Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum) Reviews

I had an iPod Touch before this.  The headphone jack in the iPod broke again for the fourth time, so instead of dishing out $50 to fix it, I decided to buy the Zune HD.

The music player on the Zune HD is purely amazing.  It's a very cool and neat interface to play around with.  It made it fun to listen to music.  It also has an HD radio that is decent, but not extremely good.  However, it's still better than no radio.  The software for the PC is also sweet, a definite step above the iTunes interface.  It is very colorful and creative.  The software allows you to buy music straight from the Zune player or from your computer.  The song cost varies, but you can purchase a Zune Pass.  With the Zune Pass, you can download as much music you have for $15.99 a month.  It's a must have if you're always downloading new music.  The Zune also has a magnificent OLED display that makes the darks darker and the brights brighter.  I was really blown away at the vividness of the screen.  Not only is the screen awesome, but the design of the player itself is marvelous.  It is sleek and really just slides into and out of your pocket smooth.  It is also a pretty durable device.  Dropping this will probably do more to your headphones than it will to the player.

Overall, I think that this device definitely deserves to be at a higher ranking than the iPod Touch.  For 32 GB of storage at a cool $200, this device is a must-have.

I love the interface and design, beautiful to look at and use. A bit underpowered, but the Ipod is worse. I was honestly amazed at how light this thing is, but it is so sturdy. The actual Zune software made going through my music fun again, not just a long list of grey lines.

The UI:

The UI is very easy to navigate and the screen looks great. I only have two complaints, the touch screen sometimes has trouble telling when I am swiping and scrolling, and the screen sometimes pulses when navigating the UI. 

Sound quality:

My IEMs sound great. The Zune also manages to drive my Denon D5000 satisfactorily though an amp is definitely needed for any high quality cans. 

Apps:

The apps market is pretty weak though with a total of 30 apps or so. However, Facebook and Twitter apps are available which should be enough for most people. 

Why I bought it.

Zune HD: ~200$

http://www.amazon.com/Zune-Video-MP3-Player-Platinum/dp/B002JPITY8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1287862783&sr=8-2

Walkman ~400$

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Walkman-Video-Player-Display/dp/B0029NYI4K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1287862757&sr=8-1

Touch: ~300$

http://www.amazon.com/Apple-touch-Generation-NEWEST-MODEL/dp/B001FA1O18/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1287862800&sr=8-1