Microsoft Zune HD Black (16 GB) MP3 Player
- Number of Songs: 4000
- Usage: Music Video Photo Viewing
- Interface: Wi-Fi
- Screen Size: 3.3 inch
- Main Storage Type: Built-in Memory
- Storage Capacity: 16 GB
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The Best Device for Music Lovers
Pros
User-friendly interface.Bright, high-quality screen.Well organized menus and navigation.
Cons
No external speakers.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
The Zune HD is a great buy for anyone who is interested in storing, sharing, and listening to watching videos and listening to music.
The Looks
Microsoft's' newest MP3 player, the Zune HD, is a sleek, small, and easily handled item that will fit easily into your pocket. It is 4.02 inches tall, 2.07 inches wide, and .35 inches thick. It weighs roughly 2.6 ounces. The actual touch screen itself is about 2.88 inches tall by 1.68 inches wide. You can buy the Zune HD in a variety of colors, including black, silver, and even green.
The Sound
The sound quality on the Zune HD is quite good. It doesn't stand out a lot as an individual factor, but it still offers a high-quality experience to the listener. By pushing the settings tab in the main menu, you can change the audio settings by selecting different genres, such as rock, dance, or hip-hop. You cannot manually set them, but there are more than enough options to satisfy your listening needs. One thing that the Zune HD does lack is external speakers. This didn't change my decision to buy it, but it would stil be a nice feature to have.
The Picture
The Zune HD definitely has the iPod beat in terms of graphics. The Zune is capable of playing up to 720p, (that's HD quality), videos whereas the iPod can only play up to 420p. The Zune also has it's incredible OLED screen that delivers a superb picture to the viewer. When viewing high quality pictures or videos, the Zune delivers an explosive and bright view of all the colors and shades.
The Zune HD has a clear and crisp menu that is very easy to navigate with the touch of a finger. Here are the tabs on the menu and information about them, (in order that they appear).
Music
The music tab is the first on the main menu of the Zune HD. By selecting it, you will be automatically taken to your song list. After pushing "music", there will be sub categories by which you can look through and listen to your music. You can search by song, genre, album, artists, or by playlist. You can create your own playlists by pushing and holding down the song, artist, or album name and then 4 options will appear and you then select, "Add to Now Playing". You do this with the rest of the songs, artists, albums, or genres you want, and then go back to the main menu by either pushing the back button, located in the top left corner of the touch screen, or just by simply pressing the home button on the bottom of the device. Then you select the music tab again, and then will go the sub category, "Playlists". It will have the number of songs you selected. Then just simply push and hold and then you will select the option, "Name Playlist", Then you will have a playlist saved for whatever you need. Another great thing the Zune has is "Smart DJ Mix". When you're listening to a song that you like and are in the mood for similar songs to it, you can press and hold that song on the song list and then select, "Play Smart DJ Mix". The Zune will then automatically choose songs with similar sounds, feels, and tempo's.
Videos
The next tab on the main menu underneath music, is the video tab. By pressing the video tab, you are taken to a list of all the videos on your Zune. They are all arranged in alphabetical order and have a visual of the video on the left, and then a title and description on the left. To watch your video, simply touch the visual of the video and then tilt the screen sideways, (the screen will flip to whichever side you choose). From there, you can just tap the screen to pause, change the volume, rewind, or fast forward the video. The Zune HD can play up 720p, (HD), videos.
Pictures
Underneath the videos tab is pictures. Going into this tab, you will get a visual of your pictures in widths of two. You can view them either by date or by the folders they were added in. By selecting a folder, that will take you inside to each picture in the folder. You can then select individual pictures and view them fullscreen. You can tilt the Zune to get different views and sizes of the picture. By tapping on the picture again, you can have the options to play a slideshow of the folder or setting it as your back round picture. The Zune HD gives high-quality viewing of the pictures and is great for storing and transporting photos from trips, events, or family outings.
Radio
The radio tab is probably my favorite of the whole Zune itself. By pushing on the radio tab, it will automatically take you to probably a local station that is in your area. From there, you have the option to "seek" by tapping on the screen and then going forward or back, just like in the music and video tabs. You can also manually search through the stations as well just by sliding your finger sideways across the screen. A great addition to this is that you get to listen to some stations in HD sound-quality. You will get the name of the station, and the song currently playing. You can tag your favorite stations to a saved list and you can also tag songs that you hear on the radio, so if you here one of your favorite songs and want to buy it later, you can add it to your shopping cart. If the station is strong enough, you will have the option to listen to HD1 or HD2 of the station. The radio quality is amazing and I often times plug it into my truck because it gets far better quality and reception than the radio in the car. It is easy and portably to listen to while working on homework, relaxing at home, or working outside and is my personal favorite feature of the Zune HD.
