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Zune 30 GB Digital Media Player (White)

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Zune 30 GB Digital Media Player (White)

(1630 customer reviews)

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XT_91198

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Thanks to integrated wireless technology, the Microsoft Zune 30GB White Digital Media MP3 Player is more than just an MP3 player - it's a social network, a community. Share your favorite songs, playlists, recordings and pictures with friends with just a click of a button. The big bright screen is perfect for viewing videos and pictures, and can be viewed upright in portrait or on its side in landscape mode. The background picture is completely customizable, so you can personalize your Zune's appearance to match your personality.

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Product Details

Product Length:	5.75 inches
Product Width:	5.5 inches
Product Height:	2.25 inches
Product Weight:	0.35 pounds
Package Length:	5.6 inches
Package Width:	5.5 inches
Package Height:	2.2 inches
Package Weight:	0.75 pounds
Average Customer Rating:	based on 1630 reviews

Features

IMPORTANT: Allow your Zune to charge for 30 minutes then disconnect and reconnect the cable to turn on the player
30 GB digital media player stores up to 7,500 songs, 25,000 pictures or 100 hours of video
Features wireless networking so you can share tracks and other media
3-inch color screen features a landscape mode for video viewing
Compatible with Zune Marketplace for media downloads and subscriptions
Automatically imports your existing music, pictures and videos from iTunes and Windows Media Player in a variety of formats

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review: 4.0

( 1630 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

345 of 365 found the following review helpful:

Review by Actual Zune and IPod owner Dec 10, 2006 By SmellsLikeScamSpirit
I own a 5th generation iPod and bought a Zune last week. Why? Primarily because I am a gadget-freak and I like the idea of a bigger screen and WiFi sharing of songs.
The Zune comes in a very nice package and with clear installation instructions. I didn't run into any problems on Windows XP SP2 so I cannot comment on some of the problems other people have encountered.

After using it for a week this is how the Zune stacks up against the iPod:

iPod has the advantage in:
-Size: Zune is slightly longer and thicker than the iPod but it's not that noticable. Slight advantage for iPod.
-Software: Zune software is nice and works but iPod's software is more straightforward and easier to use. Yes, even my iPod software occasionally crashes but overall I like it better.
-Applications & Games: no games and apps on Zune yet, some nice apps on the iPod but the games on iPod are pathetic. That's what my Nintendo DS is for.
-Many more accessories! It took me a while to find a nice case for the Zune but I assume this will get better over time. Still iPod rules the accessory market.
-External USB Device: I can use my iPod as a giant "memory stick", the Zune has this function disabled - although there is way to enable that (do a Google search).

Zune and iPod are even:
-Battery Life: Zune (WiFi turned off) and iPod are about the same, 13 1/2 to 14 hours with screen off.
-Interface: I liked Zune's menu structure much better than iPod's but I miss the iPod's great click-wheel. Also interface responds quicker on the Zune.
-Sound Quality: listening to music with my Sony headphones I could not hear any difference in sound quality.
-Headphones: the included headphones with the iPod and the Zune are equally crappy. The first accessory you buy should be new headphones.

Zune has the advantage in:
-Screen: ZUNE WINS by a huge margin, screen is bigger and brighter, absolutely stunning!
-Materials: iPod's sensitive chrome shell always bugged me and the screen on my iPod is horribly scratched despite a protective case, Zune's black/blue shell looks very nice and it seems to be impervious to finger prints, Zune's screen seems much more scratch resistent too.
-Video: Forget the iPod! I converted some DVDs to WM9 and watched them on my Zune, it's a delight! The screen, the landscape mode, the brightness - wonderful. On a high quality setting I was able to fit around 60h of video onto the Zune.
-Pictures: again thanks to the screen the Zune beats the iPod. Finally I can show off some baby pictures without people squinting.
-WiFi: yeah, I like it. Granted the 3-day/3-play limitation is annoying but I have received a few cool songs so far. Problem is: there aren't too many Zune owners yet.
-Radio: HUGE advantage for the Zune. I am at the gym, watching TV and tuning in to the sounds on my Zune. Why Apple hasn't included this yet in the iPod is beyond me.
-Song purchase: I love the option of the "all you can eat" for $15/month. Granted most of my music is ripped from CDs but $15 per month for all the music I want is pretty compelling.

OVERALL VERDICT: I love my iPod, I LOVE MY ZUNE EVEN MORE. If Microsoft can write some applications and games and improve the Zune PC software they'll have a perfect consumer device.

To be fair: if you already have an iPod and have no need for radio and better video capabilities then there is no need to upgrade to a Zune. If you want better video, like the idea of radio and WiFi then the Zune is the way to go. If you are in the market for a new MP3 player in the $250 price range the Zune should be on the top of your shopping research list.

