Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum) Right now

My last mp3 player was an old Sony CD Walkman with mp3 support. I have been wanting to get a more advanced mp3 player and a smaller one as trying to strap a CD Walkman to my waist was not working out for my walks.

After hearing the buzz about the Zune HD and comparing it with the iPod Touch I decided to go for it and went to Wal-Mart and got it.

I bit the bullet and got the 32GB model because I figure I'm not going to replace this one for four to six years. I don't have a large income so this really needs to last me.

And on that note I see there are reviews here complaining of the short life of OLED's. I did a little research about OLED's and yes in the early years OLED's did not last as long as LCD's but that issue has been resolved and OLED's now about equal LCD's lifespan. It does not really matter as you could run and OLED for eight hours a day every day for five years before it should fail. I don't think many people will run the screen of the Zune HD for eight hours every day for five years straight. The screen should last me the four to six years before I replace my Zune HD.

Another complaint I see here is that the OLED's wash out in bright sun light. This is not true. I have used the Zune HD in bright noonday sun and it looks just fine to me. It of course does not look as good as it does in a dark room but it is nowhere near washed out and it is very usable. Some of the reviews here that would suggest you have to use the Zune HD in a blacked out room with only one candle burning are just silly.

I was going to listen to a bit of radio before I went to sleep and the screen nearly blinded me. I thought to my self I could use the Zune HD as a flashlight in dark areas if I had too. The screen brightness is only set to medium right now too.

The interface is great. I have never had a touch interface device before so it will take me a few weeks to get use to it. The photos of the singer/band with the camera panning across or zooming in with the title and song time floating across it is smooth and great looking.

The sound is great but like others have said it needs an customizable equalizer, either a 7 or 10 band one would be great.

The HD Radio works well but you might need a headphone with a long cord to get the best reception as the headphone cord is used as the antenna. The earbuds that came with it were unable to pick up any HD stations but plugging in my Sennheiser 280 Pro headphones got most of the available HD stations in my area.

The ear buds that come with the Zune HD are a joke as with 99% of all mp3 players bundled earbuds. Of course I'm not going to go on my three to four mile walk with my giant fully enclosed Sennheiser 280 Pro headphones on my head unless it's 20 degrees or below outside. I'll get some skullcandy earbuds most likely.

Many reviews also complain that there are few apps available for the Zune HD. Well there were few apps for the iPod touch when it first came out too but over time many more became available and that will most likely be the case for the Zune HD as well. That is of course after Microsoft sells a few of it's own then allows the SDK (Software Developer Kit)to be released. In the mean time patience young Jedi.

I have yet to use the video or internet capabilities but everyone seems to agree it's great.

A little deeper in it looks like replacing the battery wont be too much of a hassle as there are just three wires solder on and the battery is not hard to get too. The only special tool require is a wing screwdriver. It's the same one used for the Nintendo Wii.

A little trivia: When taking the Zune HD apart you will notice on the inside of the backplate it says "For Our Princess" it's a reference to a woman who worked on developing the Zune HD but died before it was launched. Someone somewhere at Microsoft has a heart.

I went to Wal-Mart and Best Buy to see about an armband so I don't have to take my walk with my Zune HD in my pants pocket. Both places had the same silicone shell and armband bundle for $30! HELP! POLICE! I'M BEING ROBBED!!! I'm sure third party vendors will have cheaper and possibly better accessories later on, for now I will just have to go without an armband holder.

The video dock for $90 is insane! Wal-Mart and some other retailers are selling Blue-Ray players for $120 not much more that the video dock itself! Microsoft should have just made it so you could get a 3 foot HDMI cable that plugs directly into the Zune HD for $30.

So some of the pros and cons I have seen so far are:

PRO

Great looking screen
Good battery life
Great interface
Zune 4.0 software is good
Built in Wi-Fi
HD Radio
Classy look

CON

Few apps (for now but more are on the way)
Poor quality bundled earbuds (like most mp3 players)
Accessories are expensive (Third parties should have some later for cheaper)
No flash support in browser (This could be fixed in a firmware update)Get more detail about Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum).

