If you are interested in learning a little about the new Zune software to come, Zunescene has a 47 page leaked support document that appears to be for training of support persons. One thing that I noticed from the Engadget post, is Podcast support. We already knew this, but it's good to be reassured. Speaking of Podcasts, now that I am almost done revamping DAPsite.com, I need to get back on it.

I have been waiting for something like this to buy another MP3 player. Seriously! I have. I want an orange one too. Anyhow, check out this pink Zune!

WIP707 This 30GB Zune has been specially customized for Warriors in Pink!

The Zune digital media player is easy to use and easy to love. Store up to 7,500 songs, 25,000 pictures, or 100 hours of video in your 30 GB device.

This product is a special edition and quantities are limited.

Thanks to the generosity of Ford and Microsoft, 100% of the purchase price of this item goes to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

I should get mine by Monday. I just ordered one! Get yours here : Link

Source : Engadget

The New Zunes Have Arrived
Music and entertainment--your way. That's what the new Zune 4 GB, 8 GB, and 80 GB digital media players are designed to deliver.

Can't wait to spend your money on the new Microsoft Zunes? Well, you can preorder from Amazon! In addition, purchases made through these links below support Mobilitysite!

80 GB Zune Gen 2 Players $249.99

• Zune 4 GB Digital Media Player Pink (2nd Generation)

8 GB Flash Zune Gen 2 $199.99

• Zune 8 GB Digital Media Player Red (2nd Generation)
• Zune 8 GB Digital Media Player Black (2nd Generation)
• Zune 8 GB Digital Media Player Green (2nd Generation)
• Zune 8 GB Digital Media Player Pink (2nd Generation)

4 GB Flash Zune Gen 2 $149.99

• Zune 4 GB Digital Media Player Red (2nd Generation)
• Zune 4 GB Digital Media Player Black (2nd Generation)
• Zune 4 GB Digital Media Player Green (2nd Generation)
• Zune 4 GB Digital Media Player Pink (2nd Generation)

You can also jump on the older Zunes for some sweet prices! Get Great Prices on the Original Zunes

Ok, so you can score an iPod 80gb player right now for $249.99 right? It has the same iPod name, the pop culture following, and is a proven winner right? Right. So, why in the hell would you spend $249.99 for a Microsoft Zune 2.0 with the same storage capacity, an unproven track record, and what many think was a poor marketing attempt. Well, there are some reasons why I personally thing that the Zune 2.0 80gb could be better for you. With the help of some comparison tables over at Engadget, we can see the specs side by side. Keep in mind that the Zune 2.0 is not even on sale yet, but specs are trickling in.

OK, let's look at them side by side...

• The iPod Classic 80gb is .2 inches shorter and .1 inches thinner than the Zune 2. Winner: iPod Classic 80gb
• The iPod weighs more than the Zune 2.0. Winner: Who cares, it's negligible.
• WiFi: Zune 2.0 has WiFi the iPod doesn't. In fact, the Zune 2.0 can now sync wireless too! Winner: Zune 2.0 Big Time
• Battery life: 20 hours versus 30 hours... Winner: iPod with 30 hours... Big Number, but the Zune will charge fully faster... hehe
• File types: I could list them all, but there is only one I care about... MINE! Not Apples. DRM-Less! Winner: Zune 2.0
• Earbuds: I don't know what Microsoft considers "Premium", but I doubt they will upend my Ultimate Ears. Winner: I don't care.
• Colors : Zune 2.0 - Black, iPod Classic Black and Silver... Winner: iPod

Will wireless sync and drm-less music be enough to get current iPod owners to change over to an unproven company in this arena? I doubt it. Do you think Microsoft is expecting PMP domination with the Zune 2.0? No, I am sure they aren't... yet. I think they are waiting for Zune 4.7 to hit for that, eh? Little steps. It took quite a bit of time for Apple to saturate the market and get a lot of folks to put down their Sony Walkmans, it won't happen overnight.

I am onboard for this, I love to see other companies compete. Competition breeds excellence. It also causes price changes too. If you recall back in the early 2000's, before the Dell Axim X5 was released, a typical Pocket PC was running between $500 and $800. After the release of the X5, prices began to become easier on the wallet for many of us.

Who wins? Apple or Microsoft? We do, the consumers.

