Zune complete interface walkthrough video

Want to know what it's like to use a Zune? We're going to take you on a comprehensive tour of just about everything this device can do -- every menu, submenu, function, and feature. Then we'll transfer some songs and images, expire our three plays (before those three days run up, of course), and watch some clips. If you want to know what it's like to sit down and play with the anti-iPod, we're ready for ya.

P.S. -Our flash video isn't the highest quality / res. If you want the best looking video, check out the VGA h.264 file below.

Download video
MOV (h.264) - VGA, QVGA
AVI (DivX) - VGA, QVGA

Music: Christopher Willits - Orange Lit Space (Ghostly International)

[phi @ Nov 3rd 2006 2:47PM]

I'm digging the new videos Ryan. Great work!

[Neebs @ Nov 3rd 2006 2:48PM]

Pretty good looking, well organized.

[nick @ Nov 3rd 2006 4:07PM]

I don't think this interface is that organized. It looks like there is a bit to much going on.

[liquid @ Nov 3rd 2006 2:52PM]

the audio in the background is EXTREMELY ANNOYING, i couldn't bare more than the first minute.

[Simon P @ Nov 3rd 2006 2:57PM]

i agree! some crazy nepalese flautist on acid. maybe they have it playing in the background at engadget HQ to prevent them retaining any kind of sanity......nice work on the zune though!

[deus_ed @ Nov 4th 2006 12:53PM]

I disagree, its really cool ( bit like boards of canada).


You guys are just not used to good music ;)

[narco @ Nov 3rd 2006 2:54PM]

As a long time iPod owner, I must say that the interface looks really nice. I really like the emphasis on the album artwork.

Fishes,
narco.

[Drew @ Nov 3rd 2006 7:24PM]

Same here. I agree, but if Apple is going to keep the lead, they defiantly need to turn some heads coming their next update for the iPod. Instead of just making a brighter screen, which was a complete joke.

[duckface @ Nov 3rd 2006 2:59PM]

I agree, that background music playing is TERRIBLE!!!!

Other than that, the interface looks nice indeed, however I like the simplicity of the iPod's better.
Thanks for the video, very informative.

[Hunter @ Nov 3rd 2006 2:59PM]

It looks sexy. I'll probably wait 'til it has full WiFi support to jump for one, but it's tempting nevertheless.

[CharlieX @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:00PM]

I'm a huge Apple fan - and I gotta say this is pretty groovy.

but 90% of my ipod time is in the car and i prefer the 4G text-only interface for ease of finding what i want.

[Jon Graft @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:02PM]

I like it a lot...it has advanced features if you want to use them but if you aren't as 'technical', you can use it pretty basically. Also, it has a very smooth motion rate (like when he is changing the volume and fast forwarding, etc)
Only reason why it won't surpass the iPod is because of brand name. Simple as that.

[Truzzi @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:53PM]

Oh My God Engadget! Screw You! I reallly was not interested in the Zune at all but now I am salivating. How could you do this too me. If I wasn't working mainly on the mac platform I would get this bad boy in a heartbeat. The Brown is so sexy. Too bad my MCE machine hard drive crashed a few months ago and I havent gotten a new one. But damn if I could use this with OS X I'd be all over it.

Would be odd though to see a mac user with a Zune plugged into his Powerbook. I think I'd be banned from the mac community. Oh well, thanks engadget for the awesome video.

[papavb @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:04PM]

sexy interface, but I'll probably wait til the first firmware update to jump into if.

[uclatommy @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:10PM]

The interface looks well designed, but I can't say that I like it. There is just too much stuff going on.

I also don't like the navigation style. You have to click an hold a button to scroll and if you overshoot it, you have to click, click click back up to get to it. I can also image that people will be spending time fiddling with all the stuff thats available to them that they are going to drain the battery.

The large screen is nice, but the unit overall looks thick and heavy.

[homerj312 @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:06PM]

Looks a lot like my Gigabeat, which is nice.

[Ryan Meyers @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:07PM]

How much is the anti-virus software for it???

