Comments on: Microsoft Zune Review

By: Christine

Christine — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:11:45 +0000

My father bought me the new Zune HD 32gb for my birthday/Christmas. I loved it and before he even BOUGHT the player, Zune promised him that I could just download music and take it plus music from my own library. That was the reason we didn’t get an iPod. Don’t get me wrong, I love the device. It’s so easy to work with. The software, however, is a completely different story. It is so difficult to use and the only way that I can even add any songs other than the ones they (miraculously) added is if I buy off their Marketplace–something they promised us we didn’t have to use! Plus, we can’t even send it back. Our only hope is if we can manage to delete all the songs that ARE on there and sell this POS on eBay. Don’t even waste your money on this! Because of the software, it’s not even worth the money it would cost to blow it up!

By: rosetaylor01

rosetaylor01 — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 01:36:45 +0000

The set of features packed into the Zune HD are unapologetically focused on media playback and entertainment. On the main menu you'll find options for music, videos, pictures, radio, Marketplace (Microsoft's music download portal), and Internet.

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By: Charlie

Charlie — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:58:42 +0000

I was skeptical at first to purchase the Zune because of the review from this source. I went ahead and bought it. I downloaded the software, (it did take a while) transferred my music and I am enjoying it.

By: blake

blake — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:52:08 +0000

We bought our Zune 3 days ago and just now we're able to get it working. First you have to charge the unit and download the software, then once that is done (it takes a while), you can't connect your Zune until you update the software on the Zune! Good luck figuring that out! Finally we were very excited about the wireless feature on the Zune, but alas that didn't work.

Oh and the best part, the help feature of the Zune software didn't install properly and you get a great error saying Windows can't find the help file.

We returned the unit and bought and iPod.

By: david

david — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:40:52 +0000

I was really disappointing when I bought my 120gb Zune. not only did it take over an hour to download and install the software, but I found out later that it does not support WAV audio. It also doesn’t act as a jump drive like all the other players do. What a bunch of hype. It’s going back!!!

By: Melinda

Melinda — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:18:32 +0000

I bought my Zune 120GB 3 months ago.

A week ago it suffered hardware failure (just before I moved from Canada to the UK). I contacted Microsoft Zune support a couple of days after I arrived in the UK.

Microsoft agreed that my device needed replacing, however, because I no longer lived in North America, they would not accept my warranty claim. They told me that if I wanted to get it fixed, then I needed to send my device to someone in Canada, who then had to send it on to Microsoft. When it was fixed Microsoft would then send it back to the third party, who would send it on to me.

I naturally contact Amazon.ca and explained the situation, and was politely told that because my device was over 30days old, they could not help me as their own returns/replacement policy only covered that period. They suggested I try to find a friend in Canada that can take care of it for me. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone in Canada reliable enough to help me out.

The end result? An expensive paperweight and a very sour taste in my mouth.

By: Nucks4422

Nucks4422 — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:49:55 +0000

I bought an 8GB Zune about 2 weeks ago and I LOVE it. I put every one of my 100+ CD’s on it and still have 4GB of free space. The software was extremely easy to download from the site and easy to use as well. It’s nice not having to use a specific music site to download from. I have 3 different pay sites that I use (Rhapsody,MP3 Suite, and Limewire Pro) and all of them automatically transfer to the Zune palyer on my computer when I save them to My Documents/Music file. It automatically loads the album art as well and doesn’t seem to use up any space on the player. It looks and works great. Great buy for anyone from Novice to Expert.

By: Marilyn

Marilyn — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:34:38 +0000

I bought a Zune player for a Christmas present. I purchased there unlimited access’ on Christmas day. After several days and after several attempts at loading there program with there tech support, it still would not work. I returned the player. It’s been almost three months and I am still fighting with Zune to have my money returned. So much for satisfaction guaranteed.

