We're listening!

I am a new Zune owner.  I just got a Zune 8 today.

Unfortunately, it looks like I am going to have to return my Zune later this week.  Why?  No auto-playlists.

I don't understand why Microsoft doesn't have auto-updating playlists and other content.  For example, where are the auto-updating Top 25 playlists?  Where are the auto-updating genre categories (70s, 80s, 90s, Hot Rock, etc)?  I'm not sure I understand the point of wireless syncing if you don't make auto-updating content available to sync.

Auto-updating content is the feature that sells the subscription service.  It is also the feature that differentiates the Zune service from iTunes.  I don't understand why you don't support and promote the bejeezus out of it.

With Rhapsody service, getting new music required virtually no effort.  All I had to do was connect my Sansa to my PC once a week and it would automatically download the top music releases for that week and refresh all my playlists (top 25 in rock, pop, dance, etc,), and channels (80s, 90s, etc).  Where is the comparable functionality on Zune?

Why is Microsoft still trying to sell a VCR-like music player that requires manual effort to obtain new music, when others are selling TiVo-like music players that automatically acquire, download, and sync new content every week based on the user's preferences?

 Saluko wrote:

I think the best feature you could have added was to actually have them shipped the day they're supposed to come out.

I think the tangibility of the Zune 80 was the most important feature that we lost.

Um... they shipped the Zune 80 on time (today). You usually don't get products into retail the same day as they shipped. They'll be available tomorrow.

The only reason the 4GB and 8GB were widely available was because they shipped about 1-2 weeks in advance

Well then why are there so many things going around that there were shipping problems and stores are pushing back their shipping dates to early December?

The software looks fantastic, I'm a fan of the new 'browse' layout, the podcast support is great and wireless syncing is very neat, but here are a few things that need to be fixed as soon as you can:

- Metadata editing support so that the zune software can function as a full music player and library

- 'Various Artists' bug: albums which have multiple artists and therefore have the album artists set as 'Various Artists' are experiencing a number of problems, including metadata corruption. The two main problems that I have found connected to this are:
1) Some albums that have the 'Album Artists' as Various Artists have had the 'Artist' field changed to Various Artists, deleting the metadata previously there. The 'Contributing Artist' field has also had 'various artists' added to the field, and this field can not be edited. Why has this happened and why, at the very least can I not use the Zune software to correct it?

2) Both the zune software and the Zune30 device no longer show artists in the 'Artist' list who only have songs on compilation albums (albums by 'Various Artists). i.e. I believe that the 'Artist' list is being drawn from the 'Album Artist' list, when in fact it should be taken from the general 'Artist' or 'Contributing Artist' list - however it worked in the earlier software/firmware.


These are problems that seriously impinge on my ability to both use and enjoy the Zune software and my Zune30 device, so I can only ask that you recognise that a fix needs to be worked through as soon as possible and that you provide it to the community at the earliest possible time.

Many thanks,

Edward

 Saluko wrote:

Well then why are there so many things going around that there were shipping problems and stores are pushing back their shipping dates to early December?

There are no things like that. The only talk of December is the Zune Originals won't be available for the 80GB verison until December. People reported on it, others took it incorrectly and assumed the 80GB verisons were not coming out at all until December (which is incorrect).

No stores (as far as I know, but in truth they can do whatever they want with their shipments and it's not Microsoft's fault) pushed back the 80GB version. Most just have not received their shipment yet and will most likely get it tomorrow or Thursday.

This happens constantly in the gaming industry and it gets very confusing but you'll be able to pick one up shortly.

OK What genius thought that people wouldn't want to make a playlist with PODCASTS instead of MUSIC!!!
Stupid

I'd love to see full-length movies and tv series episodes on the Marketplace.  Beavis and Butthead, South Park, Talladega Nights, I have these, and it'd be legal to put them onto my Zune since I already bought them, but there's no simple, legal way to get it from the DVD to the Zune, let alone the computer.

 

Also, a media-sharing system between the 360 and Zune'd be great.  For instance, I pay for and download a movie on my 360, there's nothing I can do from there.  I should be able to put it onto my computer, Zune, burn a DVD, or whatever!  Make it happen, Microsoft!

Not sure if someone already said this, but you there should be some free music to download, not samples, full tracks, kinda like what iTunes did.

I've written about the autoplaylists and everything already  in other areas, and certainly it's been touched on plenty.  I actually like the simplified rating system, but I think it is too simple.  There needs to be a middle ground, because I think unrated is different than "rated ok".   I think the 5 star method worked fine, but if that's too complicated, a heart, broken heart, and then something in the middle would work.  (something that tells you, yes, I've looked at this song, and I rate it just ok.)  To me, a broken heart means  you'd rather not ever play that again, and a heart means its something you want to hear all the time.  But what about the songs that you enjoy, but you don't necessarily want to hear them all the time?

If you were really listening, you would add USB mass storage device and east asin language suppot. How many  times those have been said since day one?

---

Feature request: *Asia language support *More flexible playlist on device

Needs:
-Stars system back or some other 5 point rating system
    -The new system is just too basic, i fear if auto playlist functionality IS added back it will be really limited, and the 5 point system is so much more flexible than the new Like/Don’t like system
-In list mode, have the option to stack sort settings, IE: sort by artist, and sort by song title within the artist sorting.
-Autoplaylists: Please bring them back!
-Metadata editing: Bring this back please! This is one of the features that was great about the V1 software, and it'd be nice to have it back in V2

Some Suggestions:
-Allow people to add and remove columns from the browse pane, maybe length of songs, genre of album, etc., Sort of like combining the browse and list panes
-Allow people to remove stuff from the sync list
    -On that note, have a list of items in a editable box when someone clicks on the device/status button.
-A clock would always be nice
-DELETE BUTTON on songs would be GREAT!

Other than that, the new software looks great, it may have been dumbed down a little TOO much though

Put the EQs back in the Zune 80 and add a graphic EQ. Losing the EQ on a device whose main purpose is to provide pleasureable sound was not a good desicion at all IMWO. I mean, did the person(s) who felt this was a good choice ever even listen to music (and no I don't mean the stuff that was playing at the department store).