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June 9, 2008
The Tough-Skin is back, now for Zune 80 and 4/8GB
by Harvey Chute
Speck just sent us a couple of their new Tough-Skin cases, just released for the 80GB and 4/8GB Zune models.
This case was one of our favorites for the 30GB, and we are delighted to see it now for the new Zune players!
You'll soon see more pix and our review in our Accessories & Reviews page.
In the meantime, you can look at some sad cat pictures.
June 5, 2008
Featured game: Slaam!
by Harvey Chute
We've kicked off a program to encourage developers to post their Zune games on Zunerama.
When developers post games in our Zune Games Directory board, they get a variety of benefits, including:
Starting things off for us is Tiptup300, who just released a beta version of his Zune game, Slaam!
Slaam! is inspired by Bomberman, and in this game you navigate through levels of a maze while avoiding enemies. It's designed to be a multi-player game (coming in a future version), and keeps track of player-vs-player scores, kills, and other stats.
You can download it here.
See user ratings for this game, and add your own review.
Check out our complete directory of Zune games!
Thanks, Tiptup300!
June 3, 2008
User reviews and ratings for Zune Games
by Harvey Chute
We've created a board in our forums where users can post reviews of Zune games, and rate games.
The ratings are one star through five stars.
Anyone (forum members or not) can view the ratings and the reviews, to get a bit of useful info before deciding which games to download.
Check out the Zune game user reviews, and please add your reviews and ratings to games that you've tried!
June 3, 2008
Winner of Speck Tough-Skin case
by Harvey Chute
It's time for a members-only giveaway, and this morning SirTwilight wins a Speck Tough-Skin case for his Zune 30GB player.
Congrats! See more goodies in our giveaways board.
June 2, 2008
Video podcasts - send them wirelessly
by Harvey Chute
Yes, you can, as of last month's version 2.5 update. It's an impressive feature that has received little attention.
Rob Greenlee of the Zune team summarizes it in his recent Mobilecaster blog:
"You can send video podcast episodes to other Zune devices using its built-in WiFi radio."
"This means that if you have found a cool episode from the Best of YouTube podcast, that you can send it to a fellow Zune user. And then that user can watch that episode on their device - and subscribe to it - all in the Zune device software."
To subscribe to a video podcast that you've received wirelessly, just play it, and click the center button to see the Subscribe screen. Click on Subscribe, and the next time you sync, you'll automatically subscribe to that podcast.
Nothing compares! It just doesn't get any easier than that.
Source: Mobilecaster News via ZuneNuze.net.
June 1, 2008
Zune Games Directory
by Harvey Chute
Believe it or not, it has only been three weeks since Microsoft released Game Studio 3.0 - and in so doing unleashed the tools needed for developers to create games for Zune.
Since then, Zune games have been created by ingenious developers, with alphas, betas, and completed versions of games popping up like so many spring flowers.
So far I haven't found a convenient directory of Zune games that shows screenshots and game descriptions. So, over this past weekend, we created one.
So, if you're looking for a game directory complete with screenshots (and download links, of course), check out our Zune Games Directory!
May 30, 2008
Sync Friends - a little guide
by Harvey Chute
Want to take your friend's Zune Cards with you on your player? You do this in Zune Software with the Sync Friends feature.
Once you've synced a friend's Zune Card, Zune software will keep that card updated each time you sync. Your player will display that card under the Social menu, along with your friend's current favorites, top artists, and recent plays.
And, brilliantly, if you're a Zune Pass holder, you not only get that Zune card info for your friend, but you also automatically get the tracks listed on your friend's Zune Card. You have the option of saving those tracks in your collection.
This is the most fun and useful way of sharing music yet. Sync Friends is a social feature unique to Zune - and another of the nicely implemented features of Release 2.5.
I've received a few questions about Sync Friends - and put together this simple Sync Friends guide with pix and screenshots. Give it a glance and try out this feature - it's addicting!
May 28, 2008
More TV shows coming to Marketplace this week
by Harvey Chute
Our favorite Zune celebrity Stephen Colbert is coming to Marketplace, along with over 400 new TV episodes from 19 shows.
Colbert and Stewart are already up in Marketplace. Here's the whole schedule:
May 28: Comedy Central
May 30: NBC Universal
June 3: Sci Fi Channel
June 6: USA Network
Thanks to Zunerama member dsoquendo for the tip!
May 28, 2008
Jump into our Zune photo contest
by Harvey Chute
On June 13, we're giving away a black 30GB Zune player. Anyone who posts a pic of themselves with a Zune in this thread is eligible.
Thanks to korneel for providing the Zune swimming pool. Here's a sampling of some of our other pics posted so far:
Click here to see them all, and to enter your own pic. We'll draw a random winner on the 13th. Good luck!
May 27, 2008
Zune: long-term vs. short-term thinking
by Harvey Chute
Kill the Zune. That's Friday's advice to Microsoft from Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz.
Quote: [However,] now that even GameStop (NYSE: GME) is getting out of the Zune-selling business, isn't it just a matter of time before the player itself becomes a museum piece?
...Unfortunately, there comes a point when persistence becomes embarrassment. No one laughs at SanDisk or Creative for taking up slings and stones against the Apple Goliath, but Microsoft is too big to settle for being a niche player.
Many pundits are quick to conclude that iPod's dominance is unshakeable - that it's some kind of inevitability that Apple will be entrenched as that market's leader forever.
I can't argue with Apple's preeminence in the near-term. But I can see reasonable scenarios in which Microsoft and Apple will eventually vie on equal terms in the media player biz.
Perhaps it's not the kind of quick-hit that short-term investors like. But long-term strategies can make a huge difference.
For inspiration, one need look no further than... Apple itself. For over twenty years, Apple has persevered with the Mac OS - believing in its vision, and refining the implementation of it, even though sales were oh so paltry for oh so long.
Now, after those many years, it's reasonable to think of Apple getting 20% or more of the OS market.
I admire that long-term thinking. And I see that in Microsoft, with Zune.
May 26, 2008
ZuneTV launched by 'Boards
by Harvey Chute
Indy website ZuneBoards has released an ambitious YouTube-like project called ZuneTV.
Users can upload videos, which are automatically converted to Zune .wmv format for downloading by any member.
From what I've seen of the website, it's very impressive - and could take off if enough Zuners find it a convenient source of Zune-compatible clips. And, if the administrators can keep ahead of the inevitable copyright issues and "adult content" issues.
That's all been figured out, of course, by YouTube and others - but it must be a formidable administrative challenge.
Nicely done. Good luck, ZuneTV!