AU: Microsoft is yet to release official details about the new Zunes’ presence in Australia but we’ll be sure to keep you posted if we so much as hear a murmur. -AK

Lets not forget all the Pre-release stuff:
• Zune Getting Media Center Video Integration?
• What the Hell is a Zune Pad?!
• Flash Zune Specs Leaked by FCC
• Zune 1 Getting New Firmware, Features
• Zune 2 Hard Drive and Flash Models Leaked?
• Rumour: Zune 2 Launches Tomorrow
• Zune Scene Predicts Zune 2 on October 16th

Bill Gates says that the Zune is part of a 10-year plan to build a digital entertainment business, of which the Xbox 360 is definitely a big part of. Whether they’ll tie the Zune and the 360 (just like the Zune got some Media Center integration) is unknown, but probably coming.

Robbie Bach also wants everyone to know that “this is going to be an Apple-Microsoft” thing, reiterating that not just are they aiming for #2, eventually they want to be #1. [Seattle PI]

[Financial Times]

• The Zune and Zune Software now supports lossless audio. Windows Media Lossless.
• Microsoft claims that the Zune is now a much superior option compared to the iPod.
• US launch date, according to Amazon, is November 13.• Zune Pass (the monthly subscription scheme) work with the 1 million DRM free songs, but all songs you download with the Zune Pass will still be wrapped in DRM to be recognised as a rental.
• Wireless syncing will automatically sync one minute after activity is stopped as long as you’re in Wi-Fi range and attached to a power source (dock, AC adapter). You can manually trigger the Wi-Fi sync as well even without being connected to power.
• Syncing will interrupt any activity you’re currently doing.
• All the old accessories are compatible with the new devices (there may be some problems with a dock, but they’ll get back to us)
• Screens are now made of glass as opposed to plastic in the 30GB
• The Flash Zunes, even though smaller, have the same resolution as the 80GB Zune.
• Zune Social, the social networking site, will launch in beta.
• You won’t be able to send songs through Zune Social, just pointers to 30 second clips of what you’re listening to
• The brown isn’t discontinued (it’s still in the 30GB models), but they say green is the new fashionable colour, so they’re going with that in the Flash models
• No battery life details yet
• No sound quality comparisons vs. the iPod yet either
• The new Zune dock offers component out with the 80GB, composite out with the 30GB, and no video out for the 4/8.

Giz wasn’t invited to the launch of the Zune, but the folks at Edelman working late into the night supplied us with a promotional video of the event. Check out the UI; it looks amazing. On the other hand, the act of scrolling on the Zunepad looks very constrained and awkward (see the hand in video). I stripped out the parts that were “lifestyle” and left mostly the closeup shots of the Zune. I also swapped out the aggro Seattle rocker track for a Hall and Oates song. (”Out of Touch,” fitting as it were on more than one level.)

Contrast this to what Apple did between the iPhone and the iPod Touch. The iPod Touch is running the same OS as the iPhone, but it’s artificially gimped. There’s no email. There’s no weather or stocks. No notes. No adding events to the Calendar. When old hardware can’t support new features, that’s not anyone’s fault. But all this stuff that’s right there in the software and costs nothing for Apple to put in, and they leave it out to artificially differentiate the product line.

Back to Zune. Not only is the old 30GB getting the new Wi-Fi syncing, it’s getting the updated sharing features, the new codecs, the podcasts, and the new Windows Media Centre TV on the go. It’s essentially the new Zune, except thicker and with less storage space…which makes us ask why Microsoft would be so generous as to kill half the reasons why you’d ever upgrade to a new Zune. But as buyers, we’ll just say thanks.

If you’re now interested in what Microsoft’s throwing your way, you have the option of picking either the 4GB, the 8GB, 30GB or the 80GB, which only differ on size and storage space (plus the 80GB comes with premium headphones). You get to decide what you want. We appreciate the gesture of supporting your old hardware to the end, when it makes sense from a customer’s point of view, and when technically feasible. (Keep ignoring the marketers, thanks.) No artificially gimped players here.