By: Katt

Katt — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 17:47:29 +0000

I got a Zune black 16 GB for Christmas. We downloaded the 3.1 software. After two days of it being locked up I am sending it back. Actually compared to the sleek looking ipod nano the Zune isn’t very nice looking. The buttons are very cheep looking and working. I expected a lot more from Microsoft they are way behind on this one. Personally there Zune product is crap. Buyer be warned

By: Kevin

Kevin — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:18:47 +0000

Do you guys even HAVE a calendar in your office – rating a piece of technology that came out in 2006 in your “Top 10 Most Overhyped Tech Products” for THIS year is just pathetic!

Not only are there numerous models now (including 4,8, and 16GB models that are SMALLER than an iPod Chromatic – and a 80/120GB model that has also slimmed down) – but things have also improved on the software/firmware side of things.

The software is nowhere as ugly as it used to be – and is about 10x easier to use than iTunes. Being able to sync up wirelessly (or through WiFi) is great – and the addition of things such as games is just gravy!

IF this was 2006 – I would FULLY agree with your review (and the spot on the list). But it’s almost 2008 – and those of us who are NOT Apple “Fanboys” would rather have a better player for CHEAPER!

The “iPod Killer” has yet to truly arrive – but this will take a HUGE chunk out of the marketplace, and give us something than the SAME boring player that EVERYONE else has ;);)

By: Calev

Calev — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:17:47 +0000

First off this must be an old review because half of what is mentioned isn’t true. My 50g Zune is just slightly, slightly bigger than previous 27g iPod. The video quality is way better. The earphones are probably the greatest earphone I ever had. The Wifi and social networks are really cool, but would be better if a lot more people had them. It has all the same features as an iPod and then some, plus they have better video quality, audio quality and a better warranty. The only thing iPod has over it is iTunes which I never used anyways.

By: Dez

Dez — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:52:23 +0000

I bought a Zune 4gb yesterday and was pleasantly surprised after I worked my way around the software maze. I used it the same day and worked great. I downloaded a bunch of music and at the end of the day I powered it off. The next morning, NOTHING! No power, Nada! OK? Needless to say, I’m a bit disappointed in this product. Now, I’m a reasonable guy and willing to give second chances in some things so I will return the product in hopes that this will be my last incident with Zune. I’m going to give it an initial rating of 1 due to those facts.

By: OLLY

OLLY — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:20:42 +0000

I can not believe the negative reviews regarding Zunes.

It out-performs other players in terms of screen display, customisation, WIFI updateable firmware, and compatibility in terms of video transfer from readily available Microsoft Moviemaker software.

I am aware of some teething problems in software installation which is easy remedied with a system clearup which is useually down to junk files stored on a PC which conflict with Microsoft software. Microsoft can hardly be blamed for this.

There are a good range of docking stations now available with fantastic sound to more than rival ipod.

The only current downfall is the Zune "social" which seems to be limited to the USA. Hopefully this will become international if only people would give the gadget the chance it deserves and generate more demand in Europe.

Overall - better value for money. I am extremely satisfied with the product and the advanced features it offers.

By: John

John — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:26:49 +0000

In November of 2006, I received an electric shock through the ear buds of my Microsoft Zune. Simultaneously, the Zune emitted a very loud noise through the ear buds and the device began to reset. Since the incident, I've suffered episodes of blood and fluid leakage from my ear canal, a temporary threshold shift, and Incessant ringing and discomfort.

In October of 2007, after eleven months of medical treatment with limited results, I filed a personal injury lawsuit against Microsoft Corporation. If your Microsoft Zune malfunctioned and you believe you were injured and entitled to compensation, please report your claim at www.microsoftzuneinjuries.com

By: Angela Figueroa

Angela Figueroa — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:06:31 +0000

I got my Zune for Christmas and I have already downloaded a ton of music, my own CDs, movies and much, much more! It was also very easy to fine accessories for my Zune and plenty of them. I found Wal-Mart and Best Buy to be my best routes. In my opinion the Zune does all an IPod can do and more…I am much more please with my Zune than my IPod.

