Manage updates with the Download AppZune HD (32GB - platinum)
Manufacturer: Microsoft Part number: END-00002
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Zune HD delivers one of the best portable music and video experiences money can buy. At a time when many people have shifted their focus to games and applications, providing a killer media experience may not be enough for potential Zune buyers.
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CNET editors' review
Zune HD (32GB - platinum) price range: $348.84 - $401.94
- Reviewed by: Donald Bell
- Reviewed on: 09/17/2009
- Released on: 09/15/2009
The good: The Zune HD's brilliant OLED display, HD Radio tuner, long battery life, movie rentals, and subscription music integration finally give iPod expatriates something to shout about.
The bad: You still can't use the Zune with a Mac, Marketplace purchases require "Microsoft Points," video format support is limited, audio quality lacks advanced controls, you'll need to purchase a dock accessory for HD video output, application and game selection stinks, and the recommended music subscription plan puts the real-world cost higher than the iPod.
The bottom line: The Zune HD delivers one of the best portable music and video experiences money can buy. At a time when many people have shifted their focus to games and applications, providing a killer media experience may not be enough for potential Zune buyers.
User reviews
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I hate cnet biased reviews
by terrycanfly on September 21, 2009
Pros: media playback, both audio and video.
Cons: cnet under rating superior devices and over rating ipods.
Summary: they discredit the zune for limited video formats when the ipod only supports 1 video format and doesn't even support HD yet they dont nay say apple for that? ...
Summary: they discredit the zune for limited video formats when the ipod only supports 1 video format and doesn't even support HD yet they dont nay say apple for that? the ipod is too closed and outdated. the interface is old and boring. the zune is sleek, has more support and the monthly subscription is optional. you can still pay for songs individually at comparable costs as itunes. then cnet goes on to complain that u have to use the zune marketplace which easier to use than itunes yet dont complain about ipods having to use itunes. its not microsofts fault that morons use tachnology and cant do simple math. and if not too stupid then too lazy. Its unfortunate that so many customers take the words of so called experts when the actual consumers are rating the xune higher than the ipod touch. i have lost all respect for cnet because they no longer have any credibility. and working in electronic retail you can bet i will convince some customers as well. either they review their reviews or down with cnet.
69 out of 82 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Zune HD Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger... and Smaller
by KingOfNerds on September 17, 2009
Pros: -Small sleek design
-Harder difficult to scratch all around
-Interface is fast intuitive & pleasing to look at
-Wifi features w/ zune pass you can download new songs whenever wherever
-Browser is awesome & loads everything well
-HD RadioCons: -Battery drains fast (about 5 or maybe a little more hours) when playing some games that use tilt feature
-No onboard speaker
-Makes my LG Dare look massive... If thats badSummary: The device has an awesome form factor and seems to fit perfectly in your hand. This is an awesome device for anyone that isn't already tied down to much ...
Summary: The device has an awesome form factor and seems to fit perfectly in your hand. This is an awesome device for anyone that isn't already tied down to much by apple, those people will pick at things like having no speaker, something that i have never even cared about. The metal finish on the back feels awesome in your hand and is pretty difficult to scratch.
The zune firmware on the device is blazin fast. I am still amazed by how fast everything loads with the Nvidia Tegra processor. I am still stunned by how awesome it looks, flipping through the menu's is fun for me for an unexplainable reason. I don't know if its how fast the response is or the look and feel, but i love it. The History and New features on the menu are an easy way to listen to music without searching through the menus to find what you want. You are also able to pin music to that menu so you can find what you want quickly.
Some of the new features are a lot of fun especially when integrated with zune pass. I love the new social features that let you look at the songs your friends have been listening to, and their favorites and download them if you want. Hd radio is also really enjoyable to listen to, and i hate the radio, but it sounds so amazing on this device i actually listen to it. The tagging features integrated with the radios metadata are really fun.
If you are paying for rhapsody right now, pick one of these up and switch to zune pass. If you are not sure about zune pass I can say it is 100% worth it, you get to download unlimited songs and get to keep 10 of those. With features in zune like channels the zune pass becomes even more worth it. Zune has channels which they update with new songs every week or maybe a little more, it is an awesome way to listen to new music that you wouldn't have heard otherwise.
The zune software is really nice and intuitive. It has a new smart dj feature that lets you hit that on an album or artist and it will do like a pandora sort of thing. Where it plays music that is similar sounding to what you choose, and with zune pass it will also integrate songs from zune marketplace to go along with the playlist.
