Editorial Review:

Amazon.com Item Description:
Music and entertainment, your way. That's what the Zune 80 GB Digital Media Player is designed to deliver. The Zune easily connects you with your music, videos, and pictures wherever and whenever you want, and unlike the iPod, it even has a built-in FM tuner so you can keep up with local news and sports. Your Zune gives you the power to wirelessly share full-length tracks, playlists, pictures and podcasts with your other Zune-wielding friends. And when you receive songs that you just can't get out of your head, you can easily tag the songs and buy them the next time you sync up. Whether you're listening to music, radio, or rocking out to the latest music videos on the bright, roomy screen, the Zune allows you to tailor your entertainment, right in the palm of your hand. Watch a demo on Zune.

The Zune easily connects you with your music, videos, and pictures wherever and whenever you want.

Share full-length tracks of your favorite songs, albums, playlists, pictures, and even audio podcasts with other Zune users. Shown with Dock Pack v2 with remote, sold separately.

Store up to 20,000 songs, 25,000 pictures, or 250 hours of video on the 80 GB Zune, available in red or black.

Get all your favorite music at the Zune Marketplace.

Simple, Innovative Controls
The Zune is a breeze to use with new, intuitive touch controls. Don't subject yourself to cumbersome, slow scrolling. The innovative new Zune pad makes browsing your music, video and picture collections fun and effortless. You'll fly through your favorites and get to just what you're looking for in no time flat. This powerhouse device stores up to 20,000 songs, 25,000 pictures, or 250 hours of video. (Please note that music estimates are based on 128 kbps WMA files, with length of 4 minutes each; pictures transferred to Zune will be optimized for Zune screen size; and video estimates are based on 500 kbps WMV files with 128 kbps WMA audio tracks.)

That's a lot of entertainment, and you'll appreciate it even more with the Zune's awesome screen. The big, beautiful, 3.2-inch color screen provides uncompromising portable video viewing. This Zune also comes equipped with premium earphones. Designed to block out external noise, these earphones provide superior sound and bass response, and leave your ears with nothing but your favorite tunes. Your favorite music, videos, and pictures have never looked and sounded better.

FM Radio
The Zune also features a built-in FM radio tuner so that you can listen to local FM stations or tune-in programming while you're at the gym. Advanced tuning capabilities allow you to see the name of the song that's currently playing on select frequencies.

Wireless Sync
We're all exhausted by the cables and wires that tangle up our lives. Luckily, the Zune is one device that doesn't require another cord. You can easily connect to your home wireless network and sync your Zune with your PC collection of digital goodies. You can also sync using the dock, AC adapter, or speaker dock accessory (not included).

The Zune Community and Marketplace
Zune is all about sharing and community. At the Zune Online Community, you'll discover, share, and leave your musical mark. Create a Zune card and Zune profile page to reflect your musical identity. From the Zune Online Community you can invite friends, share song recommendations, post comments, and browse member pages to unearth new tunes and connect to others who share your musical tastes.

When you're ready to purchase music and load your device with new tunes, turn to Zune Marketplace. With more than 3 million songs, DRM-free MP3s, music videos, audio/video podcasts, and more content added every day, you'll certainly get your fill. The store is always open and just a mouse click away. You can also choose between the download or subscription packages--buy individual songs and albums, or snag a Zune Pass subscription with all you can eat access to discover and explore the nooks and crannies of artists and genres.

Zune-to-Zune Sharing
Once your Zune is loaded with good stuff, you'll be ready to embrace wireless Zune-to-Zune sharing. Share full-length tracks of your favorite songs, albums, playlists, pictures, and even audio podcasts. You can listen to the full track of any song you receive up to three times, and you can even pass along songs that are shared with you to other friends. If you find a song you really love, you can easily add it to your wishlist and buy it later when you sync to your PC. When it comes to syncing and importing your music, the Zune makes it easy. Zune software can automatically import your existing music, pictures and videos from iTunes and Windows Media Player in a variety of formats, including your existing playlists and song ratings.

Recorded TV or Movies to Go
The Zune will also automatically import TV shows or movies recorded using a PC running Windows Media Center in Windows Vista. Record all your favorites, sync to your Zune, and hit the road with your favorite TV shows right in your pocket.

Your Games. Your Music. Your Way.
Another aweome feature is the Zune's compatibility with the Xbox 360. Plug your Zune into your Xbox 360 to customize the soundtrack in supported games. You can also stream music, pictures, and vidos from the Zune software on your PC to your Xbox 360 console using a wireless connection. Whether you're staying in or going out, travelling or working, the Zune can be right there with you, providing loads of entertainment direct from your pocket.


What's in the Box
Zune 80 GB Digital Media Player, premium headphones, sync cable, and three sizes of ear sleeves.



