Microsoft revamps Zune with Flash

Microsoft has restyled and expanded its Zune portable media player collection with three new models, including a pair of Flash-based players. Zune_latest_range MS' Zune family: now also available in 4 or 8GB (left), 80GB (centre) and 30GB models The 80GB hard-drive model has a 3.2in glass-fronted display - taking a lead …

[Robert Grant]

"most critics be hard pressed"

Well, ye olde reviewers will have a hard time distinguishing between the Zune and the iPod when they're still adapting to the steam age :)

[Giles Jones]

Close but no cigar

The newer design is an improvement, but it's still the ugly sister of the ipod.

Microsoft can only win by making the product as easy to use with clear technological and freedom advantages.

[Sampler]

Get Windows Monile 6 on it...

And stick in some celluar antennas and your in business - especially the 80GB model with quadband, gprs, edge, 3g and hsdpa - mybe a 5mp camera too.

Would be big - but that's what bluetooth headphones are for!

Ultimate convergence device :)

[t3h]

Wifi? A good move?

>Zunes can also now synchronise content with a user’s PC over a wireless

>network. For example, a sync process will start automatically when a Zune

>comes within range of a user's WLAN, or it can be started manually.

As much as I hate anything Microsoft, this actually was finally a good move from them. Only thing is it's kind-of pointless as the wlan sync runs the batteries flat, and if you're plugging it in to charge, you might as well plug it in to sync, and sync much faster that way.

[elder norm]

New Zunes???

Interesting. Its nice to see Microsoft upgrading their line of mp3 players.

But........

I am not sure what their objective is. How have the players changed (aside from the obvious)?

Do they still slap DRM on anything you load into them?

Do they still squirt?

Does the squirted music still die after 3 days or 3 plays?

Competing products in the market place are always nice to see. It keeps the other companies on their toes. I am just not sure what Microsoft is trying to accomplish here. Are they truely trying to be a music media player or just trying to control that market place like everywhere else they tend to go?????

en

[Ian Ferguson]

Wireless sync

Still absolutely dire compared with the alternatives (Apple and others), but wireless sync makes sense. Do you know if the iPod Touch / iPhone do this?

[Steven Knox]

Surely you mean "flash-based"

I seriously doubt Microsoft would tout a Flash-based player, what with their push for Silverlight.

[Anonymous Coward]

They still squirt, but the squirt doesn't rot as fast.

On another site that actually does their research, it says that the "3 plays" limit remains, but the "3 days" limit has been removed.