DailyTech - Microsoft Announces Zune 3.1 Update

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Blog: Gadgets Microsoft Announces Zune 3.1 Update
Shane McGlaun (Blog) - November 18, 2008 1:11 PM

5 comment(s) - last by chmilz.. on Nov 19 at 11:17 AM

Texas Hold 'Em (Source: Zune Insider)

Update adds minor fixes and new free games

Microsoft's Zune may not have overthrown the iPod dynasty as it had hoped to do, but some Zune fans have found themselves to be happy with the device. Microsoft has announced a new incremental update for Zune players that add some new features for fans to enjoy.

The update being released today adds some new free game titles, refreshes the Zune Social, and adds incremental updates to the Zune software. The new games added with the 3.1 update include Checkers, Sudoku, and Space Battle. New modes will also be added to Texas Hold'em including a multiplayer mode and new single player difficulty levels.

The Zune Social refresh aims at making navigation easier and adds a new feature called "like minded listeners" that allows you to see how compatible your music tastes are with friends and other Zune users. The incremental software update improves overall software stability and improves play count reporting and content synchronization between Zune software and the Zune device.

The update is available now free to Zune owners. The last major update was the 3.0 update in September.

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Some?

By clovell on 11/18/2008 2:06:06 PM , Rating: 4

If you forget about the devices and the brand names for a minute, I honestly have to say that the Zune software blows iTunes out of the water completely. The style, the art, the implementation, all of it. The Zune Pass is pretty nice, too.

RE: Some?

By jabber on 11/19/2008 6:34:52 AM , Rating: 2

I have to say I am really really impressed by how MS are supporting this device. I have an original 30Gb Zune and it just keeps getting better and better. I still get all the new features even though I'm now two versions behind.

Its nice not to feel I have to buy a new model every year to keep up.

Think different - buy a Zune!

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RE: Some?

By NubWobble on 11/19/2008 8:46:28 AM , Rating: 2

If I ever have to buy a new MP3/4 player it will definitely not be an iPod. The damned thing irritates me to death. iTunes is worthless and the machine is just stupifyingly restricted for no reason whatsoever. There is no justification why it should only be synchronisable with one PC only, other than forcing people to buy more iRubbish.

The iPod have here has worked for two years now, though for the past year I've hardly touched it because it frustrates me and everytime I install iWorthless I feel like throwing it out of the window.

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RE: Some?

By Ryanman on 11/19/2008 9:16:20 AM , Rating: 2

Well I just feel like a lot of apple software has become near-malware in it status.
It started with quicktime. .mov files were less efficient but a lot of "free thinkers" still perferred the format, so I had to download it.
And in the 90's this was fine. Suddenly though, before I'd bought ANY MP3 player, Itunes was packed into quicktime. It made the download way bigger, and started running a ton of processes. Itunes update, iframework, etc. etc. etc.
And these aren't light processes either. They're frequently more than 2 mb apiece. When it tried to fool me into installing safari, that was it. I was done. I got a .mov codec for WMP and never looked back.

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Equalizer

By chmilz on 11/19/2008 11:17:38 AM , Rating: 3

I still want an equalizer for this thing (and the Zune software player on the PC). As-is it's great when using the included headphones, but I'd love bass-boost mode or custom equalizer settings for the car. The Zune player on my PC sounds muddy and flat which stops me from using it, despite it being a great music program.