Zune update: first impressions

I've had a chance to play around with Zune 2.5, the latest software update to Microsoft's iPod-competitor, and I'm happy to report that all of the basic fixes Microsoft promised, such as the ability to edit song information and sort songs by genre, are there and work as promised. They also fixed a number of other niggling problems--for example, you can now update album art by copying a file (say, an album cover you find on the Web) and pasting it immediately into the Zune software in the appropriate spot; previously, you had to save the file in the file system and then navigate to that spot from the Zune software. (Just typing that wore me out.) They also got rid of the weird "list" and "browse" views--they don't need "list" view anymore because you can edit song information from within browse view, which is the only view, and isn't called anything anymore--it's just the interface. Phew.

From within the Zune software, I can play a 30-second sample of Joy Division's "Let the Movie Begin" from my friend ILUVSPOKANE's playlist.

(Credit: Screenshot)

With those fixes, the Zune software is no longer a show-stopper, and I can recommend the Zune as a credible alternative to the iPod. I still like the wireless sync, although other reviewers seem underwhelmed by it, and some of the new social features seem pretty cool--you can now see your friends from within the Zune software, play 30-second samples from their playlists and buy the songs with one click if you're interested, and add new friends by entering Zune tags or e-mail addresses. (Of course, recipients will have to have the Zune software and will have to register and sign in to "Join the Social.")

There are still a few issues--the software is a resource-hog, slowing down other apps on my 2006 Dell XPS Gen 2 laptop. (Task Manager in Windows XP shows it taking up more than 85MB of memory--and I've got the window minimized as I'm typing this blog entry in Firefox!) And I got a couple of error messages when trying to play songs on my friends' song lists, although that appears to have been worked out.

I can't really comment on the TV programming because (a) I don't watch TV regularly except for NFL football, (b) I can't imagine a situation where I'd want to watch a TV show on a Zune or iPod or any other portable small-screen device and (c) this blog's about music, innit? But apparently the Zune Marketplace has some shows from NBC, which pulled their shows from iTunes a while back, so a good checkbox feature for those of you keeping track.

Overall, though, a much-needed update that I think will make Zune more competitive than it's ever been, and I see a lot of promise if they keep updating the social and wireless features. Now if they can just figure out how to bolt a touch screen onto the device....

[castelazo]

Whow...

There's a HUGE change in this update. Love all the added functions and I'm sure ALL AND EVERY ZUNE USER will love it. As far as I'm using it now, haven't had any problem.

PROS ABOUT THE UPDATE
-Software issue that made it crush every time I wanted to sync video: FIXED!!!
-Gapless playback in both software and device HAVE JUST ADDED
-Batch-tag audio AND Video files ADDED!!!
-TV shows downloads are now available
-Option to disable syncing of "unhearted" songs (songs tagged as "I dont like it")
-Playlist files (.m3u or .pls) are now automatically imported and managed by the zune software
-Every file shows how much space it's using (Mb).
-Genre Sorting


WHAT I MISS
-When syncing, I liked to see a list of what's getting copied or erased from the device. Now I can only see the Syncing percentage

WHAT ANNOYS ME
-It syncs many times going form 0% to 100% quicly, over and over again without my intervention and nosense. In prior version it synced when you added an album, video or song. Now, it syncs for nothing.

CONGRATS to the Zune team!!!

[castelazo]

I apologize for the previous comment, because I made a misstake...

1.- The zune update DOES NOT add Gapless support, or maybe I'm missing something 'cause I can't make it play songs without the gap.. Anyway, we're still waiting for it.

Also...

2.- The upgrade messes up with the some of the album covers that I already setted up.

Other than that, good update!!

[Melekai]

Of course there's that "cop thing" built in http://www.electronista.com/articles/08/05/07/nbc.wants.zune.copy.filter/

[Galaxy5]

In other words, it now works like iTunes does.

I can't believe they wouldn't let you edit songs before...and that they didn't have drag and drop cover art? Maybe if Windows had a consistent way to program software, it wouldn't take them a year or six months to get simple updates out of the door.

Windows is such a dinosaur. The Zune is actually a decent product hobbled by a company that can't seem to write good software to save its life.

[tehrani625]

Thats kinda funny that microsoft can make decent hardware but they can't code efficiently to save their collective lives. I have an iPod and i am only partly satisfied. I like the idea of a subscription service but it would be nice to be able to cancel the subscription and still have the music that I paid for.

[QuetzalcoatlUSA]

Reading this list of new features makes me wonder why Windows users have been complaining about iTunes for so long? OK, admittedly the program could feel less bloated on Windows. But in terms of how it functions? There's almost no end to how you can organize and edit files in iTunes. As for sorting lists by Genre?! Wow, Zune! in iTunes, I've been able to build smart playlists that can not only sort by genre but two dozen other META fields, automatically. It can automatically populate dynamic playlists based on rules I create. Seriously, I don't know if I would call adding basic functionality in file management to the Zune an "update". More like an afterthought.

[b_baggins]

Windows users haven't been complaining about iTunes. A few tech pundits have. But because they have this bullhorn called the internet, they sound more numerous than they are.

[russkeller]

Umm... Correct me if I'm wrong but Microsoft recently royally screwed all of it's MSN music customers. We're really supposed to just continue to trust them with content? Ummm... No.