Marketplace
The marketplace tab on the Zune is a handy little thing. If you are in a Wifi hotspot or plugged into your computer, you can search through the Zune Marketplace on the device for you favorite songs, videos, and apps. You can purchase them right then and there by using your Microsoft Points which you can buy online.
Social
The social tab is yet another very cool and original tab to the Zune HD. You can add friends with Zunes to your list of friends on your computer and then when are close together, you can share songs, videos, and apps. You can also send and receive messages from eachother. I don't have a lot of personal experience using this feature but when I have used it, it is a blast!
Internet
The internet tab is another spectacular feature that the Zune HD has to offer. You can access the internet in a Wifi hotspot or while plugged into your computer. It has a well-organized interface and is quick and easy to use if you need to check your E-mail, Facebook, or Twitter. The one downside about the Zune's internet is that it does not support Flash, so that means no YouTube or Pandora. But, it is still great for browsing the web and checking social media sites.
Apps
The next tab on the main menu is the apps. The Zune HD wasn't really designed for it's apps, so they are not the most spectacular ones in the world, but they are still fun. If you are looking for something to play lots of apps on, then you should buy an iPod touch, (the same things goes for if you want to watch YouTube videos). The marketplace offers between 30-40 games, which are all free, and they are great for passing a few minutes while waiting in line or waiting to get picked up. You can also download 3rd party apps, which basically just means that they are "homemade", but I wouldn't recommend it. You have to download additional software to put them on there and it messes with restarting and things like that. Settings
The final tab on the main menu is the settings tab. By going into this tab, you can edit all kinds of things from your music to your radio to what time it is. You can edit internet options, set a screen lock, and even change the language to Spanish or French!
My Experience
I have owned my Zune HD for about a year and half now and it is still working great. Nothing is lagging, the response is as quick as ever and it has everything I need. I also give the Zune HD kudos for it's amazing durability. I have dropped the thing so many times and even left it out in a snow storm for 24 hours. That was a year ago, and it is still in great condition. I purchased my Zune HD, (16GB), at Amazon.com for $186. The device by itself was actually $176, but I got a chord adaptor package to go with it and also paid for priority shipping for the extra $10. All and all, the Zune HD is a great buy for anyone who wants an awesome way to store, share and listen to pictures, videos and most importantly, their music.
Microsoft's' newest MP3 player, the Zune HD, is a sleek, small, and easily handled item that will fit easily into your pocket. It is 4.02 inches tall, 2.07 inches wide, and .35 inches thick. It weighs roughly 2.6 ounces. The actual touch screen itself is about 2.88 inches tall by 1.68 inches wide. You can buy the Zune HD in a variety of colors, including black, silver, and even green.
The Sound
The sound quality on the Zune HD is quite good. It doesn't stand out a lot as an individual factor, but it still offers a high-quality experience to the listener. By pushing the settings tab in the main menu, you can change the audio settings by selecting different genres, such as rock, dance, or hip-hop. You cannot manually set them, but there are more than enough options to satisfy your listening needs. One thing that the Zune HD does lack is external speakers. This didn't change my decision to buy it, but it would stil be a nice feature to have.
The Picture
The Zune HD definitely has the iPod beat in terms of graphics. The Zune is capable of playing up to 720p, (that's HD quality), videos whereas the iPod can only play up to 420p. The Zune also has it's incredible OLED screen that delivers a superb picture to the viewer. When viewing high quality pictures or videos, the Zune delivers an explosive and bright view of all the colors and shades.
The Zune HD has a clear and crisp menu that is very easy to navigate with the touch of a finger. Here are the tabs on the menu and information about them, (in order that they appear).
Music
The music tab is the first on the main menu of the Zune HD. By selecting it, you will be automatically taken to your song list. After pushing "music", there will be sub categories by which you can look through and listen to your music. You can search by song, genre, album, artists, or by playlist. You can create your own playlists by pushing and holding down the song, artist, or album name and then 4 options will appear and you then select, "Add to Now Playing". You do this with the rest of the songs, artists, albums, or genres you want, and then go back to the main menu by either pushing the back button, located in the top left corner of the touch screen, or just by simply pressing the home button on the bottom of the device. Then you select the music tab again, and then will go the sub category, "Playlists". It will have the number of songs you selected. Then just simply push and hold and then you will select the option, "Name Playlist", Then you will have a playlist saved for whatever you need. Another great thing the Zune has is "Smart DJ Mix". When you're listening to a song that you like and are in the mood for similar songs to it, you can press and hold that song on the song list and then select, "Play Smart DJ Mix". The Zune will then automatically choose songs with similar sounds, feels, and tempo's.
