Zune 4 GB Digital Media Player (Pink) Reviews
Zune 4 GB Digital Media Player (Pink) Reviews
Other products by Zune Ratting 4.0 Out of 5.0 Special Offer Total New 8 Total Use 8
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Music and entertainment, your way. That's what the Zune 4 GB Digital Media Player is designed to deliver. The Zune easily connects you with your music, videos, and pictures wherever and whenever you want, and unlike the iPod, it even has a built-in FM tuner so you can keep up with local news and sports. Your Zune gives you the power to wirelessly share full-length tracks, playlists, pictures and podcasts with your other Zune-wielding friends, and it is available in four bold colors. And when you receive songs that you just can't get out of your head, you can easily tag the songs and buy them the next time you sync up. Whether you're listening to music, radio, or rocking out to the latest music videos on the bright, roomy screen, the Zune allows you to tailor your entertainment, right in the palm of your hand. Watch a demo on Zune.
 The Zune easily connects you with your music, videos, and pictures wherever and whenever you want, and it is available in four bold colors. |
 Share full-length tracks of your favorite songs, albums, playlists, pictures, and even audio podcasts with other Zune users. (Red Zune shown here with Dock Pack v2 with remote, sold separately.) |
 Store up to 1,000 songs, 25,000 pictures, or 12 hours of video. |
 Get all your favorite music at the Zune Marketplace. |
The Zune is a breeze to use with new, intuitive touch controls. Don't subject yourself to cumbersome, slow scrolling. The innovative new Zune pad makes browsing your music, video and picture collections fun and effortless. You'll fly through your favorites and get to just what you're looking for in no time flat. This powerhouse device stores up to 1,000 songs, 25,000 pictures, or 12 hours of video. (Please note that music estimates are based on 128 kbps WMA files, with length of 4 minutes each; pictures transferred to Zune will be optimized for Zune screen size; and video estimates are based on 500 kbps WMV files with 128 kbps WMA audio tracks.)
That's a lot of entertainment, and you'll appreciate it even more with the Zune's awesome screen. The super-slim, ultra-portable Zune sports a durable, 1.8-inch color screen that provides uncompromising portable video viewing. This Zune also comes equipped with headphones and three pairs of foam headphones covers. Your favorite music, videos, and pictures have never looked and sounded better.
FM Radio
The Zune also features a built-in FM radio tuner so that you can listen to local FM stations or tune-in programming while you're at the gym. Advanced tuning capabilities allow you to see the name of the song that's currently playing on select frequencies.
Wireless Sync
We're all exhausted by the cables and wires that tangle up our lives. Luckily, the Zune is one device that doesn't require another cord. You can easily connect to your home wireless network and sync your Zune with your PC collection of digital goodies. You can also sync using the dock, AC adapter, or speaker dock accessory (not included).
The Zune Community and Marketplace
Zune is all about sharing and community. At the Zune Online Community, you'll discover, share, and leave your musical mark. Create a Zune card and Zune profile page to reflect your musical identity. From the Zune Online Community, you can invite friends, share song recommendations, post comments, and browse member pages to unearth new tunes and connect to others who share your musical tastes.
When you're ready to purchase music and load your device with new tunes, turn to Zune Marketplace. With more than 3 million songs, DRM-free MP3s, music videos, audio/video podcasts, and more content added every day, you'll certainly get your fill. The store is always open and just a mouse click away. You can also choose between the download or subscription packages--buy individual songs and albums, or snag a Zune Pass subscription with all you can eat access to discover and explore the nooks and crannies of artists and genres.
Zune-to-Zune Sharing
Once your Zune is loaded with good stuff, you'll be ready to embrace wireless Zune-to-Zune sharing. Share full-length tracks of your favorite songs, albums, playlists, pictures, and even audio podcasts. You can listen to the full track of any song you receive up to three times, and you can even pass along songs that are shared with you to other friends. If you find a song you really love, you can easily add it to your wishlist and buy it later when you sync to your PC. When it comes to syncing and importing your music, the Zune makes it easy. Zune software can automatically import your existing music, pictures, and videos from iTunes and Windows Media Player in a variety of formats, including your existing playlists and song ratings.
Recorded TV or Movies to Go
The Zune will also automatically import TV shows or movies recorded using a PC running Windows Media Center in Windows Vista. Record all your favorites, sync to your Zune, and hit the road with your favorite TV shows right in your pocket.
Your Games. Your Music. Your Way.
Another awesome feature is the Zune's compatibility with the Xbox 360. Plug your Zune into your Xbox 360 to customize the soundtrack in supported games. You also can stream music, pictures, and videos from the Zune software on your PC to your Xbox 360 console using a wireless connection. Whether you're staying in or going out, travelling or working, the Zune can be right there with you, providing loads of entertainment direct from your pocket.
What's in the Box
Zune 4 GB Digital Media Player, headphones, sync cable, and three pairs of foam headphone covers.
