"it's competitive"? Superior would be a better choice of words. It is going to be a fun Christmas! :)

They hyphenated "Welcome"!

how... creative.

I really really want one...
really...

If I told you I was in a wheelchair would you guys send me one? If so, I'd break my legs right now to fit that criteria. Seriously.

pratt-stick:

ditto

and totally loving the magnetic earphones

Blah. I like the new iPods more ... gapless, baby!

I'm all for an ipod killer (we're long overdue), but did they think to focus group the "Welcome to the Social" motto? I mean YIKES!

I like the product, I just hope thats its widely received. I want some kinda control on a backpack or a wireless remote that would be sick!

The packaging looks sweet, thanks for the pics! In a few of those photos, the doubleshot really stands out making the black Zune look almost blue, like in this pic http://gizmodo.com/photogallery/zunedualunbox/538260 . Makes me want a blue Zune, would have gotten one if they made one.

seriously. Brown? Although it is quite original and unique for a company to release an electronic product in the unlikely color of brown, it is the least exciting color there is for a product you will be looking at quite often in its lifetime. People like their electronics sleek, new, and worthy of their love and care. Products in vogue today are almost candy-like. Put an iPod on a stick and it becomes something you like so much, you just might like it. I'm not loving or licking any Matte brown-with moldy green trim MP3 player.

ewww. icky.

p.s. I work for a major retailer, and we got our "Zune endcap display" last week. It is about six feet tall, and at waist level it has two large seurity robo-hands latched around two Zunes... and here is the funny part: they are NON-working demo units!!! They both have the photo-image of a Paul Okenfeld song stuck on the inside of the screen. I am forced to walk by them at least 20 times a day and I despise them.

Underneath the fake Zunes are two shelves of empty Zune boxes. Go figure.

Thanks for the pics! I like how the black Zune looks blue in a few of those pics cause of the doubleshot, like in this one http://gizmodo.com/photogallery/zunedualunbox/538260
I would have rathered a blue Zune option rather than brown, or perhaps blue as well.

Wait, black and brown? Am I the only one that sees blue and brown? Seriously, it's damn near electric blue. Anyone!?

Electric Blue is the new white...lol
I'm looking forward when the Zune comes to Europe. Just have to wait a year :(

@xxenclavexx

They have a wireless remote.

http://www.zune.net/en-us/accessories/zune/zunewirelessrem...

Not too bad at 30 bucks.

"Hello from Seattle"...."Made in China"

two phrases on the back and within an inch of each other. Maybe that's why all those movie stars adopt foreign kids? to bring them greetings from their relatives in other states?

I own an iPod, and I have to say this thing looks so much better looking to me. And honestly, I REALLY like the brown. Even with the swamp water double-shot or whatever they're calling it. Just looking at these pictures, the whole thing just looks like a design piece that I want to play with.

Here's hoping it's easy to use. Did I overhear someone say context menu? Cause every iPod users know that Apple completely missed the boat on that one.

Is it just me or do they look... BIG?

They honestly look like crap up close IMHO. The screen is pixlated bigger screen than iPod, same resolution thus it looks like hell nor is it as bright as a iPod 30gig. Oh and the rubber, scuffs easier than the plastic on the iPod.

This is about as much as a iPod killer as the rest of them (which means, it aint) Its not even remotely superior either. Same price, one little dohicky that doesnt work well in public (wifi) and a "bigger" screen thats infact not bigger at all resolution wise, and all for the EXACT same price of a iPod 30 gig that you know will have hundreds of accessories and cases and works very well with all but the fairplay download sites which the Zune doesnt work with either.

Smoke and mirrors guys, smoke and mirrors... its a piece of Microsoft covered trash.

Maybe it's the pictures, but I don't really see what's so special about the packaging?

I'm really impressed by the Zune featureset.. But nonetheless I own a 4gb Nano. And it works perfectly well. I don't see myself purchasing another mp3 player anytime soon unless it sports a masturbatory extension port. Not even Bill Gates's global reach can wrap around MY manhood.

the Zune can sucks my iCock.

waaa waa brown is ugly... shut the hell up lol 30% of people said they want the friggin brown and even more said black.. why? people are SICK OF IPOD WHITE

Wow those are pretty big. I'd like a Zune but its not on my list of things.

lol its not pixelated in the least bit unless you hit 4-5" 320x240 is enough for video output to remain crisp and clean stop being lame.