Thanks to Crunch Gear for this press video of the Zune 2.

Here?s what happend at Microsoft today, hands on with the Zune 2

Zune Drives Next Generation of Digital Music Experience With Community Web Site Built Around Music

Microsoft unveils Zune Social, new Zune devices, innovative Zune software and redesigned Zune Marketplace ? all geared toward discovering and sharing new music.

SEATTLE ? Oct. 2, 2007 ? Underscoring the company?s vision for helping to advance the digital entertainment industry and deliver great music experiences to its customers, Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates and Corporate Vice President J Allard yesterday unveiled the next generation of Zune portable media players, software and online store. Gates and Allard also introduced Zune Social, a beta online community Web site built around and powered by people?s passion for music.

Microsoft Corporate Vice President, J Allard, and Chairman, Bill Gates, unveil the newest Zune media players. From Redmond, Wash., today, Microsoft Corp. announces updated devices and a new community music site.

The two new models of Zune portable media players feature the new Zune Pad, an innovative touch-sensitive button for navigating on the device, as well as wireless sync, a feature that allows Zune devices to automatically sync over the device owner?s home wireless network when it is connected to an AC adaptor, in a dock or speaker dock accessory. Existing Zune owners will automatically receive new software features, the redesigned PC and device software and access to the new Zune Marketplace when everything is released to the public in mid-November.

?Twenty years ago we bet the company on an integrated productivity suite of word processing, spreadsheets and presentations, and we changed the way people work,? Gates said. ?Today we?re making big bets on games, music, video and connecting these entertainment experiences to help change the way people play.?

?By tapping into customers? passion for music with Zune Social, we?re starting to change the game,? Allard said. ?This lets us start building a new, more valuable kind of relationship with consumers that, combined with other Zune innovations, will start to drive the entire music industry forward.?

?The time is right to let go of the older business models and recognize that consumers want something different when it comes to music today,? said Terry McBride, CEO of Nettwerk Music Group. ?People are looking for simple ways to find great music and easily take it with them wherever they want to go, and Microsoft is not afraid of doing things differently to deliver on this vision.?

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More on the unraveling mystery of the Zune 2 launch that is rumored to be tonight @ Gizmodo ...

The next-generation Zune has just been announced, coming at you with a price tag (which we already saw) of $249 for the 80GB hard drive model and $149/$199 for the 4GB and 8GB flash-based models respectively. The new features in all models, which were leaked early, are wireless syncing with your computer automatically when you're in Wi-Fi range?something users have been clamoring for since even before the first Zune?as well as videos in the Zune Marketplace and new music, some of which are DRM-free. The Zune Pad is actually touch sensitive, much like the iPod's Click Wheel.

In addition, it looks like Cnet has this as an official announement now... Read on for more from Cnet.

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More. More. More. I love it. Rumors are flying around like jabs in tonight's Contender Boxing Match. Hope nobody gets knocked out.

Engadget has posted some nice looking leaked photos 1st of all. (click them for the big version!)

Somehow, I don't think these were supposed to be seen quite yet.

Well, 30 minutes later, more in at Engadget...

This Engadget post, if accurate basicly takes all the guess work and some of the excitement out of it all. Read on for all the details.

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From engadget:

Heads up, Zune fans ? some new product is heading your way sooner rather than later, and we suspect there?s more than a couple of things to get jazzed about. According to reports from a ?source? inside Microsoft, a new batch of Zunes (AKA Zune 2, Draco, Scorpio, etc.) are due out on October 16th (just in time for the holidays), in both flash memory- and hard drive-based forms. The new, smaller, flash Zune (the Draco) will be hitting shelves in pink, red, black, or army green colors, will have a 4GB or 8GB capacity, and will feature a ?squircle? (the source?s term, not ours) for navigation, which won?t have a center button but can be pushed, ?From any side.? The hard drive-based player (the Scorpio) will be available in 80GB, sports the soon-to-be infamous ?squircle,? and touts a screen which the source claims is ?awesome? for video.

Source: engadget

Microsoft announced last week that a military exclusive Zune - available exclusively at military retailers- will be available to military personnel and their families at a special discounted price.

Microsoft and the USO gave 300 to a group of soldiers leaving for active duty.

Source: Zune Insider