re: Artist Photo Previewer (BIG IDEA)

Perhaps the most intriguing idea that I have imagined for the Zune is the "Artist Photo Previewer" (APP). The idea is that while browsing the artist list of your personalized Zune, an image of your choosing would appear with the corresponding artist. Microsoft should be able to make it so Zune users could choose the image from either the Zune software (much like album art), or from the Zune device itself (like applying backgrounds), by syncing the photos.

 

This way, you could preview what an artist looks like, or bask in the glory of an epic picture of your favorite singer. No longer would you be able to be tricked by oxymoronic band names; hover over "Sadie" and find that they're actually a Japanese heavy metal band. Who would've guessed?

 

Of course, this should be optional; I know some people would dislike this function. However, I believe that these people shouldn't have grounds to complain if they have the choice to not participate in this, should it become a reality. 

 

Furthermore, many people, including myself, think wallpapers are seen too often. Wallpapers should be for the main menu only. Because I see my wallpaper all the time when switching between artists, I soon become irritated at my most beloved wallpapers, and change them regularly. My APP idea would dissolve this issue that many of us bear.

 

This is possibly the perfect way to further customize the Zune device. I would really appreciate it if the Zune team(s) at Microsoft would test this, and seriously consider it.

 

If i understand what you are saying, i would say that you would like to sort you music be the artist's pictures? Not only that, but you would also want to choose that picture? If i'm right, i think i like the idea. I know for one, i would really be into that. 

Definitely would like to choose the artist picture for the background photo for the artist also.  I have a lot of j-music, k-music, c-pop, along with video game ost and the player is kinda boring with a black backgrounds when the screen saver is active.  I hope that there will be a option to throw a background for artists not available on the Zune marketplace.

 TheFallenDragon wrote:

Definitely would like to choose the artist picture for the background photo for the artist also.  I have a lot of j-music, k-music, c-pop, along with video game ost and the player is kinda boring with a black backgrounds when the screen saver is active.  I hope that there will be a option to throw a background for artists not available on the Zune marketplace.

I think you misunderstood me.  I want the choice to choose a picture only while you're hovering over that artist's name on the Zune device. And it shouldn't matter if the artist is available on the marketplace or not, because it would be simple to allow users to choose the picture themselves. Whether you have foreign music, or local bands, or popular hip-hop groups, it wouldn't matter, as long as you could find a picture of them.

Btw, you don't have to use a black background. If you put a picture on your Zune, you can use that for your background. And yet, that gets boring too. The background itself, it shown too often. But that is only one small reason why this is a good idea.

 actex007 wrote:

If i understand what you are saying, i would say that you would like to sort you music be the artist's pictures? Not only that, but you would also want to choose that picture? If i'm right, i think i like the idea. I know for one, i would really be into that. 

 

You, too, misunderstood me. It is not sorting the music by the picture. It is that the artist's picture would replace the background while scrolling through the artist list. 

It would give the Zune franchise flavor that no other MP3 player has ever created. It would also begin to give recognition to the Zune as the superior to Apple's iPod. It is unfortunate that iPods are probably 3x as well-known.

 mind forest wrote:

Btw, you don't have to use a black background. If you put a picture on your Zune, you can use that for your background. And yet, that gets boring too. The background itself, it shown too often. But that is only one small reason why this is a good idea.

Sorry for double-post...

 butterdori wrote:

 mind forest wrote:

Btw, you don't have to use a black background. If you put a picture on your Zune, you can use that for your background. And yet, that gets boring too. The background itself, it shown too often. But that is only one small reason why this is a good idea.

Isn't that for the lock screen only?

I don't think you can change the artist image (NOT the album image)

Anyway, I would also love to insert my own artist pictures

There is music outside of the US of A. There's no way to get artist photos for them....

 But i guess Microsoft doesn't know there is a world outside 

 

For the lock screen only? Whatever do you mean?

