The original Zune dock works with the 2.2 software, but most importantly, it works with the new flash drives, the Zune 80, and the upgraded Zune 30.

Earlier I posted that I was unhappy about not being able to use my original Zune Dock Cradle with the Zune 80. Well I got a comment from Keith that the folks over at Zune Scene had a suggestion in their forums.

1. Pull on the silver cover of the top of the circular dock.
2. Stick a pin or paper clip underneath and move it around the outside perimeter of the dock.
3. The silver cover should be loose and should come off.
4. With the removal of this facade, there should now be enough room to dock your Zune 80!

Well, I had already taken apart my cradle, but didn't think to try to dock it with the top layer of the cradle off. This guy did and it works!

Read on to see photos of this great find. Thanks Keith.

(more...)

I have to buy the new version of the cradle now...

UPDATE : Solved : Gen 1 Zune Cradle with Zune 2

The Zune 30 cradle will not work with the Zune 80. The connector is the same, but the orientation will not allow me to place the Zune 80 into the cradle.

I took the damn thing apart to see if I could do anything, but short of cutting out part of the cradle and making it unsightly, I am SOL. I will have to drop some loot on the new one I guess.

This LunarLocal's Mini Review of the Premium Earbuds. His text is in black, mine is in blue. Keep in mind that I am assuming the one you can buy are the same as the ones that come included with the Zune 80.

So I found extra money in my bank account and went for the headphones. I thought they were going to be 49.99 like last year's, but Walmart had them (i got the only pair) for like 40 dollars.

PROS:

• The cloth cord cover is AMAZING. It feels great, looks unique, and prevents tangling like nothing I have ever seen. I agree 100%, the cloth is so nice and slide easily over you clothing.
• The slider around the two cords of the headphone end are much easier to slide than the previous model, probably to its greatly reduced size.
• The magnets on the headphones are much easier to align and attract each other perfectly. This is a really nice feature and helps keeping these things from getting all bunched up in your bag.
• Instead of the felt looking cloth over the speakers under the rubber inserts, it is a metal mesh. Probably much more durable. The metal is nice, but I am most impressed with the rubber inserts. Getting a good seal is much easier and helps the overall sound a ton.
• And of course, the sound quality is the best I've ever had in a pair of headphones. (I refuse to buy any headphones for over a hundred dollars.)  I'll buy high end stuff, but that's because I can and I love to buy gadgets. But yes, these things sound AWESOME. By far the best earbuds that COME WITH a device.
• The original models came with three sizes of inserts to choose from. The new ones come with four.
• These came with a little cord thing with a pink elastic loop. I have NO idea as to what this is for.

CONS:

• The only thing I do not like is the removal of the little magnetic pin from the first model. It let me find the Right and Left headphones with great ease, but now I have to look for the little letters. However, along with the removal of the pin came the ease in aligning the magnets and I guess not having the pin is the lesser of two evils.

So, I was out with my son today doing some Christmas Window Shopping to find out what to pay Santa for this year. There are some really cool toys out there.

Well, I decided to pop into a couple Geek Toy Stores too! Here's what I saw today. 1st I will say that I "SAW" a 4GB Flash Zune, but the guy wouldn't let me buy, photograph, or really touch it. (it was in the box anyhow)

Wal Mart
Wally World had a full line of accessories on the shelf in the pretty new official packaging. The Car Kit, Premium Ear Buds, Charger, etc... all with the 3 logos that indicate that they will work with the 80, 30, and 8/4 GB models. Wal Mart had Zunes in the back with a street date so they wouldn't even ring up if they wanted to sell early.

Circuit City
Nothing to be found as far as display, etc. They did have the Charge/Sync cable in the new retail packaging and the 8/4 GB Leather case.

Target
Just like last year... I asked one of the guys, "Hey, do you work in the area?" He said Yep. I asked him what he knew about the new Zunes and he replied, " What's a Zune?" OMG. LOL Anyhow, Target has the new mock ups on a display with a little literature, but no Zune in sight. No accessories either.

I did get a good idea what my son wants for Christmas though!

Zune AC Adapter - allows you to charge your Zune while you're away from your PC. Its small design and folding blades make it easy to store and travel with.

• Rapid charge. Charge your Zune to 90% in one hour, and fill it up in two hours.
• Small and convenient. Half the size of the original, the new smaller Zune AC Adapter is more portable and easily fits into crowded power strips. For added convenience, the cable plugs into the side so you can fit it behind dressers and tables.
• Folding blades for travel. The blades fold in to make the AC adapter even more portable and to protect the other contents in your bag. 
• Price: $29.99
• Release Date: Nov. 6, 2007
• Compatible with: Zune 4GB, Zune 8GB, Zune 30GB, Zune 80GB

Zune premium headphones 2007 - feature a noise-isolating design to drown out everything but your media collection. Superior sound quality and bass are a welcome upgrade for music lovers seeking a premium listening experience.

• Noise-isolating design . An in-ear fit means you'll block out most external sounds, leaving your ears with nothing but music to enjoy.
• Four sets of in-ear inserts for comfort. Swap these out to find the best fit with your ears.
• Premium sound and bass response. Superior bass response, crisp highs, and great balance will enhance your whole listening experience.
• Integrated wire management system. Magnetic buds clip together to keep your wires from tangling and the headphone clip allows you to nicely wrap up your headphones for easy storage in the pouch.
• Storage pouch. Small and lightweight, this pouch lets you store your headphones and keep them looking and sounding great for longer.
• Soft fabric cable. This premium wire design helps get rid of kinks in your wire and has a unique look and feel.
• Price: $39.99
• Release Date: Oct. 26, 2007

  Compatible with : Zune 4GB, Zune 8GB, Zune 30GB, Zune 80GB

Zune sync cable 2007 - Charge your device and sync your collection with the Zune

Zune leather case for 4 GB/ 8 GB Zune - Made of premium Italian leather, the Zune Leather Case lets you travel in style with your Zune.

