Zune 4.5 update now available

Hey Zune owners, head up—the Zune 4.5 update has just gone live, and it’s ready for you to suck down from Microsoft. As a refresher, here’s what you have to look forward to:

• Smart DJ integration on Zune HD
• Picks on Zune HD (personalized recommendations based on your listening habits)
• Browse the Zune Marketplace on TV when you dock your connected Zune
• Expanded video codec support, reducing need for transcoding

Of course, there are likely a bunch of bug fixes and all that to make things feel mo’ better. In addition to all that, the new 64GB Zune HD will be available in a week!

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Bleeding Edge TV 340: Zune Spring 2010 Preview

Microsoft has got some big things planned for Zune this year, not the least of which is Windows Phone 7 Series. At CES 2010, we talked with the Zune team’s Mike Yaeger about some of the other new hotness we can expect from the Zune service, all of which will be arriving later this Spring, such as Smart DJ right on the device.

Speaking of Zune, Amazon’s selling them at a nice discount right now, at $40 off.

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Zune 4.0: The Complete Feature List Rundown

The wait for the big Zune refresh that a lot of us have been clamoring for is finally over. Today, the Zune HD launches, available from the Microsoft online store, Amazon, Best Buy, and others. Alongside that launch comes a much-improved Zune software and services package. That’s right, Zune 4.0 is here, and there’s lots to cover. Let’s dive in and take a look at all the major new features in Zune 4.0, as well as some of the smaller pieces of fit and finish that make this release shine, including the Zune Marketplace, Zune PC software, Zune on Xbox Live, and Zune.net.

ZUNE 4.0
From everything we’ve seen as it pertains to the Zune 4.0 software, this update is all about making music more enjoyable to listen to, easier to discover, and easier to manage. In addition, you get movies in the Zune Marketplace now (both rental and purchase,) Xbox Live integration, and a bunch of other features that make Zune 4.0 one of the best pieces of media management software that we’ve used to date.

QUICKPLAY

One of the first things you’ll notice about Zune 4.0 is the Quickplay screen. Similar to the Quickplay area on the new Zune HD, the Zune desktop software gets similar treatment. Here you’ll be able to pin specific content to the area, get a look at new content you’ve recently added to your library, pull up recently played content, and also get direct access to your Smart DJ mixes. Smart DJ, you say? Yes, read on.

Click to continue reading Zune 4.0: The Complete Feature List Rundown

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