I just want my damned Last.FM support with this :(

Even though I have a Zune I'm forced to use iTunes.

Skeezy

...but will it finally integrate with windows media center so that I dont need to plug a mouse in to my HTPC for the sole purpose of managing my zune?

Rajio

If only I could use this to sync my iPod Touch... iTunes is way too slow and nowhere near as nice looking

Posavoie

@General Halfshaftery: That's my gripe with all the reviews that diss the Zune, I can't believe many of them have even used the software. It can be memory hungry on older systems, but it is hands-down the best, uncluttered and intuitive media management software I've ever used, even compared to iTunes. The biggest compliment you can give it is that it does not look like typical Microsoft software. I'm psyched to get my update on Monday.

mrweatherbee

NOICE!!!!!!!!!

wetworker

You don't need a Zune to use this software to manage your music library. Heck i use it whenever i'm not syncing my iPod touch with iTunes. Try it, you might like.

General Halfshaftery

I LOVE T.I

YOU CAN HAVE WHATEVER YOU LIKE!!!!!!!

xsecretfiles3

Who still wears denim shirts? In the words of Riley Freeman, "That's not gangster!"

thegadgeteer

i just want my star rating back. Heart / No Heart just doesn't cut it for me. I was hoping that 3.0 would bring back some gradation.

tomasland

@humanporkrind: Well, now that I'm up to two dead iPod classics in my house, yes, I very well may go out and get a Zune.

One of the advantages of switching back to Windows is a whole new world of choice.

OMG! Apple Stinks!

@humanporkrind: 2% of the music player market, yes. It's enough to start something, Microsoft seems to be doing a decent job, although it'll take a lot more to take down Apple's 75%.

Jon B.

whens the update? <3 my zune

ZetaCrossfire

Wow does anyone really have a Zune to try this..I forgot I due.

humanporkrind

@Evangelion: *can't

Evangelion

Nice. Can;'t wait to try it out myself!

Evangelion

@MorganRW: Probably because Microsoft wanted to create a completely closed-in ecosystem, which WMP11 is not.

Kaiser-Machead on the Edge

@halloweenjack: Asimov himself couldn't conjure greater fiction.

Kaiser-Machead on the Edge

I still don't get it. Why the Zune software and not use Media Player 11? In my opinion, MP11 is superior to iTunes and I also enjoy the freedom to buy music from a selection of stores instead of just one. MS builds a Zune Phone coupled with Media Player and that Zune interface instead of Winmo and I will sell my 3G today.

MorganRW

@mrweatherbee: agreed.... ive tried all the media players recently and for some reason keep coming back to zune.... i am also excited to see what 3.0 brings that we may not have seen.

jagowar

Since giving up the Zune, Zune Guy has lost 175 lbs., also has gotten a haircut and laid. He laughs at your presumption. Laughs!

halloweenjack

Anyone thinks this just looks like a disguised version of Internet Explorer, running a web page?

J. Nadeau

Mmmmm. T.I...... Sorry but even he doesn't make the Zune all that appealing.

Amber

@NCMO:
Stop repeating yourself in every fucking Zune article.

Darkest Daze

@NCMO: I was just about to reply that to this thread. I'm sad now. I only clicked into this thread to type that. You ruined these 2 minutes of my day.

mmmiles

What's a Zune?

NCMO

@MorganRW:
I'm going to go with the fact that WMP11 is a complete mess and quite unfriendly to use. They wanted something that could rival Apple in usability, simplicity, and aesthetics. Honestly, I feel it's one of the better softwares out there for sorting and playing music. If it supported all video formats and did a better job with video playback quality, I'd use it for that too, but for now, VLC does the job and the image quality is much better with it.

Darkest Daze

@NCMO: Bye-bye.

Looks like a good update to the software, it always loaded extremely slow on my previous laptop but it was a piece of shit so that didn't help. It is smooth as butter on my current lappy though.

The channels menu has piqued my interest, there are never enough ways to introduce people to new music.

@maven2k: I forgot about the games, good call. I wonder how effective the old Zune 30 pad will be with the lack of squircle-touching goodness...might have to pick up that new 120 or a flash one.

Selcouth14: Add 28 for the answer

Sneak peek. Sneak peek. It's two--

...sigh, never mind.

In other news, all I could think when looking at that image was, "He looks really confused." Somehow I don't think that's much of a selling point.

janai

@Cursemaster0: Wow, you're cool...

Jon B.

@Cursemaster0: You're exactly right. If this story mentioned "Apple" even once it might make the frontpage news bar, but because it's Microsoft it'll just get buried.

xxdesmus

that is some serious sexy software.

xxdesmus

I think every time they update their software it's been pretty good. I am looking forward to the games myself. I think the d-pad-esque navigation on the Zune is well suited for games. Like I've said a hundred times before, I have had several mp3 playsers including Creative, Apple, and a couple others and I love my Zune 30. I would really like a new Flash 16 gig, though, that blue one is purty.

maven2k

@halloweenjack: He's also been punched about 10 times in the back of his head, had a car door purposefully opened on him as he motored around on his vintage Vespa scooter, and blames his gassiness on his vegan lifestyle.

