Microsoft Zune HD

There have been sheded enough words about the main functionality of this device. So I want to concentrate on some things that realy p... me off. First of all, I believe that a player with video out should… come with the appropriate cables (same criticism goes to Apple). Now comes the worst thing. Do not buy a Zune HD, if you have got to spend some time abroad, because you won't be able to lock into your Zune software and therefore cannot access the marketplace. Hasn't anybody filed a lawsuit against Microsoft for this reason yet - I at least will do so, when I get back. So I won't get any updates, applications etc., just because I have to work in Germany. are they nuts?!. This is real Mafia-style business Microsoft is practissing here.

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This piece of equipment is absolutely amazing. The OLED screen is beautiful! Aside from the advertisments at the beginning of the apps they are very cool. The P.G.R. (project gotham racing) game is above… playstation two quality- no doubt. Many of the other games are also very interactive taking advantage of the very sensitive accelerometer and interactive touchscreen. As for the zune software that must be downloaded from the website, less than acceptable for me. You may download music, from an outside source, place that music on your desktop, then drag it into the library, no problem. But, if before you sync your zune, you move the music to a diferent folder, it does not sync to the player, and says there is an error. You must then delete it from your collection, move the music to the desired folder then re-add it to you collection. I have learned to just place the music in the desired folder to begin with but it took some adjusting to. I honestly think that this program is better than iTunes because you can chooose all your settings and see what music, vids, pics ect. you have on the player. My favorite aspect of this player- When listening to your music, there is an option to touch (select) the artist of the song and read a biography of them, see the songs and albums of them you don't have in your collection, see pictures of them and view related artists- all while not being connected to the internet! Movies- i just donwloaded a simple zune/iPod video converter (they have the same format, mp4?) and have little trouble with them. Don't like iPods/ iTunes? This player is for you. If money isn't an issue, get the 32 gb, it is amazing and you won't regret it.

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As a lifelong Mac/Apple user, I sneered and hoped for failure along with everyone else when Microsoft came out with the 1st generation Zune. They couldn't have possibly done worse, culminating with the… horrific turd-colored brick model. But when pre-release pictures of this version came out on Engadget, I was stunned. After buying it the day it came out, I couldn't believe how sexy this thing was, what a great feel it had to it and how intuitive the software was. It distressed me to no end to have to return it a couple days later because it worked sporadically with the Zune software running on my Mac through Fusion. But after a couple weeks of wishing it was back in my hand, I ordered it again from Amazon, along with a PC laptop, something I would not have even dreamed about a couple years ago. Heck, a couple MONTHS ago. It is all so worth it. This baby is amazing. So what if I can't use my Nike+ on it, I run longer anyway just to listen to all the new music I download with my Zune Pass. Simply awesom, beautiful piece of work. I have completely been won over to the "Dark Side" of Microsoft (according to my friends and co-workers) and lovin' it.

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