Zune HD 16 GB Video MP3 Player
- IMPORTANT PRODUCT INFORMATION: To get started using Zune HD, download the latest software to your PC from zune.net/setup and charge your Zune using the supplied cable for at least 30 minutes before use
- 16 GB capacity for up to 4,000 songs, 24 hours standard definition video, or 5 hours high definition video
- 3.3-inch OLED screen with 480 x 272 resolution and 16:9 display
- HD Radio gives you access to many local stations with crystal-clear digital sound at no extra cost
- Watch supported 720p HD movies, TV shows, and videos in high definition
- Buy, stream, and update your music, download free games, and surf the web via a Wi-Fi connection
Product Description
The Zune HD wireless media player connects you to a world of entertainment. With built-in HD Radio receiver, HD-compatible video, multi-touch navigation, OLED screen, and games, Zune HD delivers the next level in music and video experiences.Amazon.com Product Description
Zune is the premium digital experience that gives you access to the latest in entertainment and technology, allowing you to enjoy, connect, and discover content in a whole new way–the way you like it. Browse, stream, buy, and play all you want, including music, HD video, podcasts, games, and much more. Gain the freedom to enjoy your entertainment. Zune brings your content up front, so you’re always in control.
Instant entertainment that you control. Click to enlarge. |
Browse, stream, buy, and play all you want, including music, HD video, podcasts, games, and much more. Click to enlarge. |
With a 3.3-inch size and vivid 16:9 display, truer and brighter entertainment is at your fingertips. Click to enlarge. |
Weighs just 2.6 ounces and is only 8.9 mm thick. Click to enlarge. |
Instant Entertainment that You Control
- HD Radio Technology: More Stations, better sound, no fees
- HD-compatible Video: High-quality video on the go or on your HDTV
- Internet Browsing: News, email, traffic? It’s all in your pocket.
- OLED Touchscreen: Wide view with a special touch
- Games: More games, more fun
Zune HD
Portable perfection
The new Zune HD wireless media player takes you closer and connects you to a whole new world of entertainment. With a built-in HD Radio receiver, HD-compatible video, multi-touch navigation, OLED screen, and games, Zune HD delivers the next level in music and video experiences.
- Zune HD 16 GB: holds up to 5 hours of high-definition video; 24 hours of standard definition video; 4,000 songs; or 25,000 pictures. Available in black.
HD Radio Technology
- The new Zune HD gives you access to many local HD Radio stations with crystal-clear digital sound at no extra cost. Receive additional channels from your local stations and get more of the content you love, including sports, news, and music, in various genres and formats.
- Like something you hear on HD Radio? Song tagging technology allows you to buy the song if you are connected to a Wi-Fi network or to tag it for later purchase.
- Click here for more information about HD Radio.
HD-compatible Video
- Watch HD movies, TV shows, and more on your HDTV directly from your Zune HD. Just connect via the Zune HD & AV Dock to your HDTV (both sold separately) to watch 720p HD video. The Zune HD also will play your videos on the go in its sharp, brilliant OLED screen. Videos on the player are downscaled to fit the screen at 480 x 272–not HD resolution.
Quickplay
- Get instant access to your stuff with shortcuts to favorites, recently downloaded or played music, videos, and more. Quickplay cuts through the clutter and brings up front the content that you care about most.
Games
- Loaded with multi-touch and accelerometer, the Zune HD player makes portable gaming even more exciting. Download from Zune’s catalog of free games and popular titles–play them all to the sound of your favorite music.
OLED Touchscreen
- Get instant access to your content with multi-touch navigation. With a 3.3-inch size and vivid 16:9 display (480 x 272 resolution), truer and brighter entertainment is at your fingertips.
Wireless
- Zune HD allows you to buy, stream, and update your music–and download free games–wirelessly via a Wi-Fi connection. Feeling entangled? Wirelessly sync your Zune HD to your home PC via your home network. You also can stream millions of songs over Wi-Fi directly to your Zune HD and turn it into a portable digital jukebox.
Internet Browsing
- Surf the web anytime, anywhere you have a Wi-Fi connection. Enjoy your favorite websites with a well-featured web browser, including tap-to-zoom technology, built-in accelerometer, and touchscreen QWERTY keyboard.
Zune Marketplace
- Download free Zune software to access Zune Marketplace from your PC. Download or stream new music, rent the latest movies, buy TV shows, and watch free trailers and previews–plus thousands of audio and video podcasts. You also can download from our catalog of free games including classic and other popular titles.
Expand Your Entertainment with Xbox 360
- Zune features movies, TV shows, and more in both high and standard definition. Browse and watch from thousands of titles for rent, or purchase available instantly through Microsoft’s Smooth Streaming technology. Buy videos once and watch on multiple screens: on your Xbox 360, Zune player, and PC. See www.xbox.com/live for system requirements. The convenience of on-demand, only on Xbox 360.
Accessories (Sold Separately)
Zune HD AV Dock
This all-in-one package enables Zune HD players to charge, sync, and play supported 720p HD videos on HDTVs. Send music to your home audio systems and control it all via a wireless remote.
Zune Premium Car Pack
Charge and play music, podcasts, and HD Radio stations from your Zune HD while you drive. The FM transmitter/car charger auto-seeks the best available frequency on your car stereo. A USB port located on the transmitter/car charger allows you to charge a second Zune player simultaneously.
