Customer Rating: - Zune Pnk'd by iPod
I have iPods and decided that the iTunes software rendered them too difficult to use on my PC; iTunes also does not share well with others. This negative opinion is contrasted to the Zune software which slows down my computer, permanently renames directories, is slow and negates much of the drag and drop functionality. I hate to open the Zune software as it is so hungry for attention little else runs and and when songs are finally loaded, a reboot is necessary. If iTunes is annoying, Zune software makes one wonder if a virus has taken over.

The Zune's player controls are good, the sound is good but not quite up to Apple's standards. I kept the thing after very seriously considering sending it back.

---

Customer Rating: - Zune Tunes
What an easy system to use to get the music and FM radio that you want. This system is really too easy to use and downloading great music via Microsoft Zune web is a snap. Great wireless capability, and the ability to hear a song on the radio and download later is amazing technology that is again, too easy. Great system in a small package.

---

Customer Rating: - Customer over 40 Review
I purchased the Zune for my wife to use for audio books. The setup was easy enough but trying to get items to the playlist doesn't work all the time. The unit we received from Amazon was deliverd promptly as promised, but after spending 2 hours setting up the Zune and downloading items to it we found that the plug for the earphones was defective. I notifyed Amazon and they promptly sent another unit. However after setting up the unit and downloading we descoverd the unit was also defective. Amazon stated they would refund our money since there was a problem with the units we received.

---

Customer Rating: - Customer Service Nonexistent
UPDATE 10/30/2008: I finally got my Zune back today, 3 weeks after I sent it in, and as expected based on others' experiences, it was returned unrepaired. According to the note I received (this was never revealed online in the "status" section of my repair), cracked screens are not covered by the warranty. See if you can find that language in your warranty, I couldn't. Good luck if you open your brand new Zune and find a cracked screen. Needless to say, I'm disappointed. I've already allowed my Zune Marketplace subscription to expire, and now I guess I'll pop to get the device fixed by a 3rd party for $50, just so I can list and sell it on eBay. I'm going with what my brother got -- the Samsung YP-P2JCB P2 8 GB Touchscreen Bluetooth Portable Media Player (Black). I can keep my Rhapsody-To-Go account that I've liked with my iRiver H10. Too bad -- I had high hopes for this device.

ORIGINAL REVIEW: I received my Zune 16GB flash in early October. I also bought the dock for it. After setting it up and loading some videos on it, I removed it and took it to work. When I got to work, I noticed that the screen was cracked. The device was never out of my pocket or dropped. I can't say it was cracked when I got it -- even slightly -- but it was cracked nonetheless.

So I went online, created a repair ticket for the cracked screen and Microsoft sent me packing material. Easy enough...

I shipped it to them on 10-08 and they received it in McLaren, TX on 10-09. Today, 10-19, the Zune repair ticket still says "Waiting for device".

I'm giving all these facts because you should know that if your device breaks the only way to check on your device is to call Zune customer support (there's no email account for customer service) and figure out the secret word to say to talk to a human (it's "OPERATOR").

Then when you talk to a human, they will not listen to you and instead go through a prepared Q&A. After you convince them you just want to know when you'll get you frackin' Zune back, they'll tell you "10 to 15 days" with no idea what the current status.

So you'll go on the Zune forums and find out that Microsoft considers any screen breakage to be not covered by the warranty and figure out that you'll be without your device for a month without any hope of getting it repaired. Instead, you'll discover you could have sent it in to get it repaired for $50 at a 3rd party iPod/Zune PDA repair place and had it back in a couple of days.

This will be the last hardware I'll ever buy from Microsoft. I'm going to get the screen fixed and sell it on eBay. Too bad -- I was ready to cancel my Rhapsody account and go with Zune Marketplace, which certainly would have made Msoft more money than a $20 screen repair...