Most important: ignore all the fanboy garbage of "Microsoft is evil" and "Apple sucks" and stick with the facts. Reading some of the very loud "reviews" below I can only wonder how many of these writers actually own any of these devices.

79 of 82 found the following review helpful:

It's all about the sound... Mar 25, 2007 By Glen Appleton "- Glen"
I got my Zune just after Christmas this year when everyone was showing up at work with their new iPods, Creative Zens, and other personal media players. Feeling left out, I decided to go check out the market to see if I could find a product that would meet my needs as a consumer. After a week of research and checking out the store displays, I decided to purchase the Zune player and I've been very satisfied with the product overall.

During my research, I found some bad reviews about syncing issues and battery life for the Zune player. However, as I researched further into other products I found this was not uncommon for almost every player on the market, especially the iPod. Although it stands to reason that the iPod would have more issues posted on the internet since it is the most popular personal media player.

So it came down to 3 players from which I decided to choose: Apple iPod (30 gig), Creative Zen Vision M, and the Zune. Each of these products had the feature set I was looking for and each was within a few dollars of the others in price. So now it was time for the "taste test".

I went to my local electronics store where all 3 products were displayed and asked a sales associate to assist me. As I handled each of the players, my first impression was that the Zune felt sturdy and well made. It's thicker than the iPod and not quite as wide as the Zen, which felt just right in my hand. I also preferred the flat black finish on the Zune player to the glossy black Zen or the "kitchen appliance" white of the iPod.

The OS and navigation on all of the players was easy to figure out with only a few differences between them. While I like the wheel control of the iPod (probably it's best feature), both the Zune and Zen offered compensatory navigation methods to locate media within a large list of files. The display on the iPod was a bit small compared to the other 2 players, but it was still quite readable.

Finally, with all things being even, it came down to the sound. I plugged in a set of of inexpensive lightweight Sony headphones that I had brought to the store with me and listened to each product with the sample content on different preset EQ settings. To me, the Zune had the best sound overall, which was the selling point. The high end was crisp and clear while the low end was deep and rich, even on my cheap headphones.

Final thoughts:

So far I've been quite happy with the Zune player. The battery life is good when listening to music but a bit short when viewing video content. I like the album art display when browsing my music content and when playing. The picture slide show features are a nice touch as well and provide a way for me to share my photos in a portable manner.

Also, Microsoft is working to update the features of the Zune through firmware updates. So the feature set you see now could well get better as the product development progresses. I'm personally hoping that Microsoft decides to support their own Plays-For-Sure technology to open the available online content and make it more competitive with the Zen.

Finally, if you purchase a Zune player, get a decent set of headphones. The headphones shipped with the product do not do it justice. This is Especially true if you're like me and you rip your CD collection to your player at a quality bit rate.

Pros:
- Full rich sound
- Easy content navigation
- Large display
- Photo slide show feature
- Good battery life for playing music

Cons:
- Headphones shipped with the product are substandard
- Battery life severely shortened when viewing video content
- Not currently Plays-For-Sure compatible

757 of 930 found the following review helpful:

Good jumping off point for Microsoft Nov 14, 2006 By Jordan "Jordan"
It's impossible to not compare the Zune to the iPod so I'm not even going to try, but let's get one thing out of the way right quick: Anyone who calls the Zune an iPod killer needs to have their head examined. Let's not forget that there are many people who have invested hundreds or thousands of dollars into iTunes music, so they're pretty much iPod customers for life(as Zune customers will be if they choose to use the Zune marketplace, but more on that later). And in case you haven't noticed, the iPod is a pretty darn good device. The Zune doesn't really offer anything that should have iPod+iTunes users jumping ship, but it does offer a compelling option for those looking to purchase a product like this for the first time or iPod users who have chosen to continue to buy CDs instead of digital albums.

The first thing you'll notice after purchasing the Zune is that if they ever gave away some type of award for product packaging, the Zune would probably win it. The brown portion of the Zune box slips off to reveal a compartmentalized box inside that includes the Zune, the docking cable, stock earbuds, the Zune software, the token cheap felt case, and the documentation.

Onto the Zune itself. Even at 30 gigs it's a bit longer and thicker than the 80 gig iPod. It is substantially heavier but not to a fault. Those looking to use an MP3 player for active use will probably want a flash player anyway. Where the Zune holds a big advantage over the iPod however is the rubbery-plastic finish. Whereas the iPod's glossy finish is a magnet for fingerprints, the Zune's rubbery plastic feel attracts virtually no fingerprints, and when it does they simply wipe off. The screen accumulates them quickly, and while a thin plastic film coating is included, it has some large text on it, so you might have to invest in a third-party screen protector. Bummer. The control pad has been often maligned for not being a scroll wheel, but I don't understand why. Is moving your thumb around in circles really THAT intuitive?

