No, this isn't a green light to spam the contest thread some... just a teaser for tommorow night. Notice the seal, I have resisted opening this one for your benefit!

Update: The Zune 80 Winner will be picked at or around 11pm CST on the 20th!

With all the issues that some are having with the new Zune Software, I thought It would be good to poll our readers.

On the Scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate "your experience" with the new Software.

SarahinTampa has a nice list of tips for getting more out of your Zune 2...

Hack #4: Convert DVD, video, audio, iTunes and YouTube video to Zune or Zune 2 - this hack gives you directions to convert DVD and popular video and audio file formats like AVI, MPEG, DivX, XviD, MOV, ASF, RM to Zune, convert iTunes to Zune, iPod to Zune, M4P to Zune, M4v to Zune, and download and convert video from YouTube, FLV, Google, Myspace, iFilm, etc. to Zune. It was written up for the original Zunes, but sources say it works on Zune 2.

Hack #8: Hack the new Zune 2.0 software to display custom themes - registered members at this forum can download custom themes called zThemes like this Halo 3 one or this Vista one. (Download link here)

To read the other 8, you'll have to head over to sarahintampa or Here.

I just added two more good resources for Zune info and commentary to the Blogroll here!

Zune Luv and Zune Brothers

My name is Paul Colligan. I'm a big fan of Podcasting and Portable Media Players. Microsoft, so far, has done terribly with both subjects.  Zune, possibly could change that. This blog covers the possibilities. Team Zune Luv is at your service.

We still need you hanging out here for our coverage, but we aren't afraid to send you off to other great resources.

I guess low prices work. It's working for HD-DVD and it looks like it's working for Microsoft with the bargain priced Zune 30s now.

A Zune media player is the top-selling digital musical device on Amazon.com, outselling Apple. Inc.'s iPod for the No. 1 ranking.

On Monday morning, Microsoft Corp.'s heavily discounted, 30-gigabyte, $134 Zune digital media player was ranked the No. 1 bestseller in the Seattle online retailer's (NASDAQ: AMZN) list of top-selling MP3 players in the "Electronics" category.

Apple's four-gigabyte iPod nano was No. 2, followed by Apple's 80-gigabyte iPod "classic" at No. 3.

Last week, the Redmond computer giant (NASDAQ: MSFT) introduced a new 80-gigabyte Zune player, but they're hard to find. Amazon's site on Monday said they're "temporarily out of stock" and no future shipping date was listed. Microsoft's own Zune site said the 80-gigabyte player can't be ordered until "early December."

Source : Puget Sound Business Journal

Are you being left out of the social because you are from Godingaftigastan? Are you sad because Microsoft won't sell you a Zune? There are ways my friend...

You better believe it Non-USA Folks... There are ways around everything. That sneaky Canadian, Jason Dunn, shows you how...

The world is a big place, full of people who love gadgets. When a company decides to release a piece of technology in a single country rather than a world-wide release, it never stops determined people from getting the technology. Like a modern-day Robin Hood, eBay is the primary conduit for re-distributing technology marvels from the "haves" to the "have-nots" (profit for the eBay seller is the motive, however). The Zune is one such product, released only in the US of A so far. I happen to live in Canada, and can't buy the Zune in my country, or use much of the online functionality - not without a little creativity that is. Welcome to the International Zune User's Guide: everything you need to know about being one of those clandestine folks acquiring and using a Zune in a country where Microsoft doesn't officially support you.

READ THE GUIDE OVER AT ZUNE THOUGHTS

Some guy over at Zune Corps named Nathan has apparently had a seriously bad experience with Zune. He claims that he had 3 friends that bought and returned Zune 80s too. All of this because of the Zune Software "destroying" their collections.

There is one reason and one reason only. Because since tuesday night when i got home from work i have been spending almost every second on my computer (when not playing Crysis) trying to fix my music collection. I've now spent (and yes i did count) 35 HOURS on fixing my music collection because of the new zune software destroying it. Not to mention i've done the two metadata fixes 45 times each and nothing works. My music collection is still destroyed.

I just made a post over at the Zune Forums at Zune.net about how I have sync'ed 2 Flash Zunes, 1 Zune 80, and 1 Zune 30 with 2.2 on all of them with no hitches. No Album art issue, no ID3 tag screw ups, nothing. Why?

What is different? Not to play devil's advocate, but do these folks having trouble have a lot of "less than legal" content? Not claiming this, just wondering. There has to be some reason why so many are having issues, but I had none.

Anyhow, read the rant from Nathan at Zune Corps...

As we all know from reading tech and Zune-specific blogs, there has been a shortage of Zune 80s.

Well, it seems like the general media is getting wind of the Zune and its limited appearance. Yahoo News has an article describing the situation.

As a Zune owner and fan, I am glad to hear some positive news about this Microsoft gadget starting to reach a wide audience.

There were some expeiremental Zune Card embedding info online at the Zune.net forums this week, but this is the 1st application I have seen. One problem I don't like is the fact that the user has to click the profile to activate it, but anyhow, it's a good step.

You can see it on my Facebook Page... You can also access the application yourself at http://apps.facebook.com/my_zune_card/.