AfterDawn: Tech news

All Zunes except for HD are discontinued

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 02 Sep 2009 11:02 User comments (24)

All Zunes except for HD are discontinued According to Paul Thurrott, owner of the Windows Super Site, all Microsoft Zune models are being discontinued as of this week, with the exception of the new Zune HD unit.
The Zune HD is set for launch on September 15th, with the 16GB model costing $219.99 USD and the 32GB model priced at $289.99 USD.

The classic Zune 8, 16, 80, and 120 models are all being discontinued, and are now while supplies last, adds Thurrott, who says he has talked to the Zune hardware team.

The upcoming Zune HD device features a 3.3-inch OLED touchscreen with 480 x 272 resolution and 16:9 display. It will also include HD radio, Wi-Fi, and 720p HD output via HDMI.

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24 user comments

13.9.2009 00:14

I'm likin' that $290 32GB model compared to Apples $400 32GB Touch...

23.9.2009 04:07

Presentation doesn't matter to everyone though. I'd want that 120GB model for my music collection. Shame they are getting rid of it.

When its time for me to get another high capacity MP3 player it looks like I'll have to go the iPod route... again.

33.9.2009 05:09

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo don't drink the kool aid a second time!

43.9.2009 07:05
pphoenix
Inactive

whats a zune!!


sorry but the only MP3 player that you see advertised in the UK is the iPod, & is the device of choice for most people i know.

a few of my friends use the cheap sub 1gig things they give away at petrol stations when out jogging in case of theft.

53.9.2009 10:33

Originally posted by Joshewah:
Presentation doesn't matter to everyone though. I'd want that 120GB model for my music collection. Shame they are getting rid of it.

When its time for me to get another high capacity MP3 player it looks like I'll have to go the iPod route... again.
I can't believe they never made a 160gb. This was the only reason I kept buying iPods. I never will have to worry about space on the thing. Too bad, cuz I love the wifi sharing feature that the zunes have.. What a great idea!

63.9.2009 10:47

I own a 30 gig zune which decided to die. I called Zune and they told me that since they don't sell the 30 gig any longer and they don't repair that model they would give me a 120gig for $179 which sounds ok except for the fact that it was their problem that the 30 gig died because of a programming error concerning the date change due to the leap year a couple of years ago. I will probably end up buying the HD Zune anyway. Zune is still better than any IP I have used. Just make sure you get an extended warranty!

73.9.2009 11:45
pphoenix
Inactive

Originally posted by MReprogle :
I can't believe they never made a 160gb. This was the only reason I kept buying iPods. I never will have to worry about space on the thing. Too bad, cuz I love the wifi sharing feature that the zunes have.. What a great idea!
why do you need a 160gig drive exactly, do you really need every album you own on a portable device?

won't the battery run out long before you even get past 1 gig of music, or have you got a solar charger & are engaged in a record attempt of the longest run possible to enable me to listen to the entirety of my mp3 player, call me in 5 years!

83.9.2009 12:13

Quote:
Originally posted by MReprogle :
I can't believe they never made a 160gb. This was the only reason I kept buying iPods. I never will have to worry about space on the thing. Too bad, cuz I love the wifi sharing feature that the zunes have.. What a great idea!
why do you need a 160gig drive exactly, do you really need every album you own on a portable device?

won't the battery run out long before you even get past 1 gig of music, or have you got a solar charger & are engaged in a record attempt of the longest run possible to enable me to listen to the entirety of my mp3 player, call me in 5 years!
because pphoenix, some people (like myself) have huge music collections, love the majority of their music, and don't have time to figure out which of the only 200 songs (on a 1 gig) have to get deleted to add more. I have a 160 gig ipod and it's the best thing ever. I delete what i don't want, as opposed to deleting b/c i need space. i LOVE music and i love having the option of hearing whatever the heck i own and want to hear whether in my ears or in my car. it's lovely. you've gotta be kidding me with your "why would you need a 160 gig?." oh, did i forget to mention, i can put as many music videos, or other videos, as i want and still have no worries. i will NEVER run out of space or even worry about the possibility.

