A Thorough (Long) Review from a Zune 30 Owner an a iPhone 3G Owner, September 22, 2008
No matter your opinion on Microsoft, the amazing fact remains that every time they update a Zune they include a free software update for all past Zunes making them nearly identical as the new Zunes. I am sure one day this may stop due to the fact that the new hardware will require a different type of OS that won't work on the old Zunes (i.e. a...read full review
No matter your opinion on Microsoft, the amazing fact remains that every time they update a Zune they include a free software update for all past Zunes making them nearly identical as the new Zunes. I am sure one day this may stop due to the fact that the new hardware will require a different type of OS that won't work on the old Zunes (i.e. a Zune Touch or something). Until then, I am have been a very happy past/present Zune owner for this reason.
I owned a Zune 30 for 2 1/2 years prior to buying the Zune 120. My old Zune worked perfectly and was not a factor in my decision to upgrade. Did I need the extra space? Not really... but I wanted to try out the touch/click "squircle" before the new Zune games were launched. I read that some games may not work (or work as intended) with the Zune 30 since it does not have the touch sensitive pad. We'll see how true that is when games are put on to the Marketplace.
My opinion after owning the Zune 120 for a couple weeks:
The Good:
-I am a rabid/avid fan of the Zune Pass. I don't mind renting music, in fact I LOVE it. It really opens me up to new bands without wasting $10-20 on an album I may hate. For $14.99 a month [for unlimited downloads on up to 3 Zunes and 3 Computers] I can download from more songs than I can fathom and not be upset if I pick a few tone-deaf artists along the way. If I love an album enough to keep it I can buy it from Zune or Amazon or whomever. If you think about it, the Zune Pass could save you money by allowing you to test out bands before committing to a purchase. Also, if throwing a house party or having guests over, you can download music for your guests that you might never consider buying for yourself.
-Audible support now available. Not sure how much I will use this feature yet but for now I like it and am happy I am not closed off from this option.
-WiFi: the options are now amazingly more advanced and now having WiFi on the Zune makes sense. Being able to download songs over a WiFi connection is huge. McDonald's is teaming up with Zune and will be offering their WiFi connection to Zune owners in the near future. While iPod does this with Starbucks, there are many more McDonalds than Starbucks in the U.S. Though not sure if this is a good thing ;)
-Channels!!!: I love the new channels built into the software. As a Zune Pass subscriber I love taking advantage of this. The software makes a "channel" once a week of songs it thinks I will like based on a genre (I have a "My Classic Rock" channel, "My Rock" channel, and since I share my Zune Pass with family members a "My R&B" channel). I choose which, if any, channels I want to subscribe to (so I can skip the R&B one if I desire) and it downloads a playlist of sorts that changes every week. Also, I can subscribe to other generic channels (i.e. "Rock" Channel, "Punk/Ska" Channel etc.) not tailored directly to me if I so desire. This has been a great way to sample new bands/music that have relevance to my music style. Of course if you love a song/artist you can always permanently download the songs. If you are an avid gym buff or runner there are some very cool channels titled "Walk" "Jog" and "Run" that have songs which consist of the same range of beats per minute to keep you moving at a constant speed. Very cool.
-Mixview: Much better looking than "Genius" on iTunes since Mixview uses album art and artists pictures rather than plain old text and Mixview's suggestions seem more relevant to me than Apple's "Genius." This can always change in the future as each product develops and I am excited that there is competition in this arena since it can only make this better and better. If you don't know what Mixview is, it is Zune's way of gathering data based on your music preferences (and the preferences of others) to recommend new music to you. Pandora (the Internet Radio website) does a BEAUTIFUL job at this. It's free and I would check it out if you have never used it before. Amazing.
-Battery Life: Much better than the Zune 30 which is a nice surprise. Leave WiFi off for a longer battery life.
-Accessory Compatibility: the charger, dock, remote, car charger, etc. from the Zune 30/80/120 all work together wonderfully. If you have the version 1 dock you will need to remove the plastic insert in order to have the 80/120 fit. It only takes a few seconds and is very painless. I would add a link to websites that show video/pictures on how to do this but Amazon removed two posts in the Zune forum where I did this. Do a search, it's out there. The cases for the Zune 30 do not work with the 120 but the 80 is the same size and both use the same cases. Heard there are problems with older FM transmitters working with the newer Zunes. Not sure how prevalent this problem is as I use an AUX jack in the car.