By: Diego

Diego — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 17:39:50 +0000

I’ve had my Zune since last year and it has worked amazingly well. I can share pictures with my family and friends and also watch all my favorite movies and soccer games whenever I want.

By: C.Funk

C.Funk — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 07:13:26 +0000

I love my zune. I have had 3 Ipods, and got rid of all of them. It is easier to move around it and play what I want. I can also shuffle what I want, not just the whole thing when listening to music. I alway forget to make more playlists. I just make really large playlists and shuffle them so I dont get bored of them. I have also put my own DVD’s onto my Zune for business trips.

By: Gavin

Gavin — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 06:14:53 +0000

When I was looking to buy my Zune I noticed that there where three types of review: the “iPod lover” reviews which picked up on and exaggerated any small imperfection in the Zune claimed the iPod was much better and did their best to persuade you it was a terrible product; the professional reviews which said the Zune was good but not great but measured this using audiphones and such like picking up on things that you and I would never notice and gently persuaded you not to buy a Zune and reviews by people who actually owned the Zune which where (generally) extremely positive. I can tell you as a Zune owner that I am very glad I did not pay too much attention to the 1st two types. True the battery life could be a little longer (especially when watching videos or looking at pics but unless you plan on regularly going far away from a computer or electric socket for long periods of time then it will not cause you any problems, using a combination of music pics and vid my Zune needs charging once every two or three days which is perfectly reasonable and causes me no problems whatsoever. As for the software (which I read terrible reviews about) I have been using it for about 1 month now and it installed without a hitch and has crashed just once in the time I have been using it (probably due to my comp rather than the software!) making it in my opinion one of the best pieces of software Microsoft have ever produced! All in all I think that the Zune is a fantastic product and would highly recommend it to anyone in my opinion it is the best digital media player on the market and I would not trade my Zune for anything.

By: Rick Worsfold

Rick Worsfold — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 05:02:37 +0000

I wanted a MP3 video combination that I could put movies on for business trips. Also to put my digital pictures of family events. I also have stored a bunch of CDs. I am very pleased, and recomend the Zune to any who wants a larger display than IPOD at a very comparable price *****

By: Robin

Robin — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 07:02:59 +0000

I have both products in my home. I am MUCH happier with the IPod. Issues I am having with the Zune are, IF it works…battery life STINKS, very BULKY and AWKWARD, not as user-friendly, takes longer to download anything, customer service when you do have an issue, TOUGH to find ANY accessories and when you do they do not really go with my taste – they just have no selection to speak of and never the things that I would want and you are able to find for the IPod, I do not particularly care for the software set-up ETC..Really the ONLY two things that are better than IPod are the larger screen (which cannot be changed) and the FM tranmitter (which you can purchase an accessory to obtain for IPod.) I would buy an IPod or just save my money. IPod customer service is probably not much better but atleast I have never had to find out. But I did go to an Apple store with someone else and the employees bent over backwards to try to assist my friend with their IPod (which fell from a second story landing.) Microsoft could not stop asking me "what did you do to the device. Did you drop it…Are you sure?" As if they repeatedly asked the same question the facts would change somehow. I have never been an MAC user. So I am not boasting for the company. I could care less about anything other than my experience with both products. Considering the facts all I can tell you is that the IPod is all around a MUCH better product. Sometimes bigger is just NOT better!! By the way, when I called because my product is not working AT ALL, they informed me that it is very likely that it could be from hooking it up to a lap top. Of course if you read through the included documentation it says NOTHING about lap tops causing problems and looking on the web-site I also found nothing to warn against this. This tells me that they do not know as much about their own product as I think that they should know. My computer is pretty new, it is a very reputable brand and there should not be ANY issues with hooking my Zune up to it. They do not know what is wrong so they are trying to make something up. Personally I would rather them tell me they do not know, send it in and let us look at it and then we will get back with you on that. But don’t just make stuff up. So purchase what you would like since it is your money but I should have just stuck with what I knew. And in the future I will. None of the issues that I have seem to be in the process of being worked out. So the argument of the product being so new just appears as an excuse to me. Good luck with whatever you choose. OH, it may or may not be important to you but it is pretty much brand new. I had had it about 4 months (4 lightly used months) before it pooped out. I have only downloaded a few times. One day it worked fine and then one day it did not work at all.

