Newbie looking for advice...

[DixieDreg]

I'll be buying my first player very soon. I'm considering the Zune 30 (don't really want to spend the additional $$ for the 80, unless someone can convince me that the 80 has something that's worth the extra $100 - other than more memory).

Anyway, I'm concerned about problems some people are having with the version 2 upgrade, such as screwing up peoples' tags and album cover art and so forth (anybody here having this problem?). So my question is, if I were to go out and buy the 30 right now, with the old software, would I be better off NOT updating it to avoid these problems? I've also read good things about Creative and Sansa, so feel free to comment about those if you have any familiarity with them.
Thanks in advance for your help.

[Adam Krebs]

You really don't have to go for the 80 if you don't need it. It's an extra $50-$150 that might be better spent elsewhere.

That said, there are some advantages: namely, that it's thinner than the 30, has more space, and the incredibly fun and useful Zune Pad. It's a Godsend for people like me with large music collections. You really have to ask yourself how much you're going to need it. If you have a smaller music collection, I'd definitely go for a 4 or 8 GB model, as it's got the Zune Pad and tiny size down pat.

Reasons you'd want to stick with a 30: cost, obviously, is a huge one.

What I'd do is head to your nearest Brick-and-Mortar retailer and test drive it for yourself. Size up the 30 and the 80. See how they feel in your hand, and whether the smaller size and decreased heft is worth it. Are you going to keep it in your pocket? Do you need a case?

With the 30, the answer is almost assuredly no. The tougher exterior is scratch-resistant and it comes with a handy-dandy felt case.


Onto more important issues: I haven't had any problems with the Zune2 software. Lots of people said version 2.0 screwed up their tags, but that appears to be fixed now. The software is stable and useful, if somewhat feature-bare. Test-drive it for yourself by going to Zune.net/Setup (http://zune.net/setup).

As a former user of Creative products, I can't stress to you how much it sucked. The devices are hefty, pricey, and somewhat difficult to use (not terrible, but not very intuitive either). They're mostly aimed at the enthusiast set, though not completely. They also never update their firmware, and have a history of taking out features (FM recording, e.g.). Don't know much about the Sansas from personal experience, but they seem to be a good middle-ground. The Connect can wirelessly download music, and the price is reasonable enough. Check around for reviews.

The 30 and 8 are MSRP'd the same because 30 is last generation, and 8 is current. It's simple rules of technology. As I've mentioned above, the 30 lacks a few of the niceties of the current generation, but has all the same firmware and software. It's really your call.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

[DixieDreg]

Hey, thanks a whole lot for your input. I do have a few more questions if you don't mind, and then I'll be ready to run out and make a purchase.

Could you just elaborate for me on what the Zune Pad does?

My music collection is alway growing and I don't want to chance running out of memory to soon (I'm not really all that concerned with videos and movies, etc.).
Is it possible to estimate how much music the 8 and 30 each hold - in terms of hours, not number of songs, because I listen to a lot of jam bands, i.e. pretty long tracks.

Being able to put it in your pocket is definitely a consideration. Would the 30 not fit in my pants pocket? The 8 would be better for that purpose?

What are some of the features of the 8 that are missing from the 30?

One last issue - the only thing I'm really concerned about missing from an ipod are all the cool global radio stations itunes has. Does Microsoft's marketplace offer something similar?

Thanks again!

[Adam Krebs]

Could you just elaborate for me on what the Zune Pad does?

It is a touch-sensitive control mechanism that allows you to "swipe" through your songs. This is especially handy for long lists, which would otherwise take forever to access. Plus, it's really fun to use. Check out the demo (http://www.zune.net/en-us/support/usersguide/yourzune/zunepad.htm) for more.

re: GB sizes. According to Microsoft (http://www.zune.net/en-us/products/compare.htm):
<table class="XbcLayoutTable"><tbody><tr class="XbcLayoutRow"><td class="XbcDownrule" style="width: 13px;">
</td><td class="XbcLayoutCell">4 gigabytes (GB)
Up to 1,000 songs, or 25,000 pictures, or 12 hours of video.




</td><td class="XbcDownrule" style="width: 13px;">
</td><td class="XbcLayoutCell">8 gigabytes (GB)
Up to 2,000 songs, or 25,000 pictures, or 24 hours of video.




</td><td class="XbcDownrule" style="width: 13px;"></td><td class="XbcLayoutCell">80 gigabytes (GB)
Up to 20,000 songs, or 25,000 pictures, or 250 hours of video.




</td><td class="XbcDownrule" style="width: 13px;">
</td><td class="XbcLayoutCell">30 gigabytes (GB)
Up to 7,500 songs, or 25,000 pictures, or 100 hours of video.




</td></tr></tbody></table>
The number of songs you can store generally depends on two things: the length and the quality (denoted by bitrate--the amount of song information per second played). Check the size of your music collection to see how big yours is, and also ask yourself what kind of listener are you. Do you have to have all your content with you at all times? Are you okay with listening to a group of just your favorites or refreshing the music from time-to-time?

The Zune software is very smart with managing content for your Zune, deciding what can stay and what you can take with you. Don't buy more than you need; if 4 GB is all you need, get the 4. If you can afford it or need the 8, get the 8. If you aren't going to be using it for music or kazillions of files, you should be fine with a 4, 8, or 30.

Being able to put it in your pocket is definitely a consideration. Would the 30 not fit in my pants pocket? The 8 would be better for that purpose?
The Zune30's about the size of a deck of cards. Check out this comparison (http://www.sizeasy.com/page/size_comparison/8825-Zune30-vs-Zune80-vs-Pack-Of-Playing-Cards-vs-Zune-4-8) to see the difference between the players as compared to a deck of cards. The 30 is still definitely pocketable, but significantly less so than the 4 or 8.

What are some of the features of the 8 that are missing from the 30?
The 30 doesn't have the Zune Pad or the smallness of a 4 or 8. But it does have a better price, video output (to your TV), and more memory.

One last issue - the only thing I'm really concerned about missing from an ipod are all the cool global radio stations itunes has. Does Microsoft's marketplace offer something similar?

I don't think so, but then again, I'm not a Zune Pass subscriber. You can still get all your podcasts (which is what I think you're referring to) on your Zune, much more easily than through iTunes. It'll automatically download and sync podcasts for consumption while at home or on-the-go.

If you can find out your number of songs (open Windows Media Player, and select all your tracks. The number will show up in the lower-right corner of the application) or the size of your collection, I can help you from there.

Good luck.