That's just my opinion. I come in peace.

93.9.2009 12:57

pphoenix, the Zune was a figment of M$'s imagination.

tripple6,
You make a good case. You aren't hurting anyone. I know people that only play wave files on their players. I am sure they could not tell the difference between a mid rage quality mp3 and their wave file on a blind hearing test. They are not hurting anyone, so if it makes them feel better, good! Yours is a much better case. Being a flash player guy I would rather have 200 hrs of music that I can play for 30 hrs non stop vs 2000 hrs and only be able to play what 8 hrs or less? That is not nearly enough for me. There are times you really need 12 hrs playing time. It only take me a minute or to to swap out tunage then let it sync while it charges. Even with 32hrs you still need to charge it every now and then. I will admit it would be nice to have more on my player but I find getting to what I want on mine tedious I would think having 10 times that would be very painful. That is why I never bought a SD card for more tunes. You do need a good sync app if you have a small player with a large library.

103.9.2009 13:47

Originally posted by Mez:
pphoenix, the Zune was a figment of M$'s imagination.

tripple6,
You make a good case...
as do you, Mez.

113.9.2009 15:08

hd zune does look pretty impressive. They did a great job with the ui and the hardware looks impressive as well. One thing that seems to be pretty lacking is the touchscreen qwerty. It isnt very accurate, so hopefully they come with an update for that.

This looks like it would destroy an ipod touch though.

123.9.2009 15:22

Now you see, if Micro$oft weren't such money hungry jerks I would be willing to buy this because my Creative Zen is more than past due. Too bad they wanna rip people off when their 360s fail and try to make certain patches downloadable content so they can charge for it. This company is extremely greedy and I will never trust them enough until they start actually caring about the consumer. People complain about the 360 D-pad for years and they still haven't fixed it...talk about greedy. Oh and do I even have to mention Windows 7? I hope that product does last though because I'd be damned if it has some random hardware failure (mini RROD) only for me to call them up and find out that they don't cover it and I have to pay out of pocket for repairs. I'll wait for the horror stories (if any) before anything...only time will tell. I will however keep an open mind.

133.9.2009 15:50

Originally posted by pphoenix:
whats a Zune!!
Exactly....I only know to people that actually have one.

iPod my be the Kool Aid, but at lest you still have a choice on what model to buy.

Shuffle, Classic, Touch, Nano. Each with it's own Pros and Cons.

Quote:
Originally posted by MReprogle :
I can't believe they never made a 160gb. This was the only reason I kept buying iPods. I never will have to worry about space on the thing. Too bad, cuz I love the wifi sharing feature that the zunes have.. What a great idea!
why do you need a 160gig drive exactly, do you really need every album you own on a portable device?

won't the battery run out long before you even get past 1 gig of music, or have you got a solar charger & are engaged in a record attempt of the longest run possible to enable me to listen to the entirety of my mp3 player, call me in 5 years!
Another good point.

Quote:
Quote:
Originally posted by MReprogle :
I can't believe they never made a 160gb. This was the only reason I kept buying iPods. I never will have to worry about space on the thing. Too bad, cuz I love the wifi sharing feature that the zunes have.. What a great idea!
why do you need a 160gig drive exactly, do you really need every album you own on a portable device?

won't the battery run out long before you even get past 1 gig of music, or have you got a solar charger & are engaged in a record attempt of the longest run possible to enable me to listen to the entirety of my mp3 player, call me in 5 years!
because pphoenix, some people (like myself) have huge music collections, love the majority of their music, and don't have time to figure out which of the only 200 songs (on a 1 gig) have to get deleted to add more. I have a 160 gig ipod and it's the best thing ever. I delete what i don't want, as opposed to deleting b/c i need space. i LOVE music and i love having the option of hearing whatever the heck i own and want to hear whether in my ears or in my car. it's lovely. you've gotta be kidding me with your "why would you need a 160 gig?." oh, did i forget to mention, i can put as many music videos, or other videos, as i want and still have no worries. i will NEVER run out of space or even worry about the possibility.