And dont know which ipod your referring to thatsw brighter, perhaps turn of the screen brightness on your zune.. it didnt come set to max on mine like the ipods apparently

And idiot... resolution doesnt dictate size so how is it not "bigger" the screen is bigger... its like saying a 1280x1024 15" screen is the same size as a 1280x1024 17" screen... ya i can see your logic

It's funny how people like falcon fire can be so dimwhitted... you said it yourself it is THE SAME PRICE AS THE SIMILAR IPOD, yet has a few small features that put it ahead of the ipod... hmm so same price and a few extra features... last i checked if you have 2 items of the same price and 1 even has 1 additional feature that item is technically the better choice hardware wise atleast.

phantom... are you one of the 30% who want brown? Or are you one of the X=even more who want black?

Whatever group you are in makes you either dumb or dumber.

Wow, I like what I see. I hate to admit it, but if Apple is not getting its act together, the Zune will give the iPod a good run for his money.

Come on Steve, roll out some Video iPod action, even an iPhone will do. Just f****ing DO something!

PS. great picture quality and color balance of your Zune/PS3/Wii etc. unboxing series. What camera etc. setup do you guys use to make your pictures?

I really don't know what the hype is surrounding this thing, is it all because of the wifi? It's big, it's honestly ugly, and it's a microsoft product. I'm still waiting for it to "wow" me, but I guess that would take a complete re-design, some decent colors and for them to make it the size of a modern mp3 player.

Guess I'm asking for too much.

Thank goodness Microsoft has put excitement back in the player market! You can tell it is working because the dedicated iPod fans seem violated; those who were never satisfied are in hope of fulfillment and those who are ready to purchase have REAL choices now. Even the topic of colors seems to have everyone commenting. This is a good thing for all consumers' people! I can't wait to see what Creative does in response. Things are going to get very interesting as the market share swings over to Microsoft, Creative, Samsung and many others! This is a positive thing because brand loyalty will be less important and product satisfaction will increase. Gadget centric types will be in hog heaven!
I just love it all!

'tis nothing but a rebadged Toshiba Gigabeat... Is it just me, or does the sync cable connector on the Zune and iPod look exactly the same?

Ipods really are the worst players. Everyone who has them really don't have any clue what they got themselves into. Really what you're buying when you buy an Ipod is an investment in a product that WILL fail you. It's like buying a car with 200,000+ miles on it, you know its going to breakdown but because everyone has the same car you want it. Ipods are only "good" in the eyes of people because people are nieve to look around and find all the better players than them. Apple did a good job in corrupting or society with crap. When I think of the white Ipods I think of anthrax just spreading around. If you wanna be smart. Don't buy an Ipod you will most likely have to change the battery, or the "amazing" touch wheel will screw up. You don't believe me? Go ahead and get one. And if you have one just wait you'll see what I mean.

oh come one, you honestly think this thing is going to swing the market share over to MS or anyothers away from apple. thanks for the laugh my friend. at best, MS will get a small share for a short while, until apple comes out with a new pod that will rule them all. you know it is coming. other companies have had all the chances they want to try and take on apple, but no one has succeed. don't blame apple for putting out a great player, good music store and a fantastic marketing plan.

MS will make much more a dent than any other company has even if its small, and they're expecting to lose money on it for a long time. They just want to ensure that when extra profit opportunities come out of digi music, apple won't have a total monopoly....

And for those of us who go for it, we get a unique looking mp3 player that's exactly the same price as an ipod with more features.

Does anyone really care that much about the box? I mean, isn't it the product we're after?

Last time I saw anyone that fired up about a box was at my kids first Christmases - boxes and paper? Wii!!!! Oh, you mean there was something in the box? Lemme look... nah, box!!!!!

whats with the dimple looking circular thing on the back of the zune? wtf?

UK Christmas is going to be fun for me.

Will be the only one with a ZUNE in my entire town.

Swweeeet.

I love ebay USA. £152 including postage.