...expect more coverage soon

This is what Ryan Block at Engadget is saying today.

So yesterday I posted a look at the new Zune device and software, which caused quite a stir with the Microsoft faithful in the house (as I suspected it might). Ok, I'm sugarcoating it. Some Zune fans went ballistic over my criticisms of the new products -- and took it out on me, often personally.

There are lots of things I'd like to remind these people of. Like, besides the fact that it's just a product, I (and Engadget) have been a vocal advocate of Microsoft's entry into the space since before the Zune was ever announced. We led the charge in press coverage of the Zune last (and for a while the Apple fans even called us Zune fanboys). Nothing's changed though, we're critical of all this stuff, and whether some people believe it, we don't easily let Apple off the hook either (read our iPhone review and iPod touch review if you want to dig in). If we didn't care about -- or hated -- the new Zune we wouldn't waste our time telling Microsoft how to get it right, we'd just ignore the thing and you wouldn't see any risky, critical editorial. (Believe it or not, PR agencies by far prefer negative reviews than having their product ignored.)

Read the Rest of Ryan's post.

My thoughts from yesterday still stand. Mainly the critisism about the lack of Mac Support. Apple making iTunes PC compatible was a necessity for Apple. PC Users outnumber Mac users by ~10:1. Getting the iTunes going with MOST of the computer users is a must. Like I said yesterday, development cost to make Zune Mac Compatible may not be feasible based on the small percentage of Mac users that would actually buy a Microsoft product other than Office. I may be wrong here, but I am fairly sure economics drive this choice.

I used to play Everquest on and off for more than 6 years. I have played several MMORPGS before. With Everquest I, there was basicly a website external to SOE that was member run for each server and there were also general forums too. The server forums were great because you could arrange event, chit chat, etc.

With Everquest II, SOE came with there own forums. These ended up washing out the server forums. World of Warcraft's official forums are the only truely popular forums as well.

Now Microsoft's Zune.net is the "Official Zune Forums", so where does that leave the other great forum communities like Zune Thoughts, ZuneBoards, and Zunerama? Chances are that forum traffic will stay ok, but I fear that they may not grow much since new users are going to a) catch Zune.net #1 in search engines for Zune terms eventually, b) Microsoft has you go to Zune.net to sign up so new users are already there and c) the Zune Team Members are posting there.

I run forum communities as well and I have seen how things work with these type things.

I don't think this will happen overnight and checking in on the Zune forums I read, the traffic has increased this week. What will it be like in 1 month, 3 months, etc...

I understand companies doing their own Forums, but I don't like it at all. I guess I am being greedy, but I think 3rd party forums really help in more than one way, but I won't get into my theories on the subject here.

I am wishing the great Zune Forum Communities all the best!

The 2.2 release apparently broke the hacks that allowed users to use the Zune 30 as an external HD for storage and such.

Some folks over at Zunerama have already come up with a work around.

First, it's based on the registry hack from before - (described at this link: http://zunerama.com/forum/index.php?topic=970.0)
The difference with the new firmware is that the registry keys have changed. The new registry keys to be modified are:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Enum\USB\VID_####&PID_####\########-####-####-####-############\Device
Parameters
Modify the same three keys as before, and your Zune will serve as an external drive. A different icon will display in the shell, but you'll have the same functionality.

Source :Zunerama via Crunch Gear

Simple explanation from me is, the Zune Card is to Zune what the Xbox Tag is to Xbox. Plain and Simple. The Zune card shows your last played songs, etc and the Xbox 360 tag shows last played games, etc...

This is my Zune Card above...

Signing up for the Zune Social is easy but using it is much more fun with a little understanding of what is happening behind the scenes. Your Zune Card can display all the tracks and artists you've been listening too. The Zune software sends the tracks you've played to your Zune Card every 15 mintues. So don't worry if after playing a few songs, you don't instantly see them on your Zune Card. But what about songs that you listen to on your Zune? Those are transmitted soon after you sync your device.

If your tracks aren't showing up on your Zune Card, even after 15 min, it is probably a good idea to make sure you are logged into your account in the Zune software. Also, tracks that you stream from within the marketplace won't show on your Zune Card.

