Zune Players

Zune is a Microsoft product line that includes Zune portable media players, Zune software, and the Zune marketplace services. Zune provides online video, music and downloads. In essence, this is Microsoft’s answer to the iPod, iTunes and Apples entire line which dominates the market.

The Zune media players can perform many tasks but the main focal points of these devices are music, video and podcasting. You can use Zune software to help you do tons of things with you portable device. You can do things like burn a disc from music you have on the Zune. You can use Zune software to add new media, remove items and adjust sync options. The software helps you rip CDs as well. You can even change you album cover with the Zune software. Basically the Zune software will help you do anything you need to do with your Zune media.

The Zune market place is where you can access content for your Zune player. You will find music videos, podcasts and concerts. You can do searches through the marketplace to find mixed tapes, artist breakdowns and playlists from other Zune users.

Microsoft launched Zune in 2006. The Zune player has evolved quickly n this fast changing industry. The original Zune media player had a 30GB capacity with FM radio, Wifi, a 3 inch screen. In late 2008 updates included the capability of the Zune player to tag and identify music heard on the radio. You can take this feature all the way to a purchase of the tagged song. You can now play games like Hexic, Space Battle and Texas Hold’em. You can also access audio books from online book stores and public libraries.

There are various models which primarily have different levels of storage capacity. This just means that you can store more pictures, music games, or whatever content on your Zune. The software that Zune interacts with is the only software that you can interface with. This gives Microsoft total control over the world of Zune. Zune also features network sharing, so that interactions can be made from other compatible devices, such as Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and P2P file sharing on your PC. The media player software supports all kinds of file formats. The list includes, MP3, AAC, VMA, MPEG4 H 264, WMV, ASF and JPEG for still photos. You can read e-books through the Zune media player with the use of the Zune eBook Creator.
The Zune Marketplace has music content provided by EMI, Warner Music Group, Song BMG and the Universal Music Group. Television content is provided by NBC.

The Zune media player will only play content downloaded from the marketplace. To purchase good from the Zune marketplace (like a song for example) you need to buy Microsoft Points. You buy the points in $5 increments that equal 300 Microsoft points. Once loaded into you’re a count you can spend the points any way that you wish as long as you have enough points to make a purchase. As an alternative you can get unlimited music and some TV content from NBC and FOX with the Zune Pass for $14.99 an month.