Onto the software. It's a bit dissapointing that the Zune doesn't simply intergrate seamlessly with Windows Media Player 11 like most MP3 players now do. Instead you'll have to install the dedicated Zune software, which is essentially Windows Media Player 11 in some new clothing and with the Zune Marketplace built in. There have been many reports of hiccups installing the new software, so beware. It seems I was lucky. Once you do get the software going, syncing your music library to your player is a breeze, with a transfer speed of about two seconds per song.

As I said, the Zune software is essentially WMP11 with the Zune Marketplace included. The first time you enter the marketplace the software will ask you for your Windows Live ID. This is where one very cool perk comes into play if you are an XBox Live user. When you login with your ID, your Zune Marketplace account automatically links up with your XBox Live account, so you can share your Microsoft Points you already have across both services! Very very convienent.

Unfortunately, that may be the highlight of the Zune Marketplace. Graphically, it can't hold a candle to iTunes and is pretty darn ugly. Users can't review albums, and it as of yet doesn't offer anything besides music(this is probably going to change very very soon). I don't even use an iPod and I like browsing the iTunes store to see what's new and read user reviews. I couldn't imagine using the Zune Marketplace for anything except buying an album. But even that wouldn't be advisable, since the music you purchase on the Zune marketplace will work ONLY on the Microsoft Zune and nothing else. So until it starts offering TV Shows and movies, the Zune Marketplace is a major dud.

This is where the real treat comes in, once you get your music onto the Zune and fire it up for the first time, many of your initial doubts will vanish. The screen is large, bright, and the background is fully customizable. The interface is a huge breath of fresh air after using the stale Artist>Album>Song system on iPods and Creative players for so many years. Instead, Artist, Album, and Song are listed horizontally at the top of the screen, and as you move the cursor over each option all of the items spill out down the substantial screen, with thumbnail album art included! When you do choose a song, the album art for that song dominates the screen, and the sound quality is excellent. You can easily adjust the volume by pressing up-and-down on the control pad, and scroll through the song by pushing left and right.

So music playback is a huge "hit", but how about the video? The format support is pretty limited, and while the Zune software will convert just about anything, the playback format of converted videos is pretty poor. It was also a puzzling move for the Zune to have a 16x9 screen but only support 4:3 resolution. The stretching of the picture doesn't really take that much away, but it seems a bit pointless. One handy feature is that the control pad will re-orient the controls for the Zune when you hold the player sideways.

One last thing, you might have noticed I haven't even mentioned the much-hyped wi-fi feature. Why? Because it's practically useless. Songs received via wi-fi transfer can only be played three times within a three day period, and songs by some artists(such as the Rolling Stones) won't even transfer at all! The wi-fi capabilities of the Zune certainly offers exciting possibilities for future firmware updates, but they're certainly not present now.

So that's it. The Zune offers nothing that will have seasoned iPod+iTunes users jumping ship, and it certainly' won't kill the iPod, but the exceptional physical design, vastly superior user interface, and wi-fi possiblities in the future warrant a serious look by shoppers.

23 of 25 found the following review helpful:

Gave it shot, and am pleased after a week trial... Jun 07, 2007 By Andy A
I'm an Asian geek who loves electronics, so I had to try this thing out. Like many, I also own an iPod... but mine is a 40GB 4th gen WITHOUT video. I've been craving a video and music player for a long time... So after a few weeks of research, I finally saw that Best Buy had the Zune on sale for $199 ($50 less than a 30GB 5th gen iPod). "Let's give it a shot" I thought, and with a total of $25 in Best Buy coupons, I went for it. I figured for $175 before taxes, trying out the Zune was a no-brainer.

And after one week, I really like it. Granted, I can't say that I've actually done a true Zune/iPod "taste test" because I don't have a video iPod with which to compare the Zune. But I really love the larger screen (despite having to turn it sideways).

I'm not a big fan of how easily it is to scuff or scratch the metal backing and the plastic face of my iPod. Even if placed in a case or silicone jacket (I've tried both) the darn thing still gets scuffed up because even the soft protective case can scuff it up up. So with the Zune, I'm glad the case is fairly scuff-and-scratch-free (I went on eBay to get a dirt-cheap scratch-proof cover for the scratchable screen).

I dig the Zune's buttons. After owning an iPod for over 3 years, I was so used to a scrolling touchwheel that I initially didn't like the Zune buttons. But with the Zune there's less overshooting selections... and if you hold the circular button down, your selection scrolls faster and without that arthritis-inducing spinning of your thumb!

With the lovely program DVDFab, I can convert DVDs to mp4s to watch on my new Zune! I love it!

