Zune 30 GB Digital Media Player (White)

Other products by Zune

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 5.5 x 2.2 inches ; 1.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Note: Gift-wrapping is not available for this item.
• ASIN: B000FMZE7W
• Item model number: JS8-00002
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1,573 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,250 in Electronics (See Bestsellers in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 2, 2004

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Entertainment and sharing to go. That's the Zune 30 GB Digital Media Player. The Zune plays music and videos, displays images, and unlike the iPod, it even receives FM radio so you can stay on top of local news or sports. Designed around the principles of sharing, discovery, and community, Zune connects people and empowers them with the tools needed to share entertainment experiences. The Zune experience is centered around connection--connection to your library, friends, community, and other Zunes. It's powered by software that allows users to manage files on the player, rip audio CDs, and buy from a wide selection of music and videos at the Zune Marketplace.

The Zune lets you share music and pictures with other Zune users in the area.

The controls are designed to be familiar and easy to use so you can jump right in and start having fun. View larger.

Zune software can find compatible music files on your PC and copy them to your Zune device.

Wireless Zune-to-Zune sharing lets you share your favorite tracks and photos.

Browse more than 100,000 artist bios and hundreds of playlists in the Zune Marketplace.

The Zune is a 30 GB digital media player, but there's a twist. You can wirelessly share selected full-length sample tracks, playlists, pictures, or your own home-grown tunes directly from Zune to Zune (within 30 feet). You can listen to the full-length songs that you receive up to three times in three days, flag the ones you love, and easily buy them the next time you sync up--its like test-driving songs before you purchase an album.

The Zune's navigation is simple and intuitive with a scroll wheel and basic buttons, and the big, bright screen makes it easy to browse music and show off your favorite pictures and videos. This attractive, smart device stores up to 7,500 songs, 25,000 pictures, or 100 hours of video. Get creative. Make playlists on the go and watch slide shows while you're listening. And if you're watching video on the Zune, you'll be pleased with the landscape mode that allows you to get the most out of the vivid display.

Zune-to-Zune Sharing
Don't forget the primary principle of the Zune: sharing. With this device in hand you're holding an opportunity to share music and photos wirelessly from one Zune to another. Send your favorite tracks or images to your friends, or just about anyone with a Zune that's within your reach.

Whether you're walking down the street, in a room with a bunch of friends, at a concert, at the airport, or on the bus, you can whip out your Zune and see all the other Zune devices that surround you. In the blink of an eye you're connected to your best friend and you can send over your band's newest song. Another friend might get the hilarious podcast your little brother made at school, plus that hot new song you just downloaded from the Zune Marketplace. And, of course, there's all the good stuff that your friends want to send back your way. The connections are made and the Zune community grows.

Best of all, the song you sent (or received) isn't a short 30-second preview--it's the whole song. Your friend can sample the song up to three times in three days, flag it on their device and then buy it from the Zune Marketplace. You can send pictures, too. If you loved the photo of your dog at the park and you just have to share it with your buddies, shoot it off to whoever is around. And any pictures that are sent or received can be kept and viewed indefinitely.

Sometimes you don't want to be noticed, and the Zune allows you to fly under the radar. All you need to do is turn the wireless function off, or adjust the privacy settings to control whether people can see you are online. And if you want to keep your Zune private while studying in the library or reading the newspaper on the bus, you can also block Zune devices in wireless range from sending you a song.

Zune Marketplace
Zune makes it easy to find music you love--whether it's songs in your existing library or new music from the Zune Marketplace. You can easily import your existing music, pictures, and videos in many popular formats from your PC and browse millions of songs at the Zune Marketplace where you can purchase individual tracks or buy a Zune Pass subscription to download as many songs as you want for a flat fee. Plus, you can apply Microsoft Points towards the purchase of music so you can buy online without a credit card for added security. At the Zune Marketplace you can read over 100,000 artist biographies and features from leading magazines including XLR8R, NME, and FADED, and you'll have easy access to Billboard Charts, including Billboard 200, Hot 100 Songs, and more. You'll even be able to browse what people in the Zune community are listening to by checking out the Zune Charts.

Pre-Loaded Content
Zune is a vehicle to explore new sounds and share entertainment experiences. With that in mind, the Zune comes pre-loaded with a variety of songs and videos from hot, new artists, as well as some fun films and images. With something for everyone, the pre-loaded Zune content may help you discover your new favorite band, but at the very least you'll have some entertainment at your fingertips so you can start connecting and sharing. Zune pre-loaded content includes loads of audio tracks, music videos, and film shorts, plus 12 classic rock posters from "Art of Modern Rock: The Poster Explosion."