Technical Details
- 4 GB digital media player stores up to 1,000 songs, 25,000 pictures or 12 hours of video- Features wireless Zune-to-Zune sharing so you can swap tracks and other media
- Big, bright, 1.8-inch color screen
- Compatible with Zune Marketplace for media downloads and subscription services
- Automatically imports your existing music, pictures, and videos form iTunes and Windows Media Player in a variety of formats
See more technical details
By Marie K. Coffman
I own an 8 gig Ipod and I like it. The only thing I don't like is that to get tv content one has to buy it at $1.99 a pop. The Zune had the advantage of being able to use tv shows that I had recorded in media center on my computer. This can be done with an Ipod as well but I thought that by getting the Zune (a microsoft product) it would probably work better with media center (also microsoft)
Well the Zune comes in the mail and I try to turn it on. No life. I plug it into the usb on my computer and this battery charge symbol briefly lights (for about 3 seconds) but the player will not come on. I am a little worried but I figure I will leave it plugged in overnight and just see. In the meantime I download the software. It hung up twice while downloading but finally seemed to work. But it could not see my Zune. I tried several usb ports etc. Then gave up and went to bed.
Next morning I try to turn on the Zune and it turns on! Also the computer can see it now. But it says I have to putdate my player software. Ok, download that and it hangs up while installing. I let it sit for awhile and finally click out of it. It seems to have installed tho because I can sync the zune and such. Now I follow the directions in Media Center to be able to synch my recorded tv (the whole reason for buying the Zune) No matter what I do I cannot get my recorded tv to show up to synch with the Zune. Tried looking online, etc.
As a last ditch sort of thing prior to returning the Zune I decide to call Microsoft. I have had some very bad experiences with Microsoft service so I am not hopeful but I give it a shot. Of course its someone from some foreign country and she is speaking from a script. But she does answer the phone pretty quickly, I will give her that. The questions she was asking me made it pretty clear she had no clue how to help me so I politely asked for her supervisor. Now I get transferred to a woman (God bless her) who was actually able to deal with my problem and knowledgably directed me on how to deal with the issue. Its quirky and a bit time consuming - but it does work.
Apparently the Zune cannot handle shows that are recorded in a format that media center records them in (not sure if you can change that - I may try to research that further) The format has to be mp4. But you can use Windows Movie Maker to convert your Media center shows into MP4 (I dont have the publication but if anyone needs it put a comment on this and I will get it for you) You can then save the converted files into a folder that you can program the Zune software to monitor and then you can synch those files into your Zune. The first time I did it - it took over an hour for the file to convert but I did it at top quality and possibly lower quality would be quicker. It did synch and it does look very good on my Zune. Since I only need around one hour of programming a day to take to the gym with me I think I am going to keep this Zune. Stuff I record in Media Center, since it is automatic, tends to stack up on me and this way I will be getting to watch these programs plus not having to pay for them.
So this was not a smooth buying experience. To compare to an ipod, for example, I did not have any software problems or anything with my ipod so it was definately a much smoother set up experience. The Zune and my 8gig ipod have identical dimensions and screen sizes. The Zune might be a little thicker. Also their cost was nearly identical. For me, the savings of $1.99 an episode makes the zune a good purchase.
Update - I have now owned the Zune a week or so and I can honestly say I like it. There are some things the Ipod does better but there are some things the Zune does better. For one thing you can watch tv recorded in Media Center (a little clunky but not too hard) That saves you $1.99 per episode. Another benefit I have decided is that you can listen to radio (yes you can do this with the Ipod as well) but it seems to be that the Zune does it better. The Zune scans for channels and then shows you the station and what type of music they place (soft rock, country etc.) The reception is better also - much less fuzzy then the same stations with my Ipod.
So if you can live without a camera and itunes and you like media center I would say the Zune may just be more to your preference then the Ipod. I have both but I quite like the Zune.
By P. Kennedy (boston)
For a while, I owned a cheap Sandisk Clip player, which was terrific, until it burned out. Because I use my MP3 player so much, I decided to splurge for the Zune, despite my qualms about Microsoft products.
The $100 Zune died in just a few weeks -- much faster than the cheap Sandisk. Microsoft does not make it easy to send the Zune in for repair; you have to go through a lengthy on-line process. Now, two weeks after I sent the device in for its under-warranty repair, it is still in the "sorting room" (according to the telephone help person) and has not even begun its journey to the fix-it shop. I'm told that the Zune might be sent back to me in another two weeks -- making their total turnaround time for repair a month.
In the meantime, I bought another Sandisk Clip for $25. It's such a great little machine -- with several features that are lacking in the Zune (ie, voice recording). Now I wish I'd never wasted my money on the Zune!
By E. Schneider (USA)
I own a 4gb and a 8gb, my 8gb stopped working 1 week after warranty. POS.
By T. Gontczaruk
I think that it is a gigantic improvement over the iPod. The use of the player as well as the ability to use the software has eliminated what used to be a torture when I had an iPod. The only thing that I think that they could improve upon is the radio reception. I work in a stone building and I think that doesn't help the reception but if I move to certain places on my desk I will pick up a particular station, but if I move it somewhere else, I lose the radio station. Other than that, it is GREAT!
By S. Anglin (NJ)
It's an awesome product but the play/pause button started giving me problems after only 5 days!!! Anyway, it's still usable so it's no biggie for me.
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