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The Seattle Times talks about the Zune in this article… (Complete Article)

 

80GB Zune

The challenge for Microsoft’s upgraded Zune is pretty simple: Will consumers take it seriously?

They absolutely should, because my tests with the new 80GB model were simply delightful, with one exception.

Loading the software was fast, importing songs and albums from the other music programs on the HP was a snap (iTunes MP3 files will transfer over), and the upgraded software used to manage one’s music was easy to learn.

From a physical standpoint, the 80GB Zune ($250) is slightly smaller and thinner than last year’s 30GB model ($200). The navigation pad has been changed, too, allowing you to move around the device with a touch or a firm tap. The pad also is used on the flash-drive-based 4GB ($150) and 8GB ($200) models.

Microsoft included a nice surprise in the 80GB model: higher-quality headphones. They are in-ear models and sound much better than what ships with the iPod. The headphones on the other Zune models are standard, however.

Here’s how setup works:

Buyers go to Zune.net to download the software. Like the iPod, the music player does not ship with software. Over my standard DSL broadband connection, the download took 6 minutes. After 15 minutes, it was installed on my computer, and it began collecting all the music, videos and photos I had on that computer. (I did this while holding a baby, so that’s a clue as to how simple this setup was.)

Then I plugged the Zune in via USB, and all that content moved into the device in roughly 15 minutes. It was iPod-like in its simplicity and about as trouble-free a setup as I’ve had with a device capable of playing music and videos.

Then it got better: To test how the device would import music after initial setup, I loaded (ripped, if you prefer) 10 more CDs onto the laptop. Most of these CDs had whiskers, too, some were at least 10 years old. So it was a nice surprise when the Zune software recognized the discs quickly, faster than on iTunes, and imported track names and artwork.

The software sorts your music by date, so the last disc ripped is the first one you see. This is nice because one assumes people want to play their most recent additions.

Then I hit a snag. One new feature is wireless syncing, meaning you don’t need to connect the device to your PC via USB cable to transfer over new tunes, such as the 10 CDs I just ripped. I set up the Zune to work wirelessly, and it recognized my home network and the computer with the Zune software. Everything seemed to set up just fine, but the music would not transfer over.

I fiddled with the settings a bit more, but I never could get it to work.

Despite that disappointment, Microsoft is getting it right with the Zune. This device was a pleasure that I want to spend more time with to discover other features, including the Zune Marketplace, where you buy music and sign up for a subscription service.