-The Squircle: This is the only "big" difference between the Zune 30 and the 80/120. It did not take long for me to get used to using this but my learning curve may be shorter than others as I am used to swiping on my iPhone and now clicking seems more difficult for me. (You can turn this feature off if you just want to use the squircle as a click pad.) When I went to buy a case I found that most cases covered the squircle and was concerned it would mess with functionality. I want to report that it did not take away the ability of the Zune to notice my movements. However, the case makes it not as smooth of an action as the bare squircle (I have a silicone cover that makes my finger "stickier" against the case so the glide isn't as smooth). Something to think about when purchasing a case (which I would recommend.. see "The Bad")
The Bad:
-I LOVED the Zune 30 casing. That was one beautiful thing that the Zune had over the iPod. The iPods scratched and showed wear very quickly and the Zune 30's casing was virtually indestructible. With the new casing (party in the front/business in the back... the reverse mullet) it seems that the possibility for scratching is now higher. The shiny front is a fingerprint magnet and the matte black back has a silver/gold metal underneath (as evidenced by Microsoft's Zune Originals website where you can have your Zune engraved professionally.. they "scratch" [engrave] a design and the gold/silver color appears). Not sure how deep you would have to scratch to get to that color and I won't volunteer to be a guinea pig. Sorry!
I highly recommend getting a case and I am a sucker for buying a screen protector as the Zune is nearly all screen on the front and should remain beautiful and scratch-free.
The "I don't care"/ "No opinion":
-The Clock: There is a clock now.. and I don't care. Many did so they will be happy. No alarm built-in, so beware clock lovers. (Microsoft updates the firmware and software quite a bit so you never know if this could be added soon.)
-Buy from FM: I hate the radio in my smallish town. There are only a couple decent stations but they aren't good enough for me to stop listening to MP3s and tune in. For those who have better stations and are in to Top 40 or what is new on the charts this may be an amazing option for you. Getting artist and album info over Zune's FM radio could be helpful if your DJ never states the name of an artist (like so many don't) and, if you really like the song, you can download it immediately or tag it for download later (depending if you are in a WiFi hotspot or at home with plug in hand).
-Headphones: the Zune 30 came with "run of the mill" headphones, the Zune 80 came with "premium" headphones and the Zune 120 went back to the "run of the mill" headphones. I use third-party headphones ($100+) so I don't care what comes in the package. Others might so here it is.
-Games: as of today's date, there are no games available for download on the Zune Marketplace. This is supposed to change soon and I sure hope it does. However, there are two games that come loaded on the Zune when you plug it in to the computer and update (Hexic and Texas Hold 'Em). Apple has the upper hand here and has done wonders with the App store. I hope Microsoft takes note and does something like it with the Zune. Heck, I hope the do something even better so then Apple steps up their game even more... and around and around we go. Competition is great for consumers.
I think here is a good place to mention that I love my iPhone 3G AND my Zune and I need to have both in my life to be happy (in the materialistic sense). I don't listen to music on my iPhone due to limited space (after adding apps, photos, podcasts, etc. there isn't much room for music) and also because Apple does not have a subscription music "rental" service. Ideally I would like to see Zune make a phone similar to the iPhone or the iPhone to have a subscription based music service (both phones would need a large capacity drive) so I could carry around just one device (either iPhone or ZunePhone depending on the offerings). Until that day I live in harmony with my Zune 120 and my iPhone 3G. minimize
Fantastic product!, November 23, 2008
I love my Zune. After 4 iPods (in a span of 10 years), I decided to try something different. I never really had an issue with my pods, but I was curious about the Zune. I decided to purchase the Zune 30 a year after it was released. The player [Zune 30] was extremely durable, and I loved the device interface; although hated how I had to click in...read full review
I love my Zune. After 4 iPods (in a span of 10 years), I decided to try something different. I never really had an issue with my pods, but I was curious about the Zune. I decided to purchase the Zune 30 a year after it was released. The player [Zune 30] was extremely durable, and I loved the device interface; although hated how I had to click in order to scroll down. There was much to be improved.
Fast forward two years and several major Microsoft updates later, I now own the Zune 120. I absolutely love it. The capacity is enough for me at the moment; although I'm a music junkie. The playback quality of the songs is noticeably better than the quality my iPod's. The features, such as wireless sync, song sharing over the air, and the Zune Pass are wonderful. I lended the Zune to my girlfriend for an entire week so she could discover some new music (over 8000 tracks on my Zune), and she came back wanting to purchase one herself.