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 03:56:20 +0000

All the bells and whistles mean nothing if the Zune is incompatible with other formats.

Songs from Napster, AOL, MSN (etc.) don't work. The Zune is just another proprietary device designed to enslave you to Microsoft and extract money from your wallet. They should give them away for free.

Even then I'd say no thanks.

It's not piracy that's killing the record industry; it's crappy music and the the record companies own greed.

By: David Renfro

David Renfro — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 22:55:38 +0000

I love my Zune I have over 1300 songs six hours of video and 400 photos on it and have plenty of space left it plays great and looks super. Best idea in a long time.

By: Jake

Jake — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 20:05:59 +0000

I got this as a gift since my i-Pod took a dump after 3 years and about 30 falls to the floor. This is the biggest pile I have ever seen. Maybe because it’s the first generation, but I wouldnt suggest anyone buy this now, I would wait till it gets better.

By: Douglas

Douglas — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 15:30:22 +0000

My Zune was a gift. I would not recommend it unless you have a coach to get started as it had no directions for a new touch and feel interface. I took two hours to find useful instructions. Most devises are easy and intuitive after you figure them out – I finally found the help needed after I figured out how to get to help. Just one page of basic directions would have saved me hours. I miss a direct recording feature.

By: ALVITO

ALVITO — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 02:27:54 +0000

A SONY PSP KILLS THEM BOTH ONLY THING THE IPOD AND ZUNE HAS OVER IT IS THE SIZE BUT THE PSP PLAYS MOVIES MUSIC HAS WI-FI AND EVEN SURFS THE INTERNET

By: sr.spikes

sr.spikes — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 11:27:55 +0000

This is great for people that do a lot of traveling. Makes charging easy while at the airport. The screen is far better than the ipod. The only thing missing is a built in clock and alarm(ipod). The sound is great and the controls are easier to use by itself and when hooked up to a computer. The wireless is a great way to share pictures and music with friends.

By: Kathy Gerard

Kathy Gerard — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 01:47:00 +0000

Zune screens implode without a hit. Battery is just behind the screen. When charging the battery, it heats up and the screens implodes. Microsoft won’t cover this under warranty. Something needs to be done. Costs just as much to fix as it is to buy it.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 23:45:10 +0000

Really impressive interface. I don’t see anything wrong with the ear buds. They work and the magnets are really cool. I like the simple design as well. As far as “bulky” goes, bigger size is the price you pay for a bigger screen. I dont mind it at all really. Fits in my pocket without a hitch. Its not like it weighs 500 pounds like some other earlier generations of a player which shall remain nameless. The only thing I would say about it is that the Zune software could use some improving. Could run a bit faster but then again I have an old computer. I really dont like itunes because its very restricting and well… bad. Playback is great, sound is great, screen is great and Zune pass is the cure all to expanding my music library. Great player.

By: David F

David F — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 01:06:42 +0000

I bought it 2 days after it came out, when every ipod user told me not to, I don’t regret my decision. I owned a video ipod before, and the larger screen is just better. Sure the resolution is the same, but I don’t have to strain my eyes to see it :) All in all, it does more or less the same as the ipod with a larger screen, and it has the wireless built in, so it has the potential for on the go downloads. We’ll see how it works itself out soon :) Otherwise I’d say, if you consider this or the video ipod….from my opinion, go for the zune, the ipod was great, but its lost its appeal as a commodity to me.

By: Zuneman

Zuneman — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 21:49:13 +0000

The best Mp3 player you could ask for and just $50 more than your average nano and it has radio and video. Its totally a great buy and the reason i think that there tons of them on the shelf is that Microsoft just doesn’t advertise them enough.