Zune

For those of you intrigued by the Microsoft Zune, the official Zune Web site is now alive and kicking.

Basically a glossy digital brochure of people having fun and looking cool (think J.Crew meets Lollapalooza), Zune.net reveals stuff that we've already seen such as: Zune photos, accessories such as the VAF Octavio speaker system, advertisements, Zune Marketplace and ZunePass PR fodder, artist profiles, and Zune "on tour" dates. The Zune hits the streets on November 14.

Today, Microsoft gave CNET a demonstration of the Zune and the Zune software. Our initial impressions: It's a well-designed portable media device with good playback performance, a snappy processor, and an excellent interface. Wi-Fi sharing worked well, but prospective owners should know that format support, especially for videos, is limited. This goes along with Microsoft's mantra of starting simple and closed, then expanding features as the Zune community evolves.

Watch the demo video and read our first take of the Microsoft Zune.

(Photo: Microsoft)

Though Microsoft officially unveiled the Zune portable media player 48 days ago, the actual device has only seen a scattered few non-Microsoft hands, and usually within the confines of the Microsoft campus. Tomorrow, we finally get a hands-on demo of the Zune, which is slated for a November 14 release. Check back Wednesday evening for my first impressions of the Zune in the flesh, including how it looks and feels in person, Zune-to-Zune sharing, and an in-depth feature list. Look out for the First Look video, too.

(Photo: Microsoft)

Nothing says anti-corporate like "streetwear" right? One of the biggest names in all of corporate-ness, Microsoft, is reaching out to the cool kids by launching an auction of limited edition Zune players from Oct. 28 through Nov. 14 in Los Angeles.

In an event it is delicately underplaying by naming it "The La Brea Takeover," streetwear shops Union, Undftd and Stussy will periodically auction off two limited edition Zunes they've put their hip spin on.

Leaving aside the fact that "takeover" is a strong word for a trio of stores right next to … Read more

For all its hype, Microsoft's Zune obviously faces a daunting challenge against the wildfire popularity of the iPod. So what magic arrow does Microsoft have in its quiver? The closest thing might lie in the wireless realm, as indicated by CEO Steve Ballmer in a video interview with CNET News.com. Ballmer suggested that a wireless network connecting all Microsoft media properties to Zune--such as its Xbox and Media Center, as well as phones and other products--could go a long way toward helping the device catch up.

Fresh from the informative-but-take-it-with-a-grain-of-salt Zune Insider blog comes some juicy details about Zune battery life. According to the insider (Microsoft employee Cesar Menendez), the Zune will get about 14 hours of audio battery life -- not amazing but not bad either. Parameters of the drain: unprotected 128kbps WMA tracks on repeat with default volume, no EQ, and backlight on for 1 second, which is pretty standard (you should be able to play standard MP3s for a while longer).

Cesar later comments that because of DRM processing "Playing music you got from Zune Marketplace will knock down the above battery … Read more

The Zune won't be available until November 14, but that's not stopping certain lucky individuals from getting some one-on-one action with the highly anticipated Wi-Fi-enabled MP3 player from Microsoft.

Given a demo of the unit on Microsoft's campus, 2old2play's sunburned_Goose was impressed by its form factor, stating, "It is not as light as the latest video iPod, but compared to my fourth-generation iPod, the Zune was lighter." He goes on to say that he was so intrigued by the rubberized exterior that he found himself "unable to stop stroking the device." Whatever … Read more

Turns out the name of Microsoft's upcoming music player, "Zune," sounds a lot like a Hebrew word--and, um, it ain't shalom. A Macworld article notes that the music player's moniker is taking some Hebrew speakers aback because of its resemblance to the word "zi-yun," which, translated into English, has four letters and starts with an "f."

Hebrew linguists are divided over the name Zune, the article says, with some calling it unacceptable and others saying the one-syllable gadget name is unlikely to be mistaken for the two-syllable obscenity.

Still, you gotta … Read more

It might not be the juiciest of Zune spoilers, and a Wal-Mart Stores Web site leak might not have the geeky glamour of shady factory photos taken with a camera phone, but according to Engadget, the big-box retailer's online store already was listing Microsoft's as-yet-unreleased media player for a price of $284.

This might not be final--especially considering the fact that the infamous Wal-Mart smiley face likes to "roll back" the cost of everything by a buck or two--but it's probably pretty close to what the Zune will eventually cost.

An iPod of equivalent capacity (… Read more