Pros:
- Great interface
- Wonderful sound quality
- FM radio + buying songs from FM
- Wireless syncing
- Sharing music over the air with other Zunes
- Improved software (more usable than iTunes, in my opinion)
- Support for podcasts and audiobooks
- Zune Pass
- Purchasing and streaming songs off Wifi
- Free updates every few months; they recently added games.
Cons:
- Battery life could be better
- Included headphones are good but not great.
- That's all I could think of.
Final word:
I still use my iPod nano and video from time to time, but I love my Zune more. There's nothing wrong with iPod's, but if you'd like to give something different a try, by all means give this a try. You can't go wrong with purchasing one.
Extra:
Living in a populated city like NY and taking the train to school every monrning, and coming back in the afternoon, there's always at least one other person on the train with a Zune. Sometimes I get random "let me send you a song" request. Totally discovered a few new artists from random people with the 'send' feature. minimize
Once Again I Don't Understand the Negative Reviews!!!, February 26, 2009
This is my 2nd Zune 120 and this is one guy who couldn't be happier. I had a problem downloading the software but was able to get live help and we had it up and working in less than 30 minutes. I find the software and the Zune easy to use and I'm 58 years old!!!! So what's the big deal with a couple fingerprints on the case. Buy some Windex!!!! I...read full review
This is my 2nd Zune 120 and this is one guy who couldn't be happier. I had a problem downloading the software but was able to get live help and we had it up and working in less than 30 minutes. I find the software and the Zune easy to use and I'm 58 years old!!!! So what's the big deal with a couple fingerprints on the case. Buy some Windex!!!! I got several docks (one for my PC, one for my Stereo and one for the radio at work) and 2 car kits. Canceled my XM radio, put away my cds and I'm enjoying listening to the music I want to hear!!!!! minimize
Getting Pretty Close 2 PERFECTION!!!!, September 9, 2008
Getting Pretty Close 2 PERFECTION!!!!
I actually wanted to rate this thing 4.5 Stars. But that option was not allowed. I just picked this up at my local Target and i must say it's a great device. I had the 80GB Zune & traded it in for the 120. This is essentially the same device nothing major has been done to it. The exterior is a...read full review
Getting Pretty Close 2 PERFECTION!!!!
I actually wanted to rate this thing 4.5 Stars. But that option was not allowed. I just picked this up at my local Target and i must say it's a great device. I had the 80GB Zune & traded it in for the 120. This is essentially the same device nothing major has been done to it. The exterior is a really minor face lift. Inside are some new quirky features that have been added in such as purchasing songs from the radio, buying songs when you are at a wi-fi hotspot in public (Starbucks or McDonalds etc), and now video games has been added in. You get 2 free games with the new Zune 3G software update. With the update also includes a clock added in on the main menu on the upper right hand corner. I do love the Zune interface its one of the best. I love the touch/scroll wheel as well. It has the best of both worlds type of feel to it. Also i reserved my right to give this device 5 stars because it still has the clunky software and if the software update over the weekend proves to be the finishing touch that will make this MP3 player awesome i will revise my review. I know some people hate iTunes & some people love it. I think iTunes is great and its very user friendly and customization is beyond simple. Other then that, the Zune software at this time is really bad. Ironically the V1 software was actually better and as many people know the shocking thing is that this MSFT product isn't even compatible with its own MSFT Windows Media Player (Ironic huh?). Also i do wish the battery life was the same as the iPod. I always carry my USB charger with me to avoid losing battery power when traveling around. But with the gorgeous huge screen that rivals the iPod Touch and extra memory this MP3 is pretty close to being almost flawless. Hopefully with the right word of mouth, a better software upgrade, and some advertising Zune will soon become a household name =)
Pros:
Great UI/Menu
Slim & Sexy look
Big screen 3.2 Inch screen
120GB memory upgrade from 80GB
Wi-Fi Music buying features
Wireless Music Sync
Video Games
FM Radio
Sending music to other Zune devices via Wi-Fi
$14.99 monthly fee gets you unlimited music downloads
Cons:
Battery Life Could use a bit of extra juice
3G Software still not that much different minimize
(350 total reviews)