Microsoft’s Zune Delivers Connected Music and Entertainment Experience
Marking the next big milestone for its Connected Entertainment vision,
Microsoft Corp. today unveiled details of the first products to be released
under its Zune™ brand. Designed around the principles of sharing, discovery and
community, Zune will create new ways for consumers to connect and share
entertainment experiences. The Zune experience centers around connection —
connection to your library, connection to friends, connection to community and
connection to other devices.
“The digital music entertainment revolution is just beginning,” said J
Allard, vice president, design and development, at Microsoft, who is leading
the charge for building the family of Zune products. “With Zune, we are not
simply delivering a portable device, we are introducing a new platform that
helps bring artists closer to their audiences and helps people find new music
and develop new social connections.”
The Zune Experience
Available this holiday season in the United States, Zune includes a 30GB
digital media player, the Zune Marketplace music service and a foundation for
an online community that will enable music fans to discover new music. The Zune
device features wireless technology, a built-in FM tuner and a bright, 3-inch
screen that allows users to not only show off music, pictures and video, but
also to customize the experience with personal pictures or themes to truly make
the device their own. Zune comes in three colors: black, brown and white.
Every Zune device creates an opportunity for connection. Wireless
Zune-to-Zune sharing lets consumers spontaneously share full-length sample
tracks of select songs, homemade recordings, playlists or pictures with friends
between Zune devices. Listen to the full track of any song you receive up to
three times over three days. If you like a song you hear and want to buy it,
you can flag it right on your device and easily purchase it from the Zune
Marketplace.
Zune makes it easy to find music you love — whether it’s songs in your
existing library or new music from the Zune Marketplace. Easily import your
existing music, pictures and videos in many popular formats and browse millions
of songs on Zune Marketplace, where you can choose to purchase tracks
individually or to buy a Zune
Pass subscription to
download as many songs as you want for a flat fee.
To get started with great music and videos out of the box, every Zune device
is preloaded with content from record labels such as DTS, EMI Music’s Astralwerks
Records and Virgin Records, Ninja Tune, Playlouderecordings, Quango Music
Group, Sub Pop Records, and V2/Artemis Records.
Zune Accessories
To enhance the Zune experience, three accessory packs help Zune users enjoy
their music where they want to, at home or on the road. The packs and the
individual accessories, all designed exclusively for Zune, will be available at
launch:
- The Zune Car Pack includes everything needed to hit the road with a Zune
device, such as the built-in FM tuner with AutoSeek and the Zune Car Charger.
- The Zune Home A/V Pack enhances your experience in the home through five
products that integrate Zune with the TV and music speakers: Zune AV Output
Cable, Zune Dock, Zune Sync Cable, Zune AC Adapter and the Zune Wireless Remote
for Zune Dock.
- Zune Travel Pack is a set of five products designed to keep friends and
family entertained on the road: Zune Premium Earphones, Zune Dual Connect
Remote, Zune Gear Bag, Zune Sync Cable and the Zune AC Adapter.Providing
consumers with additional options to customize and personalize their Zune
experience, Microsoft is also working with leading accessory manufacturers
Altec Lansing, Belkin Corp., Digital Lifestyle Outfitters (DLO), Dual
Electronics, Griffin Technology, Harman Kardon and JBL, Integrated Mobile
Electronics, Jamo International, Klipsch Audio Technologies, Logitech, Monster
Cable Products Inc., Speck, Targus Group International Inc. and VAF Research
The Future is Bright
In addition to the features available at launch, built-in wireless
technology and powerful software provide a strong foundation to continue to
build new shared experiences around music and video. As Zune evolves, the
device can be easily updated. The Zune software on your PC will let you know
when these updates are available for download.
About Zune
Zune is Microsoft’s music and entertainment platform that provides an
end-to-end solution for Connected Entertainment. The Zune experience includes a
30GB digital media player, the Zune Marketplace music service, and a foundation
for an online community that will enable music fans to discover new music.
Inspired by the vast and varied community of music fans, Zune focuses on
helping emerging artists shape the digital canvas. Zune is part of Microsoft’s
Entertainment and Devices division and supports the company’s software-based
services vision to help drive innovation in the digital entertainment space.
More information can be found online at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/zune.
