Zune Totally Explained

November 14, 2006 | unitssold = 1.2 million units | media = | operatingsystem = Microsoft Windows CE Based | input = | power = | cpu = Freescale i. MX31L processor ARM Core | storage = 4 and 8 GB Flash Drive, 30 and 80 GB Hard drive | memory = | display = Zune 30: 3 Inch QVGA LCD screen, with a resolution of 320×240
Zune 80: 3.2 Inch Glass LCD screen, with a resolution of 320x240 at 4:3 aspect ratio | onlineservice = Zune Marketplace | dimensions = | weight = | touchpad = Circular Directional Pad (30 GB Release), Touch-sensitive Zune pad (Later 4, 8, 80 GB Releases) | predecessor = | successor = | related = }} Zune is the name of a brand of digital music products and services sold by Microsoft. It includes digital audio players and client software incorporating an online music store which includes DRM-free mp3s as well as protected songs. The devices come in three styles, all of which play music, pictures, and videos, display images, receive FM radio, and on a limited basis share files wirelessly with other Zunes and via USB with Xbox 360s. The Zune Software allows users to manage files on the player, to rip audio CDs, and to buy songs at the online Zune Marketplace. The Zune (Recently renamed Zune 30) was released in the United States on November 14 2006 and is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and the Xbox 360. The Zune 4, 8 and 80 are new Zune devices which were announced on October 2 2007. The new Zunes offer updated features, including the ability to sync wirelessly, a larger 3.2" screen (Zune 80), a new 'touch pad' style input device, additional file support for H.264 and MPEG-4 files, podcast support, upgraded song-sharing licensing, and brand new Zune software that includes support for future DRM-free music in the Zune Marketplace. Perhaps most importantly, all of the software features introduced on the new Zune are available for the old Zune (now called the Zune 30, in contrast to the new Zune 80). A firmware update for old Zunes will introduce all of these software features.

History

The Zune was created while Microsoft was in close cooperation with Toshiba, which took the existing design of the Gigabeat S and redeveloped it under the name Toshiba 1089 as registered with the FCC. Xbox 360 overseer J Allard ran the project, codenamed 'Argo', which consisted of some Xbox and MSN Music store developers, who worked on 'Alexandria' and finalized it as Zune Marketplace, then later unveiled both products united under a single brand in the U.S. market as the Zune. The Zune represents Microsoft's attempt to enter the rich digital audio player market, which is currently dominated by Apple's iPod.
The Zune 4GB, 8GB, and 80GB were announced on October 2 2007 and featured an amount of storage equal to the number in the name with the 4 and 8 being flash based and smaller than the 80.

Music player

Models

The consumer edition was initially offered in black, rich brown, and pearl white, which came with a "doubleshot," or translucent glow in a different color, of blue, green, and clear, respectively. Cases are made from a silicone rubber. Controls include a circular controller with four buttons for direction, as well as a middle button to select a song album or menu, a back button to the left, a play/pause button to the right, and a hold switch atop the player next to the headphone port. The words "Hello from Seattle" are inscribed on the back of the case and it featured several songs, videos, and images preloaded on the device. The Zune sold at a retail price of $250.
   The limited edition came in different colors and artwork and were offered in three consecutive months. Red Zunes were put up for auction in various stores in the Los Angeles area on October 2006. Pink and orange Zunes, in quantities of 100 each, were randomly inserted into Zune boxes along with a numbered certificate of authenticity. Devices in these same colors were given to the Zune team as ship gifts. They had "Welcome to the Social November 14, 2006" written on the back and came in white packaging featuring Zune artwork then were released on the very same month. "Ambassador" artwork Zunes were given to Microsoft's "Zune Master" college-student marketers on December 15, 2006. Cesar Menendez from the Microsoft Zune team confirmed Pink Zune availability around mid-May for a limited edition production run of 100,000 units. In the same month, beginning April 13, 2007, the Pink Zune was first available on several online stores.
   A Halo 3 inspired Zune developed in partnership with the game's creators Bungie was announced at a Halo 3 event in May 2007. The Halo 3 Zune comes in either dark brown or black, and features a Halo symbol on the back. Both versions are loaded with Halo content, including a custom episode of the popular series Red vs. Blue and were designed to feel like something that came from the game.
   The black Halo 3 Zune is sold exclusively through GameStop since June 27 2007, while the dark brown Halo 3 Zunes will be carried in the AAFES "PX" for the military. In early August, 2007, 300 of the dark brown Halo 3 Zunes were distributed free of charge by the USO to soldiers deployed to foreign soil. As of June 10th, a special edition red Zune is for sale online at Amazon.com and also at Target stores all over the United States.
   Zune's operating system is based on Windows CE kernel for ARM architecture and uses a distribution like the Portable Media Center found on the Gigabeat S. It natively supports the JPEG format for images, the WMV format for video, and these audio formats: MP3, AAC (.m4a), WMA Pro (2-channel), and WMA Standard. Like iTunes, the Zune Software will transcode, or convert, some other media formats to native ones; for example, from MP4 video to WMV video. Unlike iTunes, the Zune software currently can't automatically download audio or video podcasts when alerted by a RSS feed (the version of the Zune software that will be released with the new models will include this functionality). But the device can play podcast files that are unrestricted and in a natively supported format.
   The Zune's graphical user interface (GUI) (called the "twist interface" by Microsoft) has sections for music, video, pictures, radio, community, and settings. It is said to provide "two-dimensional navigation" for scrolling through items with its directional pad. In the music section, users can add songs to a quick playlist without reconnecting to the desktop software. In the picture section, the background can be personalized using any image as wallpaper. In the radio section, users can receive and play FM radio internally, with North American, Japanese, and European tuning ranges and show song information on supported FM stations. In the community section, users can broadcast user profile and current activity to others nearby. In the setting section, users can control backlight settings and output analog TV in with purchase of a separate connection.
   Zune supports a single digital rights management system — Windows Media DRM (WMDRM) — incompatible with other DRM systems and not part of the PlaysForSure platform or program.

Zune Software

Zune Software functions as management software for the device and library and as a client to the online music store. As a modified version of Windows Media Player 11, with additional DirectShow decoders for AAC, MPEG-4 and H.264, it supports the following formats — for audio: MP3 (.mp3), AAC (Low complexity) (.aac, .mp4, .m4a, .m4b, .mov), WMA (.wma); for video: MPEG4 (in .mp4, .m4v and .mov containers), H.264 (in .mp4, .m4v and .mov containers), WMV (.wmv), ASF (.asf); and for still images: JPEG (.jpg). It synchronizes music, pictures, and videos to the device. It streams files to the Xbox 360. It organizes the media in its library and allows users to add to the library by ripping from CDs and to organize the metadata. It can automatically pull down album art and metadata tag data for some content in the library. There is also an inbox feature in the desktop client software as well on the device, which keeps track of flagged music (for later consideration) as well as songs swapped with other Zune users. Although the Zune software is a modified version of Windows Media Player, the Zune device was designed to only work with the Zune software. Zune software requires Windows XP or Vista, but can run on other versions of Windows with minor modifications. The version of the Zune Software to be released alongside the new line of devices will be rebuilt from the ground up, rather than being based on WMP 11.
The current version of the software is 1.3.5728.0 released along side 1.4 firmware update.
Several versions of the software were released. A history of each version reveals:

External results

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External Link Exchanges

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