Zune

Intro

I'm Peter and this is the RoguePlanetoid Podcast where you will find insights about Microsoft or related platforms and technology, along with so much more whether you are beginner or an experienced professional or just interested in technology. Keep Current, Keep Coding!

Welcome

Welcome to episode forty-three of the RoguePlanetoid Podcast about Zune. Twenty years ago, Zune was launched in the United States, as part of a hardware and software entertainment vision from Microsoft. It would be in September 2006 when Microsoft first unveiled their plans for Zune that would launch in November 2006, in the United States with the original Zune device based upon the Toshiba Gigabeat S, as part of a project codenamed Argo, which developed the Zune Marketplace codenamed Alexandria, and the Zune software to manage the Zune originally built from the Windows Media Player codebase, before being rebuilt as a dedicated application using an internal custom UI framework called Iris, helping to introduce the modern styling seen in later platforms such as Windows Phone, Windows 8, Windows 10 and Windows 11.

History

Zune would launch in the United States in November 2006 with the first-generation Zune, codenamed Keel which featured thirty gigabytes of storage, a 320 by 240 resolution seven-centimetre display, with the showcase device featuring an unusual choice of brown along with more traditional black and white devices available at launch. There would also be other versions including Red and Pink along with a limited-edition Halo 3 themed device. Zune could play tracks from the Zune Marketplace, or tracks ripped from CD along with a social sharing feature where you could share tracks wirelessly between Zunes, which for premium tracks could be played up to three times over three days allowing owners to easily share music.

Zune was something I wanted to get myself here in the United Kingdom, however it was not available here so I decided to save up so I could import one from the United States. However, once I had enough money to get one it was 2007 and the second-generation of Zune device was available, codenamed Draco, which had 80 gigabytes of storage with a larger 8.1-centimetre display, and was available in black and later red or blue along with a limited-edition Gears of War 2 themed device. This second generation also introduced the updated Zune software and a redesigned user interface featuring what would become the modern design language that still exists to this day, used by Microsoft.

Zune second-generation in 2007 also included another device, which was an ultra-portable form factor codenamed Scorpius, available in red, green, pink or black and later blue, which could have 4, 8 or later 16 gigabytes of storage. Although I didn't get this device, I did get the third-generation device in 2009, Zune HD, codenamed Pavo, which was available in black, platinum, blue, green, magenta, purple, pink and red - which the version I had ordered from Zune Originals, which was a program to get custom versions which had 32 gigabytes of storage with a 8.3 centimetre 480x272 resolution OLED display, with a touch-screen interface and could be docked to connect via HDMI to enjoy HD content.

Experience

Zune was a fantastic platform, the first generation of device in 2006 was a great start that built on existing technology followed a year later with the second-generation device which I owned myself. I enhanced my experience by creating applications in Silverlight, a web-based platform from Microsoft, to create appointment or contact cards which were a useful way of remembering where to go along with another one that enabled Zune Cards, which was part of the social experience of Zune, which was where you could see what music you or others were listening to, so these could be saved as images and synced to the device.

Zune HD released in 2009 and was a fantastic third-generation device and is still the music player I use to this day, with my collection of CDs on it so I can listen to it whenever I travel by train, but these devices were never released in the United Kingdom, I had to import my devices, although there were websites which offered the chance to purchase accessories or devices to be shipped to the United Kingdom. It was a shame that the Zune devices were never released here in the United Kingdom but did meet a few people who owned one, including one person from Microsoft who I helped to get podcasts on the device.

Zune was an addition to my original website since it was announced in September 2006 and covered the devices, accessories as well as articles and more, from the start of the hardware platform until the end with Zune HD, where I was lucky enough to have press images and information to share with others for the hardware and more which made my website an invaluable resource, and my way of promoting and supporting Zune, despite the lack of official availability here in the United Kingdom. If you want to check out that Zune website it is archived at cespage.com/zune or check out the link in the show notes.

Zunepedia

Zune would be revisited in 2021 with Zunepedia which I created to help celebrate fifteen years since Microsoft first announced and released the original Zune, as an unofficial photographic journey of the history of the Zune devices, hardware, services and community that keeps it alive to this day. Zunepedia used some of the collection of high-quality press images I had obtained and to challenge myself to put together something interesting, despite having very little design skills, as well as get some fantastic original content from the community showing off their collections including very limited editions and internal prototype devices.

Zunepedia reaction was fantastic, including being on Episode 320, Zune Remembered, of the Digital Lifestyle Show, in an article on Windows Central and helped out as an unofficial expert on Zune with the article "All Over the Map: How - and why - did Microsoft 'Name that Zune?'". Zunepedia also got another boost when the original Photoshop files were used on YouTube for a video, The Entire History of the Zune, which showed the images in motion. Zunepedia also gained a companion podcast episode with Episode Eight of the RoguePlanetoid Podcast about Zunepedia, which you can listen to wherever you listen to your podcasts or check out the link in the show notes.

Zunepedia was a fantastic project, after it was released, Zune made a comeback, of sorts, when a first-generation Zune was famously and prominently featured in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in 2023! Zunepedia is now five years old, so have given it a refresh including fixing an issue with the corner-radius used on images on the front cover plus have updated the text including the foreword and epilogue. Zunepedia Creator has been added to mark the fifth anniversary allowing visitors to create their own images of Zune. Download Zunepedia or use Zunepedia Creator at zunepedia.com or check out the link in the show notes.

Conclusion

Zune when it was first released twenty years ago in November 2006 was to bring in a connected entertainment era for Microsoft, which started with the first-generation Zune followed by the second-generation devices a year later and then the third-generation Zune HD in 2009. Zune hardware would end there but the platform continued to power the entertainment experience behind Windows Phone and Xbox at the time, and those services were available in the United Kingdom, though Zune devices never made it to these shores the software and marketplace features did, including Zune Pass which was a music subscription service. Zune was a platform I supported in so many ways including with my app, ZuneCardr which brought some of the Zune Social to Windows Phone, which I spoke about on Episode Forty-One of the RoguePlanetoid Podcast about Windows Phone which you can listen to wherever you listen to your podcasts or check out the link in the show notes.

Zune is something I will always look back on fondly, whether it was the content of my website at the time, or when I revisited it in recent years with Zunepedia, showcasing much of the content I had, as well as my ZuneCardr app for Windows Phone. Zune was a big part of my life despite the devices never officially being released here in the United Kingdom, it opened opportunities that wouldn't have happened without it and I still use my Zune HD to this day when travelling including last month, so there's never a year that goes by when I'm not still using my Zune and where I hope someone out there may be even be listening to this very podcast on their Zune.

Outro

Thanks for listening to the RoguePlanetoid Podcast where each episode you will find insights about Microsoft or related platforms and technology, along with so much more wherever you listen to your podcasts or at rogueplanetoid.com/podcasts for the RoguePlanetoid Podcast whether you are a beginner or an experienced professional or just interested in technology. Keep Current, Keep Coding!