Videos
The next tab on the main menu underneath music, is the video tab. By pressing the video tab, you are taken to a list of all the videos on your Zune. They are all arranged in alphabetical order and have a visual of the video on the left, and then a title and description on the left. To watch your video, simply touch the visual of the video and then tilt the screen sideways, (the screen will flip to whichever side you choose). From there, you can just tap the screen to pause, change the volume, rewind, or fast forward the video. The Zune HD can play up 720p, (HD), videos.
Pictures
Underneath the videos tab is pictures. Going into this tab, you will get a visual of your pictures in widths of two. You can view them either by date or by the folders they were added in. By selecting a folder, that will take you inside to each picture in the folder. You can then select individual pictures and view them fullscreen. You can tilt the Zune to get different views and sizes of the picture. By tapping on the picture again, you can have the options to play a slideshow of the folder or setting it as your back round picture. The Zune HD gives high-quality viewing of the pictures and is great for storing and transporting photos from trips, events, or family outings.
Radio
The radio tab is probably my favorite of the whole Zune itself. By pushing on the radio tab, it will automatically take you to probably a local station that is in your area. From there, you have the option to "seek" by tapping on the screen and then going forward or back, just like in the music and video tabs. You can also manually search through the stations as well just by sliding your finger sideways across the screen. A great addition to this is that you get to listen to some stations in HD sound-quality. You will get the name of the station, and the song currently playing. You can tag your favorite stations to a saved list and you can also tag songs that you hear on the radio, so if you here one of your favorite songs and want to buy it later, you can add it to your shopping cart. If the station is strong enough, you will have the option to listen to HD1 or HD2 of the station. The radio quality is amazing and I often times plug it into my truck because it gets far better quality and reception than the radio in the car. It is easy and portably to listen to while working on homework, relaxing at home, or working outside and is my personal favorite feature of the Zune HD.
Marketplace
The marketplace tab on the Zune is a handy little thing. If you are in a Wifi hotspot or plugged into your computer, you can search through the Zune Marketplace on the device for you favorite songs, videos, and apps. You can purchase them right then and there by using your Microsoft Points which you can buy online.
Social
The social tab is yet another very cool and original tab to the Zune HD. You can add friends with Zunes to your list of friends on your computer and then when are close together, you can share songs, videos, and apps. You can also send and receive messages from eachother. I don't have a lot of personal experience using this feature but when I have used it, it is a blast!
Internet
The internet tab is another spectacular feature that the Zune HD has to offer. You can access the internet in a Wifi hotspot or while plugged into your computer. It has a well-organized interface and is quick and easy to use if you need to check your E-mail, Facebook, or Twitter. The one downside about the Zune's internet is that it does not support Flash, so that means no YouTube or Pandora. But, it is still great for browsing the web and checking social media sites.
Apps
The next tab on the main menu is the apps. The Zune HD wasn't really designed for it's apps, so they are not the most spectacular ones in the world, but they are still fun. If you are looking for something to play lots of apps on, then you should buy an iPod touch, (the same things goes for if you want to watch YouTube videos). The marketplace offers between 30-40 games, which are all free, and they are great for passing a few minutes while waiting in line or waiting to get picked up. You can also download 3rd party apps, which basically just means that they are "homemade", but I wouldn't recommend it. You have to download additional software to put them on there and it messes with restarting and things like that. Settings
The final tab on the main menu is the settings tab. By going into this tab, you can edit all kinds of things from your music to your radio to what time it is. You can edit internet options, set a screen lock, and even change the language to Spanish or French!
My Experience
I have owned my Zune HD for about a year and half now and it is still working great. Nothing is lagging, the response is as quick as ever and it has everything I need. I also give the Zune HD kudos for it's amazing durability. I have dropped the thing so many times and even left it out in a snow storm for 24 hours. That was a year ago, and it is still in great condition. I purchased my Zune HD, (16GB), at Amazon.com for $186. The device by itself was actually $176, but I got a chord adaptor package to go with it and also paid for priority shipping for the extra $10. All and all, the Zune HD is a great buy for anyone who wants an awesome way to store, share and listen to pictures, videos and most importantly, their music.
