Zune Zone

Zune pre-orders well underway

2006-09-30T02:16:00.000-07:00

The Zune retailers have opened the gates and have started to accept pre-orders for Zunes and related accessories. We have created a page here which will let you see what Amazon have available. That includes all three color varieties and plenty of accessories!Order your Zune now

Zune Accessory List with Prices

2006-09-28T09:05:00.000-07:00

Zune will be available with a number of accessories, sold in packs or individually. We haven't totted up the prices, but assume that the pack prices are cheaper than the bits added up.Zune Home A/V PackThe Home A/V Pack includes everything you need to amplify your Zune experience. This set of five products integrates Zune with your big-screen TV and the best speakers in your house. The wireless

Zune - 14th November

2006-09-28T08:49:00.000-07:00

It's all over the place now, but the Zune is due to be released on 14th November in the US for $249.99. You will be able to subscribe to Zune Pass, which will cost $14.99 per month and give you access to the Zune library (millions of songs they say) - but I assume that you would need to remain a subscriber... Individual tracks will cost 79 Microsoft points (99 cents).There's now a full list of

Zune speaker dock

2006-09-25T15:14:00.000-07:00

VAF Research have announced their Zune speaker system, the Octavio, which looks mighty nice in the press shots. Could this be the first public outing of the Designed for Zune logo?

It's coming... press releases are out

2006-09-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I spend a day interviewing and then the press release pops out of the system:REDMOND, Wash. — Sept. 14, 2006 — Marking the next big milestone for its Connected Entertainment vision, Microsoft Corp. today unveiled details of the first products to be released under its Zune™ brand. Designed around the principles of sharing, discovery and community, Zune will create new ways for consumers to

Zune as promotion tool

2006-08-30T07:57:00.000-07:00

The Gadgets Weblog raises some interesting points in a recent post. The crux is which record promoter will arm a bunch of people with Zunes loaded with promo tracks and send them out on Zune DJ mode, and when it will happen.Send a bunch of carriers to dense urban areas: airports, train stations, university campuses etc. and just let people discover the tracks. Cheap and effective promotion.But

Zune artistic direction

2006-08-29T16:53:00.000-07:00

Artist Robin Troy is to be the Production Manager for images that will ship with Zune. Robin works on both human figures and abstract - so no real clue as to the Zune direction just yet, but anyone who counts Blazing Saddles, The Matrix and Young Frankenstein in their fave movie list can't be bad :-)More on Robin here.

Zune appears on FCC site

2006-08-25T07:31:00.000-07:00

Well, it had to appear sooner or later, and thanks to a number of tip offs (you know who you are!), we checked today and there it is, the Zune in all it's glory.Interestingly, it's been submitted by Toshiba and described as HDD Portable Audio Player Type 1089. There are photos of the outside, inside, and a cheeky little clue as to what the Toshiba 1089 actually is...There is even a small manual,

EMI jumps aboard the good ship Zune

2006-08-17T15:00:00.000-07:00

Reuters are reporting that EMI have signed a deal with Microsoft to provide pre-loaded music videos for the Zune. Same band names as have already been mentioned: Hot Chip and 30 Seconds to Mars.

Zune beta interface

2006-08-17T12:39:00.000-07:00

Gizmodo have followed through, and although not earth shatteringly amazing details, it does reveal some of the interface designs for Zune, at least at this early beta stage.Basically: the scroll wheel isn't; the interface is a bit like MCE 2005; the back has a grip and a magnetic area for the headphones mentioned earlier; FM tuner AND FM transmitter with what we assume is RDS , considering the

Zune test unit photo

2006-08-17T09:06:00.000-07:00

Gee those Gizmodo guys get all the luck - they've managed to get a picture of a real Zune test unit... Things the picture reveals: the reflection on the screen and round button surround appears to be shiny chrome; the Zune looks very slim indeed. The in-ear headphones are quite funky, with magnetic backs, to keep them together when not being used - nice touch.The black and white photo is to

Zune multimedia keyboard update

2006-08-17T00:58:00.000-07:00

Due to the rumors that the keyboard with the Zune dock was a fake, we contacted Razer themselves:At the moment, we do not have a official version of the Pro|Type with a Zune dock.However, the original Pro|Type, which has been launched, has an iPod dock. For more information on the Razer Pro|Solutions range, please do not hesitate to log onto www.razerpro.com. So, reading between the lines, it

First Zune content revealed

2006-08-14T15:05:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Richard on the Zune team over at Madison and Pine, we're starting to get an early glimpse of what the Zune will ship with as demo tracks etc. This blog post tells us to expect both video and audio content, thus poo-pooing the "no video" panic that went around a week or two ago. Also, there was mention of material from the uber-trendy Brazilians Cansei de Ser Sexy (which had already been

Multimedia keyboard with Zune slot

2006-08-14T10:01:00.000-07:00

Oh yum yum yum. The guys at Gizmodo have got some leaked shots of the Razer Pro|Type Multimeida keyboard, due with us in November. There are going to be iPod versions as well, but this Zune model looks pretty darn good.

