Microsoft Zune Arrives in UK
Have you been waiting for the Zune to arrive here in the UK?
It looks like it’s just made a huge step closer to Blighty now that Microsoft has confirmed that Zune software will be your sync link when using a mobile powered by Windows Phone 7.
This also means that all those Zune-type services will be slipping onto this green and pleasant land too!
A big hello to Zune Pass unlimited download service, Zune Marketplace and Zune software expansion.
Zune Pass streaming is the key deal here with punters being able to grab unlimited access to millions of tunes by laying down £8.99 a month. For some reason we wont get to keep 10 nominated tracks per month like our cousins across the pond but at least it’s a quid cheaper than Spotify Premium 😉
Because those tunes are DRM free (at 256-320kbps) you’ll be able to play and load the tracks onto your iPod, iPad or iPhone. You can also add friends to your Zune account, and copy their music over to your collection, and buy or rent movies and TV shows.
The fact that downloads are accessible to other devices is a major step forward, and files from iTunes and other music libraries are accessible to the Zune software. The Zune Pass video’s can be rented (for up to 14 days, with 24 hours to finish watching once you’ve started), and then can be accessed through an Xbox, Windows Phone 7 device, or Windows PC.
Don’t panic though! You don’t have to have a Zune Pass subscription to use the Windows Phone 7 functions. The Zune marketplace will work on your Windows Phone 7, you just won’t have unlimited downloads, but will still be able to preview 30 seconds of any track, and download tracks and albums individually.
The Xbox Zune Pass is streaming-based, the downside for dedicated Xbox users being that to use the Zune Pass streaming service you’ll also need to have Xbox Live Gold membership, on top of the £8.99 per month for the Zune Pass.
The Xbox Zune Pass will launch with Kinect gesture and voice control compatibility so you can use swipe controls to access, play pause and stop music, along with scrolling through tracks and videos.
Now that the software is coming here how long till the Zune HD or it’s successor gets parachuted in?
