Zune Downloads are Heating Up - I needed Information Fast!

Reading up on the Zune, which Microsoft came out with to compete with the Apple iPod, I've found some interesting stuff about it. I was looking into the features and where to get downloads because I know that people are trying to find music, songs, MP3s, videos, tv shows, themes, and software to download onto Zune players. There are lots of media files you can download to a Zune player.  There are websites you can join such as Z-Reactor, Unlimited Zune Access, and others to get downloads (click here for some reviews). I read those reviews for memberships to find out more about the prices of downloads, because I am trying to decide whether to get a Zune or an iPod. Since Zune only came out in 2006, they aren't as popular as the iPod, and I know about getting iPod downloads. But I think the Zune is gaining popularity as another media player for people to choose from. The media files that can be played on the Zune include: MP3, WMA , WMV and unprotected AAC audio. The device (hardware) is made by Toshiba and the Zune brand includes the portable Zune player, Zune software and the online music store (called Zune Marketplace) where people buy video, music and other downloads for the Zune player. Zune will not play protected AAC tunes from Apple (made to play in Apple players like the iPhone, iPod).

What the heck is WMA and AAC audio, you might ask?  AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) was developed for Internet, wireless and digital broadcast files. It's the standard for MPEG-4 videos because it can be compressed without too much loss of quality. WMA stands for Windows Media Audio which is another way that audio files are compressed to be small enough to download, yet not so small that they sound terrible. I read that Microsoft claims that WMA audio sounds better than MP3, but I really can't tell the difference! WMV is similar to WMA but it stands for Windows Media Video, which consists of compressed video files.

Zune vs. iPod

The Zune looks like it has something round that resembles the iPod wheel, but it is really just a cover over buttons. They come with varying amounts of storage space: 4 gig, 8 gig, 30 gig, and 80 gig priced from $149.99 to $249.99. It comes with software to help you manage your music, pictures, videos and podcasts. The popular 30 GB player was lowered in price to $199 back in September, 2007.

 Wi-Fi wireless connectivity and FM radio are available on the Zune, but are third-party add ons for the iPod. Zune is a bit larger and heavier than an iPod and it has a larger screen, but the battery life is less than the iPod's.

On the cellphone front, there is much speculation as to whether the future Zune phone will be able to compete with Apple's iPhone.  I can't wait to see this battle being played out - actually it already is a topic in YouTube videos where there seem to be many iPhone devotees making fun of the concept of a Zune phone.

If I get a Zune, where do I get downloads and can I afford them?

Really, that is the question.  After spending money on a music and video player, will I be able to afford to put cool stuff on it?  The Zune Marketplace doesn't really sound like the best deal to me. There you have to prepay, for example $5 will buy you a  block of 400 points.  Downloads are 79 points per song. Doing the math, that means it costs $0.9875 per song. That could end up being expensive!

I started looking around for other sources for downloading music, songs and videos and stuff. There are pay for services that are alternatives to the official Zune downloads marketplace, and I was surprised to find that they don't cost a lot of money. And I think any free MP3 downloads would work. It's kind of time consuming to look for all those free things. I discovered that you can buy memberships for unlimited downloads for less $40 and the memberships last for life. There are these huge networks where you are supposed to be able to download just about anything you want. Some of them have members forums where you can get help and information.  Unlimited, lifetime downloads - what's not to like about that?

reviews.com/zune.html to be helpful because it reviews some of the latest Zune download services and it tells the prices of the better membership services. Reading the reviews I learned about the kinds of files that are available and which of the services have more files or which have better customer service. These download memberships look like a great way to save time and money to get tons of downloads. If I get a Zune, I will definitely check out one or more of those. The newest 80 GB Zune player is getting fairly good ratings from experts, such as this guy at CNET.com (on the YouTube video below)