Gizmodo?s Jason Chen reports back after 3 months of using the Zune?

?So would we change our recommendation of the iPod over the Zune? No. All the reasons we had to pick one or the other still stands. If you want movies, TV, a larger music library, a touch sensitive scroll wheel and more accessories, you should still go with the iPod. If you want an FM tuner, music rentals, and a larger screen, there?s the Zune.?

My thoughts are quite similar. I have used the Zune as my daily driver for the past 3 months (or however long it?s been out?) and I really have been satified. I don?t do podcast listening on my MP3 Players, I don?t squirt songs, I love the concept of all you can eat downloads, and I don?t like the Apple elitist attitude. All that said, the Zune works quite well for me. The Dell DJ did fine too. I am optimistic for the future of Zune, but for it to be a smash hit, there are many small little things that Microsoft must do better!

Source : Gizmodo

A few years back, Hewlett Packard sold a licensed version of the Apple iPod through their retail and web channels. The only differences was the back had HP+ engraved on it instead of the infamous Apple logo. It was a nice experiment, but it didn?t last too long.

It seems that HP is again selling an MP3 player, at least on it?s website. The are carrying the Microsoft Zune, listing it at the retail price of $249.99, and has all three colors available. In true HP fashion, it each one has it own model number. They are the rx798 (brown), rx797 (white), and rx796 (black). Some how I don?t see anyone saying, "Hey, check out my HP rx796!" anytime soon.

While this may not make a difference to the everyday buyer, HP does offer an Employee Purchasing Program (EPP) to many companies, and the Zune is included in this offer. I don?t know if the discount is the same for every company, but it could be worth checking out if you are considering purchasing one of these "iPod Killers".

A while back, some site was claiming Microsoft Employees were dumping their Pink Zunes that they claim the Zune team received. Well, these Microsoft Employees were not given pink Zunes, they were random retail surprises.

Now, that site is right because now there is an Orange Zune on Ebay. These are the ones these employees received.

Here is the elusive Orange Zune?. Orange Zune limited edition on Ebay [Ebay Auction]

What I find odd about the auction is that the seller?s description makes it sound as if it were random, but the random ones have a certificate.

Source : SlashGear

Jason Langridge is a Microsoft Employee, but he is not part of the Zune team and he has a right to an opinion as well.

Seems like all in all, he likes it. Yeah!

Good Stuff

• The screen! Wow! It?s great for pictures but also is excellent for the album art too? when I buy CD?s I never really get to see the CD Cover. I just rip it straight to the PC so I?m discovering all the album covers from my music now!
• I love the attention to detail and the whole out of the box experience. From getting (what was a much smaller box than I expected) to installing the software was an absolute dream!
• The little touches make it great? The Hello From Seattle ??? seemed very cool but it did make me laugh that only 2 inches past this it says? Assembled in China
• Sound quality is excellent and the provided headphones are actually very good!
• FM Radio has unbelievably good reception. I?ve always been sceptical on using the radio on devices as previous units I had it was all crackles and poor reception. The Zune is excellent.
• WiFi sharing is cool? of course I was trying it in the home of the Zune but finding people happened pretty regularly and it?s always fun trying to find who?s Zune it is that you are going to share music with!
• A little touch I noticed but really like is if you take off the headphones - the music pauses? nice!

Not so Good Stuff

• Where?s the charger? secondly - why a proprietary connector? why not Mini- USB !
• Only 30GB - I need more space really!
• No widescreen

Matt Miller weighs in on the Zune?.

So after a couple weeks of using the Zune, it may not be perfect and it may not be the product many people were hyping it up to be upon initial release, but it is a solid device with some good features and I am pleased with my purchase. I think most of the issues are software related that can easily be updated by Microsoft. The iPod is also a nice product, but I am looking for something more durable and scratch resistant that supports an unlimited music subscription service and a larger display for video.

Read the entire article here : 3 weeks later and the Zune is better than the iPod

I have used the heck out of my Zune as well and while the Zune isn?t all that it was hyped up to be, its a nice device. Most of the hype was from people that wanted to see the iPod fall anyhow. Like I said, the Zune isn?t perfect, but its a great Gen 1 start. Onward with production Microsoft.

As far as Wal-Mart Zune sales is concerned? My local Wal-Mart has sold about 1/2 of the 30-40 that were there opening day. I stopped by to check for a pink #/100 version. One of our readers sent her experience buying a Zune that resulted in addition Wal-Mart sales that day, its a funny story : Zune Power at Wal-Mart.