That's just my opinion. I come in peace.
You have got to be kidding. I bet if you check the play count on your BELOVED music most of them have a count of 1 or less. And as for the "Video"...can you even see what's going on?
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 03 Sep 2009 @ 4:00

143.9.2009 16:51

because pphoenix, some people (like myself) have huge music collections, love the majority of their music, and don't have time to figure out which of the only 200 songs (on a 1 gig) have to get deleted to add more. I have a 160 gig ipod and it's the best thing ever. I delete what i don't want, as opposed to deleting b/c i need space. i LOVE music and i love having the option of hearing whatever the heck i own and want to hear whether in my ears or in my car. it's lovely. you've gotta be kidding me with your "why would you need a 160 gig?." oh, did i forget to mention, i can put as many music videos, or other videos, as i want and still have no worries. i will NEVER run out of space or even worry about the possibility.

That's just my opinion. I come in peace.


You have got to be kidding. I bet if you check the play count on your BELOVED music most of them have a count of 1 or less. And as for the "Video"...can you even see what's going on?




LOL what the hell? I like how people are trying to put him down for buying a 160 GB, people are so fail sometimes.... I mean, are you just jealous that you can't afford the luxury? Some people DO travel a lot and watch things on their MP3 players you know? And there are those people who have huge libraries and want any song to be accessible at will. I can't think about how many times I wanted to hear a song on my old 8GB MP3 player to realize that it wasn't there due to space constraints..with a 160 GB you will never have to worry since your whole library is on there and any song you want to hear is already in your library. No worrying about shit like that. As for videos...if you're the type to keep complete seasons of shows on your player then it will fill up FAST. I have a 600 GB hard drive that is almost done because of the stuff I have on it. If you happen to travel a lot and you wanna watch your shows on the go then why not...either way it's his choice and you really shouldn't be getting on him for making use of vast amounts of storage just because you wouldn't be able to take advantage of it.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 03 Sep 2009 @ 4:52

153.9.2009 17:26

Quote:

You have got to be kidding. I bet if you check the play count on your BELOVED music most of them have a count of 1 or less. And as for the "Video"...can you even see what's going on?
1. not kidding
2. i didn't know the sole purpose of an ipod/mp3 player was to play each song 20 times a day, so that your count could be in double digits. wow, how boring. i like variety in my life.
3. i can see the video crystal clear.
4. thanks for your concern and thanks for recognizing the "BELOVED"ness of my music.

peace.

164.9.2009 05:01
pphoenix
Inactive

omg, it afterdawn filled with children & marketing staff?

how much time do ppl actually spend with their mp3 player plugged in? if i were say a child, i would walk more and use it more but i only ever use mine when i jog or commute say 3 hours a day at the most. i have a life the rest of the time, i dont need to play my pc/console while watching the telly with my mp3 player plugged in like some emotionally disturbed ADHAadolescent, keep takin the Ritalin!

if i put every piece of music on a mp3 player i would never be able listen to the entirety before i die, especially since every week there is new music released so i do not understand the argument of listening to the same old stuff.

"cant afford" omg that is the lamest sales pitch in existence & anybody over the age of 15 or under has dismissed this as pathetic!

174.9.2009 05:08

Originally posted by pphoenix:
omg, it afterdawn filled with children & marketing staff?

how much time do ppl actually spend with their mp3 player plugged in? if i were say a child, i would walk more and use it more but i only ever use mine when i jog or commute say 3 hours a day at the most. i have a life the rest of the time, i dont need to play my pc/console while watching the telly with my mp3 player plugged in like some emotionally disturbed ADHAadolescent, keep takin the Ritalin!

if i put every piece of music on a mp3 player i would never be able listen to the entirety before i die, especially since every week there is new music released so i do not understand the argument of listening to the same old stuff.