Accessories:
     see more

Accessories:

• Solio Universal Hybrid Solar Charger (Silver)
• Solio Universal Hybrid Solar Charger (Pink)
• Solio Universal Hybrid Solar Charger (Black)
• Griffin PowerDuo Car and AC Charger for Zune (Black)
• Griffin Centerstage Case for Zune 30 GB (Black)

---

Related Items:
     see more

Related Items:

• Zune Leather Case 80 GB
• Zune Home A/V Pack
• Microsoft Zune 30gb Travel Combo Set - Ac Wall Charger + Auto Car Charger + USB Data Cable (3 Pcs)
• Zune Car Pack v2
• Incipio Leather Flip Case for Zune 80/120 GB (Black)
• see more

---

Rating: - * Not as advertised! ... This is an ode to fine print. When I purchased my Zune, here was my impression. Great! A device that I can pay a mere 15 dollars a month for and get unlimited songs all the live long day. Once I am satisfied with my songs, presto! I finish my 15 dollar a month service, and if I feel the urge to get myself a new song, I purchase it. WRONG-O. Once I buy the damn mechanism and download the software, it warns me, once the subscription is cancelled all your music will be erased. Basically, I sold my financial soul to microsoft. I will for all of eternity be purchasing a $15 per month subscription if I wish to keep my tunes. Somewhere, a Microsoft CEO is laughing. To put the cherry on top, at my Thankgiving party I was ready to play music from my zune when I got the black screen of death. Needless to say, I am one unhappy camper. Rating: - * software nightmare ... Recently bought a Zune. Software looks slick but is a nightmare on PC's. (Mac's are better I think.) Just Google "importing a song on Zune" to see the frustration for yourself. I can't figure out how to import one and I'm pretty computer literate. Stick with ipods. You've been warned. Rating: - * zune 80gb ... Zune 80 GB Digital Media Player (Black)i was so disappointed this product. it has no equalizer. WMV conversion is very long unlike mp4 for ipod, it's just ok. playlist is different, it's really difficult to manage the software unlike itunes, it's ver easy. poor sounds, poor features. i better like the ipod video. Rating: - * Gave it a shot but returned for Nano ... Long story short. The Zune 80 GB (Red) is feature rich but after purchasing and using one for two days I returned it and purchased 16 GB Nano (4th Gen) instead. This is only my second MP3 player purchase. I am replacing a 4 GB iPod Mini that is still working reasonably well (but no color screen). I rip my own CDs so actually do not care if I use Zune Music management Software or iTunes. I find them both unintuitive. It is possible the touchpad on my Zune was defective or I was just not using it right but I could not get the "clicking" down right. I would scroll to Music or Video and then "click" in the center but half the time I would end up scrolling up or down instead. Within the Music section I had trouble getting the left to right scrolling working all the time as well (playlist, songs, etc). One time after I held it down for about 10 seconds, its started scrolling like crazy and I had to turn off the Zune. The radio and scanning the channels did not seem that user friendly. One of the reasons I chose the Zune was to get a radio (although not to identify music to purchase as Microsoft intends). Video was nice but really I don't see much difference between 2" and 3.2" screens (same resolution). Guess video on the Touch would be more impressive than the Zune or Classic but after playing with some videos on the Zune and watching a James Bond flick my interest in thinking I'd watch lots of movies on the Zune dissipated a lot! Not because of the quality which was fine, just the screen size. I'll still watch some videos on the Nano. I did quite a bit of research prior to picking the 80 GB Zune and my 3 top picks were the Zune, iPod Classic and new Touch (I looked at Archos, Cowon, Creative, Sansa, Sony, etc.). The Touch is not really a competitor to the first two, but of course its very different and cool. I think of its as a PDA though and many of its features are things I just don't care about/will probably end up with on my next cell phone anyway. My coworker just got a 8 GB Touch and is having trouble with the battery life (lots of posts on the support sites about this). One of the reasons I chose the Zune 80 GB over the 120 GB was because the former comes with the "Premium" headphones, but I was not impressed. Bass was to low for me. Once I plugged in my foldable Sennheiser PX100 headphones, the bass picked right up though (or I probably would have returned the Zune just for that reason alone). Anyway, I decided to get the 4th Generation Nano after thinking that I should stick to a Flash based unit this time around. I did hear the hard drive clicking a few times on the Zune which I never hear on my Mini. I run with my Mini but just on the treadmill where it sits in the cupholder. I only went with the 4th Gen Nano today because Apple put out a release to take care of the Cover Flow issue (because of the accelerometer). Otherwise I probably would have looked for a previous generation Nano. Rating: - * My Wife Loves It!!! ... Bought the Zune for my wife for her birthday back in August. She burnned all of her CD's and now keeps them on her Zune. She loves having her music all in one place. My only complaint is that there should he a setting to turn the headphone jack into a line level out. This would significantly improve the clarity of playback when using the headphone jack to provide input to a hoime stereo system.