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DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> Microsoft did it!
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09/23/2008 09:01:34 PM · #1
I got a Zune as a gift about a year ago. It was cool, good MP3 player I was given the subscription service which made it awesome. They just did a software upgrade, and it is super sweet now! I can download any of 3 million songs onto my zune without a computer. I can play games while listening to the music. This thing freaking rocks now. What a super cool upgrade.

Ok, now back to my homework.
09/23/2008 09:07:24 PM · #2
3 mill. songs downloadable w/o computer? Does it have WiFi?
09/23/2008 09:16:29 PM · #3
Yes, but up till this point the wifi was useless except for wirelessly syncing. But now I can just browse or search and download without a pc. It kicks butt. And the new games are awesome too. I am so excited they upgraded.
09/23/2008 09:18:43 PM · #4
Well, this puts a crimp in Colbert's assertion that that Zune doesn't have a kill switch, or do anything else.

heheh.
09/23/2008 09:20:19 PM · #5
Yup...

Connect to your home wireless or MS partnered with McD's for a hot spot (any hot spot will do), You have to be a Zune Subscriber or have some MS Points (xbox live or MS Marketplace) to grab songs. The wife is a subscriber and has filled a 30G and an 80G zune.

The 3.0 firmware (updates us 30G zune users too) Adds Texas Holdem and Hexic, Clock, Display Lock, upgraded Wireless, FM Tagging so while listening to FM on zune you can tag and download, Audio Books...and more.

They have messed up "The Social" with the updated software but they're on it, plays and badges are taking a spell to hit the server.

Message edited by author 2008-09-23 21:29:18.
09/23/2008 09:20:50 PM · #6
I have always thought it was a decent mp3 player. It really was never much different than an ipod to me. This kicks butt however. I just downloaded a few albums and it worked perfect.
09/23/2008 09:33:53 PM · #7
Yipes! Watch out for the DRM. You can eventually loose what you buy. It's funny that Digital Rights Management (DRM) is sold as a feature when really it's a restriction that assumes you are a thief and, after purchasing music, you must electronically demonstrate your right to play it. Good luck in the future when units inevitably die, get replaced and you've used your 3-5 "legal copies" without checking songs back in (because the hardware is broken and you CAN'T check them in).

BTW: itunes is no better with the ACC restricted format, so be sure to make an analog copy of the things you care about or you may have to repurchase them eventually. Granted, that may be 10 years down the road, but I have many songs that I still listen to that have lasted longer than all of the music players I've owned combined.

I don't buy DRMed stuff, SO please correct me if they've come up with new ways to ensure you will not eventually be cheated out of music you legally purchased.
09/23/2008 09:56:51 PM · #8
I just rent my music, and then I don't have to worry about DRM. I moved all of my purchased stuff onto DVD's and I exclusively rent. I figured it this way. A ipod that holds 30,000 songs technically should be worth $30,000 if you fill it up legally (which I do because I don't want my stuff stolen either). That is a very expensive piece of gear. I can rent at $14.95 a month all 3 million songs in the Microsoft collection for 167 years instead of buying. Since I will not live for 167 years it is a good deal for me. + you get up to 3 devices with one subscription so my wife and my son both enjoy as much music as they want as well. That is why I will keep renting when my gift subscription is up.

I posted some screen shots on my blog. //jasoncross.net/?p=252
09/23/2008 09:58:12 PM · #9
Originally posted by JMart:

Yipes! Watch out for the DRM. You can eventually loose what you buy. It's funny that Digital Rights Management (DRM) is sold as a feature when really it's a restriction that assumes you are a thief and, after purchasing music, you must electronically demonstrate your right to play it. Good luck in the future when units inevitably die, get replaced and you've used your 3-5 "legal copies" without checking songs back in (because the hardware is broken and you CAN'T check them in).

BTW: itunes is no better with the ACC restricted format, so be sure to make an analog copy of the things you care about or you may have to repurchase them eventually. Granted, that may be 10 years down the road, but I have many songs that I still listen to that have lasted longer than all of the music players I've owned combined.

I don't buy DRMed stuff, SO please correct me if they've come up with new ways to ensure you will not eventually be cheated out of music you legally purchased.


Like iTunes, Zune Marketplace keeps record of everything you buy or lease (subscription), a copy is placed on your primary computer (subscribers can sync to 4 computers) and then sync'd to the zune when plugged in. Downloads over wireless are copied to your pewter when you plug in. There is always a copy or record of your media somewhere.

I changed computers, made it my primary, hooked my zune to it and and all my Music, Vids and podcasts were copied to the new PC. The wife got an 80G (zune) upgrade for her, plugged it in and all her music that was on the 30G was copied to it. It isn't that hard to xfer between pewters or devices.

I personally buy albums from marketplace cause I don't want the lease to run out on my music, a lot of the recent releases for purchase on marketplace are clean, DRM free MP3s which is cool. My zune plugs in to my car stereo and Xbox 360s (mediacenter streams to many devices in da house) so I don't have a lot of use for CDs any more.

Jason u on "The Social" if so whatz ur Zune Tag (or if XBL whats ur gamertag)?