Lowest Price Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum)

First off, this is my first Zune ever. Quite honestly, the only reason why I bought this was solely for the HD Radio capability, nothing else. I already have a 32GB iPhone 3GS, a 2nd generation iPod Touch and a nano (so as you can see, I'm an Apple fanboy). But I'm here to review the Zune (which I actually own as opposed to some reviewers here). I'm not going to touch on its shortcomings since previous reviews have extensively mentioned that. Where the Zune excels however is in its HD radio capability and music playing. For actual Zune HD owners, the general consensus is the sound quality is far superior to the iPod touch. I have made a side by side comparison and my ears are telling me that the Zune sounds warmer, tight on the basses, balanced on the midrange and crisp on the highs (using Shure headphones of course, not the OEM crappy earbuds). I'm a music lover first, gamer second, thus the lack of the apps is not a dealbreaker for me. I have always looked for an mp3 player for my audiophile ears, and I'm so glad that I finally found the Zune HD. Get more detail about Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum).

Low Price Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum)

Microsoft rarely has a commercial success as a manufacturer of consumer electronics. However, I have always been sympathetic to Zunes for I really like the desktop software that comes with it; it is much more refined than the iTunes (not up to par with the rest of the Apple software). Got Zune HD 32gb yesterday, and I cannot be happier. I do desire the ability to connect to non-broadcasting wifi networks - this is a serious flaw for my setup. Hopefully someone from Microsoft reads these reviews.Get more detail about Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum).

Save Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum)

Ok, here's a quick review. The Player is slick with many neat features which has been hashed over in all the other reviews.
The one item that has been sorely over looked is the SOUND.
While the sound is better than average ,it is NOT the best,not by a long shot.
IF you're into music first or just want the best possible sound that you
can get then there is only one player that'll do that !
The Zen X-Fi has GREAT sound (blows the doors off everything else) because of it's X-Fi Technology.
I own both so I have compared them.
The Zen X-Fi2 player will be out Oct. 2nd. (I'm getting one of those too)
Check it out !!!

Update : My player have a sound volume lowering (by itself) issue just like the next review.Get more detail about Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum).

Discount Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum)

Perhaps I am just one of the unlucky ones who happened to get a bad Zune HD (there are bound to be some of us), but I am not at all happy with this and am retuning my Zune HD. The problem with the Zune HD Platinum I received, from Amazon, was the head phone jack. With the head phones (ear buds) that came with the Zune, there was no sound at all. I unplugged and plugged the head phones in more than once and there was no sound at all while playing music. I then took my Sennheiser ear buds, that I know work, and plugged them into the Zune. At first they didn't work either, but after wiggling and twisting them around a little, I was able to hear the song playing. However, all it took was a small movement of the ear bud jack and the sound would cut out.

Additionally:
-I found the touch menus slow to respond, or sometimes there was no response.
-The menu navigation often times leaves you with no return to a previous menu, and you have to press the home button and start over.
-The Zune software, v4.x, on a Vista Ultimate 32bit PC, was also a little buggy. The application window would sometimes flash and jump around on the screen.
-And the head phones/ear buds that come with the Zune HD are awful! They are oversized, very hard and are too big for your ears. I know, maybe it's your ears...actually, I have very normal sized/shaped ears for an adult male and have not had any problems with ear buds until these - yuck!

Bottom line - try out a Zune HD, if possible, *before* you buy one. Make sure it is what you are looking for. The 300+ dollars I spent on this is a lot of money for a smallish, defective, mediocre device.

(Oh, one good thing: the screen/display is beautiful. Bright, vivid colors - too bad I couldn't hear the music that was playing)

And Thank-you Amazon for making the return for a refund of my not so good Zune HD, very easy :)Get more detail about Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum).

Cheapest Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum)

I got my new Zune HD yesterday, and as an ipod touch and iphone user I can say that the new Zune HD is Better! The web navigation is quick and much snappier than the iphone nav. The zune screen resolution is beautiful and the unit is smaller, sleeker, lighter than the iphone. When surfing on the web browser and changing from landscape to vertical views, the rotation is quick. Navigation of the screens from music selection to video make sense and are simple and easy to use.

Now all the Zune HD needs is a phone....

Bottom line, if you are looking for a music player, get the zune HD, get a zune pass, and you'll be glad you did.

Get more detail about Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum).

