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Topic: Mobility

Grab and backup your Zune HD apps today, Microsoft changing services

Summary: I am a huge fan of the Zune HD and think it should have seen success at Microsoft. Unfortunately, Zune HD apps is going away today, 31 August.

Matthew Miller

By for The Mobile Gadgeteer |

zuneoriginal

I have been a vocal advocate for the Zune HD, check my list of links below for related articles, and thus I was disappointed to receive the email you see below that informed me of several features that will no longer be available for the Zune. The one that has the biggest impact for me is the loss of Apps for the Zune HD.Thanks to Grahm Skee's Twitter post I found where the Zune HD apps are stored and now have all of them archived in case I need to get them back on my Zune HD in the future.

The Zune HD is a fabulous device and should have been a success for Microsoft. I think a lack of marketing and too much focus on comparing it to the iPod touch killed it. If you look at the Zune HD by itself, including the compelling subscription feature that it turns out people do actually want (look at success of Spotify and Rdio today), then it is easy to see it is a great device and service.

Grab and backup your Zune HD apps today, Microsoft changing services

Songs that you purchased, streaming and downloading as a part of the Zune Music Pass and ability to use your Zune HD will not change. Other than apps, most of the changes deal with music videos, which I never used. Here is the list of features that will no longer be available:

  • Sending and receiving messages, inviting friends, sharing the songs, playlists, and albums you are listening to, and viewing past play history
  • Mixview playback and channel playlists
  • Apps for Zune HD
  • Purchasing music videos or streaming them as a part of Zune Music Pass from the Zune PC software
  • Re-downloading, re-activating, or re-licensing previously purchased music videos if / when you upgrade your PC

If you have a Zune HD then I recommend you grab all the apps you can and then visit c:/users/[username]/appdata/local/microsoft/zune/applications on your computer to archive the Zune apps (appear as .zcp files).

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14 comments
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  • Great device

    Yes, it was a great device, I still use mine daily. It just makes me mad the way Microsoft put it out, then acted like they couldn't be bothered to try to sell them.
    roteague
    Reply 2 Votes

    • Why should it be any other way?

      They put out Windows and couldn't be bother to sell it either...oh wait they have a monopoly with Windows, no wonder they have no idea how to market! D'oh!
      GoPower
      Reply 1 Vote

      • "They have no idea how to market", and yet ...

        They own the desktop OS market, Office suite market, enterprise server market, games console market, etc.

        Sure, Microsoft have made some major mistakes in the past, especially marketing to consumers, but I think they're starting to do much better. If they can get the marketing of Win8 and WP8 right, it could have a series of major hits on their hands.
        bitcrazed
        Reply Vote

        • Three of those, are due to mobster tactics

          The fourth is fictional. Microsoft's defective counting methods, often are set up to inflate numbers well beyond any reasonable, or rational accounting.
          Troll Hunter J
          Reply 1 Vote

  • Yes, it was a great device

    I agree it was a great device and I really wish they hadn't given up on it. I hope they show more stamina with the upcoming Surface.
    necessaryevil
    Reply 3 Votes

  • Are you the blogger that did the Microsoft report?

    You seem to have a lot of Microsoft devices, and seem to love each one of them. Or are you just a Fanboy? I'm trying to decide if I want to waste my time reading your blog. If you're a fanboy, I won't even waste my time.
    Troll Hunter J
    Reply 1 Vote

    • No, I have a Zune

      and also love it and hope the Surface is as good. I am attracted to perfection and it's definitely not Apple.
      primartcloud
      Reply Vote

      • Are you the one that wrote this blog entry?

        If not, then you're wasting my time with your non-important opinion. I could care less, because like 99% of the population, I've never seen a Zune, of any flavor, in the real world. Only heard about it due to the ramblings of dedicated fanboys.
        Troll Hunter J
        Reply 1 Vote

        • Wow

          Sound like an ignorant person not wanting to hear opinions.

          I think you missed the "I think a lack of marketing" part in the blog, which would CLEARLY be why no one's heard of it. People already had ipods at the time too, so why bother switching? Overall it was a better piece though. Yeah, I may be a fanboy, but you can't deny the results when you compare the two pieces next to each other, inside and out. The only thing the ipod and such had over the zune was the amount of apps on it. Oh, and internal speakers.
          Anigru
          Reply 1 Vote

          • Just ignore him, trolls feed on attention

            He's just a troll. It clearly says it in his username. His reputation on the internet is really no different than the neglected "swamp people" social group of the Southern United States. Anyways, I do agree with you. The Zune HD could have been a great success, but there was a major lack of marketing. I hardly seen one commercial for it on television when it first came out. Microsoft never broadened their horizons with it, so it just became a failure. It's a shame, I have one and I think it's a great device. I don't want to get rid of it but eventually if Microsoft cuts support for it entirely then it will just become outdated and I would have to sell it if I want to stay up to date with new devices.
            Joshua Coy
            Reply Vote

          • sorry to tell you....

            As i had a new android phone i tried to sell my Zune HD since it is basically worthless and no longer has anything but my music {which I transferred to my new phone}. Sadly i was informed everywhere i went that no one is buying them. You might be able to sell it on ebay or craigslist, but since loosing the apps it is basically just an expensive music/video player. nothing more. Honestly i'm really sad, i've had my Zune for years. I never got on the apple kick, never owned anything by apple. Unforunately i was switching emails and didn't know the apps were going away. I lost all mine :(
            JadedHeart
            Reply Vote

  • Zune HD Apps

    OK - I downloaded them to the PC, but they have removed the links in the Zune PC client for Collection>Apps. The only visible links are for pics, music, video, etc. Social & Apps are gone, so you can't even view the apps already on your device nor what's in the collection to copy apps to the Zune HD.
    Skier7667
    Reply Vote

  • Zune HD apps

    i have copied my apps. Is there any way i can now put it back into my zune . Zune software no more shows the apps option in the software.
    Ateev Chopra
    Reply Vote

  • I

    I just brought a Zune HD for the first time and I am in love with it. IMHO, it is better then Ipod any day. It is sad that Microsoft did away with it in favor of the Windows phone.
    Girl_With_Burrito
    Reply Vote
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