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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
Home / News & Blogs / Hardware 2.0

Zune is back!

By | October 6, 2011, 6:12am PDT

Summary: … but for how long?

It seems that Microsoft might have prematurely pulled the plug on the Zune media player.

Earlier this week, this message appeared on the Zune support portal [emphasis added]:

We recently announced that, going forward, Windows Phone will be the focus of our mobile music and video strategy, and that we will no longer be producing Zune players. So what does this mean for our current Zune users? Absolutely nothing. Your device will continue to work with Zune services just as it does today. And we will continue to honor the warranties of all devices for both current owners and those who buy our very last devices. Customer service has been, and will remain a top priority for us.

OK, seems clear enough. However, that page is now gone and Zune support on Twitter is claiming that the page was posted in error. Here’s what Zune support told folks from WindowsPhoneDownUnder:

So, if little Johnny or Jane wanted a Zune for their birthday or from Santa, there’s still time to get one.

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Topics

Microsoft Zune, Plug, Media Players, Digital Music, Digital Media, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology.

Disclosure

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

All opinions expressed on Hardware 2.0 are those of Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. Every effort is made to ensure that the information posted is accurate. If you have any comments, queries or corrections, please contact Adrian via the email link here. Any possible conflicts of interest will be posted below. [Updated: February 23, 2010] - Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other actual/potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted so far on this blog.

Biography

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology -- whether that be by learning to program, building a PC from a pile of parts, or helping them get the most from their new MP3 player or digital camera.

Adrian has authored/co-authored technical books on a variety of topics, ranging from programming to building and maintaining PCs. His most recent books include "Build the Ultimate Custom PC", "Beginning Programming" and "The PC Doctor's Fix It Yourself Guide". He has also written training manuals that have been used by a number of Fortune 500 companies.

Adrian also runs a popular blog under the name The PC Doctor, where he covers a range of computer-related topics -- from security to repairing and upgrading.

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RE: Zune is back!
Rapid Rec 7th Oct
@chethammer And obviously, from this post and most of your past post history, you pretty much dislike anything apple. While I like the Zune HD unit, I def. favour my Ipod over it, even though the ipod is much older than the zune.

And I do feel the Zune doesn't get the credit it deserves at times, but like I just stated, if I had to get rid of one or the other, ...the Zune would be the first to go, IMHO.
View in thread
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RE: Zune is back!
WPDownUnder 6th Oct
Thanks for the link happy I still feel the error was the timing of the page going up - hard to accidentally write up a HTML web page wink

Cheers.
Sheeds
WPDownUnder.
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RE: Zune is back!
Constant Gadener 7th Oct
@WPDownUnder

" hard to accidentally write up a HTML web page"

I know that major news publications prepare obituaries of famous people "well in advance".. like when they are quite healthy and the grim reaper is nowhere in sight. And they keep updating it as time goes by as everyone's time comes sooner or later any way!

So, it is possible that Microsoft follows the same strategy for its products. You could still argue that it is only an error in timing happy
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RE: Zune is back!
Garrett Williams 7th Oct
@Constant Gadener "We have ended production of Windows and MS Office. It is clear that Linux has won the OS battle and we see no reason to continue on."
"Oops, disregard that message."
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RE: Zune is back!
Cylon Centurion 6th Oct
I'm considering buying a second HD... Best PMP I've ever had.
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RE: Zune is back!
chethammer 7th Oct
@Cylon Centurion
I have to agree with that. Zune quality and sound is much higher than iTouch. I've owned both and no iPod can touch it. I never bought an mp3 player because everyone else did I buy the ones I do because I like them. First and foremost an mp3 player should best play music and play it well. Apple never had that in mind. I have to admit that the click wheel was a very nice invention and worked well. Every iPod I owned had one of two things happen. The click wheel stopped working or the hard drive died.
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RE: Zune is back!
Rapid Rec 7th Oct
@chethammer And obviously, from this post and most of your past post history, you pretty much dislike anything apple. While I like the Zune HD unit, I def. favour my Ipod over it, even though the ipod is much older than the zune.

