Product ReviewsMicrosoft Zune 120 Black (120 GB) Digital Media Player

Sure, the interface looks old and dated, but it came out 10 years ago.... :)

Works great. The hard drive ribbon cable was loose and I had an old iPod Classic SSD for 128GB that I had around my apartment so I got this knowing error #5 is a hard drive failure. Sure enough, I found the hard drive cable loose and the SSD worked just fine in the device. After getting Windows 7 up and running, I got this device reset and working. So all is good on my end. Thanks for the unit... packaged well and it works perfectly fine.

Sure, the interface looks old and dated, but it came out 10 years ago.... :)Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Sold by: pickerstreasure

Zune

I couldn't set it up even though I tried so many times I even bought the software .Well I personally wouldn't buy the Zune again . I still have the Zune but I was not able to set it up . I probably break it or throw it away. In conclusion if you don't want to waste your money buying the Zune and the software to set it up .Please don't buy it if you don't want to have a hard time trying to set it up. Thanks .......Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: winnerauctions

Not a must have, but great alternative if looking for other options.

It's pretty much a Zune 80Gb with 120Gb of memory. I bought this one because I fell in love withe Gears of War 2 Edition so I finally nabbed one for about 115, and the fact that I wanted to keep using Zune stuff and I didn't like the 64Gb Zune HD. Sweet deal.

What I love about this thing is that the sound quality is smooth. Fits all my old Zune 80Gb gear and there's really nothing different about it. JUST A LOT OF SPACE TO FILL. Nice big screen so if you're running an HD quality film, it's good for it. It has an FM tuner so keeps your listening options at the ready. You can readily get stuff of the Marketplace which is nifty. Make a mistake on your passcode? That can be easily taken care of. Really nicely designed and intuitive menu. I can't get lost. Lighter than the 5th generation iPod I know for sure. Sometimes I forget that I'm carrying it.

The only few cons is that this thing feels outdated compared with all the nicer, spiffy iPod touches and etc. But the fact that you're a nonconformist makes you look like a badass. Also it's kinda fragile...if you drop it from 4ft onto a parking lot floor...so I heard.Read full review...

The switch away from iTunes is worth it

I've owned 2 iPod classics. The second one died after about 3 years' use, and I've dealt with many an iTunes frustration. I decided to make the switch to Zune.

Although this model is now discontinued, it's still one of the few options for those of us who want a high-capacity portable media player. I use this primarily for music.

It feels sturdy, although less compact and elegant when compared to the iPod. I also think the iPod's click wheel is a bit easier to use than the Zune's touchpad.

The Zune software is SO MUCH BETTER than iTunes. It actually runs and works. The Zune also seems to have better sound quality, especially at the upper end (320 kbps mp3s), as well as more flexibility with file formats. Plus, you can move files from Zune to PC, not simply from PC to Zune.

The other drawback, in my opinion, is that the Zune is not as easy to mod/upgrade as the iPod. Replacing or upgrading the battery requires soldering, and besides there aren't many resources for parts. And the weak battery cries out for upgrading!

I hope this lasts longer than my 2 iPods. The switch away from iTunes is worth it.Read full review...

New To Zune

I have tried the CREATIVE ZEN products and liked very much. but am limited to 32 gigs with the zen. So I decided to move up to the ZUNE and WOW what a difference. I like the ease of use. The sound quality is great. could use some extra features like choosing which letter to start your search instead of scrolling, but....Zune program very easy to use playlist simple to make. Overal a very good product.Read full review...

Postage too high, Device batter has issues

I'm not too happy with the battery life of the device. I have owned three, each confiscated by my boys once they have departed for school. This Zune doesn't last very long after being left to charge for at least a day. I have also drained the charge, reset/reboot the player only to experience a repeat of the same problem. I will give it another try again. Other than that, the device was sent to me as promised. I think shipping could have been cheaper with the USPS Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box that would have cost $5.20 for a 8-5/8" x 5-3/8" x 1-5/8" sized box. Postage was over $13.50, which was way too much.Read full review...

The Microsoft Zune 120GB is the perfect solution for your music needs!

Pros: Great music quality, huge storage space for all your music, pictures, and videos, large bright screen, light, easy to use, Zune software is great, love the subscription music, WiFi, FM Tuner. r>
Cons: Battery life could be better, it is a little thick but that is understandable with the 120GB of storage, lacks some of the bells and whistles of the iPod.

