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Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Zune 2 Software and Firmware Review

Zune Shortcut It's here! All current Zune users, fire up your browser and head directly to zune.net to download the new desktop software version of Zune. Connect your Zune, and it will be updated to Firmware 2.2.

The new Zune desktop software is much more simplified and actually quite beautiful. It's almost over-simplified. Take a look at the photo below - it shows your collection of music in a neat tiled view.

Zune Software

Click on the image to be redirected to Flickr for a larger image.

In the bottom left hand corner, you see three icons. One Bottom Iconsrepresents a Zune, the other a CD, and the third a piece of paper (playlists).

In the image to the right, the playlist icon is dimmed. That is because a playlist is not in use. If my Zune was not connected, the Zune icon would be dimmed. Also, if no CD was in the drive, the CD icon would also be dimmed.

Playing ControlsIn the bottom right hand corner, you see the player controls. You have the basic previous, forward, play/pause, shuffle, repeat and volume buttons. What's that hot pink bars button next to the forward button? Well when you are playing a song, simply click on it and the amazing Now Playing Screen fills your screen:

Now Playing Screen

Click on the image to be redirected to Flickr for a larger image.

Microsoft did a good job with adding eye candy. Speaking of eye candy, just about everything in the Zune software is animated. For example, click on the Zune icon in the bottom left corner, and a larger picture of your Zune model flies in:

Zune Connected Screen

Click on the image to be redirected to Flickr for a larger image. (BTW, my name is not JoJo, I just put that to show how it displays whatever you named your Zune)

In the upper right hand corner, the main menu resides. Menu

It gives you all the options that were in the sidebar in the old Zune software. Let's take a look at the redesigned Marketplace.

Marketplace

Click on the image to be redirected to Flickr for a larger image.

New to the Zune Marketplace is music videos and they even have an ad on the front page for DRM-free music. Thanks Microsoft :)

Go to my Flickr collection to see more pictures of the Zune software.

DSC00256Zune 2 Firmware:

The firmware for the new Zune is largely the same compared to the old Zune. You get a redesigned main menu (options' names are HUGE) and the ability to wirelessly sync. I've been having trouble wirelessly syncing because the Zune software keeps telling me it can't find my wireless network. Once I get it to work, I will review how well that works. Below are pictures of the new main menu, the about screen, the Zune attempting to find a wireless network to sync over, and the Now Playing screen. (Once again, to see larger pictures, click on the picture to be redirected to Flickr)DSC00267DSC00266

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If you would like more information, please leave a comment describing what you want to know and I will try my best to answer your question!

 

Thanks.

 

P.S. Please consider donating a dollar or two to my MacBook fund! Thanks!

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