Posted 09/12/08 at 08:41:28 AM by Pulkit Chandna

Wired is running a story about music recommendation features in the upcoming Zune 3.0 update, which it believes will put iTunes’ much vaunted Genius functionality in the shade. According to the article, one of the killer features of the Zune 3.0 software will be a music recommendation function called MixView.

A particular artist, album or user will be graphically depicted in the center of the screen and will be surrounded by related icons of those artists, albums or users that have influenced it. The Zune 3.0 software, MixView included, will be available to all window users for free – owning a Zune or Zune Pass subscription not required. More on Zune 3.0 when it comes out on September 16th, 2008.

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4

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Software, iPod, update, Microsoft Zune, zune pass, zune 3.0, mixview

Posted 09/09/08 at 05:19:38 PM by Florence Ion

You gotta give some credit to the Zune, who despite weaker-than-expected sales and the inevitable release of new, updated players from Apple’s popular iPod lineup (as well as an iTunes upgrade), attempts its hand at persuadable marketing with new emphasis on the media player’s wireless capabilities.

According to Microsoft, the Zune promises to take music discovery “to the next level” by offering users the ability to wirelessly download and stream millions of song from wireless hot spots around the country. Zune’s software and firmware updates will allow users to purchase music directly from the built-in FM radio as well as wirelessly access the Zune store on the go. And if wireless isn’t available, the media player will queue the download until the user is back in a connected area.

Microsoft is attempting to take advantage of the fact that its player has wireless capabilities and the user can purchase the song as soon as he or she discovers it from the radio, in a store, from a commercial, etc. Zune customers will also have the option to pay for music per song or by purchasing a Zune Pass.

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microsoft, wireless, Zune, 120GB, DAP, zune pass, digital audio players, wireless capabilities