The Zune PC software is free: You can
download it, check it out, and dump Windows Media Player entirely if
you'd like. Ditto for Zune Marketplace and Zune Social: While you do
have to link your Zune tag to a Windows Live ID, both services can at
least be accessed free. Of course, you'll need to spend some money if
you want to buy music at Zune Marketplace.
The biggest investment you're going to make on the
Zune platform occurs when and if you decide to go all in and snag a Zune
portable media player. These devices, which compete with various Apple
iPod models, are not inexpensive. They're high-quality, competitive
devices, and if you like what you've seen with the Zune software and
services, you're probably going to enjoy the Zune hardware too.
The current generation of Zune hardware is the second
that Microsoft has offered in the market. Whereas the first-generation
Zune platform included just a single hardware device—the 30GB Zune 30
player (see Figure 1),
the second generation expands into a more complete product lineup.
Interestingly, Microsoft didn't actually replace its Zune 30 player with
a new model. Instead, it augmented that player with other new models
and added new capabilities that are available on all players, old and
new. (Microsoft no longer sells the Zune 30, however.)
As of 2009, the second-generation players had been
updated with two ultra-portable devices that utilize 8GB and 16GB of
flash storage instead of heavier, bigger, and slower hard disks. Dubbed
the Zune 8 and Zune 16, respectively, these devices come in a variety of
colors, but color and storage capacity aside, they're all otherwise
identical (see Figure 2).
On the high end, Microsoft has added a 120GB hard drive–based mode, the Zune 120, shown in Figure 3.
This player is available only in black and red and is roughly the same
size as the Zune 30, but is thinner and features a larger, nicer-looking
screen.
NOTE
More Zunes are on the way (like the Zune HD),
according to Microsoft, as are Zune software capabilities for Windows
Mobile–based phones. By the time you read this, the Zune ecosystem will
likely have grown somewhat.
1. Choosing a Zune
Pricing for the Zune lineup is similar to that of
Apple's iPod lineup. At the time of this writing, the Zune 8 is about
$140, while the Zune 16 comes in around $175. The Zune 30 has pretty
much disappeared from the market, which makes sense given its age.
Meanwhile, the Zune 120 retails for about $230. Zune HD pricing is
dependent on capacity as well; check with your favorite retailer for the
latest prices.
NOTE
If you purchase a Zune online through Microsoft's Zune Originals service (http://zuneoriginals.net/),
you can choose from numerous custom, laser-engraved artwork designs and
add your own text. These designs are applied to the back of the device.
Zune Originals is not available for the Zune 30, yet another reason to
forego this model.
Because the software-based functionality on all three
Zune models is identical, any decision about models should come down to
the following:
Form factor:
The Zune 8 and Zune 16 will appeal to those who have less content, and
who value small size over capacity. If you're going to use a Zune while
exercising, for example, a Zune 8 or 16 is ideal from a form factor
perspective.
Capacity:
While a Zune 120 might seem like overkill from a capacity perspective,
this is the device to have if you intend to load up with videos and
large photo collections in addition to more typical audio content. Few
people have tens of gigabytes of music, but video adds up very quickly.
Price:
Like other high-quality electronic devices, Zunes are fairly expensive.
If you can't afford a Zune 120—or just don't want to drop $230 on what
is essentially a digital bauble—the lower-end Zunes are also quite nice.
Sometimes, simply meeting your budget is the most obvious and important
factor of all.
2. Linking Your Zune: Installing and Configuring the Player
Whichever Zune you purchase, the process for
connecting it to your PC and synchronizing the device with the Zune PC
software is nearly identical. First, ensure that you have the latest
version of the Zune PC software installed, preferably,
connected to a Windows Live ID. After removing the Zune from its
packaging, connect it to the PC with the included USB cable (which,
sadly, is specially made for the Zune, so you can't just use any old USB
cable) and then follow these steps:
Wait while Windows finds and then installs the drivers needed to interact with your Zune. This process, shown in Figure 4, is automatic and should conclude quickly. Once the drivers are loaded, the Zune PC software will appear.
Launch
the Zune software if you haven't already. The device setup process will
begin. First, supply a friendly name for the device (see Figure 5)
and determine whether you want to link the Zune to your Zune
tag/Windows Live ID. If you've already begun using the Zune PC software
and have established a Zune tag, there's no reason not to link it with
the device now. That said, you can link the device to your Zune tag
anytime.
In
the next phase of device setup, you can optionally agree to send
Microsoft information about any issues your Zune device may have. This
improves the Zune experience for everyone and we recommend that you
agree to do this.
At the final and most crucial phase of the setup wizard, shown in Figure 6,
you determine how the Zune syncs with your media library. There are two
general options, Smart Sync and Manual Sync. If you choose Smart Sync,
you will get sepa-rate entries for music, video, pictures, podcasts, and
friends, and in each case you can choose between Sync All and [Content]
I Choose. With Manual Sync, you are selecting to individually sync
content item-by-item in the Zune software. How you sync depends on a
number of factors, including the size of your media collection and the
capacity of your device. For example, if you have 30GB of music, you
can't just use Smart Sync to sync all of your content with a Zune 8
because that device has only 8GB of storage. Because this is a big
decision, we examine it further in the next section. For now, just
select the [Content] I Choose options for each media type under Smart Sync and then click Finish to complete the wizard.
At this point, the Zune PC software displays the main screen (Collection =>
Music), which is a bit surprising, but if you look in the lower-left
corner of the application window, you'll see a colored Zune icon—that
matches the color and Zune device you purchased, by the way—that's lit
up and synchronizing, as shown in Figure 7. You can watch the synchronization progress via the percentage text under the device icon.
Click the Zune device icon to display the Device Status screen (Device => Status) shown in Figure 8.
From here you can see an almost life-size device icon (again, in the
correct color and style) with Just Added, Now Syncing, and Syncing
sections that, together, give you an idea of how well the
synchronization process is going. There's also a Total Space Used graph
on the bottom that indicates how much of the device's storage space is
used.
NOTE
The Total Space Used graph is interactive: as you
mouse over the various segments of the graph, it will tell you how much
space each type of content—music, pictures, podcasts, and videos, as
well as reserved space—uses individually.
You can sit and watch the device fill up with content
(if you configured it to sync) or simply begin using any other part of
the Zune PC software UI. You can also do other things while the device
syncs, including shop in Zune Marketplace.
NOTE
This one is kind of fun: Microsoft includes
content on the Zune. This means you can actually view photos, watch
movies, and listen to music on your new Zune before you even get it home
and sync it with your computer. That's not to say you're going to enjoy
any of this stuff, but it's an unusually generous preload.
NOTE
Speaking of the content included with
the Zune, one additional thing you should be aware of is that the Zune
will not sync it back to your PC by default, so if you'd like to back it
up, you should do so. Here's how: in the Zune PC software, navigate to
Device and then Music, Videos, Pictures, and Podcasts in turn. In each
of these sections, select the preloaded content, right-click, and choose
Copy to my collection. This content will then automatically sync back
to the PC. Music and podcasts are copied to your Music folder, while
pictures are copied to your Pictures folder and videos are copied to
your Videos folder.