"cant afford" omg that is the lamest sales pitch in existence & anybody over the age of 15 or under has dismissed this as pathetic!

I don't understand....if you don't need 160GB then don't buy it, why are you hating on a guy that has use for 160GB? What you just stated is what works for YOU...not what works for everyone else. Nobody is telling you how to listen to your music so don't try to preach your music listening habits (nobody cares anyway) and try to pass them off as the standard. When it comes to such a thing, there really is no standard. Everyone requires something different...either way that is besides the point. You are indeed a sad individual if you're gonna actually keep trying to show that there is no use for a 160GB Mp3 player. Sure, maybe it's not for you but because it isn't for you does that mean it's not for anyone else either? You sound like those crazed psychotic boyfriends. Sounds a lot like "If I can't have her, nobody will" and she ends up getting murdered because you couldn't live with the thought of someone else having her. Just a funny analogy I thought I'd throw in...anyway. Stop failing.

184.9.2009 05:30
pphoenix
Inactive

Quote:
Originally posted by pphoenix:
omg, it afterdawn filled with children & marketing staff?

how much time do ppl actually spend with their mp3 player plugged in? if i were say a child, i would walk more and use it more but i only ever use mine when i jog or commute say 3 hours a day at the most. i have a life the rest of the time, i dont need to play my pc/console while watching the telly with my mp3 player plugged in like some emotionally disturbed ADHAadolescent, keep takin the Ritalin!

if i put every piece of music on a mp3 player i would never be able listen to the entirety before i die, especially since every week there is new music released so i do not understand the argument of listening to the same old stuff.

"cant afford" omg that is the lamest sales pitch in existence & anybody over the age of 15 or under has dismissed this as pathetic!

I don't understand....if you don't need 160GB then don't buy it, why are you hating on a guy that has use for 160GB? What you just stated is what works for YOU...not what works for everyone else. Nobody is telling you how to listen to your music so don't try to preach your music listening habits (nobody cares anyway) and try to pass them off as the standard. When it comes to such a thing, there really is no standard. Everyone requires something different...either way that is besides the point. You are indeed a sad individual if you're gonna actually keep trying to show that there is no use for a 160GB Mp3 player. Sure, maybe it's not for you but because it isn't for you does that mean it's not for anyone else either? You sound like those crazed psychotic boyfriends. Sounds a lot like "If I can't have her, nobody will" and she ends up getting murdered because you couldn't live with the thought of someone else having her. Just a funny analogy I thought I'd throw in...anyway. Stop failing.

wow, you are unbelievable, keep taking the pills eh. ADHD and Ritalin & medication

from the link!

Quote:
What are the benefits?

Other than helping the child to pay attention when he needs to, Ritalin can help even the most hyper kids to calm down. Other benefits to using. Ritalin includes:

> Reduction in restlessness and fidgeting

> Better control of emotions

> Improvement in handwriting

> Better relationship with family and friends

> Improvement in school work

> Increase in child's self-esteem
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 04 Sep 2009 @ 5:32

194.9.2009 08:24

XSilvenX, I would stay way clear of a new creative disked player. Zunes are the only disked player that seems to have a descent disk life. Ipods have slashed there quality and the same with Creative. The difference is the ipods were great and now they are poor. The Zens were OK and now they stink! I have heard horror stories about them not lasting 6 months. They are so terrible someone has figured out a hack to wire flash memory to where the HD connects. You ought to look into the 16g Sansa View. It takes a SD card. I think the biggest is 32g. I bought a veiw for 65 USDs I concider the software on the player to be the best out there mostly because it plays all major audio formats and has no policeman in a box to attack you if you do something it dosen't like. It uses normalization info, play lists, book marks for audio books and pod casts. The hardware is also superior in almost every noticable aspect to any player I have seen. Our family has all the major brands but the View is the one everyone covets. My View blows away everything I have ever seen, hands down! I believe it would be a big mistake not to check one out before buying. Not to check out on the web but check it out in your hand. The screen and controls can not be assessed from a picture or a spec. Apple lost 10% market share to Sansa last year. This year the loss will probably be more.

pphoenix, you need to take a chill pill. It is a free country for most of the world. Flash players and disks both have pros and cons. You are normally more level headed than this.

