Zune 2, corrections, microsoft, social, text messaging, wi-fi, zune

More Details on Zune Social Networking Features

This is not text messaging and it's not even on the Zune itself. This is just a document illustrating how the Zune Social networking features will work in the software on your PC. You're sending messages—pointers to songs or albums—with your own notes to your friends, which are shown in the inbox portion of the software. No new features we haven't seen yet, just a doc showing how it'll work. We've sent Haroon to remedial reading comprehension school in the mean time. -J.C.

As some of our astute readers have pointed out, the Zune 2 looks like it will support a Wi-Fi text messaging service. The extract from the leaked support document details an inbox feature, which "is where customers can send and receive text messages with other Zune users." The added functionality would sure make the social a lot more social, but the exact details are not clear.

Apparently, there are three types of messages, including text, artist or album. What the artist and album message formats will allow is not clear. (Simply a message with the information seems unlikely, but anything beyond that also seems a little unlikely). What has not been touched upon is a method for text entry; we sure hope there is some form of a solution to make this doable. Given the hardware infrastructure we cannot see a solution, but we'd love to be proven wrong. [Zune Scene via Zune Boards]

6:00 PM on Sat Oct 20 2007
By Haroon Malik
9,128 views
18 comments

Comments

erockO at 06:26 PM on 10/20/07
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If MS can develop enough of these little programs for the zune, they might have a real winner on their hands. good work!
Wegmans at 06:33 PM on 10/20/07
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Yeah that's cool, it's cross internet messaging, right? not just on the Zune's LAN?
diabolusunknown at 06:38 PM on 10/20/07
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@Wegmans: Its probably through your Zune tag, like the 360 works with its messaging system.

Microsoft did some excellent stuff with their online marketplace and live system for the 360 which i believe they are mirroring with the zune.

Sadly, this might only be part of the PC software, and not the device itself. Besides, text entry would be horrid, and time consuming. Receiving your messages would be cool when you obtain a WiFi message, but sending would be a chore.
rthprog at 06:52 PM on 10/20/07
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@diabolusunknown:
Seconded; it would be kinda cool, but whats wrong with regular old email? Unless your in a starbucks or something and like HAVE to be constantly updated on what songs your friends like...
wayneofspades at 07:05 PM on 10/20/07
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Wait a minute, we can rickroll people on their mp3 players now?
wayneofspades at 07:08 PM on 10/20/07
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Nevermind, I somehow managed to read it as if you could send songs over the internet attached to the text message. I need to sleep more.
White at 07:29 PM on 10/20/07
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i'm pretty sure its text messages on the Social website, not Zune to Zune. there's no way to type it and 30ft of messaging doesnt make much sense. plus, just by the layout of the manual, it looks like it'll be part of the Zune interface on the computer, not on Zune itself.
jerkface at 07:36 PM on 10/20/07
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that'd be great since the zune, as most dap's, has a great keyboard making text imput just easy peasy!
theelk801 at 07:48 PM on 10/20/07
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If there was better input, then windows live on this would kick ass.
White at 08:05 PM on 10/20/07
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@theelk801:
like if there was a touch sensitive keyboard on the 3.2 inch screen? come on microsoft, just do it...
Lmbst at 08:33 PM on 10/20/07
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Eh, how they'll go about entering text with the 4-way controls isn't making my stomach settle nicely. If they found some awesome and innovative (chuckles) way of doing text, then everything's okay. Maybe a peripheral, perhaps? That's the only feasable way I can see MS pulling this off.
wootmasta at 08:47 PM on 10/20/07
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Hey you read my comment and posted it. Very cool
wootmasta at 08:51 PM on 10/20/07
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my bad
TonyTriple at 10:48 PM on 10/20/07
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Don't worry folks, Haroon will be back just in time to bash the zune in future posts.
ajadoniz at 01:07 AM on 10/21/07
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Haroon, you know what I'm going to say.
kibets at 10:55 AM on 10/21/07
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maybe we will be able to attach the chatpad to the zune and have a full heyboard ???
kagharaht at 05:04 PM on 10/21/07
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LOL. Desperate Zune users wanting iPod Touch/iPhone capabilities. Oh well. At least they can be happy that the new "Hansel and Gretel" special edition is coming out. LOL
Nakamuri at 08:56 PM on 10/21/07
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The Zune has a much better quality than the ipod in terms of resistance and durability, I had an ipod for 3 months and it damaged... I have had a Zune for a year and is still working.