Zune Accessories
You can choose from a full line of accessories to outfit your Zune. These three Zune Accessory Packs provide complete solutions for Zune in your car, in your home or while you travel. Individual accessories are also available.

• The Zune Car Pack includes everything needed to hit the road with a Zune device, such as the built-in FM tuner with AutoSeek and the Zune Car Charger.
• The Zune Home A/V Pack enhances your experience in the home through five products that integrate Zune with the TV and music speakers: Zune AV Output Cable, Zune Dock, Zune Sync Cable, Zune AC Adapter and the Zune Wireless Remote for Zune Dock.
• The Zune Travel Pack is a set of five products designed to keep friends and family entertained on the road: Zune Premium Earphones, Zune Dual Connect Remote, Zune Gear Bag, Zune Sync Cable and the Zune AC Adapter.

What's in the Box
Zune 30 GB Digital Media Player, earphones, USB cable, and sleeve.

Product Description

When you want more than just another MP3 and video player, the Zune is the device for you. It has a huge 30GB of storage for music, photos and videos, so you'll never be bored. Device measures 5.55"L x 5.55"W x 2.24"D. Features: Keeps 7,500 songs (MP3 format) or 25,000 photos at your fingertips, or even 100 hours of video Photo and video compatible Integrated hard drive storage provides massive amounts of memory for the least amount of moneyUnique 3" video screen goes from portrait to landscape mode as you turn your Zune; so you always see the best picture possible Extensive file format compatibility Advanced software lets you import most music, photos and videos in a snap FM tuner Real-time capabilities so you can catch the Top 40, stay up to date with your favorite sports teams, and make sure the weather doesn't take you by surprise Online music store means you can browse a huge selection of music in the Zune Marketplace Internal rechargeable battery comes with USB cable for recharging

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

233 of 252 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review by Actual Zune and IPod owner, December 9, 2006

By	SmellsLikeScamSpirit (Seattle, WA, USA) - See all my reviews

I own a 5th generation iPod and bought a Zune last week. Why? Primarily because I am a gadget-freak and I like the idea of a bigger screen and WiFi sharing of songs.
The Zune comes in a very nice package and with clear installation instructions. I didn't run into any problems on Windows XP SP2 so I cannot comment on some of the problems other people have encountered.

After using it for a week this is how the Zune stacks up against the iPod:

iPod has the advantage in:
-Size: Zune is slightly longer and thicker than the iPod but it's not that noticable. Slight advantage for iPod.
-Software: Zune software is nice and works but iPod's software is more straightforward and easier to use. Yes, even my iPod software occasionally crashes but overall I like it better.
-Applications & Games: no games and apps on Zune yet, some nice apps on the iPod but the games on iPod are pathetic. That's what my Nintendo DS is for.
-Many more accessories! It took me a while to find a nice case for the Zune but I assume this will get better over time. Still iPod rules the accessory market.
-External USB Device: I can use my iPod as a giant "memory stick", the Zune has this function disabled - although there is way to enable that (do a Google search).

Zune and iPod are even:
-Battery Life: Zune (WiFi turned off) and iPod are about the same, 13 1/2 to 14 hours with screen off.
-Interface: I liked Zune's menu structure much better than iPod's but I miss the iPod's great click-wheel. Also interface responds quicker on the Zune.
-Sound Quality: listening to music with my Sony headphones I could not hear any difference in sound quality.
-Headphones: the included headphones with the iPod and the Zune are equally crappy. The first accessory you buy should be new headphones.

Zune has the advantage in:
-Screen: ZUNE WINS by a huge margin, screen is bigger and brighter, absolutely stunning!
-Materials: iPod's sensitive chrome shell always bugged me and the screen on my iPod is horribly scratched despite a protective case, Zune's black/blue shell looks very nice and it seems to be impervious to finger prints, Zune's screen seems much more scratch resistent too.
-Video: Forget the iPod! I converted some DVDs to WM9 and watched them on my Zune, it's a delight! The screen, the landscape mode, the brightness - wonderful. On a high quality setting I was able to fit around 60h of video onto the Zune.
-Pictures: again thanks to the screen the Zune beats the iPod. Finally I can show off some baby pictures without people squinting.
-WiFi: yeah, I like it. Granted the 3-day/3-play limitation is annoying but I have received a few cool songs so far. Problem is: there aren't too many Zune owners yet.
-Radio: HUGE advantage for the Zune. I am at the gym, watching TV and tuning in to the sounds on my Zune. Why Apple hasn't included this yet in the iPod is beyond me.
-Song purchase: I love the option of the "all you can eat" for $15/month. Granted most of my music is ripped from CDs but $15 per month for all the music I want is pretty compelling.

