Direct responses from Microsoft regarding brain-dead Zune SW/FW

[MadDog]

Here are Microsoft support reponses to my phone inquiries today..

1. How do I delete the files on the fly (from device)? This is a very basic
feature for every mp3 players

- Micorsoft: We removed this feature to help prevent the customers from accidently deleting the files on the device. (I am speachless)


2. How do I create/add the playlist from my new (2nd) PC with Zune software without moving all my files (over 60GB) from the device to my 2nd PC?

- Microsoft: You can't. You have to first copy all your files from devices to your collection (which is your new PC) before creating a playlist because you can only create a playlist from your music collection (in your PC). (hmmm..moving as many as 60GB files just to create a playlist for 20 songs? this sure makes sense...)


3. Why did you remove "autoplaylist" with v.2.3 upgrade?

- Microsoft: We removed the features that are not deemed usueful but we will reconsider if the demands are high. (I thought this was useful, not sure why they thought was useless)


4. Why is it that when I copy the files from my device to music collection (in PC) most of the MP3 tags become corrupted (epscially Genres)?

- Microsoft: Please submit a ticket. We will look into this.


5. What's with this new rating system? (heart & broken heart)? What's the point of broken heart? Why would anyone upload the song if they don't like it?

- Microsoft: This is in line with the Marketplace as we would like for you to enjoy and be more used to Marketplace (paid download) we offer. (Hmm...this doesn't quite connect...)


I had few more questions but they all sounded lame so I should stop right here. Here's the moral of story..MS don't give a damn what you want as a customer but want you to be content with what they had to offer. Zune 80 had so much potential but MS just had to ruin it..

[Ricardo Dawkins]

1. Feature wasnt never there.
2. Reverse sync (move) the 20 songs.
3. We, both, are waiting.
4. Ummm...that doesnt happens on my two Zune software install. Maybe you should disable updating information from the interweb.
5. I'm getting tired tagging my songs with the easy heart system. 5 stars should have been more boring. I think ABI solution on their Zune 80 review is quite good for the heart system and auto playlists.

[Dublo7]

Originally Posted by Ricardo Dawkins

1. Feature wasnt never there.
2. Reverse sync (move) the 20 songs.
3. We, both, are waiting.
4. Ummm...that doesnt happens on my two Zune software install. Maybe you should disable updating information from the interweb.
5. I'm getting tired tagging my songs with the easy heart system. 5 stars should have been more boring. I think ABI solution on their Zune 80 review is quite good for the heart system and auto playlists.

Two negatives make a positive.

[shigzeo]

okay so we have the language police out to get an obvious negative no matter how it was used! very few players have remove on the fly - i have not had it outside of my old md!

[EyeAmEye]

I don't really appreciate the software much, but I fail to see how all those relatively minor points ruin an otherwise fantastic DAP.

[iboey]

Great product + crap after sales support = one hell of a emotional ride

[MadDog]

Originally Posted by shigzeo

okay so we have the language police out to get an obvious negative no matter how it was used! very few players have remove on the fly - i have not had it outside of my old md!

Rio Riot, old Creative Zen 20GB, new Creative Zen 32GB (Flash), Muvo, Kenwood Mediakag. no name HK brands, IRiver, etc all had the delete on-the-fly. What players are you referring to when you say most don't?

[Night Surfer]

All of your (well, the 2 that are actually valid) complaints are no secret.
You could have easily researched and made an informed buying decision rather than buying blind and complaining about it after.

You should be able to sell your Zune and get a more suitable player without too much of a loss.

[chongy5]

Originally Posted by MadDog

What players are you referring to when you say most don't?

I'm guessing the iPod (with Apple firmware). That would probably come under 'most' :-)

[audiomagnate]

I love my Zune 30, but the after sales support is really lame. For example, when I upgraded to the new software I was really excited about going lossless. When I changed the settings to alow this feature my sync kept stopping after a few seconds telling me my Zune's hard disc was full, even though it was almost empty. I called customer support and after fifteen minutes of mindless BS they issued an RA and sent me out a return box and shipping label.

A few minutes after I hung up I realized that the sync was stopping because the software "knew" my entire collection collection wouldn't fit on the hard drive in lossless mode. I just manually synced the better sounding CDs in lossless, changed the setting to VBR mp3 for the rest of my collection and I was good to go. I was a Zune newbie at the time and it took me about five minutes to figure that one out, but the CS center and the "knowlege base" was clueless.

[MadDog]

No doubt $250 MSRP for 80GB Zune is a great bargain. I rate high for its hardware but I still say the software sucks big time.

There are just too many people being so excited just owning a MP3 player. MS feeds on these countless (guess same is true for Apple).

MS needs to get their act togetther if they want to remain as a serious competitor in this market because this ain't no Vista which they can just dump to large mass (through PC manufacturers).

[Jon118]

Well, I never use auto-playlist or playlists at all for that matter. I've never had the need for delete on the fly, if I don't want it I don't put it on there. I never bothered rating my music either, I know whether I like it or not, I don't need my MP3 player to remind me what are my favorites.

[Night Surfer]

Originally Posted by Jon118

Well, I never use auto-playlist or playlists at all for that matter. I've never had the need for delete on the fly, if I don't want it I don't put it on there. I never bothered rating my music either, I know whether I like it or not, I don't need my MP3 player to remind me what are my favorites.

Exactly. If those thing are important then find a player that has them.

[DominicKarma]

Originally Posted by shigzeo

okay so we have the language police out to get an obvious negative no matter how it was used! very few players have remove on the fly - i have not had it outside of my old md!

You're old Cowon D2 has this feature... not criticising, just letting you know.

Might as well add to mad dogs list by throwing in Archos too, unless they've removed that feature..

This has little to do with the topic, i'm just providing more info on an opinion...

[lamewing]

Originally Posted by Night Surfer

All of your (well, the 2 that are actually valid) complaints are no secret.
You could have easily researched and made an informed buying decision rather than buying blind and complaining about it after.

You should be able to sell your Zune and get a more suitable player without too much of a loss.

While you may be correct and he should have done more research, this doesn't change the fact that the limitations of the Zune are unforgivable. I owned the original Zune 30 (sold it) and the new Zune 80 (returned it) because the player cannot display East Asian fonts (four simple files that MS cannot include in over a year of "research").

In regards to your earlier comment. I bought the Zune 30 first day before I anyone knew about the lack of East Asian support. I also bought the Zune 80 first day with no way of knowing if the new hardware would support East Asian fonts. You can only do so much research.

In the end, the Zune 80 could have been a grand player, but the over-simplified software and lack of decent language support is a deal killer.