Microsoft announces Zune media player

[ericl]

Microsoft officially announced its Zune personal media player today. the player features a 30gb harddrive, 802.11 wireless networking, FM tuner, the ability to exchange tracks wirelessly with other Zune owners (with certain restrictions of course).

Still no word on battery life, release date, or price.

http://www.gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2006/09/zuneofficial.jpg

Read more:
Gizmodo (http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/portable-media/microsoft-zune-gets-officially-announced-200641.php)

Microsoft launches the Zune! - Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/14/microsoft-launches-the-zune/)

Zune Marketplace to keep your Zune player stocked - Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/14/zune-marketplace-to-keep-your-zune-player-happy/)

The Engadget Interview: J Allard, Microsoft Corporate Vice President (http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/14/the-engadget-interview-j-allard-microsoft-corporate-vice-presi/)

[paul_pci]

Yet once again, Microsoft rips off Apple.

[Lensman]

And here's a video showing how they came up with the packaging for it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1De_N4JF5-M

[liliar]

Please visit this website ,there have some software about Zune Converter.Such as PQ DVD to Zune ,Zune Data Recovery Software,Cucusoft DVD to Zune Converter,and soon.
Good Luck !
http://www.bestshareware.net/zune/
:)

[Groundbeef]

Still no word on battery life, release date, or price.


Chicago Tribune's Jim Choates reviewed it a couple of weeks ago. Says its very nice, good clean screen, easy to use interface. Battery life was a bit shorter than the IPOD, about 18 hrs vs 20 for the apple. It is about 1/4" thicker, and a hair longer than the IPOD.

Price is about $249 from what I have seen. Could vary a bit I guess.

[icarus]

Incredrible that it took Microsoft so long to finally get into a clearly booming market that been basically monopolized by Apple.

[Dusty Chalk]

Craig Ferguson on the Zune (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5ENLm0JsQw)

"...Bill Gates' answer to the iPod. He's trying to loosen iPod's stranglehold on the iPod market...it has all the features of the iPod, only it's not as good...and it's five years too late."

[nightflier]

So is the wireless sharing restriction only for DRM files? Or can I share my non-DRM mp3's as much as I want?

[liliar]

This document will show you how to rip DVD movie to Zune (http://www.bestshareware.net/zune/) video format and the easy way to put DVD on Zune. After these jobs, you can watch the DVD movie on the Zune. Here we recommend a dvd to zune tool, called dvdxsoft DVD to Zune Converter (http://www.bestshareware.net/zune/dvdxsoft-dvd-to-zune-converter.htm) from www.bestshareware.net . This tool will help you rip dvd movie to Zune format files quite easily!


How to rip DVD to Zune Video Format through dvdxsoft DVD to Zune Converter?
1. Download the fastest DVD to Zune Ripper software dvdxsoft DVD to Zune Converter from http://www.bestshareware.biz/zune/dvdxsoft-dvd-to-zune.exe , and install this software.


2. Insert any DVD disc into your DVD-ROM and launch dvdxsoft DVD to Zune Converter. Click "Open" button button to load DVD and show chapters in list box. The concise interface is as follows:


3. Select chapters, audio, subtitles from listbox you want to convert.


4. Click "Output folder" button to select an output path, or you can use the default path:, select output format and resolution.


3. Click "Convert button" to Start convert and rip DVD format to Zune video

4. When Converting is finished, you can directly put the converted video to your Zune. Just enjoy your favorite DVD movie on your Zune.

[nightflier]

Just out of curiosity, when you rip a video file to a portable player (Zune, iPod, Archos, whatever), then I presume the resolution does not need to be very large (300x200-ish?). Also, the sound only needs to be in stereo as well, right? So then this should reduce the size of the file considerably (80%?). Am I correct?

If so, then it does not take 4.7Gb per movie, and one could store a whole lot more of them onto the player.

[tin ear]

Wonder how often it shows the blue screen of death? What percentage of your time you spend on security updates?

[emorphien]

Just out of curiosity, when you rip a video file to a portable player (Zune, iPod, Archos, whatever), then I presume the resolution does not need to be very large (300x200-ish?). Also, the sound only needs to be in stereo as well, right? So then this should reduce the size of the file considerably (80%?). Am I correct?

If so, then it does not take 4.7Gb per movie, and one could store a whole lot more of them onto the player.
All that would indeed be correct.

For my Clix I only need 320x240 and since it's a small portable screen (2.2" and 15fps) there's no real reason for a high video bitrate.

[nightflier]

emorph,

How large of a file does a standard movie (e.g. Gladiator) compress to with those specs?

[emorphien]

I honestly have no idea, I haven't tested it much. I do know that an hour and 20 minute film I have when compressed at the highest quality for video and audio that iriveter supports for the Clix came out to be about 330 to 380mb (don't remember the exact amount). That makes it quite reasonable for me to carry a handful of things around on my 4gb player if I'd like to.

[Dreamcat]

I'm testing one converter for Zune now:
http://www.movietaxi-zune.info/



Supported input formats:
Tivo to Zune
AVI to Zune
DivX to Zune
XviD to Zune
WMV to Zune
MPG to Zune
MPEG to Zune
SVCD to Zune
VCD to Zune
RM to Zune
RMVB to Zune
VOB to Zune
MOV to Zune
DAT to Zune