OVERALL VERDICT: I love my iPod, I LOVE MY ZUNE EVEN MORE. If Microsoft can write some applications and games and improve the Zune PC software they'll have a perfect consumer device.

To be fair: if you already have an iPod and have no need for radio and better video capabilities then there is no need to upgrade to a Zune. If you want better video, like the idea of radio and WiFi then the Zune is the way to go. If you are in the market for a new MP3 player in the $250 price range the Zune should be on the top of your shopping research list.

Most important: ignore all the fanboy garbage of "Microsoft is evil" and "Apple sucks" and stick with the facts. Reading some of the very loud "reviews" below I can only wonder how many of these writers actually own any of these devices.

51 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's all about the sound..., March 25, 2007

By	Glen Appleton "- Glen" (Tampa, FL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Zune 30 GB Digital Media Player (Black) (Electronics)

I got my Zune just after Christmas this year when everyone was showing up at work with their new iPods, Creative Zens, and other personal media players. Feeling left out, I decided to go check out the market to see if I could find a product that would meet my needs as a consumer. After a week of research and checking out the store displays, I decided to purchase the Zune player and I've been very satisfied with the product overall.

During my research, I found some bad reviews about syncing issues and battery life for the Zune player. However, as I researched further into other products I found this was not uncommon for almost every player on the market, especially the iPod. Although it stands to reason that the iPod would have more issues posted on the internet since it is the most popular personal media player.

So it came down to 3 players from which I decided to choose: Apple iPod (30 gig), Creative Zen Vision M, and the Zune. Each of these products had the feature set I was looking for and each was within a few dollars of the others in price. So now it was time for the "taste test".

I went to my local electronics store where all 3 products were displayed and asked a sales associate to assist me. As I handled each of the players, my first impression was that the Zune felt sturdy and well made. It's thicker than the iPod and not quite as wide as the Zen, which felt just right in my hand. I also preferred the flat black finish on the Zune player to the glossy black Zen or the "kitchen appliance" white of the iPod.

The OS and navigation on all of the players was easy to figure out with only a few differences between them. While I like the wheel control of the iPod (probably it's best feature), both the Zune and Zen offered compensatory navigation methods to locate media within a large list of files. The display on the iPod was a bit small compared to the other 2 players, but it was still quite readable.

Finally, with all things being even, it came down to the sound. I plugged in a set of of inexpensive lightweight Sony headphones that I had brought to the store with me and listened to each product with the sample content on different preset EQ settings. To me, the Zune had the best sound overall, which was the selling point. The high end was crisp and clear while the low end was deep and rich, even on my cheap headphones.

Final thoughts:

So far I've been quite happy with the Zune player. The battery life is good when listening to music but a bit short when viewing video content. I like the album art display when browsing my music content and when playing. The picture slide show features are a nice touch as well and provide a way for me to share my photos in a portable manner.

Also, Microsoft is working to update the features of the Zune through firmware updates. So the feature set you see now could well get better as the product development progresses. I'm personally hoping that Microsoft decides to support their own Plays-For-Sure technology to open the available online content and make it more competitive with the Zen.

Finally, if you purchase a Zune player, get a decent set of headphones. The headphones shipped with the product do not do it justice. This is Especially true if you're like me and you rip your CD collection to your player at a quality bit rate.

Pros:
- Full rich sound
- Easy content navigation
- Large display
- Photo slide show feature
- Good battery life for playing music

Cons:
- Headphones shipped with the product are substandard
- Battery life severely shortened when viewing video content
- Not currently Plays-For-Sure compatible

747 of 925 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good jumping off point for Microsoft, November 14, 2006

By	Jordan "Jordan" (Sacramento) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Zune 30 GB Digital Media Player (Black) (Electronics)

It's impossible to not compare the Zune to the iPod so I'm not even going to try, but let's get one thing out of the way right quick: Anyone who calls the Zune an iPod killer needs to have their head examined. Let's not forget that there are many people who have invested hundreds or thousands of dollars into iTunes music, so they're pretty much iPod customers for life(as Zune customers will be if they choose to use the Zune marketplace, but more on that later). And in case you haven't noticed, the iPod is a pretty darn good device. The Zune doesn't really offer anything that should have iPod+iTunes users jumping ship, but it does offer a compelling option for those looking to purchase a product like this for the first time or iPod users who have chosen to continue to buy CDs instead of digital albums.