[russkeller]

Dang it! Sry for the repeats

[debasisg]

Are you using a Mac?

[Kev Orng]

Don't worry about it, it's worth repeating. What was the scoop on that again? I think it's that "Plays For Sure" music will only work on the computers it is currently registered to, so if you get a new computer or a second computer, you can't transfer it. And it won't work on a Zune OR an iPod.

I think that's worth repeating! Let the buyer beware.

[debasisg]

I disagree to this comment. MS has a lot of good software, Vista included!

[willie61]

I would agree that MS has basically good software (apps), just poor OS's . BUt that's what you get when you're the industry WalMart. There is less and less reason to write clean code. Things will change in the long run but I won't be around to see it.

[debasisg]

I just realized that commenting feature on this page is pathetic. Reply to a comment has no relationship to the original.

[debasisg]

Sorry! My mistake, didn't see show/hide!!!

[jayhawk73]

I used to be a happy Zune owner, until I bought an iPod Nano. I'm not an Apple Fanboy by any stretch, but I know I'll never touch my Zune again. The iTunes software just works. It's so much cleaner and user friendly than the Zune software.

There is so much you can't do with the Zune interface....

[HeyHowdyHey]

I could not agree more. I enjoyed my Zune 30 but wanted a new player for two reasons: 1) I needed more storage space and 2) I am kind of particular about my song info/artwork/etc., and was always, always editing it on the Zune and wanted something easier. I purchased an iPod Classic (my first iPod after three other mp3 players -- no Apple hate, just got the others cheaper) and absolutely love it. I went back and forth between the Zune80 and iPod Classic but went with the iPod for the metadata reason. I still plan on using my Zune for trips and such (the larger screen bodes well for airplane travel) but something just clicks (no pun intended) with me about the iPod interface. Again, not trouncing the Zune, just posting in agreement with jayhawk73's comment.

[rocketjam--2008]

tehrani625, you said:
"...I like the idea of a subscription service but it would be nice to be able to cancel the subscription and still have the music that I paid for."

That's the problem w/a "subscription" service. You're RENTING that music, not purchasing it.

[conquark]

We are a family with both a nano and a zune 80GB. I don't think either the Zune software or iTunes are overly user-friendly. They have to be so much to so many.

That said, I really like my Zune, and I do like the way the desktop software handles music and podcasts, as well as the visual cues it provides on the device itself.

[aka_tripleB]

I'm still waiting for ATSC .DVR-MS support seems how in less than a year the analog tuner will be useless. And on some channels, there is way too much static when you use an antena. Sure, I could use Windows Movie Maker to convert the shows into .wmv files, but then I lose the TV Show grouping, and by the time it's done converting I sometimes forget to then put it on my Zune. Plus, it's incredibly inefficient and there is a problem with file duplication. You're not going to want to delete the higher quality .DVR-MS file until you want to delete it, but then you also have the show in .wmv format.

[Melekai]

I don't really like the "cop" thing about the zune http://www.electronista.com/articles/08/05/07/nbc.wants.zune.copy.filter/

[coooldblooded]

This was actually addressed by the Zune team a just a rumor. They publicly said that they have no intention of doing that. I guess it's just because they got ABC that people started figuring.

[iPod_Killer]

looks like getting better and better ! I'm just waiting for a Custom EQ and maybe Bass Boost features for the Zune so I can ditch my ZEN Vision: M, which is a year and a half old.
Zune coming to Canada on June 13, 2008 !!

btw, iTunes is also a memory-hogger but I don't know which one is the worst

[AppleSuxLeo]

Zune 80`s keep selling out at Fry`s as they appear to be a hot commodity. I want one now with the fixes though I buy my music at Amazon MP3.

[patchman10]

The Zune is great device with a great user interface. I have mine connected to my tv/stereo system with a dock. It sync wirelessly everyday so far without a hitch. I play all my video podcasts and shows (cnet live,rad show,tekzilla..etc) on my 50" hd. My entire music library at my fingertips is just awesome...No complaints about software. Update worked fine.....We could nitpik any product to death, no product is perfect but for me the zune hardware/software works just fine for me.

[coooldblooded]

It's kind of funny that there are all these things being said by owners of ipods who have never had a zune. Acutally, the Zune 2 software has only been in existence for about four months now, and Microsoft has been getting out updates pretty regularly. I think that the ability to manage software should have been included in the software, but they really have corrected the ship with this update. I am very impressed with 2.5 and it now makes me excited to purchase new songs for my Zune 80. As a player it is technically better than an ipod, but now it has the software to finally back it up. If you have an ipod and prefer the interface and size so be it. I really liked the customizable back, higher quality sound and larger size. I'm 6'3 and the ipod is just to small. I had a 30 gig and enjoyed it, but the zune is just different.

[cmendes2001]

the zune will only be a true alternative to the ipod when it works as well with macs as the ipod works with PCs. Also, the ipod has this clean and idiot-prof interface -the itunes- that is a true winner!! otherwise, the zune has much more features than the ipod for the same price. I'm a mac user and i would love to get a zune but at this point this is just impossible.
I have some doubts if Microsoft has the clairvoyance to see this.

[ducttape36]

you forgot the best part... although its not technically official yet, you can now play games designed by users on your zune. check it out: http://www.zuneboards.com/tip-of-the-week/how-to-install-games-on-your-zune.html