Cheap Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum)

About the only good experience I had when buying this item is the fact that it was shipped fast. That's why I'm giving it a two star rating. I had this thing for less than 24 hours, and already I have to ship it back to Amazon. It worked fine when I got it out the box, and when I went to sleep. The next day I'm experiencing screen freezes, as in no response on the touch screen, delayed reactions, and sometimes it just has a mind of its own. Like when I was listening to music, suddenly the volume starts to lower itself and then it crashes. I reset the device per the instructions over and over again. It would work for maybe an hour, then it would freeze up again.

VERY DISAPPOINTED MICROSOFT!!! I'm a gadget freak so try and imagine my disappointment when this thing started acting up. I'm most upset because it took me a few hours to compile different playlists for my music(I have a bunch of mp3s on my hard drive). Now I have to do this all over again. I'll be returning this back to Amazon and getting another one. Hopefully I won't be disappointed again.Get more detail about Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum).

Buying Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum)

I got my 32gb Zune HD on release date (9/15), and have been using it off and on throughout the day everyday since. My experience with it has been pretty darn good. As much as I would love to give it a 5-star rating, I don't find this latest Zune iteration to be perfect at its current state, although it definitely has that potential once MS works out the kinks.

The kinks:

1. Browser - The included IE6-based browser is decent at best. Some sites are not rendered well. I don't get why a forward button/arrow was not included to navigate through pages. It's good enough for casual browsing, but its capabilities are currently limited. Flash rendering would be great in future updates. *Fingers crossed*

2. Applications - The number of apps included is limited at 9 currently. This is not really a deal-breaker for me as I use Zune mainly for music and videos and internet-browsing. That said, it would still be a great bonus if there were more apps available. Also, the apps tend to load moderately slow. I have not used apps on the iPhone or Touch, but I assume their apps load instantaneously? There's a big brouhaha about the apps being ad-supported. It's really much ado about nothing since the ad appears briefly and only in the beginning. The ad does not appear in the middle of a game, or while you're checking the weather. Plus, the apps are free.

Nit-picks:

1. Wireless syncing - It takes 3 taps to sync wirelessly. 1 or 2 would be ideal.

2. Marketplace on Zune hardware - Currently you can only buy music and apps. You have to purchase videos using the Zune PC software.

3. Clock - You have to manually set the time. You would think it should be able to auto-set the time.

The Goods:

1. User interface - The interface is smooth and easy to use. It's a little different from the Zune 80 interface, but it's pretty easy and quick to get used to it. Quickplay and Pins are very useful and convenient. The accelerometer is very responsive.

2. Video quality - With OLED screen and Tegra chip, video quality is definitely improved over previous Zunes.

3. HD Radio - I live in Los Angeles, so I am able to get HD stations. This is a good feature if you live in major metropolitan areas where HD stations are usually available.

4. Sound quality - I don't know if I am imagining it, but it seems like the audio quality is improved. The sound is crisper and clearer to me. Perhaps the new equalizer setting helps.

Unknown:
Battery life - I have not used the player continuously for hours so it's hard to say if the claimed 33 hrs audio and 8 hrs video are accurate. So far, not surprisingly, I've noticed browsing the internet (using wifi) and watching videos drain the battery quick.

BOTTOMLINE: Zune HD is an excellent product as is, already presenting itself as a formidable competition to iPod Touch. With more apps, XBOX integration, and a more robust browser, I don't see why it could not be as mainstream and ubiquitous as the iPod.

Get more detail about Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum).

Buy Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum)

I've been playing around with the ZuneHD now for 5 days. Would have been 5 stars with WMP integration.

Pros:
* Beautiful screen. Better than the iPhone/iPod touch.
* Beautiful graphic interface. Usability on par with iPhone. Kill Windows Mobile, a ZunePhone is in order.
* Typing actually sightly easier than iPhone for big fingers. That was always the downfall of the popup keyboard on Windows Mobile.
* Bottom line, the ZuneHD rocks.
* Smart Playlists pretty cool feature that works with the subscription feature. Great way to check out new music.