[Flip21 @ Nov 3rd 2006 8:19PM]

Did it ever occur to you that virus writers' primary goal to cause as much havoc as possible may have a bearing on their decision to attack Windows software (which is used by, what, 90% of the computer market) as opposed to Apple software?

Apparently not.


Hey, when's the last time you played a game on your Mac (other than Quake 1 or Solitaire)?

[Joshua Ochs @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:46PM]

Very flashy, and I like the customization of the background, but in terms of actual usability, isn't it more difficult with all of the transparency? There doesn't appear to be much shadowing or other effects to keep the foreground text readable on top of album art, backgrounds, etc. I can't read the text easily in a lot of the shots. And honestly, the font they're using isn't helping matters.

Also, while we get to see menus and such, I'd also like to see just how many button presses it takes to do things. Can I change a song easily without looking? How fast can I get to a particular album (such as while waiting at a short red light)? Things like that mean a lot more to me day-to-day.

[Dave95 @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:08PM]

The background music did the job, put me to sleep! Woke up to see the best part, to see Ryan expire the shared song!

Good Video

[SportsUnit @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:10PM]

Interface is hella slick. MS definitely got it right with this.

[landincoldfire @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:16PM]

Overall it looks nice with the interface seeming more sexy than the iPod. Still, they need to make it easier to get Podcasts on the device.

[Jeff @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:08PM]

Wow. Okay, yeah. I want one.

I was on the fence before, and was leaning way towards the "no" side of that fence, but that interface.. seriously.. wow. I want one.

[GEORGE PIMP DAD @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:16PM]

How much is the anti-virus software for it???

Is anyone else tired of virus jokes, go stroke yourself to gay porn and only post if you have actual thoughts to share here. The ipod was shipped with a virus in some cases so it does happen, even a friend of mine had his cell phone die cause of a sent virus. But thw virus jokes were funny in the 90's not now.

[Ryan Meyers @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:24PM]

I'll stop with the jokes when Microsoft gets their act together and actually takes care of viruses. Its sad that Microsoft comes out anti-virus and anti-spyware software and then expect you to pay for it. Isn't it their fault in the first place for not investing enough time and money to make their operating software more secure?

[Elan @ Nov 3rd 2006 4:14PM]

Gotta admit I am with Ryan on this one. I just don't get how people can defend Microsoft on this. If MS actually fixed it's problems than it wouldn't be so easy to joke about. The problem is... it isn't funny. MS needs to do something about this.

[Mike Campbell @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:22PM]

GEORGE PIMP DAD, I was with you there for a minute - the virus jokes are getting lame. But, then again, so is calling someone gay if you disagree with them or think they're an idiot. Dunno if you heard but homophobia is so 90's dude.

[mark @ Nov 3rd 2006 7:32PM]

Yeh, homophobia is so 90s. And Apple virus stuff is tired. Hate to break it to you, but Windows is what the world runs on in the majority of machines. Therefore since Apple is about as popular as the Green Party, well people in debates rarely even recognize the green party unfortunately, therefore most people don't bother making viruses or software for that matter for Apple. But hey, I own a MacBook Pro and a Dell 700 XPS, and the only reason I own the MacBook is it is the only notebook computer that has dual-link DVI out...other than that I don't see what all the fuss is all about. Who cares what OS you love? Can Apple come out with a resolution higher than 1440x900 for their 15" macbook pro...that's so 90s, too. Even the 17 only has 1680x1050. Hopefully the Nvidia 8 series mobility will fix this dual-link so I'm not stuck with low resolution huge notebooks with low resolution settings. :(

[Ahmed @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:15PM]

me Apple Fanboy, ugggh, hate to admit it, me digging what i just saw.

[inlogic @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:22PM]

@ Ryan Meyers

"How much is the anti-virus software for it???"

--

0/10.

You failed.

[Elan @ Nov 3rd 2006 4:14PM]

I was actually wondering the same thing? Does Microsoft offer it? What about to "windows defender subscribers?"