The first thing you'll notice after purchasing the Zune is that if they ever gave away some type of award for product packaging, the Zune would probably win it. The brown portion of the Zune box slips off to reveal a compartmentalized box inside that includes the Zune, the docking cable, stock earbuds, the Zune software, the token cheap felt case, and the documentation.

Onto the Zune itself. Even at 30 gigs it's a bit longer and thicker than the 80 gig iPod. It is substantially heavier but not to a fault. Those looking to use an MP3 player for active use will probably want a flash player anyway. Where the Zune holds a big advantage over the iPod however is the rubbery-plastic finish. Whereas the iPod's glossy finish is a magnet for fingerprints, the Zune's rubbery plastic feel attracts virtually no fingerprints, and when it does they simply wipe off. The screen accumulates them quickly, and while a thin plastic film coating is included, it has some large text on it, so you might have to invest in a third-party screen protector. Bummer. The control pad has been often maligned for not being a scroll wheel, but I don't understand why. Is moving your thumb around in circles really THAT intuitive?

Onto the software. It's a bit dissapointing that the Zune doesn't simply intergrate seamlessly with Windows Media Player 11 like most MP3 players now do. Instead you'll have to install the dedicated Zune software, which is essentially Windows Media Player 11 in some new clothing and with the Zune Marketplace built in. There have been many reports of hiccups installing the new software, so beware. It seems I was lucky. Once you do get the software going, syncing your music library to your player is a breeze, with a transfer speed of about two seconds per song.

As I said, the Zune software is essentially WMP11 with the Zune Marketplace included. The first time you enter the marketplace the software will ask you for your Windows Live ID. This is where one very cool perk comes into play if you are an XBox Live user. When you login with your ID, your Zune Marketplace account automatically links up with your XBox Live account, so you can share your Microsoft Points you already have across both services! Very very convienent.

Unfortunately, that may be the highlight of the Zune Marketplace. Graphically, it can't hold a candle to iTunes and is pretty darn ugly. Users can't review albums, and it as of yet doesn't offer anything besides music(this is probably going to change very very soon). I don't even use an iPod and I like browsing the iTunes store to see what's new and read user reviews. I couldn't imagine using the Zune Marketplace for anything except buying an album. But even that wouldn't be advisable, since the music you purchase on the Zune marketplace will work ONLY on the Microsoft Zune and nothing else. So until it starts offering TV Shows and movies, the Zune Marketplace is a major dud.

This is where the real treat comes in, once you get your music onto the Zune and fire it up for the first time, many of your initial doubts will vanish. The screen is large, bright, and the background is fully customizable. The interface is a huge breath of fresh air after using the stale Artist>Album>Song system on iPods and Creative players for so many years. Instead, Artist, Album, and Song are listed horizontally at the top of the screen, and as you move the cursor over each option all of the items spill out down the substantial screen, with thumbnail album art included! When you do choose a song, the album art for that song dominates the screen, and the sound quality is excellent. You can easily adjust the volume by pressing up-and-down on the control pad, and scroll through the song by pushing left and right.

So music playback is a huge "hit", but how about the video? The format support is pretty limited, and while the Zune software will convert just about anything, the playback format of converted videos is pretty poor. It was also a puzzling move for the Zune to have a 16x9 screen but only support 4:3 resolution. The stretching of the picture doesn't really take that much away, but it seems a bit pointless. One handy feature is that the control pad will re-orient the controls for the Zune when you hold the player sideways.

One last thing, you might have noticed I haven't even mentioned the much-hyped wi-fi feature. Why? Because it's practically useless. Songs received via wi-fi transfer can only be played three times within a three day period, and songs by some artists(such as the Rolling Stones) won't even transfer at all! The wi-fi capabilities of the Zune certainly offers exciting possibilities for future firmware updates, but they're certainly not present now.

So that's it. The Zune offers nothing that will have seasoned iPod+iTunes users jumping ship, and it certainly' won't kill the iPod, but the exceptional physical design, vastly superior user interface, and wi-fi possiblities in the future warrant a serious look by shoppers.