In addition to the great read, Matt added a list of some of the Zune Hacks that have made it out there already, I have stolen Matt?s list and present it here to you

• The ability to playback Zune Pass content on up to 3 computers
• The ability to easily integrate podcast feeds into your Zune experience
• The ability to use the Zune as an external hard drive
• A simple method to bypass the WiFi sharing limitations
• Running Zune on Windows XP 64 bit Pro
• Running the Zune on Vista

Zune reaches No. 2 in its debut week

Todd Bishop wrote an article in the Seattle Post Intelligencer reporting that Microsoft Corp.?s Zune music player claimed a No. 2 spot among portable media devices in its first week on the U.S. retail market.

I?m impressed and my guess is that Apple has some concern. A new item, loaded with features that has people talking, looking, analyzing and ultimately buying.

There is no question that the distance between #1 and #2 is BIG but to jump in at that spot is pretty impressive. Yes, the media hype clearly helped that initial grasp of this spot so Microsoft still has a long way to go to firm it up ? only time will tell how it all ends up.

Market research firm NPD Group said sales of the Microsoft player edged out devices from previous second-place holder SanDisk Corp. in the week ended Nov. 18. But Zune was a distant second to Apple Computer Inc.?s iPod, and its second-place showing came amid widespread media attention and launch hype.

Zune reaches No. 2 in its debut week

Last night I upgraded Windows Media Center with the most current patches and installed the Zune Software. Like most of the software packages, it scanned all my drives and built a library of all my media supported by the Zune. The software the started a transfer of all this media to the Zune. I then used the 14 day pass to check out some new music. I ended up downloading quite a few albums to the Zune. If you are wondering? Weird Al?s newest, Buckcherry, Hinder, Korn, and some others you probaly haven?t heard of. 1700 songs with 17gb free now.

Day 2 starts with one of the most important tests of all, ?Does the battery work for me??.

I started the day at 7:30am and used a Belkin FM Modulator to pipe the Zune?s audio to my car stereo. I then got into work and messed around with all the media I transfered last night. (boy, I sure need to purge) I have been playing the Zune through some powered speakers in my office almost all day. It is now 3:00pm and it?s still playing. I was bored of the new albums, so I am now listening to the radio. The battery indicator shows about 25% life right now. (give or take 5% I guess)

If this charge, the 1st full charge i?ve given it, lasts until quitting time, we have a winner in my books. The Dell DJ Gen 1 did this test for 20+ hours, too bad it is no more.

I posted my initial impressions already, now for the video of the unboxing earlier today.

After a short time with the Zune, I wanted to post my initial impression before they get out of my head. (I have alot of things I am looking at this week)

UPDATE : I want to know who selected the videos and audio for the preloading of these. Never heard of any of them and not into much of it.

• Packaging - Superb, one of the coolest boxes around. Looking good so far huh?
• Included in the box
  • The Headphones are decent. They are as decent as those that came with the iPod and the Dell DJ.
  • Documentation is good.
  • CD - Haven?t installed application yet.
  • 14 Day trial - seems cool, but will check it out when I install software.
  • Little Carrying pouch - who cares? It?s ok though.
• The Zune
  • The looks. Well, this doesn?t impress me much. The pictures made it look better, but the translucent outer shell doesn?t make it ?sexy?. To me, and many others I am sure, it doesn?t matter as long as it works and the screen is nice.
  • Construction - Time will tell, but it feels somewhat cheap feeling.
  • Design - The look of the iPod Scroll Wheel is not needed. Since they are buttons anyhow, there was no need to make it look like a Scroll Wheel. The layout works. The buttons are all easily reached one-handing the Zune. The buttons on the left and right of the Scroll Wheel look-a-like have a raised circle around it to help find your place in the dark I guess. The Black version is the nicest looking so far. I do not like the white versions contrasting black buttons. The lines where the upper and lower housings come together on the sides has a seam you can feel. One thing I do like about the iPod is its solid feel.
  • The Screen - This is where my money is. The screen is fantastic. Bright, Large, and I just like it!!!
  • Performance - whatever they got in there is running this big screen quite nicely. As Gizmodo says, ?It scrolls like Butter?.
  • Sound - Perfect with the Xtrememac FS1 Ear Monitors, the Sony $89.00 headphones I have, and the Ultimate Ears I got at Mobius.

What is left?
What is left to say? Time will tell on its use. So far, I am ready to jump on board, but it still depends on some variables. I need to see how this works with the Zune Marketplace and other services, as well as how it does with my Original MP3 library (most of which came from actual CDs) Battery life needs tested. Does it slow down considerably when packed full of media?

Either way, I give the Zune an initial C+ on efforts of its own merit. I will bump that to B- since it?s not an iPod

This video was available on November 1st but for those of you that never saw it and are thinking of the Zune, I thought it would be nice to pass it along.

What makes this one different? I think editor James Kim has just a different excitement in his manner as he presents the Zune in this short 2 minutes 24 seconds video. The is a very brief ad in the beginning?C/NET has to pay their bills I guess.

Check it out ?. it?s pretty good! You can see James? video on Microsoft?s Zune zooms into CNET Networks here.