Overall I am going to have to say that the Zune HD is probably the best ipod alternative on the market and definitely gives the Ipod touch a run for the money in the eyes of consumers.25 out of 26 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Excellent Flash MP3 player w/OLED screen
by karmamule on September 15, 2009
Pros: Brilliant OLED screen; very lightweight and small, but not TOO small; versatile video capabilities including 720p out via dock; subscription music option; fun; can sync wirelessly; smart dj feature surprisingly good
Cons: Price should be lower to boost competitiveness; on-screen only volume controls; no 64gb size available (yet)
Summary: I've owned Zunes from each generation (first the 30gb, then the 80 and 120, and now the HD), and they've all been solid, capable players with a good ...
Summary: I've owned Zunes from each generation (first the 30gb, then the 80 and 120, and now the HD), and they've all been solid, capable players with a good set of features that stand up to any competitor out there. With the Zune HD a certain level of flair has been added that has been missing before, with a beautiful OLED screen, a slick and capable UI with some interesting features like the ability to 'pin' commonly used features to the front, and HD radio.
The player is on the lighter side, and may be smaller than you think if you've only seen it in photos by itself. It's very light and smaller than equivalent iPods, but the screen packs almost as much resolution as those larger players. Despite that, it doesn't feel cheap or flimsy.
The UI and player's design aesthetic is definitely different from the iPod, more angular for the player, and a much busier UI that nevertheless doesn't feel cluttered or cramped. Large bold fonts that don't always "fit" the screen feel right because the UI does a great job of having them fly in and out to be legible while given a certain level of style that past Zunes have lacked. It's the kind of thing you have to see in person to appreciate.
The expected tight integration with their 'Marketplace' software is as expected, with some nice capabilities others lack like wireless syncing with your PC, as well as the ability to stream and/or download subscription music wirelessly if within wifi range.
The subscription service, Zune Pass, is a key differentiator for me that led me to choose the Zune ecosystem instead of Apple's iTunes/iPod. iPods and iTunes are undeniably well designed, and work very well for most people.
However, as someone who likes to listen to a wide variety of music and enjoys finding new artists to listen to and appreciate, having the subscription service is a killer feature. For $15 a month you can download 10 MP3 songs to keep, and the other $5 goes towards the ability to stream and/or download from a huge selection of millions of songs. Unlike Pandora, LastFM, or other services you also have exact control over what you listen to, and when.
Many people seem to thinking buying or "renting" music is an either/or option, but if you can afford the extra $5 a month, then you can both buy your favorite songs above and beyond the 10 per month provided, AND enjoy the subscription music. It's a great combo, and is the primary feature that lead me to pick Zunes over iPods without a look back.
The Marketplace software itself is a worthy contender to iTunes, with a well-designed UI that has lots of slick features like 'mixview' to quickly see related artists and/or Zune users who are also fans of the artist, and also a surprisingly good Smart DJ feature that seems finally to actually work well and be of use, as opposed to past attempts. Inspired by Rhapsody's Channels (which came before Apple's Genius feature, and are similar in nature), the Smart DJ will instantly make a playlist from both your collection's music as well as music available via Zune Pass if you have it. This gives you a great way to mix in your favorites with new music discovery and I'm already having lots of fun with it.
Video and audio podcasts are available, as is a good selection of TV show episodes and movies available for both rental or purchase in most cases, in both standard and HD formats.
The built in web browser is surprisingly good too. This isn't too important to me, as I already have an iPhone, but it's good to have for fallback. It's not as polished as Safari on the iPod touch, but it came much closer than I thought it would.
In larger metropolitan areas like Boston the HD radio can also be an excellent feature. The sound quality isn't hugely better than regular FM in my opinion, but what is wonderful is that you have access to additional streams for each HD radio station. For example WGBH has 3 HD signals, so if you don't like what they're playing on one of them, try the other two.
The app store is the one feature that is no match for its iPod equivalent. There's a rather sad selection of a handful of apps at the moment, and is in no way currently a competitor to the vast and enjoyable Apple app store. Who knows what will come with time, but this certainly won't change anytime in the near future. If apps and/or internet browsing is a key feature for you, then an iPod Touch may still be your best choice.
But, if you are primarily concerned with using this player for music and video, then it's unique features make it something very much worth considering, with a unique and enjoyable combination of features and options that no other player has.15 out of 17 users found this user opinion helpful.
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The best PMP on the market & best music player on PC
by GentleNation on September 18, 2009
Pros: Zune Pass changes the way you consume music
HD Radio w/tagging helps you find new music on the go
16:9 OLED screen = video w/out letterbox
Movie rentals
Compatible w/ Xbox 360 video store
3D games
Wi-fi sync
Battery life
Very light
Zune 4.0 softwareCons: HDMI out requires dock
Podcasts & Videos are not downloadable without PC sync
Web browser is very basic
Free games include ads
No speaker
No native Mac support - Boot Camp & Emulation work
Twitter app, Facebook, PGRacing, AudioSurf not until NovemSummary: Remember back when your 56K dial-up ISP went from a very limited timed internet usage per month to unlimited all you can eat usage? Remember when your cellphone provider made ...
