9 votes

Microsoft killed the Zune, but Zune-Heads are still here

6 comments

  1. JXM
    (edited )
    Link
    The second generation Zune is the best MP3 player I ever owned. The Zune HD was a close second. It was so ahead of it's time with it's high resolution OLED screen. It's easy to look at the...

    The second generation Zune is the best MP3 player I ever owned. The Zune HD was a close second. It was so ahead of it's time with it's high resolution OLED screen. It's easy to look at the interface and see how it evolved into the design language Microsoft is still using to this day.

    I can totally see why people loved them and continue to use them. Even the Zune desktop software was super fun to use. I miss that era of software design. It felt fun and exciting instead of utilitarian like it does now.

    EDIT: I was trying to remember what happened to my old Zunes, since they weren't too big I assumed I'd just lost them in a drawer somewhere. Then I remembered that I sent them off to another Tildes user who collected old MP3 players!

    14 votes
  2. PapaNachos
    Link
    I had one of the original Zunes back in high school and loved it. It felt way ahead of its time. Sure it was big and bulky for the time, but if memory serves it was still significantly smaller...

    I had one of the original Zunes back in high school and loved it. It felt way ahead of its time. Sure it was big and bulky for the time, but if memory serves it was still significantly smaller than a modern smart phone.

    And at least for me, being able to play video was a big deal at the time.

    6 votes
  3. TonyLozano
    Link
    Zune was so good. I had a Zune before I had a proper smart phone, and I loved it.

    Zune was so good. I had a Zune before I had a proper smart phone, and I loved it.

    5 votes
  4. iouapizza
    Link
    Absolutely loved my Zune back in High School. I remember how simple it felt to setup and use. I think there was some limited XBox usage too with it, I think I used to hook it up and it had a...

    Absolutely loved my Zune back in High School. I remember how simple it felt to setup and use. I think there was some limited XBox usage too with it, I think I used to hook it up and it had a visualizer while playing music on the TV.

    4 votes
  5. [2]
    dblohm7
    Link
    I'm amazed by how many of you actually owned them! The only ones I knew who had Zunes were MSFT employees!

    I'm amazed by how many of you actually owned them! The only ones I knew who had Zunes were MSFT employees!

    3 votes
    1. Icarus
      Link Parent
      Zune was awesome with my friend group. None of us had iPods but comparatively speaking, the Zune had better features. One feature that we all loved was the ability to send a few songs wirelessly...

      Zune was awesome with my friend group. None of us had iPods but comparatively speaking, the Zune had better features. One feature that we all loved was the ability to send a few songs wirelessly to another person's Zune and they could replay it a number of times. It also had a built-in radio and a few little games here and there.

      It was a super fun MP3 player that I wish Microsoft had continued pursuing. That and the Microsoft Band fitness tracker. To this day that has been my favorite fitness tracker.

      3 votes