Zune HD (32GB, platinum)

reply on March 20, 2011 by hal9000d

I just bought one of these Zune's for my daughter, first issue is no software, everything had to be downloaded. BTW, if you don't have a high speed network conection plan on a few over nights of downloads. The initial software took 3 hours on my fair DSL line. Installed, 1 hour later, it errored saying I had to download zunepackage47.exe, 362 meg, 3 more hours of download. Installed that, then when it finally came up it figured that the unit needed upgraded, it needed 4 pieces of software, 2 hours for the first one, hour and a half for each for the other three, nearly a gig of software to make this thing go. It is a cool machine, but bloatware is the backbone of this device. This would blow the I-Pod out of the water if it would just do what it needed to do out of the box. Great toy, but make no mistake, this is a Microsoft piece of harware, and all that that implies. One you get it working, and after a few patches it is great, but getting there is a nightmare. I set up 8 of these.

reply on January 13, 2011 by marconmike

I am beginning to feel the same. I always research before I make an expensive purchase and somehow I feel Microsoft products are not being treated nicely in this corner. However, CNET UK seem to have a very balance view of the worlds NO.1 OS, Windows 7, check this out: http://crave.cnet.co.uk/software/snow-leopard-vs-windows-7-how-the-apple-has-fallen-49303915/. Don't get me wrong, I also own a MAC but Windows has always satisfied my urge to tweak/customize down to the minute level, everything according to my rules...

reply on December 13, 2010 by OzzY2492

Im 200% sure that apple pays cnet to get such high reviews on their devices, its very predictable

reply on September 17, 2010 by bbbbsn9

Someone hasn't heard of jailbreak...

reply on August 24, 2010 by chrisakatrace

How is it biased to rate everything the same? They rate everything 4 stars. I see you rated it Five stars, the fact that Zune Pass uses MS Points deserves to drop any Zune based product at least 1 star.

reply on July 5, 2010 by rondo3

Ipods poor sound,poor battery No HD things that need to be addressed. Ipods are for the unaware.

reply on June 7, 2010 by keh-key

Amen,brother! Zune HD is the future, I-pod is the past!

reply on May 28, 2010 by jizad825

I agree 100%

reply on April 5, 2010 by kyle032196

You are right Zunes are good and handy in the car

reply on January 13, 2010 by paul82346

To @macsoldier, Palm Pilot pioneered the PDA including touch screen PDAs almost a decade ago.

reply on December 30, 2009 by Gandalf20000

@macsoldier
Apple pioneers a lot of stuff. But most of the time, Microsoft eventually ends up surpassing them in quality and acceptance. Apple pioneered the first widely available GUI-based OS. Guess what? Most computers in the world run Windows, not OS X. Often the argument of software is used. This works with computers, because both Windows and OS X have been around for quite some time. This works with game consoles, because the current generation has been out for 3 years (4 in the case of the 360). However, this does not work with MP3 players. The Zune HD has been out for considerably less time than the iPod Touch. The Touch has had two years for Apple to try and perfect their system (whether they have or not, I don't know). The HD has been out for only a few months, so there are bound to be some wrinkles (maybe not actual errors or bugs) that Microsoft needs to iron out, since Zune HDs haven't had as much exposure to the public yet.

reply on December 30, 2009 by macsoldier

I suppose I could, but that seems contradicting to my health, and I am not a homosexual. Try to say something intelligent next time... that is assuming you are actually capable of logical thought.

reply on December 22, 2009 by macsoldier

And for all those critics who say not you can only use iPod with iTunes, that is completely untrue, and the reasons are two-fold. For one, unlike the Zune (unless you hack it), you can enable "disk usage" on an iPod, which basically allows you to use the free space on the disk as a portable hard drive. This allows you to put any data on it that you like. Secondly, there are programs which you can find online that allow you to freely take music off any iPod.

