I've been thinking lately about what possible avenues I have open to pursue in response to a hypothetical future failure of my launch-purchased zHD 32, or if I ever wanted to upgrade to a platform with a 64gb HDD. Seeing as how MS has discontinued the Zune hardware line, and the only possibility of acquiring one is through third-party resellers on Amazon and eBay,
, the options seem rather limited. Creative had a 64gb model of its Zen series at one point, but it no longer seems to exist.
I've been a loyal and unabashed Zune supporter since 08', I love my zHD and have no intention of replacing it any time soon. But prudence dictates always having a back-up plan, and I'm just trying to assess the possible alternatives. In lieu of the fact that I have absolutely zero interest of acquiring an iPod (or any Apple product for that mater), what choices are available?
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You should def do your research (it's just a good thing to do), but what about cowon? I've heard good things about their players...not as smooth of a UI as the zune, but they run android, if I'm not mistaken. The J3 goes up to 32 gigs (and actually looks pretty sleek), but also has a microSD card slot to make that larger. http://www.cowonglobal.com/
EDIT: Ooh, or the D3. Probably pretty expensive, though...it just looks like it is...
Last edited by timmahcheese; 12-03-2011 at 01:19 PM.
Well you could almost buy all the individual parts for the Zune and assemble it yourself, and it might just come out to be cheaper than buying a prebuilt Zune. Other than that, you could always get an unlocked wp7
You should def do your research (it's just a good thing to do), but what about cowon? I've heard good things about their players...not as smooth of a UI as the zune, but they run android, if I'm not mistaken. The J3 goes up to 32 gigs (and actually looks pretty sleek), but also has a microSD card slot to make that larger. http://www.cowonglobal.com/
EDIT: Ooh, or the D3. Probably pretty expensive, though...it just looks like it is...
Hmm, I have to say I've never heard of Cowon before, but having looked them up their 160gb model looks pretty damn impressive, and the price is quite reasonable. Anyone have experience with their products?
On a related note: how compatible is the Zune software with non-Zune hardware? I use it for most of my media management, as well as streaming for my 360, and I'd really like to continue using it even if I eve rhave to migrate to different hardware.
EDIT: Regarding Cowon, the number of negative reviews is disheartening...
On a related note: how compatible is the Zune software with non-Zune hardware? I use it for most of my media management, as well as streaming for my 360, and I'd really like to continue using it even if I eve rhave to migrate to different hardware.
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The only reason I know of cowon is that anythingbutipod, a forum I used to be active on, mentioned the company and its devices quite often. You can try registering and asking how the devices compare within their forums. http://anythingbutipod.com/forum/
All I know is that...
-They have a very customizable EQ
-Drag and drop
-FLAC suport (along with many other formats
-Battery life that kills the zune HD
-expandable storage (microSD)
-etc
Last edited by timmahcheese; 12-03-2011 at 07:50 PM.
I have to say I'm pretty new to the whole "unlocked phone" concept, but as I understand it any one of those unlocked WP7 phones would have all the functionality of the OS without the services or subscription costs associated with phone or wireless?
I have to say I'm pretty new to the whole "unlocked phone" concept, but as I understand it any one of those unlocked WP7 phones would have all the functionality of the OS without the services or subscription costs associated with phone or wireless?
Unlocked phones can be run on any network and aren't attached to a contract. I've never bought one so I don't know if they need to talk to a network when new to get firmware or if they come ready to run, so you'll want to look that up. Used it would certainly be fully functional off a network.
Yeah, I'll definitely look into this, as those price listings seem pretty reasonable. Insofar as WP7 is the closest thing we'll probably ever get to a successor to Zune, and is now the only platform on the market compatible with the Zune software, which is my favorite media management program bar none, acquiring one would be my most ideal choice if I ever needed to replace my zHD.
Has anyone had experience with unlocked WP7 devices?
It doesn't have to be unlocked ,or even activated to be used as a standalone pmp. You can simply buy a secondhand WP7 device and use it as a PMP and even run some apps and use other functionality on it.
Allright, its been a couple weeks, I've educated myself a bit regarding this issue, and....my initial concerns haven't been substantially alleviated. Yes, WP7 represents an option insofar as it can theoretically function as a Zune software compliant PMP, effectively carrying the torch of the hardware line.
However, my OP was in specific reference to a 64gb PMP solution, and in that regard the problem is still quite manifest. From what I understand, all of the flagship WP7 manufacturers are offering paltry sums in terms of internal memory, 16gb at the most. To make matters worse, for whatever reason (mandate from MS?), they all have strict restrictions on memory expansion, even in lieu of the fact that their phones have microSD slots apparently available. The HTC HD7 has a slot, which some apparently have gotten to work with a 64gb Sandisk SDXC card, but accessing the slot voids the warranty. The Samsung Focus has a slot, but its internal memory is only 8gb, so a 32gb will only yield 40gb (actually less than that, accounting for the OS), and apparently its completely incompatible with SDXC. From what I've seen this pattern holds true for other manufacturers, if not even worse so.
So all things considered, there doesn't appear to be any cut-and-dry solution to this issue. There are probably ways of getting it to work, but there's nothing as simple as simply buying a 64gb WP7 device which will work right out of the box, or is even readily compatible with accessories to render it as such. I may be missing something here, but if not this is definitely an unfortunate set of circumstances for those of us left who still use and consider the Zune software as the best media management program on the market. I'm not planning on replacing my zHD anytime soon, but here's hoping that by the time I have to higher-capacity and/or SDXC compliant WP7 devices will be readily available on the market.
I'm also very interested in this. Is it possible to find any 64g Zunes anywhere? What's the biggest WP7 out there? Our options seem to be thinning very quickly... gah!! We can still hope Microsoft has a change of heart and comes out with a Zhd2 but I doubt it...
Also what is this option about building one yourself? ... is it fairly simple and cheap?
Last edited by Pink Led Rush; 01-09-2012 at 06:06 PM.
I'm also very interested in this. Is it possible to find any 64g Zunes anywhere? What's the biggest WP7 out there? Our options seem to be thinning very quickly... gah!! We can still hope Microsoft has a change of heart and comes out with a Zhd2 but I doubt it...
Also what is this option about building one yourself? ... is it fairly simple and cheap?
Yes, I've come to realize in researching the topic that the range of options for those of us in the (admittedly rather marginalized) position of having to find a suitable successor to the zHD are depressingly limited. As of right now on Amazon there is a grand total of two zHD 64 units, with the lowest price listed at $550.00. And as far as WP7 goes, I have yet to encounter a unit running the platform which exceeds 16gb- even the newly announced HTC Titan II, which is purported to be one of the most exemplary WP7 models out there still boasts a paltry 16gb. Compound this with the fact that few WP7 devices offer freely accessible memory expansion functionality, with the exceptions being marred by caveats like not being able to use SDXC (64gb memory cards) or voiding your warranty if the card slot is accessed.
The bottom-line, as I see it, (and believe me, I'd love for someone to correct me on this) is that the age of non-Apple PMPs has effectively come to an end, at least for the time being. Not only is Zune gone, (and in response to your question, no, I see less than zero chance of MS resurrecting the hardware line) but so is Creative, iRiver, and a plathora of other alternative brands I can't even remember anymore. They simply are not being sold or produced in the capacities they were 4-5 years ago, if at all in some cases. With the exception of obscure B-grade Asian brands like Cowon, the once thriving PMP marketplace seems to have been extinguished with the zHD, which was the last bastion of competition against Apple market dominance.
Actually, I would venture a guess that the concept of the PMP, as we've known it over the last decade, may be on the way out altogether, to be supplanted entirely by the smartphone market. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if even Apple retires the iPod within the next 3-4 years and focuses exclusively on its iPhone brand. This is purely speculation of course, but it just seems to me that's the direction the market it ultimately gravitating towards, and it seems to be dictated by economic prudence- after all, what is an iPod anymore other than an iPhone minus its ostensibly most salient feature? Apple would just be mitigating redundancies fiscally by discontinuing its outmoded PMP line. I only hope if this actually comes to pass, it will serve as impetus enough for MS to finally pull its head out of its ass and release a device with remotely acceptable internal memory standards.
Yeah, I'm hoping that if MS does finally make a Windows phone with a nice amount of storage that it doesn't cost a ridiculous amount of moolaa either. Does anyone have more info on the building a 64g Zune option? That could be interesting if it's cheaper and not too complicated
Are there any non-Apple 32/64gb PMPs left?