Message edited by author 2008-09-23 22:04:54.
09/23/2008 10:11:35 PM · #10
1. Your statement about $30,000 worth of music on an iPod is a bit misleading unless you just arrived on the planet today with no music media on CDs. The iPod model assumes you already own a considerable amount of music that you will convert to AAC or MP3 (with no DRM, unlike WMF). Not to mention movies and games.

2. Do you really think you'll consume $180 worth of music per year. That is 18-25 CDs per year. You would be way above the average music consumer at that rate.

3. Stop paying your subscription and you can't listen to any of the music anymore, ever.

I'll stick to the purchase model.
09/23/2008 10:16:34 PM · #11
After getting boned by Walmart for licensing issues -- losing about $500 of music that I legally purchased but couldn't transfer licenses to my new computers, I rebelled and went shady for awhile with allofmp3 until they went defunct. Even MSN Music went belly-up eventually and 4 computers later that music is gone as well.

I will never ever buy DRM music again.

So I'm a big Amazon fan now, all legal and DRM-free. In addition, Rhapsody sells DRM-free music so they'll get my business as well for whatever isn't on Amazon.

Trust me, it seem awesome now but in 5 years you'll want to kill yourself.
09/23/2008 10:18:16 PM · #12
Originally posted by scarbrd:

1. Your statement about $30,000 worth of music on an iPod is a bit misleading unless you just arrived on the planet today with no music media on CDs. The iPod model assumes you already own a considerable amount of music that you will convert to AAC or MP3 (with no DRM, unlike WMF). Not to mention movies and games.

2. Do you really think you'll consume $180 worth of music per year. That is 18-25 CDs per year. You would be way above the average music consumer at that rate.

3. Stop paying your subscription and you can't listen to any of the music anymore, ever.

I'll stick to the purchase model.


My wife would consume $180 in music a year and that's why she is a subscriber...that and how many times have we bought a CD and found that only 2 or 3 were worth listening to. She likes clicking on other peeps playlists and having the entire collection downloaded, If she don't like it she removes it.
09/23/2008 10:18:17 PM · #13
I actually do listen to that much music. Especially when I consider my wife and kids in the mix. I have a real mp3 collection with 300 gigs of music (I used to own a small record label). So yes, I started out with a bunch. Fact of the matter is that I did pay for that at some point. I am not one to listen to the same stuff over and over. I always like to get the latest tune from the latest band.

But technically I am right. If you bought your music that fills up your 30,000 song ipod, then you paid close to that much money for it. You might have purchased 15,000 in the past, but that is still over 50 years of music left until I fill my player, and again I won't live that long. Plus now I am able to actually listen to 40 new cds in a month. I am not restricted to only being able to listen to what I purchased.

I am only renting, so if they stop the service tomorrow I would not have the music. But I bet there would be a different service that would come along in its place and I would be able to get everything back for a rental fee again.

As for actually DRM downloads, yes I don't do that. If you want to own them, get them DRM free, otherwise don't count on having them forever.

Message edited by author 2008-09-23 22:20:58.
09/23/2008 10:27:32 PM · #14
Originally posted by L2:

snip...

Even MSN Music went belly-up eventually and 4 computers later that music is gone as well.

...snip


MSN Music FAQ

09/23/2008 10:29:50 PM · #15
DRM sucks, and that is in part why I choose to rent. I just don't see DRM going away. I think in the future we will rent our movies and our music. Maybe our books?
09/23/2008 10:36:54 PM · #16
Originally posted by awpollard:

Originally posted by L2:

snip...

Even MSN Music went belly-up eventually and 4 computers later that music is gone as well.

...snip


MSN Music FAQ


I'm past the 5 computers. :(
09/23/2008 10:52:14 PM · #17
Originally posted by Jason_Cross:

DRM sucks, and that is in part why I choose to rent. I just don't see DRM going away. I think in the future we will rent our movies and our music. Maybe our books?

It's called a "library". Big building, shelves and things. Usually carpeted. Rental price is free.
09/23/2008 10:55:05 PM · #18
Ok wisen himer. You cannot digitally download the library for free. But I think you will be able to someday. What does that do to the publishing market however? Do they make nothing on all books?
09/23/2008 11:01:28 PM · #19
Originally posted by Jason_Cross:

Ok wisen himer. You cannot digitally download the library for free.

Ahem...
09/23/2008 11:03:49 PM · #20
That is far from the library. Ok, so I can get the King James bible and Tom Sawyer, but I am not downloading Steven King for free yet.

It is still pretty cool however, thanks for the link. :)

Message edited by author 2008-09-23 23:05:39.
09/23/2008 11:19:49 PM · #21
I had trouble updating my Zune this morning, I went to charge it, told me I had an update and it just sat there. I will try once more
09/23/2008 11:25:29 PM · #22
You won't be disappointed! I am excited for you! There is a couple games that come for free as well. I only played a couple secs of the one, but it looked like fun.
09/23/2008 11:26:42 PM · #23
play games on the zune? i must have a different one

..its just a zune... the 4gb one....i dont see any games
09/23/2008 11:36:11 PM · #24
The new update to 3.0 gives you games as an option.


I have not found the way to download more, but it is cool. You can listen to music and play some games. Great for the train.

09/23/2008 11:48:29 PM · #25
I dont have it...

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