Summary: Remember back when your 56K dial-up ISP went from a very limited timed internet usage per month to unlimited all you can eat usage? Remember when your cellphone provider made your text messaging plan and voice calls to other people on the network unlimited for a flat rate? Unlimited access fundamentally changes the way you use devices and the amount of time and enjoyment you get out of them. Zune Pass does this for MP3 players allowing you to take any song you like. Hear a brand new song or a classic favorite on the Zune's FM radio that you really like? No reason to hesitate. Click the purchase button on the radio screen and next time you connect to the internet it will download the song to your Zune. Heck take the whole album while you're at it, Zune Pass is all you can eat. By the end of the month you can choose 10 songs to keep forever so you'll automatically own 120 songs by the end of the year. That is Zune Pass and it's wonderful as I've just described it but it gets even better...
The Zune 4.0 software, which is the best, fastest, and most eye-pleasing music/marketplace I've ever used now has a feature called "Smart DJ." This feature doesn't just create playlists for you out of your own collection of MP3's, if you choose it can pull songs off of the Zune marketplace that you don't own and suggests them to you based upon your song preferences. Now once you combine Zune Pass with this new feature you have something really special. Like an iTunes Genius on steroids you can start grabbing music you like off of Zune marketplace by the handfuls as you discover new artists and albums. And then there are the hundreds of premade "playlists" you can download from the Zune marketplace conveniently ranked in order of popularity. These playlists include things like the 100 most popular songs from any year in the last 30 years. Want the best songs from 1985? A couple of clicks and they're all on your Zune in a playlist. How about all the songs that won a Grammy this year or all the songs that were nominated for a VMA? They're all yours with Zune Pass. You can also subscribe to channels like the Billboard top 40 and have the top music in the country automatically synced to your Zune every week. You see people write off Zune Pass as little more than "renting music" when it's so much more than that. It's more like having a personal chef live in your home with a menu of hundreds of dishes he can instantly prepare for you. Having an MP3 player without a Zune Pass is like having an Xbox without Xbox Live. Zune Pass opens up a whole new experience with music like you've never had on an iPod or in iTunes.
And lets talk about the experience of using the new Zune 4.0 software for the PC. It's phenomenal. Whether you get a Zune HD or not, you must go to the Zune website right now and download this software. I guarantee you will fall in love with Zune 4.0 the instant you discover the artist view visualizer in the Now Playing section. When the Zune software starts pulling down the images of your favorite artists from the songs you are playing and displaying their bio info and data on how many people have played their songs on the Zune network you will start to fall in love. This is the future of album art and liner notes. The people who made this software truly love music as much as you do and they treat the experience of playing and discovering new music with reverence. The Zune software is super speedy, visually pleasing, and well integrated into Windows 7 with jump lists to your favorite artists, and a mini taskbar player that is perfect. Give the Zune software a try and you will probably never want to play your music in iTunes ever again. Even if you don't spring for the Zune Pass the ability to have the software dynamically create playlists out of the standard 30 second previews is nice. Hey maybe you just want to listen to a 30 second per song rundown of all the top songs on the billboard charts or play a playlist of the top 100 songs from 1991 without having to listen to each song in it's entirety; in that case Zune Pass not needed.
There are also a ton of community features built into Zune as well. If you have Xbox Live you will immediately be familiar with the Zune cards which show your friends and what songs and albums they've been listening to. You can send these people songs, check out what they listen to and download anything they've listened to if you have a Zune Pass. The Zune software automatically shows you all the people on your Xbox Live friends list and what they've been listening to on Zune.
There's so much more to say, I haven't even talked about video. The Marketplace lets you rent and purchase standard definition and high definition movies and TV shows. The Zune HD w/ it's proper 16:9 OLED display will display videos w/out letterboxing. In November Xbox 360 will connect to the Zune video store and anything you purchase on PC/Zune/360 will be free to download on all devices linked to your account.11 out of 11 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Zune HD is sleek and sturdy. Audit and video - great.
by iuherd on September 16, 2009
Pros: Video is really something. I purchased a history channel program that had cartoon graphics, old video and interviews and was really pleased with the quality of the video. Organization of music songs is nice. Audio is crisp.
Cons: If this were a phone, I'd throw my Pre in the trash.