Zune team battle power cuts

2006-08-14T09:55:00.000-07:00

Hopefully it's not indicative of the power requirements of the Zune, but power at Zune central keeps cutting out. Keep going guys, we're waiting with baited breath...What is very interesting in this post is that there appears to be a definite focus on the music, as was promised all along. ie. This isn't just another generic MP3 player, but comes as a part of a bigger picture of player, service

Zune and video

2006-08-08T01:39:00.000-07:00

Although Microsoft have yet to confirm anything, there have been rumors all over the place that the first Zune won't support video. This seems to be a bit of over-excited reporting...The situation as we know it is that the Zune will support video when released, but the online portion of Zune to buy video may not be ready, after talks with content providers have been, err.. delayed.Of course, it's

Zune reaction in Cornwall

2006-08-07T08:01:00.000-07:00

After a restful vacation in Cornwall, England, near Goonhilly Downs, we are back ready to report on new Zune news. Thankfully, Microsoft has had the decency to wait until we got back before starting the launch process off.Whilst we were in Cornwall, mixing with stressed families, eco-warriors and surfer dudes, we tried a small informal survey, asking people if they had heard of Zune at all. Nor

Zune to ship with tracks?

2006-08-01T04:23:00.000-07:00

According to Richard Winn on the Zune team, the Zune might ship with tracks on the hard disk. Early days so far of course, and could mean free content, or unlockable tracks. More news when Microsoft let us know.

Remember, remember the 14th of November

2006-07-31T12:55:00.000-07:00

Get your diary out and highlight 14th November, as that is the date that the Zune is expected, according to the latest update from Engadget. They reiterate some details we already knew: 30Gb drive, available in Black or Brown. But there are a few extras mentioned as well: A new color option - "cotton", 13 first party accessories (sat radio tuner?), FM tuner built in (new one on us), and get this

Microsoft plays long game with Zune

2006-07-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

Microsoft are not looking at payback from the Zune project until 3 to 5years down the line, said Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft'sentertainment and devices division, today at Microsoft's annual analystmeeting. 2011 will be a very different place to where we are now, so it willbe interesting to see Microsoft's strategy for the next 5 years, and howZune and Windows strategy compares over the

Zune to ship with tracks?

2006-07-27T14:26:00.000-07:00

Ballmer bigs up Zune

2006-07-27T13:44:00.000-07:00

Cesar Menendez, also on the Zune team has a pic (and some audio coming) of Steve Ballmer talking about Zune at the Microsoft Retail Vision Summit in Seattle today. Cesar tells us to basically ignore the Xbox logo, which re-enforces the fact that Zune 1 won't play games. We're still hoping for at least some Xbox Live Arcade games though... He also confirms the pre-loading of Zune: "However,

Analysts like Zune

2006-07-25T09:49:00.000-07:00

As we predicted over a week ago, Microsoft will be meeting with industry analysts this Thursday, according to Brier Dudley, the man who broke the Zune story some time back. But the early opinion is that analysts could be quite interested in what Microsoft are trying to do with Zune.

Zune Zone

Zune pre-orders well underway

Zune Accessory List with Prices

Zune - 14th November

Zune speaker dock

It's coming... press releases are out

Zune as promotion tool

Zune artistic direction

More Zune preloaded content

Zune appears on FCC site

EMI jumps aboard the good ship Zune

Zune beta interface

Zune test unit photo

Zune multimedia keyboard update

More Zune content: 30 Seconds to Mars

First Zune content revealed

Multimedia keyboard with Zune slot

Zune team battle power cuts

Zune and video

Zune reaction in Cornwall

Zune to ship with tracks?

Remember, remember the 14th of November

Microsoft plays long game with Zune

Zune to ship with tracks?

Ballmer bigs up Zune

Analysts like Zune