And I do feel the Zune doesn't get the credit it deserves at times, but like I just stated, if I had to get rid of one or the other, ...the Zune would be the first to go, IMHO.
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Master Joe Says...Great Device
MasterJoe 6th Oct
I own a Zune HD (got it shortly after it was released), and it is a great piece of hardware. The screen brightness and clarity is amazing (better than the iPod Touch generation that was available at the same time the Zune HD was released), and it includes an HD radio. The ONLY thing the iPod Touch beat the Zune HD in was the variety and number of apps available for it, as well as that it had a camera on it (which really doesn't matter to most people looking for just a media player). Truth be told, I do love my Windows Phone (HTC Trophy now running 7.5). But, that doesn't mean I have forgotten my Zune HD or like it any less. I owned a plain old Zune before the HD came out, and I liked that too. The fact that people haven't really heard of a Zune and it wasn't really marketed is probably why it never really gained much success. For me, it was a great device, and it still is, even without having a new version released.

--Master Joe
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RE: Zune is back!
Rick_Kl 6th Oct
@MasterJoe I believe that people do not want Microsoft as the master of their digital lives. This is why the Zune never took off. Remember the [Brown is the new black] campaign? Windows mobile OS faces the same situation, but this is the second version of it. The first attempt failed spectacularly (Kin), so it was renamed, and a few features were added. This is typical behavior from Microsoft. It happened with their OS (7 is just a rerelease, of Vista, with a few tweaks).
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RE: Zune is back!
apetti 6th Oct
@Rick_Kl WRONG. Do your homework.
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RE: Zune is back!
panoslondon1 6th Oct
@Rick_Kl Windows mobile existed since 2001 if I remember, that was the first real touchscreen smartphone. Kin was a a project that helped the current Windows phone. Windows phone is arguably among the top 2 OS in terms of user experience. The other is iphone. For me the question is do I go with apple tax and buy an iphone or I go with windows phone get a great OS and pay a reasonable price. I don't tend to need to re-install my OS every so often so android is out of the questions (and for the malware it has as well).
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Ah, classy Apple fans
toddybottom 6th Oct
You are all the same.
  • Flagged
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I believe you're look at excuses again.
William Farrell 6th Oct
@Rick_Kl
Look, I understand the fact that you don't want anybody or anything to overtake your beloved Apple products, but the truth is your "reasons" for failures of this or that are imaginary at best.

But then again, I guess Apple's Mac line is only in single digits due largely that people do not want Apple as the master of their digital lives, which would explain why they never took off like Windows has.
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RE: Zune is back!
Cylon Centurion 6th Oct
@Rick_Kl

Apple's been doing the same thing for years! OS X Lion? Yeah, like that isn't a minor tweak of an OS first released over 10 years ago!

Go spread your poo elesewhere. Microsoft was never the problem. I know of a few folks who owned Zunes and who now own Windows Phones. They love em.
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RE: Zune is back!
Rick_Kl Updated - 6th Oct
@William Farrell the truth certainly escapes your recognition. Microsoft rode the wave of IBMs dominance. The old saying it you never got fired for buying IBM. What was the OS on those IBM machines? MS DOS. To say people went out and specifically bought machines because MS DOS was that great, is a fallacy. They bought machines that were similar tot he ones at work. At the time the computers cost as much as an Apple machine, but that was before the great race to the bottom. This is why we constantly hear that Apple makes overpriced hardware. Even though a similarly configured computer, using LKQ* parts cost just as much as a Mac. It is the fact that you could buy a Walmart level of quality, for a Walmart price, that generated Microsofts success. I cannot tell you how many hours are lost every year due to these bargain bin PoS machines. Imagine if all the OEMs had fought it out on quality, rather than price? Just imagine all the BSoD, and other problems with Windows, that would have never existed. The old saying is true, you cannot have your cake and eat it too.

*Like, Kind, and Quality

@Cylon Centurion when you replace the core of the OS it actually qualifies as a new OS. Windows 7 uses the same core originally found in Windows NT, so we should just agree to disagree. As far as zune owners that bought Windows phones, that actually makes sense, as they can use the same music and apps on both. Like anyone that owns an iPod, could naturally make the transition to an iPhone. As far as spreading poo, nothing could be further from the truth. The zune was a last ditch effort to wrest control of the digital music sector away from Apple. The problem was, it was not compelling enough to sway enough people. Then there was its other major problem, it only works with Windows. So for some the purchase price is significantly higher than a similar iPod. How is that poo?
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RE: Zune is back!
mike2k 6th Oct
@Rick_Kl

"I cannot tell you how many hours are lost every year due to these bargain bin PoS machines."

At least this creates jobs for techs like me, and make a living doing it. Thank you MS and OEMs
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RE: Zune is back!
Pete "athynz" Athens 6th Oct
@Rick_Kl Windows mobile OS faces the same situation, but this is the second version of it. The first attempt failed spectacularly (Kin), so it was renamed, and a few features were added.