Cons:
* Processor is a little slow.
* Only 6 apps, although give them time. Side note: I don't want to see advertisements on apps. It turns people off to the app.
* ZuneHD as with all other Zunes does not sync with Windows Media Player. You are forced to use the Zune Player. Zune Player is much slower with large libraries and is missing cool WMP features like dynamic filtering or cycling of music due to full ZuneHD. They are trying to match iTunes. What they should have done is incorporated the Zune functionality on top of WMP. 1 seamless integrated music system. Add the Zune graphical interface overlay on it, if your marketing guys insist.
* Seriously, did Microsoft need to reinvent the 5 star system? Heart and broken heart are the only options for ratings.
* No import or sync of WMP settings. So you're saying I have to manually reset all of my ratings through a substandard interface.Get more detail about Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum).

Purchase Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum)

Not to sound like a fanboy, but this device truly is incredible! The WOW factor is there big time, and everyone I have shown the device to (friends, family) have loved it.

Positives:
+ The screen rules. The blacks are deep black, watching video is totally different on this device versus others, it is so much better. The colors are vivid, the screen is sharp, everything looks superb.

+ UI. The interface is awesome, switching in and out of different screens/menus is animated and fun.

+ Sound quality. Better than any other MP3 device I've owned (including the ipod touch). If you are an audiophile this is the device for you.

+ Zunepass. Integration with the device is fantastic. It's awesome to be able to sit on the couch with the HD and go on a musical discovery journey, all in the palm of my hand.

+ Size. I actually think this is the perfect size/weight. You can easily use this for surfing the web, you hardly notice it in your pocket, but yet it is big enough to watch movies. This is also a perfect companion for runners or going to the gym.

+ Browser. Personally, I think, for what it does, the browser is great. Text is very black on the screen because of the OLED and easy on the eyes.

Negatives:
- Would love to have more apps. Hopefully they are coming.
- I do wish that there was a volume rocker on the device, but it's not a big deal.

Overall, I love this thing... I'm glad I pre-ordered it early.. You can't go wrong with the ZuneHD... recommended.Get more detail about Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum).

Order Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum)

Apple always makes the coolest hardware, well this time Microsoft Zune HD hardware is even better than Apple's MP3 players(I used to own an iPod Touch in the past) considering small form factor, sleekness and functionality. Zune HD is Tiny, Sleek and plays great HD videos on my 40 inch Samsung LCD TV, I have never seen a tiny device playing great HD video on a big sceen TV. I downloaded HD Movies and HD Video PodCasts from Zune's marketplace. Overall very impressed with touch screen user interface, smoothness and rest of the functionality. I hope in future ZUNE will open up marketplace for third party apps.

I guess iPod Touch and Zune HD are the best MP3 players in the market, the main differences I see is iPod Touch got more accessories option and Apps but Zune HD can play HD Video on a big screen TV.

I chose to buy Zune HD over iPod Touch because I travel a lot so I can use Zune HD as a pocketable DVR to watch movies, video podcast, TV shows
in Hotel Room TV.

Bluetooth could have been a great addition, so that I can use Zune HD like a touchscreen remote control and stream audio to my Samsung Sound Bar via Bluetooth connection.Get more detail about Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum).

Where To Buy Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum)

Having owned two earlier Zune products, and an iPod, and a few others, I was expecting $300 (more than the price of a low end laptop) to bring me a few breakthroughs. I was wrong.

This product is overpriced for the $300+ (including tax) I paid. To get the advertised features, you can plan on paying another $100, plus an optional subscription fee.

Pros:
--really small (but see below)
--quick image rendering

Negatives:
--wifi and web browser offer 7-year old limited capabilities
--forget about checking gmail or doing many of the apps offered by the fruit company (Apple)
--small screen makes typing tough, unless your finger are the diameter of a three-year old's
--no speaker, optinal microphone, case, or the like for future apps that might use them.
--several websites (gmail for one) thinks the Zune is an iPhone, and asks you if you want to download an app to see your mail. Sorry Charlie.
--duh, where is the HD content for the Zune? There's no downloading... only more $$$ to Microsoft

Summary:
If you're a toy-collector, add this one to the other clever products on your shelf (i.e. the Apple Newton)
If you want something more than a good music player, forget the Zune HD. Get more detail about Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum).

Shop For Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum)

I am really enjoying the Zune HD. The screen looks better than any phone or mp3 player I have ever owned. The black level on the screen is so deep, its almost like there is no difference between the bezel and the background of the front screen. Music sounds good, and grabbing music from zunepass directly on the device is cool. Highly recommended.Get more detail about Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum).