In this article I will give my personal review of the Zune 80. I've owned the Zune 80 for over 6 months so I feel that I am pretty knowledgeable in regards to many aspects of the Zune 80. I will split this article into two sections. First, I will give you my opinion based on my experience with the Zune software. Then, I will present my opinion based on my experience with the Zune 80 itself. If you don't feel like reading to much just scroll down to the bottom of each section to view a condensed review.

I will now tell you about the Zune software as well as my opinion of it. The software is a vital component in the overall ease of use of an mp3 player and the experience the user has in general. I'll go into several of the parts that make up the whole software package allowing you to conjure your own opinion.

The Basics

The software of any mp3 player is a very important aspect in regards to the user experience. It is key that that the user is able to do however they wish as easily as possible. This is even more important when considering the Zune 80 because you are only able to use the official Zune software to transfer your files. Unfortunately, there is no drag and drop to be found here. Instead, you are left with the proprietary Zune software. The look of the Zune software is very slick and appealing. The layout of the user interface also flows very well with the visual style. The user is also able to choose between one of the six background designs by changing the display settings. While it is great that the Zune software has a very welcoming feel to it, what really matters is how it performs.

Performance is where the Zune software shows it true colors. One fault with the usability of the Zune software is that it is often sluggish when browsing through different categories or files. At times the software freezes for more than 5 seconds. It can get very frustrating if you are set on doing something in the software and you are constantly experiencing sluggish performance. I consider myself more patient than most people, but even I get very irritated when this occurs. Apart from the sluggish tendencies of the Zune software, the organization of files can be a pain in the ass. When it comes to the organizing music and videos, the Zune software has a mind of its own. This is not good. I can't tell you how many times I've added music to my library only to find the Zune software show complete disregard for the meta-data assigned to my music. To be fair, a somewhat recent firmware update to the software has suppressed these issues to an extent but to be honest many issues still arise frequently.

The Marketplace

Now that I have gone over some of the basics of the Zune software, I will now move on to the section known as the Zune marketplace. I know that after reading my take on the basics of the Zune software you are probably already dismissing the Zune 80 as a whole. Please don't give up on it yet, as good news will come very soon. The good news starts...now. There are many great things about the Zune marketplace. Firstly, the awesome visual style of the standard Zune software is carried over to the marketplace. This is somewhat of a given as they are basically the same module. Nonetheless, this is good. The layout of the Zune marketplace is very inviting too. On the main page there are pictures of new and popular items on the marketplace, lists of the popular items, and many genres of music. I took a screen capture of the Zune marketplace which you can have a look at above. There are also sections for TV shows and podcasts. Each of these sections have their own subcategories as well. The most promising strong-point of the Zune marketplace is the ease of getting the products you want and the flexibility of doing it in multiple ways.

If you simply want to purchase a song which you've recently heard, chances are that you can do this. There are tons and tons of artists, albums, and tracks on the Zune marketplace making it easy to find just what you want. Checking to see if the music you want is available or not is very easy too. All you have to do is use the search function in the top right corner. Songs and albums are priced very fairly and there are many tracks which are available to download as DRM-free music. This allows you to do whatever you want with the music that you purchase. Whether you want to put it on your Zune, or burn it to a disc does not matter if the tracks are DRM free. The quality of the tracks are very good too. Many are 320kbps which the highest quality of mp3s. In addition to buying music traditionally off of the Zune marketplace, there is also a subscription based service offered called the Zune pass. This subscription allows you to download all of the music that you want provided that you pay $15 per month. This is a really great option for those who want to expand their musical taste without having to shell out $10 or more for a cd. $15 per month really isn't a whole lot when you consider all of the content that you are getting. You can also choose to purchase 1 month, 3 months, or a year of the Zune pass so you are not locked into the service.

The Zune marketplace is also great for those who are looking to purchase TV shows. There are many networks which a available on the Zune marketplace, and the prices are very fair. Some of the networks which are available on the Zune include adult swim, bravo, comedy central, mtv, and sci-fi. Also, the great thing about buying tv shows off of the Zune marketplace is that you are given two files when you download a show. One of these files is optimized for you Zune 80 in order to save hard-drive space, and one file is in a higher resolution for optimal viewing on your computer.

Pros

• Slick visual design
• Inviting appearance
• Categories and menus are clearly visible
• Everything about the Zune marketplace

Cons

• Sluggish performance
• Has a mind of its own at times
• There are no alternatives

Now that I have taken a look at the Zune software, I will move onto the Zune 80 itself. Here I will take a look at several components that make up the Zune 80, as well as inject my personal opinions.

What Is Included?

Included in your purchase of the Zune 80 are premium earphones with several rubber earpieces, a proprietary usb cable, a Microsoft Zune, and best of all a box. Out of these included accessories the premium earphones really help the Zune 80 stick out among the crowd of mp3 players. The "premium" in premium earphones speaks the truth, as these are probably the best headphones that have ever been included with an mp3 player. These aren't your cheap tinny sounding earphones you have grown accustomed to being included with your mp3 player. These earphones are worthy of standalone purchase, and even retail for about $40. They are also magnetic and are wrapped in a fabric material which makes it less likely for them to become tangled. Another great thing about these included earphones is that they will assure you that you won't have to dish out more money after buying the Zune 80. Lastly, these earphones come along with several rubber ear pieces to make sure you as the individual get the most comfortable fit possible. The only other accessory that is included is the proprietary usb cable. There isn't much to say about this other than it performs fast transfers from your computer to your Zune 80. The only negative here is that you can only use it with your Zune 80 as it is proprietary.

Featuring...

Some of the standout features of the Zune 80 are:

• Built in WiFi
• A new ZunePad control
• A 3.2 inch QVGA screen
• A reduced thickness
• 80 gigabytes of storage
• FM radio

One thing that definitely stands out when viewing the Zune 80 is its large screen. It takes up most of the Zune 80 itself. The resolution of the screen is 320x240 so it isn't the sharpest of screens but it gets the job done for the most part. You may notice pixelation at some points during your use of the Zune 80 but for the most part the screen looks outstanding. In general, the Zune 80 is a very sleek looking player. The thickness has been reduced from the Zune 30 by 3.6mm which makes a huge difference in the look and feel of the Zune 80. The control scheme has also been tweaked. There is now a ZunePad which can be used by sliding for finger in 4 different directions or by clicking in 4 different directions. In order to make a selection in the user interface you simply click in the center of the ZunePad. The user interface is also much improved from the Zune 30. There are very large fonts which make it easy to read and the method of navigation uses a twist interface. The combination of the ZunePad and the user interface make it very easy to find what you are looking for. Overall, I feel the Zune 80 makes up for the software when it comes to the value of the overall package. Below, you can find pros and cons including some more minor details about the Zune 80 hardware.

Pros

• Large screen
• Great navigation
• Simple and efficient user interface
• Just the right size
• Large storage capacity
• Great fidelity
• Scratch resistant back and screen

Cons

• Only 320x240 resolution
• WiFi is basically useless
• Some parts are loose such as the WiFi cover
• Probably not very durable

Alright, now that I have completed rambling on and on it's time to get down to business. I wish I could think of a clever way to end this review. Unfortunately, this is not possible. Instead I will present you with a rating out of 5 stars.

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That was a very dramatic pause.

Alright. After taking everything into account I would give the Zune 80 4 out of 5 stars.

I appreciate anyone who has taken the time to read this review, and please post comments and questions about this Zune 80 review.