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So I was one of the lucky ones to find the scarce Zune 80s and here's my first 2 cents. I take a look at a couple features not found in the Zune 30 and give you my first impressions. Anyone else have one of the new Zunes? Be sure to go into the forums and give us your thoughts! Read on...
Sound
The most important thing of any media player is how's it sound? It's
interesting to note (and to the complaints of many) there's NO EQ on
the new Zunes. And I've come to find out there's no plan to do so. The
hardware will not support one. BUT the thing here is the new Zunes are
designed to deliver superior sound! Jason Reindorp, Zune's marketing
director, has said in a recent c|net article,
"we've gone to great lengths to ensure top quality throughout like with
the signal path, delivering 32 ohms to the headsets, ensuring we
compare very favorably to other devices like iPod in terms of signal to
noise ratio."
The result is noticeable! Plugging in the premium headphones in my old
Zune 30, the sound is good, but with the new Zune 80 - the sound is
more rich, deep, and clear. I can't describe it! The Zune Pad
It's funny. Every time I go to use my Zune 30, I instantly brush my
finger across the D-pad - and then laugh at my brain fart. It's crazy
how intuitive and easy the Zune Pad is. It instantly makes sense and going back
requires thought. I do sometimes find myself selecting options I don't
want since the pad is pretty sensitive, but I'm learning it takes some
finesse.
The Screen
The screen is amazing. It's much brighter and clearer than the Zune 30.
One downside is it does smudge - I'm finding myself wiping it often so
I'm getting a case ASAP, and is my suggestion for anyone thinking of
getting one.
The Cool Factor
A lot of people I show my new Zune to is surprised! They're like,
"THAT'S a Zune?! WOW!" And while the device is nice, I tell them all
about the other stuff - the ZuneSocial, ZuneCards, and Zune Software
and they are even more surprised! MS has really gone to great lengths
to extend music from just a solitary device!
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