reply on December 22, 2009 by macsoldier

Wow, it really is hilarious how you silly Microsoft nerds continue to hate on apple products (the psychological term is "inferiority complex"). I really think Microsoft has made great strides with product development over the past couple years but... I'm positive that they would still be stuck in the stone age of windows xp if it were not for innovative companies like apple. Let's have a reality check, shall we?
-Apple PIONEERED the PMP market. There would be the no Zune if it weren't for the iPod (and for that matter, no Zune HD if it weren't for the iPod Touch). The iPod is the dominant PMP on the market and always has been. It's not because consumers are "brainwashed" or they succumb the apple's subliminal "evilness." It's because iPods are solid, relevant, innovative, and intuitive.

reply on December 20, 2009 by revealer7

Your review is also a bit biased. Technically the iPod Touch is better, because it is more popular, available worldwide, and has a SDK, so there are alot of great games and apps for it. If the Zune HD got an app store, sdk, and a browser that's not Internet Explorer Mobile, then it will give the iPod Touch some real competition.

reply on November 19, 2009 by redtailed4

True, but the iPod Touch has tons and tons of apps, making a much more useful device at the same price as the Zune HD, and i'm very doubtful that the Zune HD can have more apps than the iPod Touch, especially since apps from the app store works both on the iPod Touch and iPhone and thus, the apps developers create can be used by a much more bigger audience.It's the same as windows and mac, where windows gets much more software as its a bigger platform than mac.

reply on November 14, 2009 by Jabok1

Does this Player have a MSN app available seeing as it is stands for 'The Microsoft Network' and is now 'Windows live messenger'. If not does this run websites such as 'meebo.com'?

reply on November 8, 2009 by Gaurd1an

This isn't really a reaction to this user review, but they said in the interview they would update the post with results of the battery tests once completed, but now a month after they posted it they still haven't. I'd just like to put it to cnets attention.

reply on October 27, 2009 by ithomas94

Additionally, mikeman188, I would have to say only around 10,000 (give or take a couple thousand) are genuinely good apps, while the rest are trash apps made by sleazy companies looking to make a quick buck.
Seriously, it seems noone here actually knows their stuff when it comes to these two players; if you're going to go into the nitty-gritty, actually KNOW your stuff.

reply on October 27, 2009 by ithomas94

The Zune HD's screen, although gorgeous, is horrible in sunlight. (you forgot to mention the OLED screen sucks less battery life, and using a PMP in direct sunlight is stupid)
The Zune lacks the app store which is a colossal flaw in their compettition with the iPod touch. (it's been out two weeks, give it a chance; additionally, XNA has been released for the HD)
The Zune HD is Windows only. (who cares? Microsoft isn't going to waste time and money on a market they wouldn't make a profit from; therefore, this point is moot)

However I'll tell you this, the iPod Touch has a speaker, more memory availability, and a (PROVEN) more responsive touch screen.
(the speaker on the iPod Touch is absolute crap; I would never use it. And the touch screen's are both very responsive, thank you very much; I would absolutely LOVE to hear where you read that. Apple's website?)
@Mikeman188: What's the point of having over 90,000 apps if more than 80% of them aren't even used more than once after download?

reply on October 15, 2009 by RSN5774912

I love it when apple's iTools come out to iTroll

reply on October 14, 2009 by conway29

Just so you and everyone else reading your review knows, this was a review of the Zune HD, not a true comparison between it and the iPod Touch. I'm sure the only reason that cnet compared it to the iTouch was because that iPod has been out alot longer and people need to see how it stacks up to something they are more familiar with. Granted, they did not mention everything about the iTouch; but if you want that then look up the review for it. Lastly, I do not think that they consider themselves experts more than you or I. They just review the features of products and list them on their website. I know that they did not list every single feature of the iPod Touch; and I know that we can not be the only two people who saw that. But if you want people to listen to you, then you have got to stop insulting cnet and just state the problem you have with them.

reply on October 13, 2009 by mikeman118

Haha well as full disclosure i do own an iPod touch and love it, although I have used Windows for years now. My main point is just that you can't accuse CNET of being biased or having biased reviews.

reply on October 13, 2009 by porky247

@mikeman118
apple fanboy

reply on October 7, 2009 by mikeman118

Just as a side not in response to an earlier reply, the iPod touch was released in 2007 but did not actually get the app store until July 2008. At the time of writing there are over 90,000 apps in the app store (apptism.com) and it has been 16 months since the app store has been around. This roughly equates to about 216 apps every two weeks. Of course, I'm not saying that I expect the Zune to have 216 apps already (it's just an average), but it shows that the app store grew very very quickly.

reply on October 7, 2009 by mikeman118

Can you seriously say the iPod's interface is old and boring? Whether or not it's better than the Zune's it's certainly not old or boring. The iPod does support one video format, but iTunes converts just about any format you want into it so it doesn't really matter. The problem they have with the Zune software is not that it's required, but that it's only on PC, whereas iTunes is on Mac and PC.

