New Zunes: Buying songs from radio and more

By Ina Fried on 09 September 2008, 11:44am

We just finished getting our hands on the new Zune players and trying out their new software features, which let you do things like buy a song off the radio and download tunes directly from the device via the Internet.

The latest software update reinforces the notion that Microsoft is aiming the Zune at hard-core music enthusiasts. Besides music, very little has changed, except for the addition of two new games and Audible audiobook format support. The devices themselves are similar in physical size and shape, the only changes being improved capacity options (16GB on the flash model and 120GB on the hard-drive version).

As for music, Microsoft has added several things aimed at making it easier to discover and acquire new tunes. In addition to being able to buy songs directly over a Wi-Fi connection, subscribers to Microsoft's $15-a-month Zune Pass service can also stream music over the Web. This service is only available in the US, however.

Also new this time around is the notion of channels, which are like playlists that are regularly updated. Some playlists are programmed by Microsoft, and some by outside music authorities such as radio stations and the US music magazine Billboard. Still others are generated by the Zune software itself, based on the music each Zune owner is listening to.

And, as noted by our CNET.com colleague Donald Bell, all of these features will also work on older Zunes via a free software update. On the downside, the Zune still doesn't have a browser like the iPod touch. That not only means no Web browsing, but also that the device can only work on Wi-Fi networks with no browser-based interrupt page, something that's common on paid networks and on a growing number of free commercial Wi-Fi networks.

We've included a video with top Zune executive, Joe Belfiore, showing the devices in action.

Microsoft's press release has a couple of other tidbits, including the fact that Clear Channel, CBS Radio and a number of other big radio station owners are supporting a new data format that will make it easier for the Zune's new 'Buy from FM' feature to track which song is playing. More than 450 stations will be live at launch with the enhanced data format, Microsoft said. The software can sometimes deduce what song is being played from other types of metatags, but it can also get hung up on the formatting.

Although Microsoft was planning its Zune announcement for next week, we think the leaks that prompted its early disclosure were fortuitous, allowing Microsoft at least one day in the sun before Apple's event today. -Ina Fried