Bottom Line: If you want to use the Zune for what it is meant for and nothing else, it is a great alternative to the iPod, the sound quality is superior to that of the iPod's and the screen is huge and perfect for videos. The Zune software along with the FM tuner is a great combination!

The Microsoft Zune 120 GB has been great to use, it is simple, elegant, and does exactly what you expect it to do. It is designed to play music, and it does it very well! Video watching experience is great with the Zune's large screen, the FM tuner is amazing and allows you to basically tag songs you hear on the radio and download later. I enjoy the simplicity of the Zune software and the ability to use the Zune Pass which is $14.95 a month for unlimited music downloads. Would like to see more effort into getting all music available, such as the Beatles, or foreign labels, etc... overall the Zune 120GB is an excellent experience and it is a shame that Microsoft did not put the effort in that the Zune deserves, new models and a cheaper price could give Zune the advantage over the iPod! I would recommend this product to anyone who loves music!Read full review...

A great product for the music lover: 120 GB

This version of the zune is very easy to use and has all the popular features I need in a personal music player. It plays music, videos, podcasts, and displays photos.

The Zune can connect to your wi-fi network to both sychronize with your computer and to allow you to shop for and preview music on the marketplace.

The marketplace allows you to connect with people who have similar music interests. I met a friend called Aurora and she suggested some music that I really enjoy. The Zune marketplace allows for both traditional music downloads and also a subscription service. I do not use the subscription service and have been satisfied with the selection of free podcasts that are available such as The Sound of Trance by Johnny Monsoon.

The Zune that I got is black and is very sexy.

The touchpad is quite responsive and intuitive to use. I never liked the clickwheel on ipods so this product was a good pick for me.

Other products that I have owned in the past: RCA Lyra, Archos 504, Creative Zen X-fi. [each of which broke :( ]

The Zune is definitely my favorite. It has the most intuitive interface and is the fastest in terms of its internal operating system.

Sound quality is good though not as good as the stellar quality on the Zen X-Fi. Battery life is good. It is also very portable and slips into a pocket easily. The Archos 504 was enourmous and did not allow this.Read full review...

Microsoft Zune - a superior alternative to the iPod

Microsoft certainly has cooked up an impressive media player. Obviously the biggest comparison will be drawn against its biggest competitor, the iPod. In my opinion, the Zune blows the iPod out of the water, in terms of both functionality and cost-effectiveness. If you decide to purchase a Zune instead of an iPod, you can expect to pay around half as much for a comparable model. The iPod Touch notwithstanding because it has many other features beyond a simple media player, I paid a bit less than $150 for my 120 Gb Zune. An iPod comparable in size (160 Gb) would have run me closer to $280. What could I have gotten for the same $150 that I got my Zune for? An 8Gb iPod Nano. No thanks.

The most striking difference as a former iPod user was the control scheme the Zune uses. Instead of a wheel that can be imprecise at best, the Zune has a combination touch pad and directional buttons. You can swipe across the pad to navigate the menus and scroll the song list quickly, or you can press down on one part of the pad for more precise selections. The play/pause button is far more prominent than on an iPod wheel, as is the Back button. The button lock switch is in the same place as every iPod I've owned and performs the same funtion, so nothing new there. The screen is also bigger, but by only half an inch so don't get too excited about that.

The Zune supports the same audio and video formats as most iPods, with the exception of Apple's proprietary formats. No huge loss there, as the Zune supports Window's proprietary formats as well. It would be nice if either one supported good quality open-source formats (like FLAC) but I have yet to see any portable media player that does. One nice thing I noticed was that the Zune software automatically converted the videos I synced onto my Zune to the proper format and resolution. I clearly remember having to manually convert videos I wanted to stick on my iPhone and it being a huge hassle, so that's a pretty big deal for me.

The software itself is nothing special, which is actually an improvement over Apple's intrusive and often slow (at least on Windows) iTunes. Want to sync one specific song to your Zune? Right click on that song and hit "Sync with Zune" and a moment later, it's there. No messing around with playlists or having to select which songs you want to sync and which ones you don't beforehand. Want to sync all of your songs? Select all of them (Ctrl + A) and drag them onto the Zune Player icon on the screen. It took about five minutes to sync the 1500+ songs in my collection, and most of them clock in at over five minutes. Also, being able to easily copy media from the Zune player to another computer is a big plus. I recall attempting to do this with an iPod, and having to decipher the crazy file system that iPods use. I eventually gave up and put in a CD, which totally defeats the purpose of a portable media player.