Not exactly. Kin and WP7 OS were not the same thing.
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And talk about excuses...
ScorpioBlue 6th Oct
Look, I understand the fact that you don't want anybody or anything to overtake your beloved Apple products, but the truth is your "reasons" for failures of this or that are imaginary at best.

Well then why don't you give us your list of reasons why it failed? Or can't you come up with any?

Lame excuses, maybe? wink

But then again, I guess Apple's Mac line is only in single digits due largely that people do not want Apple as the master of their digital lives, which would explain why they never took off like Windows has.

Gee, do we really need to remind you why that is?

lol...
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Silence?
ScorpioBlue Updated - 6th Oct
Hmmm?
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RE: Zune is back!
chethammer 7th Oct
@Rick_Kl
7 is not just a rehash of Vista, it is probably the best OS made. So you think that Apple being the master of your digital life is actually better?
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The Zune Windows app is great
gbouchard99@... 6th Oct
The Zune windows app is a good one. As a music player it's great and faster than Itune when adding songs to library from a folder and faster to index theses songs. The windows phone app is faster, cleaner and better looking than the Iphone music app. Zune is great for what it is.
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Zune?
jasonp@... 6th Oct
Zune may well remake itself into a delivery platform for digital music. As a device, it earns a FAIL. All the gushing in the world by Zune owners don't change the fact that at it's peak, Zune controlled just 3% of the digital music player market. That number is now less than 1%.

Zune is a lot like Linux. A decade ago, a lot of people envisioned Linux as a Windows killer. They saw a future filled with Linux on the desktop. It didn't happen. Linux vendors were able to evolve and adapt, and now Linux is a market leader in embedded and mobile devices. Only time will tell if Zune will be able to evolve from a hoped-for iPod killer to something else entirely. The one thing that can't be debated is that Zune as a device fell flat in the marketplace. Zune as a service? If its success is tied to the success of WP7, don't expect much. If it is able to leverage the XBox and Windows desktop platforms effectively, it has a chance but marketing will be key to that success.

Microsoft as a hardware vendor has certainly had its wins and its losses. Microsoft keyboard and mouse...win. XBox...win. SPOT watch...loss. Kin...loss. Zune...loss. Windows Phone...the jury is still out, but it isn't looking good.
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RE: Zune is back!
owlnet 6th Oct
Zune was one of the best PMPs... The public are mostly stupid... just because the product didn't take off doesn't mean it was bad. MS actually never pushed it. They never sold it in Europe... If MS really markted it and rolled it world wide, it would have been a big hit. Unfortunatly MS had other priorites and they simply left a lot of money one the table for other players to grab.
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RE: Zune is back!
evilcart 7th Oct
Rick

Sorry Ricky baby, you made stuff up and got called on it. You have zero cred at this point
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RE: Zune is back!
strangefruit 7th Oct
I love my Zune original, and it is my portable DV player easily attached to TV or used via FM in the car. One thing MS must do is fix the quality of playback of the Zune PC software which seems to render a softer picture than WMP. And then bump up capacity with 250 and 320GB models.
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RE: Zune is back!
chrlsrchrdsn 7th Oct
@Rick_KL

The core of NT and Vista/7 aren't even closely related. There is a 90% difference in code and the other changes are staggering. You obviously don't do much development in Windows. I agree that 7 is an update of Vista with feature changes, but Vista was a major security improvement. As far as BSoD's that is the difference between having every aspect of your life controlled by a vendor or not. Windows changes as of Vista now do a very good job of stopping those BSoD which were mainly caused by vendor drivers replacing key DLL's. Now the OS controls those replacements and the BSoD have mostly gone away, BUT you don't get those under Apple because you don't the variety of support that you do under Windows. So as far as "controlling", please, wake up. If you have ever read a letter from Apple telling you you don't have the right to develop software not under their full control and that they will sue you if you try, then you would understand control.

You talk about the hours lost well, unlike Apple you had levels of quality available. You can attach just about any device ever made to a Windows machine. You can't even imagine saying that about Apple. Some people can't afford Apple's "quality" so you would say they should go without until they can afford the BEST. Apple doesn't have a 10th of the capabilities under the hood that Windows does because they simply say, "Not Invented Here, Forget it!"
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Just update the software
macleanj@... 7th Oct
Hey Microsoft - If you would just update the software to allow for a video playlist like you have with the song playlist, that would be great. Several thousand people have been requesting this for quite some time.

Thanks,
John

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