Summary: I've been waiting for the Zune for two months and could not be more pleased now that I have the device. It's a cool, sleek device that's ...
Summary: I've been waiting for the Zune for two months and could not be more pleased now that I have the device. It's a cool, sleek device that's come a long way. The music and audio are very, very good. It's quite a concession to the quality of the Zune if a main remaining difference with the IPod is the Apps - as I had an Apple rep in a Best Buy tell me yesterday. He said he had only "five or six" apps on his IPod - hardly a key differentiator to me.
A few more apps, a few more games, larger music selection .... come on Microsoft, I have bigger plans for my Zune HD, make it happen.8 out of 10 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Best portable media player on the planet!!!
by modestmouserules on December 7, 2009
Pros: It does everything the itouch does, but better. Better battery life, faster, better graphics card, HD FM radio with a bunch of extra crystal-clear channels and more. It does a lot and you will be surprised.The web browser is much better on the Zune.
Cons: Not as many apps as the Itouch.
Summary: To get an i-touch or a Zune HD really depends on what you are setting out to do. If you are looking to play some fun little games or have ...
Summary: To get an i-touch or a Zune HD really depends on what you are setting out to do. If you are looking to play some fun little games or have some cool apps that can calculate your dinner bill, then get the itouch. But if you are looking for a PREMIUM MEDIA EXPERIENCE, then get a Zune HD. Zune HD Music quality is better, you can wireless sinc the Zune HD to your PC, which is awesome. So i can be sitting at work or at school and be like, oh, i want that new podcast that came out today or something. And as long as there's wi-fi wherever you are, you just click the button on the Zune HD and it updates all of your media in less than 5 minutes. You can also wirelessly purchase songs on your zune HD. Also, there is the Zune pass, where you pay $15 per month and recieve unlimited access to more than 4 million songs on the Zune software, which is awesome. And as long as you have a decent PC, the Zune software is superior to itunes. More visual fun to use with better music and it can choose music that you should like based on what you listen to most from your collection, like genius on itunes, but it actually does a good job :)
5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Superior Audio & Video playback
by jswanitz on August 11, 2010
Pros: Great sound.
Unmatched OLED screen.
Smooth video playback.
Best touch and MP3 UI on the market
Zune software is a great experience coupled with Zune Pass.Cons: Zune software can run a little slow sometimes. Once the collection is loaded, it runs fine.
I have large hands, and can "fat finger" the touch keypad on occasion. Not bad, but a little frustrating at times.Summary: As stated above, the user interface and speed of the interface is the best I have ever used. Yes, this includes Apple products.
Superior sound quality, although you will need ...Summary: As stated above, the user interface and speed of the interface is the best I have ever used. Yes, this includes Apple products.
Superior sound quality, although you will need to upgrade the headphones. The included buds are nearly useless. I now use Klipsch, which I am please with. Even $20-$30 Skull Candy buds are a big improvement.
Video playback is fantastic on the OLED screen! I have not purchased the HDMI dock to try viewing HD video through my home entertainment system, but would like to try it. It just isn't necessary at this time.
Great build quality. Sexy looking player. Get a lot of compliments on it!
The Zune Marketplace coupled with the Zune pass is probably the best way to experience, download, and purchase the music you want. WELL worth the $15/mo., as you get to pick 10 songs a month to keep forever. Streaming through the marketplace is also included, and when using SmartDJ, you get to experience a lot of new artists, and some that have been around a while, that you might not have been aware of.
A very engaging music experience via Zune Marketplace and the device itself.
HD radio is top notch. I like that I can tag songs I hear on the radio, and download them from the Marketplace.
Apps aren't really my thing, nor the reason I purchased this fantastic device.
I have the few apps that are available, downloaded, but rarely use them. What they do, they do well, but again, not my gig; just figured I would give them a try.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Best mp3 Player= Zune HD
by frozenseawolf on November 2, 2009
Pros: - Ridiculous Battery Life
- Appealing Form Factor
- Vivid OLED Screen
- Fluid User Interface
- Rich Audio Quality
- Underrated Internet Browsing Wi-FiCons: Nothing, except for the app store in its infancy
Summary: Microsoft's reboot of the Zune franchise was a risk that will pay off finally. As a long-time iPod/iPhone user, the Zune HD brings the portable audio/video experience ...
Summary: Microsoft's reboot of the Zune franchise was a risk that will pay off finally. As a long-time iPod/iPhone user, the Zune HD brings the portable audio/video experience to a whole new level that should rank it as the ultimate best-of-breed media player device.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Are you kidding CNET
by simmer006 on October 19, 2009
Pros: Screen, Survivability, Sound Quality, Size, Speed
Cons: Still growing community of programmers. Then again ITS A MP3!