We’re live-updating as we find out more after the jump.Zune Marketplace now has music videos, but no movies. Three million songs total. The 80GB Zune also has a large, 3.2-inch screen, but only comes in black. It’s also smaller and thinner than the original Zune. The flash-based Zunes, on the other hand, come in pink, green, black and red, and are the smallest of all. [CNET]

Update: The sharing feature is being expanded so you can send music AND “other media” to other Zunes. The shared songs have no expiration date and can be shared again with other people, but the same 3 play limitation is still there.

Zune’s also getting a Zune Social social-networking site. You don’t even have to own a Zune to join. You can have Zune Cards to “reflect your musical preferences”, based on the music you listen to on your Zune player. The card can have custom pictures and backgrounds. Displays your currently played song. You can also browse other people’s cards and sample the standard 30-seconds of the song to see if you like it. There’s also going to be community-generated charts to see what’s popular right now in the Zune community.

The Zune’s got a re-worked navigation button and no longer has brown as a colour. Darn, we liked the brown. [NYT]

Update 2: There’s additional video codec support as well: h.264 and MPEG4. You don’t have to convert all your stuff to WMV.

Zune’s also getting a feature to automatically import recorded content from Windows Media Centre as well, meaning you can take your TV shows to go just by syncing up with your computer.

Update 3: The 30GB Zune actually isn’t being eliminated, and will be offered at $US199. Amazon already has it for $US165-$185 now. It’s going to get Wireless Sync, the upgraded Zune to Zune transfer, and the recorded TV content to go. It’s most likely got the same codec support as the 80GB.

Update 4: There’s no Zune Wi-Fi store access here. You’re still going to have to buy your music from your computer and sync it to your Zune. But, Microsoft says:

Update 5: Wired has a hands on.

What we’re waiting to see is more revolutionary changes, such as the ability to access the Zune music service via Wi-Fi.

80GB Zune Feature List:

Beautiful, big colour screen. A bright, durable 3.2-inch glass screen delivers uncompromised portable video viewing. Your music, video and pictures never looked better.
• Touch controls. Fly effortlessly through your song, picture and video collections with the new Zune Pad. Innovative new touch controls let you brush or click.
• Wireless sync. Cut the cord to your PC. Refresh your Zune with new content anywhere you charge your device. Connect to your PC through your home wireless network by setting your Zune to automatically sync the latest podcasts, music and more from your stereo dock, AC adaptor or speaker dock accessory.
• Zune Social, a beta online community Web site. Discover, share and leave your musical mark. Create a Zune Card and personal profile at Zune.net to reflect your musical identity. Invite friends, share song recommendations, post comments and browse member pages to discover new music and connect to other people with similar musical tastes.
• Zune Marketplace. Get your fill. Over 3 million songs, albums, DRM-free MP3s, music videos, audio and video podcasts and more. Buy individual songs and albums or choose a Zune Pass to get unlimited downloads for a flat rate.
• Wireless Zune-to-Zune sharing.3 Share full-length tracks of your favourite songs, albums, playlists, pictures and even audio podcasts. Listen to the full track of any song you receive up to three times, and even pass along songs you receive to other friends who have a Zune. If you like a song you receive, you can easily add it to your wish list and then buy it from your PC the next time you sync.
• Recorded television content to go. The Zune software will now automatically import broadcast content recorded on Windows® Media Center for Windows Vista® Home Premium or Ultimate, so consumers can sync them onto their Zune and hit the road.4

• Built-in FM radio. With the built-in FM tuner you can listen to your favourite local FM radio stations while you’re on the go. Advanced tuning capabilities allow you to see the name of the song and artist currently playing on select frequencies.5
• Import your music. Zune software will automatically import your existing music, pictures and videos, including music you have ripped into iTunes and Windows Media® Player, even transferring your existing playlists and song ratings in one easy step. Some content may be protected by the service you purchased it from, so those files cannot be imported.
• Your games. Your music. Your way. Plug your Zune into your Xbox 360® and customise the soundtrack in your favourite games. You can also stream the music, pictures and videos from the Zune software on your PC to your Xbox 360 console using a wireless connection.
• Accessories. A full line of Zune accessories are available to enhance your experience wherever you are, at home, on the go, in the car or working out.