• Protect your Zune in style. This stylish genuine leather case is designed to go everywhere with you.
• Premium materials. Made of fine Italian leather, the Zune Leather Case is designed to hold and protect your Zune ... in style.
• Price: $49.99
• Release Date:Nov. 6, 2007
• Compatible with: Zune 4GB, Zune 8GB

Zune leather case for 30 GB Zune - Made of premium Italian leather, the Zune Leather Case lets you travel in style with your Zune.

• Protect your Zune in style. This stylish genuine leather case is designed to go everywhere with you.
• Premium materials. Made of fine Italian leather, the Zune Leather Case is designed to hold and protect your Zune ... in style.
• Price: $49.99
• Release Date: Oct. 26, 2007
• Compatible with: Zune 30GB

Zune Leather Case for 80 GB Zune - Made of premium Italian leather, the Zune Leather Case lets you travel in style with your Zune.

• Protect your Zune in style. This stylish genuine leather case is designed to go everywhere with you.
• Premium materials. Made of fine Italian leather, the Zune Leather Case is designed to hold and protect your Zune ... in style.
• Price: $49.99
• Release Date:Nov. 6, 2007
• Compatible with: Zune 80GB

Today I received the Vaja Classic Horizontal Pouch that I ordered for my AT&T 8525 (aka HTC Hermes) phone. The Classic Horizontal Pouch fits the following devices: P3600, P3300, TyTN, Hermes, Magician, Prophet, Tornado, and Wing. (HTC/T-mobile)

The case measures 4.5? long x 2.5? wide and 1.5? thick. It is made of red (color-passion) vitelino leather with the same color aniline leather accent strip. The pouch is a custom case, which allows the customer to order their choice of colors and leathers (aniline or vitelino).

Other options when ordering are personalization (which I got), three slots for SD, microSD, or miniSD (I got microSD) and a belt loop (which I did not get). The case is kept closed with two magnetic snaps.

There are cutouts at the bottom and on each side to provide easy removal of the phone when needed. The case?s interior is lined in a very soft, light brown leather.

The attention to detail on the case is incredible. You really have to see it to appreciate it.

If you have been thinking about a protective case for your device, I recommend the Vaja Classic Horizontal Pouch . The price starts at $65 with additional cost for customizing. It is available directly from Vaja .

I would also like to thank Fabian Alonso, director at Vaja, for sending a surprise gift- the ivolution SD Keeper for 2 SD/MMC cards.

Features:

• Magnetic closure
• 2 SIM Slots
• Push Push system
• Size : 1 3/8? x 2 1/8? x 5/8? inch.

The ivolution SD Keeper can be found here at Vaja.

My Classic Horizontal Pouch is going to look nice next to my Vaja Balance case for my Zune.

For a review of a Vaja Balance case for the Zune see here

For more information on the Vaja Balance case visit Vaja

?..WITH LAUNCH OF HOME- AND CAR-BASED ACCESSORIES

New Products Include Home Entertainment System and All-in-One Car Solution

Digital Lifestyle Outfitters (DLO), a leading manufacturer of digital device accessories, further demonstrated its support for Microsoft?s Zune digital media player today with the addition of two products to its Zune lineup. Available immediately are the DLO HomeDock Home Entertainment Dock with Remote Control and the TransDock micro in-car solution for Zune. Based on award-winning DLO technology, these new products enable Zune enthusiasts to enjoy their Zune music and videos at home and on-the go.
"According to recent reports, Microsoft is on track to ship one million Zune units by this summer," said Rick Case, EVP of sales at DLO. "As the market leader in digital device accessories, we fully intend to be out front supporting these millions of users with accessories and devices that will allow them to get the most out of their Zune experience."

About HomeDock for Zune
The perfect addition to any living room, HomeDock enables users to navigate, select and control a Zune?s music, videos, photos, community and radio on their TV and directly from the comfort of their sofa. The DLO HomeDock for Zune easily connects and plays Zune music and videos through any TV or home stereo system. Users are able to navigate from anywhere in the room, using the included full-function remote control. The HomeDock for Zune ships with a high-quality AV cable and provides everything needed to connect and enjoy a Zune over a hi-fi stereo system and on a big-screen TV.

About TransDock micro for Zune
For Zune enjoyment on the road, the DLO TransDock micro features an award-winning FM transmitter that broadcasts Zune?s music over any FM car stereo, all while keeping the Zune charged. With an included USB charging cable, bright backlit display, easy-access tuning buttons and four preset stations, the TransDock micro is the easiest way for a Zune owner to enjoy their music on the road.

Pricing and availability:
The DLO HomeDock for Zune is available for $99.99 and the DLO TransDock micro for Zune is available for $69.99. These accessories are available online at www.dlo.com and at Zune retailers nationwide. For a complete listing of DLO Zune accessories, click here.

And they continue in a fine tradition of outstanding cases for mobile devices!

Vaja is proud to announce the release of one of its most anticipated products, the i-Volution for Microsoft Zune

Features:

• Full access to main functions
• Removable front protector
• Access to hold button and headphone plug
• Cutout for charge & sync
• Several colors available
• Optional clip system
• Optional personalization

Available at http://www.vajacases.com