Summary: So let me get this straight my Zune Pass makes my Zune more expensive then my iPod which i buy I buy songs for at $.99 a pop. Try again ...
Summary: So let me get this straight my Zune Pass makes my Zune more expensive then my iPod which i buy I buy songs for at $.99 a pop. Try again Mr. Bell. I have both a Zune HD and an iPod Touch. Let me tell you the sound is better then my iPod at all settings. And it is far cheaper then buying songs from iTunes. The iPod user interface also sucks, people only think it's good because that's what they are told to believe. Lets look at it I can play a song in two click on my Zune, I had a Sony MP3 player that was a twist of my thumb to do just about every thing. My iPod takes half a dozen movements to play any thing. How is that easier?
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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zune: not aimed at ipod touch
by thompsonator on October 14, 2009
Pros: excellent oled screen
beautiful slick interface
nvidia tegra chip
long battery life
hdmi out capable with $90 av dock
good sound quality
good format supportCons: app store severely lacking even for a newly released one
Summary: the zune hd is not a full on competitor to the ipod touch it does what the touch does and in certain cases does it better
the oled screen is ...Summary: the zune hd is not a full on competitor to the ipod touch it does what the touch does and in certain cases does it better
the oled screen is not good in daylight but the ipod is not good either most screens are not good in daylight
the tegra chip in the zune is worlds better than what is in the ipod it has multiple cores which can shut off certain functions of the zune when they are not in use nothing in the ipod does that
the app store is still in development and therefore cannot be compared to the apple app store even at its release because apple had an sdk released with its app store which is not available for the zune... yet
other than these things mentioned the zune does what the ipod does it plays video on a nicer screen but its smaller and it plays songs with sound quality just as good if not better than the ipod when it comes to interface thats subjective the zune is "louder" than apple's minimalist interface and that is strictly a prefernce.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Microsoft
- Part number: END-00002
- 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.
General
- Product type Digital player / radio
- PC interface(s) supported Wi-Fi,
Hi-Speed USB - Flash memory installed 32 GB Integrated
- Digital storage None
- Weight 2.6 oz
- Dimensions (W x D x H) 2.1 in x 0.4 in x 4 in
- Color Platinum silver
- Available body colors Black,
Platinum silver - Included accessories 3 pairs of ear tips
- Software type Drivers & Utilities
Digital Player / Recorder
- Supported digital audio standards WMAPro,
MP3 ,
WMA ,
AAC - Playback modes Random play / shuffle
- ID3 tags support Yes
- Additional features MPEG-4 playback,
Variable bit-rate compatible,
JPEG photo playback Built-in Display
- Audio system built-in display OLED
- Diagonal size 3.3 in
- Resolution 480 x 272
- Display menu language French,
Spanish,
English - Features Touch screen
Audio Features
- Sound output mode Stereo
- Addtional features MPEG-4 playback,
WMV playback,
Built-in games ,
Web browsing,
Built-in FM radio,
Wireless music download,
H.264 playback Video Playback Features
- Video playback support WMV,
MPEG-4 - Still image format JPEG
CD System
- CD system type None
- Digital audio standards supported MP3,
WMA,
CBR,
VBR,
AAC
Radio
- Tuner type Digital Radio / HD radio tuner
- Tuner bands FM
- Station memo display Yes
Remote Control
- Remote control None
Headphones
- Headphones type Binaural Ear-bud
- Sound output mode Stereo
- Connectivity technology Wired
Connectivity
- Cable(s) included 1 x Data cable - External
- Connector type 1 x Headphones / composite video,
1 x Docking station Battery / Power
- Battery Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
- Mfr estimated battery life 33 hour(s)
- Recharge time 2 hour(s)
Product series
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Manufacturer: Microsoft
Specs: 32 GB,
3.3 in,
33 hour(s),
2.6 oz,
Player battery - Rechargeable - Lithium ion,
WMAPro,
MP3,
WMA,
AAC,
Digital player / radio -
Manufacturer: Microsoft
Specs: 16 GB,
3.3 in,
33 hour(s),
2.6 oz,
Player battery - Rechargeable - Lithium ion,
WMAPro,
MP3,
WMA,
AAC,
Digital player / radio -
Manufacturer: Microsoft
Specs: 64 GB,
3.3 in,
33 hour(s),
2.6 oz,
Player battery - Rechargeable - Lithium ion,
WMAPro,
MP3,
WMA,
AAC,
Digital player / radio
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Microsoft products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:Microsoft
- Address:
One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052 - Phone: 1-425-882-8080
- Fax: 1-425-706-7329
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