Read more over at I Want a Pink Zune.

Crappy Music, Great Demo... Zunerama does an impressive speed test comparing the Zune 30 with and without the 2.2 patch.

Check out the post over at Zunerama...

... that had 80GB Zunes yesterday. I know that they sold out fast in some markets too. gasusan2005 was unfortunate enough to have a problem and went to return her for another and they were out when she got there.

I purchased 2 at Circuit City yesterday too.

Reading the comment thread a post on Engadget ( Zune 80 not available in stores? ), it seems that this was pretty much all Circuit City all of the US.

Oh well. I got mine!

I don't think that those angry that they can't find one should be attacking Microsoft though. The fact that Circuit City had them shows that they made it out to retailers. Could the problem lie within the Targets, Wal Marts, and Best Buy stores?

In typical Apple loving, Uncle Walt fashion, Walt Mossberg reviews the Zune 2. I can't blame his views, some are right and some are guided by allegiance. We, Zune Supporters, are the same way though.

Anyhow, Walt spends countless paragraphs telling about the Zune followed buy a, "But Apple has done....". I have been waiting on this review, I knew it would make for some good reading. I love reading his non-Apple reviews.

Count this, 4 paragraphs basicly reviewing Apple's Wonderful line of players. I have an iPhone, its a good 8GB Player, but Itunes is horrible.

Unfortunately for Microsoft, Apple hasn't been standing still, either. It now has its own large-screen, wireless model, the iPod Touch, with a radical "multi-touch" interface like the iPhone's. The screen on the Touch is larger than the one on the bigger Zunes and is much sharper. Its Wi-Fi allows you to browse the Web, watch YouTube videos and even buy music without a PC - none of which is possible on a Zune - though the Touch is $50 more and holds much less content than the new full-size Zune.

Microsoft's new Zunes are directly aimed at the iPod Classic, Apple's full-size, high-capacity model, and the iPod nano, its compact version. But, here again, Apple has been on the move. The 80-gigabyte Classic, which costs the same as the 80-gigabyte Zune, is slimmer than the Zune and has a flashy new interface, if a smaller screen. And the eight-gigabyte nano, which costs the same as the eight-gigabyte Zune, now plays videos and is much smaller - yet has a larger screen. Neither of these iPods includes Wi-Fi.

In addition, Apple has spiffed up its iTunes software, adding various features, including the addictive Cover Flow, which allows you to flip through all your albums with just a flick of the mouse. Cover Flow also shows up on the nano, the Classic and the Touch. Even the new Zune PC software has no interface as compelling.

And Apple still trounces Microsoft in the selection of media it sells. The iTunes store offers more than six million songs, about double what the Zune Marketplace offers, and dwarfs Microsoft's selection of Podcasts and music videos, as well. Plus, Zune Marketplace still doesn't sell any TV shows, movies or audiobooks, while iTunes does.

Read the Rest of Walt's Review

Here is my Zune 80 Photo Gallery. Click the thumbs or go here to for the gallery.

Update: My To Do list is almost complete for today...

Now it's time to sit back, shut the world out and fall asleep listing to some driving metal in my ears at ungodly volume!

Here is a digest of all the cool things we posted today!

• Stuff is Happening! Zune.net Down…
• Zune 2 8GB Flash Zune 1st Look
• Zune.net is up and running
• 4 and 8 GB Zune Originals Available to Order
• New and Old - 30 Updated / Flash Updated
• The Official Zune Forums
• Zune Pad 1st Impressions
• Unboxing 80 GB Zune
• Susan and Chris Caved - We have the Zune 80
• Pictures of Zune 30 and Zune 80
• Zune 2 Video Comparison
• Zune 80 Wireless Sync Demo
• Zune 80 Does TV Out
• Zune 2 Verdict? Giz says Yep, Engadget says No
• “Citronâ€� Zune?
• Zune 2 80GB Video 1st Look/Demo

That's a lot of posts... please don't expect everyday to be launch day.

Just a menu walk through along with some device comparisons.

This is a super long video showing the operation of the Zune 80 and some comparison shots with other popular devices.