Zune 3.0
The rumors that pointed to developments in the Zune have been confirmed with the official presentation of new hardware and software for the players, who represent a significant leap in functionality.
This new platform, which could be called Zune 3.0 on the characteristics of these players to the iPod touch, transforming the device into something more than a player, rather a platform that combines music, video, games and an online store accessible from within the Zune.
These new benefits, which come in the form of a firmware update will be available both for the new models being offered for sale to existing models, placing them all on the same level of functionality.
The most interesting is the ability to access the Zune Marketplace from within the player through the wireless connection of this, so similar to iTunes Mobile on iPod touch, so that we can acquire new music without the need to be tied to the computer.
Zune 3.0
As in the past, it offers a subscription service called Zune Pass, which you can download all you want at a cost of 14.99 dollars a month. Music is downloaded is rented, so if we leave the subscription service will not be able to continue listening.
The Zune Marketplace allows us to find the songs that we want, in addition to including a list system with which we can see updates to the store and the songs and downloaded more disks, categorized by genre.
Besides, it incorporates Buy from FM, a system that recognizes the songs that are playing on the radio, using RDS, which allows dial songs that we like to acquire subsequent to the Zune Marketplace. When we are connected to an access point, these songs will be downloaded automatically.
It is not the only way of discovering new music. The Zune Marketplace will provide us with recommendations based on the music we have heard, as well as the other users who listen with profiles similar to ours. Finally, the channels we offer lists created by radios, musical revues, … to which we can subscribe.
Also music playback has been improved with a playback screen that provides much more information. In addition to pictures of the artist who is playing, we can see biographical information on this and other data from the online service
The last two developments are related to support new features. One is the ability to listen to audio books and the other are the games. By default, the new firmware includes two games, Hexic, and Texas Hold’em, but some time that Microsoft has an SDK to develop for the Zune, so it would not be surprising that soon and may acquire in the new Zune Marketplace .
All these developments point to refer to the software, hardware, but also in the news. Increases the maximum capacities of the two versions, both available as a hard disk that works with the SSD, up to 120 GB and 16 GB, respectively.
There he was joined new colors, with a pattern in blue and silver and one totally black. Prices are $ 250 version of 120 GB, 230 U.S. dollars for the 80GB, $ 200 for the 16GB, $ 150 for the 8 GB and 130 U.S. dollars for the 4GB.
News quite interesting but, for now, remain without reaching Europe, which is a shame because Zune 3.0 is presented as an interesting platform, with features not found in most players and a good store to get behind music .