 

1) Save a Picture to your Computer

2) Drag it onto the Pictures section on your Zune software

3) Sync picture with your Zune Device

4) Go under pictures on device.

5) Choose the picture

6) Click the middle button while viewing picture

7) Then, you will have many options. Including, "Apply as Background"

This is how you change the background from the default black one.

 

 

Yes, I understand that there are not photos for artists outside of the mainstream American music industry, on the SOICAL. However, this has nothing to do with that. This thread I have started has nothing to do with those pictures Microsoft, or whomever, chose to use for each artist on the SOCIAL.

I'm talking about being able to choose a picture for each artist on your ZUNE. NOT on the INTERNET. I want to be able to choose pictures for each indivudual artist on each individual ZUNE. Yes, it would ONLY be viewable on your own ZUNE, and it would show up when the cursor ON THE ZUNE is over the artist's name. Then, instead of having your wallpaper in the background, the picture that you chose for that artist... would be displayed.

And naturally, the pictures would change as you go through the list. If you were on Lil Wayne, his picture would be there. But then if you go up to L'Arc~En~Ciel, their picture would be there. ON THE ZUNE, UNDER MUSIC, UNDER ARTISTS.

I believe I understand your idea, and support it 100%. I will try to break it down for everyone else. I hope this helps.

 

Artist Photo-Background Project
by mind forest
_______________________________________

What this program does:

Normally, the Zune wallpaper is in the background, until you start listening to a song (with album art), watch a video, etc.

However, (with APP) while going through the Artist List, the background will be temporarily replaced;  it would be replaced by a picture of each artist while you are on them. The pictures should be brighter, as wallpapers are slightly darker while under Music.

An Artist List:

BoA

Disturbed

Drake

Eminem

The Fray

Gorillaz

Hannah Montana

KanYe West

Keyshia Cole

Lil Wayne

Mantenru Opera

Mariah Carey

Taylor Swift

Usher

Utada Hikaru

 

Scroll through the Artist List, their picture will come up.

______________________________________

How to Use:

There are two possible methods.

1) Simply choose a picture to assign each artist from the Zune Software.

2) Sync each picture to the device and assign them there.

 

 butterdori wrote:

 mind forest wrote:

Btw, you don't have to use a black background. If you put a picture on your Zune, you can use that for your background. And yet, that gets boring too. The background itself, it shown too often. But that is only one small reason why this is a good idea.

Isn't that for the lock screen only?

I don't think you can change the artist image (NOT the album image)

Anyway, I would also love to insert my own artist pictures

There is music outside of the US of A. There's no way to get artist photos for them....

 But i guess Microsoft doesn't know there is a world outside 

Oh...  I see what you mean. I didnt know that you could only have a background on the lock-screen on the ZuneHD. That should be changed too! Otherwise, my APP project would never reach it's full potential... or even be.

 

And, thanks SM. You actually understand.

If this is about being able to change artist backgrounds to an image of your choosing, then yes I 100% agree. Most of the images that are on by default I don't have a problem with, some I wish I could change, and a good portion of the music I listen to is not commonly known so they don't have a background at all. It would be nice to add my own instead of waiting for the zune guys to do it. If we can change album art, why not artist backgrounds too?

Or at the very least being able to choose from the images that is already on the zune, like when you click on an artist on your zune and scroll to the pictures, it would be nice to choose from one of those as a background if we can't pick our own.

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Wicked is as wicked does and if I lose control
Is this the way that hell is gonna be?

Yes, they certainly should let us choose the artist background pictures. Just update the Zune software. Right click artist name, click edit and let us add a picture. Some pictures MS themselves add to the artist doesn't make sense like a landscape view picture where you only see some legs.
I  listen to an Japanese female singer called "alan" and there is this background picture of another singer "Frankie Paul". I don't see any connection at all, different name, different genre, from different countries. The Zune devs certainly needs to add this function for us (and fix the SSID problem).