Don't you think people can differ with you with out having mental problems? (Sorry gals) You are beginning to sound like a wife or maybe a bad boyfriend! I got plenty of experiance with the wife none with the boyfriend.

Just because persons do things differently should not be concidered and attack on you personally. If you get bent out of shape everytime someone disagress with you, you will not live very long.

204.9.2009 08:53
pphoenix
Inactive

mez geezer, i am perfectly chilled i was merely making a point of over aggressive messages, it's easy to misconstrue text, being that it is sometimes void of emotion.

to see things from a different perspective is wise advice.

but what i object to is "IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT DONT BUY IT DONT COMMENT ON IT,,,,,, RARRAGGHHHHHH GGGGRRRRRRRRRR" like lol.

Originally posted by XSilvenX:


http://forums.afterdawn.com/t.cfm/f-33/a...797336/#4827214

LOL what the hell? I like how people are trying to put him down for buying a 160 GB, people are so fail sometimes.... I mean, are you just jealous that you can't afford the luxury?

This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 3. September 2009 @ 21:52


which was a reply to my comment of why do you need so much media on your mp3, an argument of extra storage is more plausible than "you must be poor" sales patter!



This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 04 Sep 2009 @ 8:59

214.9.2009 09:46

pphoenix, peace!

I just wanted to make sure you were only arguing a point and did not fully believe all you were saying.

Any more lecture from me and someone could rightly say the pot was calling the kettle black!

The large disk devices do not cost that much more than the smaller ones. They are cheap mass storage. Too bad they don't last longer.

224.9.2009 15:50

Wasn't trying to be hostile

Quote:

2. i didn't know the sole purpose of an ipod/mp3 player was to play each song 20 times a day, so that your count could be in double digits. wow, how boring. i like variety in my life.
3. i can see the video crystal clear.

peace.
I can concede the point of the verity, but the video on an iPod Touch or HD Zune is way better on the classic. For me anyway

And as for the comment on not being able to afford the luxury of 120GB... The iPod Touch as well as the iPhone have got to the most expensive toy I've ever purchased.

I just think for me the huge size of some of these old Zunes is just unnecessary.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 04 Sep 2009 @ 3:53

235.9.2009 01:09

Quote:
Wasn't trying to be hostile

Quote:

2. i didn't know the sole purpose of an ipod/mp3 player was to play each song 20 times a day, so that your count could be in double digits. wow, how boring. i like variety in my life.
3. i can see the video crystal clear.

peace.
I can concede the point of the verity, but the video on an iPod Touch or HD Zune is way better on the classic. For me anyway

And as for the comment on not being able to afford the luxury of 120GB... The iPod Touch as well as the iPhone have got to the most expensive toy I've ever purchased.

I just think for me the huge size of some of these old Zunes is just unnecessary.
all good.
all the comments against big size weren't only from you. also, it wasn't me who made the comment about the luxury (just so you know).

i just feel, to each his own.
oh, and i don't even own a zune (even though that's the topic of the article); i have an ipod classic. and i would definitely much rather have the screen size of the two you mentioned than the screen size of my classic (plus the ipod touch LOOKS waaay better than the classic). but i definitely need GB size over screen size.

peace.

248.9.2009 09:39

The older Zune was maybe a tiny bit bigger than the classic. The screen was more vivid so it was a favorite for videos till we got the View. The HDs last like the old classics.

ipodes are the only mp3 player Apple makes that is an open system. Like the Zune, the others are closed. You can only use itunes wuith them. That is an issue with me.

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