Obviously, you are a Windows fanboy who seems to think that if they don't say the Zune is better than the iPod they "no longer have any credibility". An 8.7 rating is quite high, especially for CNET, and it's ridiculous to accuse them of being biased and unfair.
You can't complain that they are comparing the iPod to the Zune, as that's what you normally do in a review (check out any one of their other reviews). It's about the only other product really in it's class, so it's no surprise. Besides, a vast majority will come here anyway looking for a comparison (which is actually why I was here).

reply on October 3, 2009 by Houston01

Ok everybody, calm down seriously, first off nobody really cares about the not being able to see the screen in daylight, most phones are like tha and youll be indoors most of the time at school or work unless your a construction worker or police. Also i was looking at the anythingbutipod.com forums and they are coming with a boatload of apps, from what i saw they came out with weather, calander, and a few games also keep in mind that its only been out for a couple of weeks. Also you can use the zune originals on the zune website to get your zune HD in different colors, Ipod Touch can't do that plus you would have to get a protector for the bottom of the touch so it won't look disgusting LOL. They also have a guy on the forums that works for the zune team at microsoft that you can ask your questions to whenever.

reply on September 30, 2009 by Devilo86

lol, biased review? Are you an idiot? This review isn't about the iPod Touch, it's about the Zune HD, if you wanted to hear a review all about how many flaws the iPod Touch has, go look at an iPod Touch review, here, I'll do both for you right now.

The Zune HD's screen, although gorgeous, is horrible in sunlight.
The Zune lacks the app store which is a colossal flaw in their compettition with the iPod touch.
The Zune HD is Windows only.

The iPod Touch has a screen that, although good in sunlight, doesn't compare with the OLED Screen indoors.
the iPod Touch is locked with iTunes (As the Zune HD is locked with the Zune software, and to talk about which is easier, give me a break, they're both easy unless your IQ is that of the outside temperature in NY during winter).
iPod Touch does not have HD, nor HD radio.
iPod Touch is not as sexy, no way, nor as light.

However I'll tell you this, the iPod Touch has a speaker, more memory availability, and a (PROVEN) more responsive touch screen.

reply on September 29, 2009 by revengeofthecow

X-sync: It's obvious you have never used the Zune software. If you had, you would know that most songs can be downloaded as DRM-free MP3s, much like iTunes, and the Zune Pass lets you convert ten songs each month into MP3s so you can keep them for life. Apps are much more plentiful on the Touch than the Zune HD, it's true, but the HD has been around for all of two weeks and the Touch has been around since 2007 (over two years now).

reply on September 28, 2009 by bryantomp

I agree with you. All around the Zune HD is a better device then iPod. The HD radio, the OLED screen, the easy of use. Cnet is not fair when they did it review, all about the apps, who cares about apps.

reply on September 28, 2009 by X-sync

I don't think Zune HD is superior. I mean is getting there, but there are many reasons I would prefer an iPod. First of all, I don't like subscriptions and Zune Pass is one of them. If I would ever get a music subscription I would prefer to not be locked up to just one device. Apple's does lock you up if you want all the services, but music can be made into mp3 and used elsewhere, something Zune doesn't. There are more videos available in the iTunes store than in Zune marketplace. There are an endless amount of applications available for iPods and only a few for Zune. Oh and there are more cables available for iPods than there are for Zunes. Finally, Zune does offer a cable for TVs for 89 bucks, but the iPod has one for 49 bucks. Overall Zune is a more expensive (All their services makes it in the long-run) and a less complete portable device. I give them a plus for the superb music and video experience indoors and I will give them a double plus when it works outdoors.