Zune (Digital Media Player)

"Zune" is a brand name.  It currently covers:

• A digital music device similar in design to the iconic iPod with differences in screen size, preloaded content, software, the ability to share music wirelessly, and the presence of a built-in radio tuner..

• An online music service called "Zune Marketplace" which offers a-la-carte (single-song or album) downloads of purchased music (similar to iTunes Store) or a subscription service allowing "all you can eat" music (like Rhapsody, Yahoo Music, Napster, and others.)

• Software which runs on your PC (no Mac version has been announced) which accesses the above online music service, also branded as "Zune Marketplace."

• The Digital Rights Management scheme used by all of the above services.  Note that this scheme is not compatible with iTunes "FairPlay" or subscription services which use the "PlaysForSure" DRM scheme.  For lack of information, we will refer to the scheme used by Zune as "Zune DRM."
• The Zune team maintains their own blog where you can learn about marketing events, new features, and little known Zune facts and fun stuff.  Its here: http://zuneinsider.com/

How is it Different From an iPod?

The Zune device has 30 Gigabytes of storage, comes in white, black, and brown and has a 3-inch screen which changes orientation to show video.  It also includes a wireless transceiver for syncing media or sharing music and an FM radio receiver, neither of which are native iPod features.

"iPod" covers everything from the Shuffle to the Nano to the iPod Video which vary in size, storage capacity, and screen size (where applicable) and come in a variety of colors.  iPod colors currently include: white, black, blue, green, pink, turquoise, and custom schemes such as the black and red U2 iPod.  iPods devices are available with storage capacities from 512 Megabytes to 80 Gigabytes as of this writing.

An iPod stores music you rip from CDs or purchase from the iTunes Media Store (ITMS).  Only an iPod or iTunes software can play media you purchase from the iTunes Media Store due to a Digital Rights Management scheme branded "FairPlay."  See the Digital Rights Management (DRM) section for a comparison of DRM schemes.

Zune offers an identical model with regard to media you purchase from Zune Marketplace.  It adds a feature where you may share music you purchase with other Zune users with the limitation that they may listen to a shared track three times or for three days, whichever comes first.  Thereafter, the track remains bookmarked so that they may download it from their own Zune account or delete it as they choose. Zune uses its own Digital Rights Management scheme.

How the Zune deals with sharing non-licensed content (such as .mp3 files) is still unclear.  An early comment by a developer said all shared content follows the 3 days / 3 plays rule.  Clarifications since then have said otherwise.

Zune Marketplace offers a second extension to the iTunes model where a user may subscribe for a monthly fee and download and listen to any track at any time without paying an a la carte charge.  Other restrictions may be part of the subscription service; similar subscription services "expire" music after a certain amount of time or limit your ability to burn it to CD.  Details are still emerging on Zune Marketplace.

Neither an iPod nor a Zune play content branded with a Digital Rights Management scheme called PlaysForSure.  Some services which use PlaysForSure to offer subscription content include Rhapsody, Yahoo Music, Napster, Amazon Unbox and others.  Subscription music from these services will not play on an iPod or on a Zune.  See Digital Rights Management (DRM) for further discussion on this topic.  See The Debate Over PlaysForSure DRM for information specific to Zune’s lack of support for the PlaysForSure DRM scheme.

Why Does it Come in Brown?

Reaction has varied to the choice of brown as the third color for the Zune device.  Those who approve refer to it as feeling "classic" like 70’s era stereo equipment.  Those who disapprove refer to it as ugly or clueless of their market.

More Information about Zune

• Digital Rights Management (DRM)
• The Debate Over PlaysForSure DRM
• Zune History and Context