP3 player, this darned Zune that all the kids keep talking about. After much speculation (as I don't like learning any new technologies hence why I still use a PC), I went online and purchased two 30GB Zunes from the Used Amazon Marketplace at around $130 each. My girlfriend's first generation (!) iPod had recently crapped out as well so I figured I'd earn some brownie points and buy the girl an early Christmas present.
Right out the door I was sort of disappointed with the device. Being that I have the oldest model (first generation, 2007 era), it's no surprise that it's clunky looking, but the weight is a big issue. While my 30 GB iPod was around the same weight (about half a pound give or take), the weight was evenly distributed and flat. The Zune has a boxier design and is fairly heavy; so much so that I've taken to running on the treadmill so that I can place the device on the shelf rather than keep it on my persons and weight down my shorts.
Not only that, but the ear buds are unforgiving--I just recently switched from my originals that came along and I'm glad I did because I get better sound that isn't as full of treble or washed out audio and the ear buds actually stay in effectively while I'm exercising as opposed to me constantly trying to keep them in. What's worse is that in the effort to keep them in for a long period of time (maybe, sitting down and relaxing); they become extremely uncomfortable and made my ears sore. I should've replaced them sooner.
I'm one of those people who needs a Zune everywhere I go if I'm by myself and don't like talking to people (MP3 players are great for avoiding human contact when I'm feeling antisocial) so it's to be expected that I use it quite frequently. What sucks is that the battery life quickly gives out after about five to eight hours of continuous use (as opposed to the fourteen hours of audio, four hours of video promised).
Along with other bugs in my Zune such as how it weirdly shuts down every now and then or how it locks the buttons even when I don't flip the switch, I just figured that I got a defective product since I bought it used. However after talking to my girlfriend and my girlfriend's sister about theirs (I bought both those girls Zunes, that was back when my moola was flowwwing) I found that I was not alone.
The worst part about this whole Zune experience is by far the software, which I would imagine is crappy for all of the users of the product from what people tell me. It has bugs galore at every turn and while it delicately organizes all of you audio, videos, pictures, and podcasts as well as has a Marketplace similar to the iPod's iTunes, it is nowhere near as user friendly as Apple's software.
I find myself reinstalling the Zune software every four or five months from such bugs that make it so I can't sync my music to my device or when it just won't start up. Frustrations abound from that as well as from how much I have to organize my music when it won't recognize my artists' even when I type in who they are and how it misplaces them constantly in areas where they don't belong. I could go on and on-Microsoft really needs to get on top of this.
Amongst all this bad stuff the Zune does have some redeeming qualities. For one, the three-inch LCD screen is gorgeously backlit and makes for listening to music and looking at cover art with a crisp demeanor. The photos that you store on your Zune can be easily accessed and have very good picture quality (the video quality is also pretty good). Due to the bigger screen I do have to hide the screen every now and then when I work out at the gym as I don't want people to see that I listen to Boyz II Men when I work out.
Instead of the frustrating navigation wheel of the iPod, you have a directional pad on this generation of the Zune where you mess with the volume by pushing up or down on the pad and cycle through your songs with left or right. This is very simple especially given the back button and the play/pause button. The only thing that sucks is that when you accidentally double select something or press the wrong button, the Zune has a tendency to freeze for a little bit before starting again, but this clunkiness only happens on occasion.
There is a built-in equalizer where you can choose pop, jazz, rock, acoustic, classical, electronic, hip hop, or none and you can also toggle with whether or not you can shuffle your music or play them in order. One of the most important functions of the Zune that makes it different from other MP3s I've tried is the radio function where you can listen to the radio via your device, which is really nice. The only thing that sucks relating to that is how you can't listen to any AM stations, which is a drag since there are a few programs I listen to that I obviously can't. There are also a few games included but nothing to write home about.
My Zune also came with a silicone case that I keep it in for the next instance where I decide to be a moron and have it drop out of my pocket while running. While I've dropped it a few times (maybe those bugs in the device are my doing?), this device's bulkiness comes in handy as it doesn't break easily. My girlfriend is also a klutz and has had no troubles with hers relating to the hardiness of the device. The scratch resistant screen also stays in better condition far longer than the iPod's thin screen, which was a really nice feature.
This is a first generation Zune so I obviously this is not a very good choice for the modern consumer, but it's been working fairly well for me. I got it for a great price almost a year ago and since I last checked I've found a ton available for around a hundred dollars, which is a great bargain since the 30 GBs carry up to 7,500 songs which is what I primarily use this device for.
My Zune has its problems as to be expected due to the outdated/archaic model, but I think that once this one becomes completely obsolete, my cheap-skated self with update it with a brand new Zune model--that is, once Microsoft decides to fix all of the bugs in their software, which is really the worst part of the whole experience relating to the Zune.
I recommend this product to anyone who's fed up with the iPod (even though I'm starting to miss mine) as it's a totally different technology that's cooler looking, has better sound quality (with the right headphones), and has a bigger screen, which makes navigation easier and more precise. Not only that, but with the new Zune HD being released as well as this product becoming cheaper and cheaper, this is the future of the MP3 market and I'm still going to be on board.
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