The only real negative point I can think of is that the full-sized Zune player uses a hard drive for media storage, so you do run the risk of having it crash on you. However, I know from experience that replacing the hard drive is not terribly difficult and requires no more tools than a slender piece of metal (knife, flathead screwdriver, etc.). This risk is the same on any portable player running a hard drive though, not exclusively to the Zune.

In conclusion, the Zune player is a far superior alternative to Apple's overpriced and under-featured iPod line. I highly recommend it!Read full review...

zune is simpler, easier to use, easier to maintain, &lasts longer then ipod

First off I am an anti-ipod person. They suck. Period. The first time you turn on a zune you get the feeling that this is built for speedy entertainment. I have over 12,000 songs and dozens of movies that I can access with no lag and little to no hassle in putting them on the device. also unlike the ipods solid state design, the zune is very cheap and easy to self repair. though cracking the screens glass is often the result of disassembly, so if your going to do self repair, i reccomend getting a replacement cover just in case. I have been VERY impressed with the zune's durability. I work in a shop that can exceed temperatures of 98f with max humidity. I had a 30gb that fell out of my shirt pocket, and dropped 4ft out a loading dock into a puddle of water and had to sit there for 20 min before the truck would move. It still frickin worked! and it continued to do so for about 6 mounths. that was impressive. Would reccomend a case though. I am very, very brutal with these devices, and while the zune itself is very durable, the hardrives are not. Something rubberized would be best to protect your investment. Batterylife is very decent and can be prolonged to about 18 hours by adjusting screen settings. All in all the zune and its software is simpler, easier to use, easier to maintain, and lasts longer then your traditional ipod.Read full review...

How do you operate a Zune? No one seems to know...I don't either...

I can understand why Microsoft has gotten out of the portable MP3 player business. There was no owners instruction manual with the unit or online, although I did find a very small picture that described the controls...but not how to use them. So I can have 5,000 songs on the unit but can't figure out how to create a playlist, how to move from one menu to another, how to put it on random or repeat play. The device is next to useless compared to the Creative Labs Zen or Touch which is MP3 technology that pre-dated the Apple devices by a full decade. Apple, as we all know, has cornered the market and the iPod and iTouch are indeed easy to use. The Zune may go in the trash can, if anyone knows how to use one I would appreciate a message at chris.winkley@frontier.com with a subject line of MS Zune. Please don't take this as an invitation to send spam, I have done extensive research on the internet and all I have read is the same set of complaints. BUT, someone must have figured it out or there would not have been so many sold. Unless, of course, the only thing someone wants it for is the social networking function in which I have absolutely no interest. Sincerely, ChrisRead full review...

For the Music Junkie

First of all, I was alittle skeptical about purchasing this mp3 because I automatically assumed that the ipod would be better (considering everyone else has it) so I bought the ipod classic instead. After I got fed up with itunes and not really digging what the ipod had to offer sound quality wise and features I decided to sell it and get me this zune. Great choice!!! Although I havent used it for other than solely listen to music and occasional videos and I can't elaborate on details regarding the zune's other features such as wireless sync & network utilities, I can safely say this device covers almost every aspect of what the average consumer can ask for. I want to keep it simple and have posted a pros and cons list below instead of a painful-to-read chunk of words.

Pros:
-Sound Quality (Very fresh and crisp sound, *clarity*, great quality bass, no random volume boosts in between song skips "very annoying")
-Nice Big Screen (Not a touch, but touch to me is useless. Overall wonderful graphics great for videos/movies and pictures)
-Radio (Nice Bonus!!!)
-Easy-To-Operate Controls
-Back (Not a scratch/fingerprint magnet like ipod)
-Solid/Durable (Going on my second year with it and it still sounds good and operates efficiently)
-Memory Capacity (Don't use it all, but I have a thing for having too much space lol)

Cons:
-Bulky (Might seem like it to some people, but I actually prefer this as I am one that often misplaces things around the house)
-Software (Not my favorite I have to admit, actually I find all softwares stressfull, I miss syncing with wmp but it still beats itunes by a land slide)
-Battery Life (Won't last long under continous use especially when watching videos. Remember there are several tricks to maximize battery life such as adjusting screen lighting etc.)
-Limited Accessory Selection (Not a big issue as I have found some good stuff online here on ebay and other sites but still could be better)

I have owned a fair share of devices throughout such as a Sandisk (back when they first came out) Samsung P2, Apple Ipod Classic and others but this by far is my favorite and most solid purchase. I highly recommend it!!!Read full review...