Zune Sync Cable
Charge your Zune player and sync with your collection on your PC.
Zune Charge Pack
The Zune AC Adapter fast-charges your Zune player up to 70% within an hour. Folding blades make it easy to travel with. Use the included USB cable to sync with a PC.
Zune Power Pack
Connect your AV cable to your docked Zune HD to play music, HD Radio broadcasts, and audio podcasts through your home audio system. The HDMI cable connects your docked Zune HD to HDTVs to view movies and videos. Also includes Zune AC Adapter; Zune HD player and Zune HD AV Dock sold separately.
Zune Sync Dock
Connect to your PC and sync your collection while you charge your Zune in style. Control from a distance with the included wireless remote, which gives you full access to your Zune player from anywhere in the room.
Zune HD 16 GB Video MP3 Player
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Microsoft has decided that its new Zune player does not need much storage. Even the old Zune was available in a 120 GB hard drive model. The Zune HD is available only with flash drives. The largest capacity Zune HD is 32 GB. If you have more than 32 GB of music or video, the Zune HD will not work for you.
Apple offers a 160 Gb iPod for those like me with large music and video collections. Will Microsoft never learn how to make a decent portable music player?
Rating: 2 / 5
As usual, Microsoft is about 2 years behind the iPod line, with a limited number of features that have been available on the iPod for two years. Bravo to MS for being able to copy yet another Apple design, just as it copied the square-shaped screen and click wheel design of the original iPod. It’s stunning that Microsoft continues to trail behind Apple and attempts to win market share by merely adopting everything Apple proves to be successful. Listen, no one in their right mind would give up the thousands of apps, the games, the download-direct capability to rent movies and buy music, the sex appeal of the design and the ease of use of the iPod Touch in favor of the significantly hampered features of a Zune. So yes, I’m calling out any Microsoft employee making up phony “reviews” in which they claim to be former iPod Touch owners. If you’re a true consumer who is comparing this latest outdated brick with the iPod Touch, I encourage you to try them both. Try before you buy. Simply go to your nearest Apple Store and get hands-on with the iPod Touch, then go find a vendor who will let you get JUST AS hands-on with a Zune. The user experience is so significantly different, the decision will be simple to make. Then you can come back here to Amazon to make the purchase. The Zune isn’t even what the iPod was 2 years ago… But if you’re opposed to having the cutting edge of full functionality, hey, Microsoft is your company.
EDIT: Since writing this review, I have through spirited debate with Zune fans discovered that Microsoft added one more easter egg to the Zune – ADS. That’s right, apparently you get ADS when opening Microsoft’s version of apps. Really? See here is the math I do: If you’re going to subsidize your device with advertisements, then do I get a rebate on the price? The iPod Touch doesn’t force its users to sit through ads to get down to what does; does that and the fact that it can do so much more indicate that the Zune should cost half as much? Really, Zune users, I think you’re being “had.”
Rating: 1 / 5
Yup. If you expected a ton of apps on the Zune Marketplace then you will be disappointed. It turns out that Microsoft does not currently have plans to provide a Software Development Kit for third party developers anytime soon (they just said it will happen eventually). What does this mean? Well, it means you will have to be content with MSN Weather, a calculator, and a handful of flash-like games like chess and solitaire (not even a Twitter or Facebook app which are included for free in a a lot of other similar devices, those are coming “later this year” apparently. Woop dee doo). Don’t believe me? Download the new Zune software (no Zune required) and check out the Apps section.
Here is the reason why, straight out of the mouth of Brian Seitz, Microsoft’s Zune marketing manager, in an interview with the Seattle Times:
“Right now our product roadmaps [referring to their Zune and Windows Mobile strategies] didn’t line up perfectly for us to snap to what they’re doing or vice versa… Down the road if [IF? uh oh] there’s a way we can work with Windows Mobile or another group inside the company that’s building an app store and take advantage of that, that’s something we’ll look into.”
So there you have it. The Zune HD is apparently just another product rushed to market in order to make the profitable holiday window, a second thought if you will, and Windows Mobile appears to be their real focus at this time. Basically, you are paying for an incomplete product/service… and you get to pay Microsoft a nice couple of Benjamins to beta test it. Yay.
Now to be fair, the Zune HD does appear to be a solid music player, so if that is all you are looking for then I am sure it will be well worth the money, just keep in mind that it is not the best choice out there currently.
Rating: 1 / 5
Basically does what he Touch did two years ago – has a misleading HD in the name when it has no on-board HD viewing capability.
HD Radio is just a brand name, there’s nothing HD about the sound at all.
Does not work cross platform, does not work with iTunes, not available outside the US.
Forces you to watch adverts before you can use the limited Microsoft Apps! EVERY TIME!
No software development kit (SDK) so no third party app development.
OLED screen flickers during WIFI downloads
OLED screen is difficult to see in sunlight – IE It’s not bright enough
Touch screen is small and difficult to use
Rating: 1 / 5
[...]. This thing has a SMALLER SCREEN THAN THE IPOD TOUCH, NO SPEAKER, and HAS NO REAL HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO PLAYBACK unless it is hooked up to a television set. It is a good media player, but when YOU CAN GET AN IPOD TOUCH FOR LESS, it’s an awful deal! Two thumbs down, get an iPod touch 32GB (which is cheaper than the Zune HD 32GB as of when I’m writing this review).
[...].
Rating: 1 / 5