"Honest. Soy cheese tastes good!" No, Zune Guy. It tastes like Guvmint Cheeze.

OMG! Apple Stinks!

@MorganRW:

Listen to zuneinsider podcast show #2 they explain why they are not using WMP11.
[zuneinsider.com]

wetworker

So, why is this not in gizmodo's top news bar at the top.

Cause it's a Zune/MS thing right?

Go Zune! Beats the iPod Nano, Classic and is almost matching up to the Touch

Cursemaster0

I've had 4-5 iPods and I finally got fed up with dieing iPods and iTunes so I swtiched to a Zune. It's way better than the iPod classic (haven't played with the touch yet). I recomend you try one before you slam it. The Zune PC software is so much better than iTunes it's hard to believe Apple aren't responding

davidhayes

Nice I can't wait WHOO! NEW UPDATE HERE I COME! in all seriousness though, I think that this update combined with the new xbox experience update for the 360 will tie the Zune and 360 together very tightly, so maybe that will get the zuneguy back, but I hope not, good riddance, he made the Zune have a bad image, I mean seriously, a guy that gets tattoos of his favpoite product?? If you worked on the Zune team I would understand, but that's like getting a honda logo tattooed on your arm. no, more like a honda civic tatto on your arm. Plus he is a quitter on the Zune, which doesn't look good for the whole image of Zune either.

Sam_Zebian

Wow, so many of my rabid fans.

/sarcasm

My fav new zune feature = wireless downloads

Cursemaster0

THS rocks. T.I. I can do without. Then again, my Creative MuVo TX-FM will probably suffice as a PMP for me for another 5 years or so, so what do I know.

Brookespeed

I hope that version 3.0 is a little closer to v1 than v2. I thought v2 was a bit dumbed down.

theoldwolf

Being from the UK I'd just like the chance to get a Zune.

Seriously, why is it not over here yet?

Phlashman

@Phlashman: What are you waiting for? You got a strong Pound. Fly into JFK, go to J&R Music World in Lower Manhattan and buy one.

Weak currency is an opportunity. Before Italy adopted the Euro, Americans used to fly to Italy to buy leather goods because it was cheaper than buying in the store - even with the cost of the Air Italia ticket.

OMG! Apple Stinks!

@Phlashman: Its the same reason that Canada just got theirs, and we still dont have a marketplace. The wheels have to be turning to orient the marketplace and software to a particular nation's laws and rules.

Besides, i remember hearing they are going to be world wide come December or January. I guess you could wait.

Im sure Microsoft would want nothing more then to sell their product to you.

diabolusunknownTheSecond

@Phlashman: it can't be that hard to get an American friend to send you one, can it?

got no clutch? You ain't much.

I'm not big on PMPs. iPods are nice. I haven't used a Zune but people I know that own one say they are very much in love with it.

As for software, I've had to use iTunes before and found it to be an absolute piece of shit (at least on Windows.)
Can't say anything about this Zune software, but the interface sure looks nice. Uncluttered, unlike iTunes (especially its latest iteration.)

All I'm saying is, how many people who slam the Zune and pimp the iPod have spent enough time with both devices to make a valid, if still subjective, judgment?

Bassem B.

I love the Zune. I just wish they would improve the CD ripping tool. Sometimes, my songs will get scrambled or one will be left out. Otherwise, I can't wait for the update.

hammertime1994

I hope MS loaded up on more servers. I think they might get seriously hammered when people start downloading this update. It's going to be an avalanche of users trying to get this as soon as they can.

Ken_Darrow

@John Mahoney

You say, "once you get past the auto-playlisting, it doesn't look like there's too many more drastic changes or revelations over version 2.5"

What, are you kidding me? Have you been to the Zune blog sites? Better manual sync, more Zune Social integration (your profile now shows up in the home screen), new Now Playing screen (which isn't a couple balls exploding annoyingly like iTunes BTW), MixView, Personlized Picks, and Channels all look much better than a friggin side-bar (i.e Genius) to me...

ACEzWILD

I bet all those people who got a 30gig Zune last Christmas for $100 is feeling pretty good....they'll also get to take advantage of the entire update...

How are those iTouch v1 owners feeling? Oh, no Nike+iPod feature? How bout them 160gig iPod Classic owners, what no Genius feature? Must really suck getting forgotten by a company not as forward thinking as (who'd of thought) Microsoft!

ACEzWILD

yes - some of the original features found in zune 1 & 2 would be welcomed. Feel like I can't search as well and don't like the heart/no heart rating system..

Brentis

Love that MS release all Zune updates (software/hardware) free, still rocking my Zune 30gb :P

Pacha