Number 39/500...Photo Gallery link added........

[RL]

Not sure what this says about the success of the Limited Edition Joy Division Zune, but I am glad I have one. 

I got the box this afternoon from Fed-Ex.   Solid Black.  Opened it up.  Solid black.  Unwrapped the black paper from the interior box.  Solid Black with the Unknown Pleasures Graphics engraved into the cardboard.  Opened what appeared to be a 2 inch thick, LP Sized box and found another padding area with the same design engraved into the polyfoam.  Lifted it up and there it was.  A leather case with the same engravings.  A black 80gb Zune.  It was solid black, almost reminicent of the 30gb, lighter with a sticker on the glass warning of unsuitable content for minors.  To the side were the obligatory usb cable and premium headphones.  Etched into it's polyfoam cradle was a single signature, Peter Saville.  I hesitantly warmed it up.  The Zune start screen began, and then the background, the background that was etched into every single part of the package.  I am charging it now as we speak.







[added a couple of RL's unboxing pix - Admin]

[typoink]

That sounds amazingly minimalist and dark.  Fantastic, and perfect for a JD Zune.

I want one of these, but I want a custom-engraved 80 even more, and I can't justify the extra cost for something I want LESS, right?

Glad to hear you snagged one, though.

[RL]

I haven't had a chance to watch the entire documentary, only the first five minutes so far, but it is gripping.  Whether it's worth a total of $200.00 more, each person will have to decide.  The fact that it included a matching leather case, did add value, and the presentation of the box was as well.  It felt more to me like it was a Joy Division product that just happened to be a Zune.  It might be more popular with a more modern group, but the fact that the Zune team was able to pull off an homage to a great band is an example of what they can do.  Whether the market supports it is a different question.  I did get some pics of the unboxing, and will see if Harvey wants to post them or not.  For now, I am fixing to plug it into my Xbox, and watch the documentary.  BTW the sound quality is (insert your own expletive) AWESOME.  I'm glad I waited to buy my 80gb until last week.

[typoink]

The case sounds really cool.

This really reinforces the idea that the Zune Team is really into music, which is nice.

I think a Joy Division special edition has a LOT more cred than a U2 special edition, myself.

[Vipralion]

Yea! I read the first post and I was like... there's no pics/vids of the unboxing.

You should! That you should!

[glowbee]

Yea! I read the first post and I was like... there's no pics/vids of the unboxing.

You should! That you should!

Yes, please. I would love to see pics!

[RL]

Just finished watching the documentary................

If you are a Joy Division fan, or a New Order fan..............the documentary is a must buy.

I know a lot of you haven't got the money (neither did I really, thanks Visa), but you need to buy the documentary.  I don't think I have in recent memory seen a documentary so powerful......especially when they got to to Ian's suicide.

I found myself singing along.........watching the imagery.........absorbed.

For those asking about pics....I don't have a flickr account, but will try to forward them on to Harvey.  I was originally going to do an unboxing video......but, I felt without a script not to mention a dv tape....that it would fall flat.

This was a sporadic buy.  Not an intentional, yes I was contemplating it, but I didn't jump on the bandwagon as soon as it was released.  I opened up the Zune software, saw Joy Division, and click, click, click, it was bought a day after release.

I can't comment on a certain U2 edition, as I have never had the experience with it, but overall, and probably because of U2's current existance, it felt marketed.  The Zune did not.  As in my previous post, It just felt like it was Joy Division, not Apple, not Zune, not Creative, just plain Joy Division.

The brand never intruded on the band, and I felt that was important. 

To the Zune Marketing team............you hit a home run, but in order for the price to justify the purchase, you should include albums from the band as well.  A current catalog would be nice, but the documentary in this edition will suffice.  Second, do a custom font for it, and a theme (similar to generation 1)

For the Apple Fanboys--you will be pleased a screenshot of iTunes and the iPod surfaced in the documentary.   BTW it was the dullest imagery in the film, especially considering the Lyrics/Text overlays and voice readouts as well as countless time lapse and historical film/images.


If you have the money, and there are still some left, buy this Zune LE.  It's worth it.  Every single penny.


(I am waiting on an email from Harvey before I send pics to him.)


One little bit............and i was thinking this while watching the documentary....before this idea was mentioned in the film.

The last Joy Division album was called   "Closer"

which can be interpreted in two ways.


Closer- to be near something or someone

Closer-an end or finish

Thoughts to take away........................

[glowbee]

I find it kind of interesting that some would try to draw parallels between the U2 iPod and the Joy Division Zune, as in his own words Bono seems to put them in a place of high regard:

U2 frontman Bono stated that his group "worshipped" Joy Division. The singer said in the band's 2006 autobiography U2 by U2, "It would be harder to find a darker place in music than Joy Division. Their name, their lyrics and their singer were as big a black cloud as you could find in the sky. And yet I sensed the pursuit of God, or light, or reason...a reason to be. With Joy Division, you felt from this singer, beauty was truth and truth was beauty, and theirs was a search for both."

No small praise from the frontman of a band that has been no slouch in the industry itself.

[tbird]

I want one of these, but I want a custom-engraved 80 even more, and I can't justify the extra cost for something I want LESS, right?

As much as I would really like to have one those I do agree with "typoink". I would rather have one that I had some say into how it looked. Do really like the all black look though and do want to see the film. So hopefully it will be offered up on MarketPlace in the near future.
Anyway enjoy your new Zune.

[rich3327]

Not sure what this says about the success of the Limited Edition Joy Division Zune, but I am glad I have one. 

I got the box this afternoon from Fed-Ex.   Solid Black.  Opened it up.  Solid black.  Unwrapped the black paper from the interior box.  Solid Black with the Unknown Pleasures Graphics engraved into the cardboard.  Opened what appeared to be a 2 inch thick, LP Sized box and found another padding area with the same design engraved into the polyfoam.  Lifted it up and there it was.  A leather case with the same engravings.  A black 80gb Zune.  It was solid black, almost reminicent of the 30gb, lighter with a sticker on the glass warning of unsuitable content for minors.  To the side were the obligatory usb cable and premium headphones.  Etched into it's polyfoam cradle was a single signature, Peter Saville.  I hesitantly warmed it up.  The Zune start screen began, and then the background, the background that was etched into every single part of the package.  I am charging it now as we speak.

Nice write up. Looking forward to seeing the pics. I'll have to get out and watch the movie (rent or buy).

[LunarFlame17]

Man...makes me wish I was a Joy Division fan, so I'd have a legitimate reason to buy this Zune. But since I've never heard a single Joy Division song in my life (that I know of), I really can't justify the cost. Hopefully (or not, from my wife's perspective) they'll do this for a band that I'm familiar with in the future.

[Zunerama Ed.]

Post pics! Please! I wanna see #39..!!

[RL]

Here's the link to the unboxing gallery.

http://pingbat.spaces.live.com/photos/cns!4FB939565FF8A0A3!157/

[Zunerama Ed.]

Wow. Exquisite.

Blogging this as we speak.

[Trastan]

Wow, that's incredible. They're really going all out with the Zune packaging these days. Congrats!