[LukeS @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:23PM]

It's mostly because my 4G is old, but that interface makes me say WOW! I'm not getting another player until the 4G dies, but I'll definitely considered a Zune when it's time.

[o rly @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:49PM]

You can do better Ryan Meyers; your joke has been overdone for months now & wasn't even original, and your last reply was simply lame. Try a little harder, maybe you can make a decent post.

[Elan @ Nov 3rd 2006 4:20PM]

Why give up until something changes?

[Illuminated One @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:47PM]

Ryan Meyers, if your main concern is viruses before buying something, then maybe you need to stop opening those emails that say, "Click here for Vi agr a". IDIOT

[johnwnelson @ Nov 3rd 2006 8:41PM]

I'm not sure about this. There's too much clutter on the screen. I want to be able to flip to my music quickly while I'm walking or riding the bus. It seems that all the "art" would just get in the way of the menus and cause frustration if you were searching. Also, by just having text, it allows for more information on the screen. I'm more concerned with finding and playing the music than looking at the pretty pictures. I think this would just take too much scrolling for my liking.

[J @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:29PM]

I am surprised by everyone's adoration at this UI - personally it seems very cluttered to me. Too much info trying to be squeezed on one screen. I don't need that much details about every track/movie/pic up front on a top level menu.

[Simon P @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:30PM]

Wow, a whole post about a MS product with Apple fanboys admitting they like it and MS fanboys not needlessly rubbing it in. there is hope for the human race after all.....

[Evan @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:34PM]

The interface looks pretty, but I have two problems with it:

1. I want to be able to operate it without looking at the screen. This interface has too much navigation and too little direct-button operations.

2. If I'm watching a video in a public place, I just know that kids will try to send songs to me just to cause that pop-up box to appear and annoy me.

[Molly C @ Nov 3rd 2006 6:13PM]

You must have missed the part where it showed how to turn the wi-fi off. So you can watch your video uninterrupted.

[Jeff @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:42PM]

Evan ... then turn off wireless. It's that simple. Turn it off the day you take it out of the box, and never turn it on. Ever.

[mode_m @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:44PM]

Looks nice, I would consider getting one in a few months time.

[Jordy @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:45PM]

wow. i am really impressed. the interface seems extremely polished and well thought out. this makes me want to ditch my Zen, even though i love my touch strip

[Lewis @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:49PM]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5xUKPvaQ8n8

Looks like it uses Media center too.

[GunForHire @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:47PM]

This can't come out in the UK soon enough! I've been jonsing for a new video MP3 player for a few months now ever since my trusty old MuVo started to croak, and was about to get a Zen Vision till I saw the Zune. After watching that, I definitely want one, but if MS don't get it out here in the UK before the end of about March next year I'm just going to cave and get a Zen.

Come on MS, get it done! I don't care if you bring it out without the Zune store in the UK, I've got 15,000 of my own tracks to put on the thing anyway...

[josh @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:53PM]

WMV so I can stream to my 360

[Shade @ Nov 3rd 2006 4:05PM]

I have to say the Zune looks pretty sexy, I like my 4gig nano but I honestly dont like the pricing Apple has us paying for just the brand name. I mean $200 for a 8gig nano? Please, plus the Video IPod doesnt have as much features as the Zune. So I for one will be buying this..

[sw @ Nov 3rd 2006 4:05PM]

not bad. let's see if apple delivers the knock out blow w/ a full screen ipod in january.

[Jeff @ Nov 3rd 2006 4:08PM]

I'm seeing a hell of a lot of clicks required to even get to a playable song. And a lot of visual clutter - submenus at every level. What is it that some of you guys actually like about this? Are you just distracted by the pretty fonts and background images or what? Think about actually using this on a daily basis.

[Bryan @ Nov 3rd 2006 4:09PM]

Fairly slick interface, but I don't like the actual "button" usage over a scroll wheel (or even the touch strip like on the Zen). Was the background music Sora? It sounded a lot like them.