In terms of sound quality, the Zune headphones sound much better than the iPod headphones. Granted, I have Bose Triport headphones that I use with both, but if you're not a geek who spends over $100 on a better set of headphones than what comes with your player, then the spiffy Zune earbuds will please you more than the iPod tinny whites.

Do I still love my iPod? Yes. Do I love my new Zune? Yes. Am I nerd for owning 2 music players? No. I'm actually a nerd that owns 3 music players (since I also have an iPod Shuffle for when I exercise/run). But when it comes to watching videos on a portable player that I take to work, I think the Zune has been a splendid choice.

I had no problems with loading the software. I had read previously that it takes a long time for the program and music on your computer to sync. So just be patient with your Microsoft software. In hindsight, I don't feel that it took much longer for the Zune to load and sync than it took the iPod and iTunes to load and sync. Most of the complaints of the Zune software were made in November of 2006 with the initial firmware and Zune software versions. Microsoft released better firmware and updates since then.

If you are thinking about getting a Zune, I say go for it! I've had a great time with it so far. If you like a really slick-looking player that you want to look shiny and scuff-free for a few days, then get an iPod -- but be ready to be bummed about your scuffed up player in a few days (or weeks if you're really careful). I love the nigh-scuff-free Zune. I love my old video-less 4th gen iPod, too, but I think love my Zune more. (At least until something better comes along and I buy that too.) (I'm an addict -- I know.)

By the way, I only gave the Zune 4 stars -- but I'd probably give the same to a 5th gen iPod, too. The Zune needs more work definitely, but it's fairly good-looking... the interface and menus are more artsy-looking and you can change the backgrounds to personalize it, and the video screen is bigger. Plus, I like listening to the radio sometimes, so this player is all right with me.

647 of 822 found the following review helpful:

Not as good as I hoped Nov 19, 2006 By C. Franz
I'm a serious gadget junkie. I have more mp3 players than I care to admit - iPod, iRiver, even a Rio. You name a player, I probably have it. I was very interested in Zune, and the fact that I now have one here in Switzerland where it officially can't be bought yet shows to what length I was prepared to go to get it.

First the good:
+ Zune's sound quality is good (I did not use the earphones that come with it, though),
+ Browsing your music is simple. The transitions between menus is slick, and the user interface is quite intuitive.
+ It feels solid, and does not pick up scratches or fingerprints as easy as it's direct competitor, the iPod.
+ Purchasing songs is simple, and can be done worldwide.
+ Large color display is bright, colors are vivid. Good playback of videos. So-so display of images.
+ Plays my unencrypted (DRM'd) WMA, MP3, AAC files

The bad:
- Zune's software (the part you install on your PC) was a mess to install, and did not install on the Vista beta (This will hopefully change with the final release of Vista).
- It looks nice, but the marketplace experience does not hold a candle against iTunes Music Store (neither does the selection). Also, you purchase using 'MS points' that can only be purchased in chunks of 5 USD or more, and it's not easy to convert the points to my local currency. There currently is no video selection, nor can you easily subscribe to podcasts
- Zune can't load my previously purchased (DRM'd) WMA files (Plays-for-Sure). Zune, from MS does not conform to 'Plays for sure' by MS. This means you must re-purchase all your songs.
- Zune songs can't be played by other players. In this regard Zune is as bad (a closed system) as the iPod. Wasn't Bill Gates on the record saying that 'People want choice'? Well, not if you own Zune - at least for now.
- Does not play video formats other than WMV (i.e. no m4v, mov)
- You can't use Zune as an external hard drive. I couldn't believe it myself either. Why???
- I must physically connect Zune to my PC to load songs - Zune currently can't sync wirelessly.
- You can't use Windows media player to manager your Zune's content
- For some reason I am unable to listen to Zune while it's charging. This may be a fault of mine, though.
- The scroll wheel is not a scroll wheel. It integrates well with Zune's interface, but is not as efficient as the iPod's wheel it obviously resembles
- The color display's resolution is the same as the iPod's, just bigger. Side-to-side comparison between a video played on the iPod and Zune shows a distinct advantage for the iPod, because the image (even though smaller) looks much sharper. It would have been better if Zune had a higher resolution.

I was unable to try the song sharing feature (for obvious reasons - no-one else has it here).

All in all I am seriously disappointed by Zune. The player itself is nice - the whole package (player, software, experience), however, is riddled with half-baked features, or intentional restrictions that make no sense. Comparing it directly to the other closed-system competitor, the iPod, shows that Zune has a long way to go just to catch up. It fares OK when compared with other mp3-players - until you realize that you'll have to re-purchase your music. If you are prepared to take that step you might as well go with the iPod, which is clearly the better package.

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