Gizmodo: Zune 2.0

Rumor: Zune Flash and Zune 2.0 on June 1st, Zune Track Purchases over WiFi

Brian Lam — Thu, 10 May 2007 14:41:50 EDT

These photos claim to show a first-gen Zune running a firmware 2.14 that can purchase and download tracks over Wi-Fi with Microsoft points. They come from the same friendly Zune source that sent us the first photos of Zune 2.0 that some readers thought were Photoshopped. I can't tell if this is merely a first-gen Zune showing just an image of a firmware/download screen, or the true thing. What do you think?

The same email the photos came in says that the Flash and Zune 2 will be announced within the month. The only lead I have to kinda confirm this is a report sent to me of a conversation between an unnamed high ranking Microsoft employee to our other source a month ago, with the quote, "if you like Zune, you'll love us on June 1st".

But click on for another photo, and part of the email exchange I had revealing the June 1 date. But remember, this is all rumor.

Add that to the private preview of the Zune Flash and 2.0 that went on this week, as reported by friends at iLounge, and you can tell that people are hungry for some revision.

Can anyone who went to Monday's event at least tell us if the Zune's hardware is even going to look anything like the Zune 1? This ain't no gigabeat, remember? Good lord, I hope they lose the fake scrollwheel and replace it with a proper crosspad. Source the NES ones, you'll get fans that way.

...she mentions she is at work and then i ask where she works, she openly says that she she works for Microsoft and we just started talking about the zune and we even talked about the new colors coming out, then she asks me how i like it, and even asked me what i would like to see different about it, i told her, and she replied with, "well if you like
that then you're going to love June 1st." i kinda just laugh and asked why, she replied with, Microsoft has some "BIG" plans for that day, she wouldn't go into too much detail with me about it other than it was closely related with the zune and that it is supposed to be "BIG" i wasn't able to resolve her reason for calling today, and she had a meeting to go to she said it was actually about advertisements for whatever it was that they had brewing up

– Brian Lam

zune [Gizmodo]

Zune 2 Details: Even Larger Screen, Hard Drive

Jason Chen — Wed, 09 May 2007 19:45:51 EDT

Although the announcement on Monday didn't happen publicly as we first thought, select developers did get to see the Zune behind closed doors and signed NDAs. iLounge's source tells them Microsoft demoed more than one upcoming Zune at the event.

First was the flash-based Zune which everyone was expecting, which earned a "not bad" reception thanks to its larger-than-nano size and lack of any great features. However, the new hard-drive-based Zune (which we'll call Zune 2) will have an even larger display, bigger storage capacity, and will match the current line of iPods in terms of features. That's all their source said, but we're sure to hear more as more details are made available. – Jason Chen

About those new Zunes (yes, plural) [iLounge]

Rumor: First Zune 2.0 Photo?

Brian Lam — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 13:45:44 EDT

In light of yesterday's rumors about Zune 2.0, I'd remembered an anon tip that came in two weeks ago along with this puzzling photograph of a Zune with an approximate 16:9 wide screen. (Compare that to ye old Zune 1.0's screen) I dismissed it then, but now, it makes a little more sense with all this talk of a screen covering 75% of the surface. We're not ones to say if its real or fake. The angle at which the photo is taken would make it harder to hack for an amateur Pchopper. But you can see some strange pixelation on the right side of the screen that looks like someone took a retouching tool to it, and there appears to be a seam higher up on the LCD. It's hard to tell at this resolution. The rest of the email verifies last night's rumor, except for the fact that this 16:9 Zune is sized like the HDD Zune. The info gathered by Zune Scene from a Microsoft employee claims that only the flash Zune had the wider screen. Keep those tips coming, friends. We can't report this one without good sources.

And please remember, these are all rumors. Nothing's official until Microsoft says it is. So don't let your hopes go wild. Steady as she goes.–Brian Lam

Zune 2 [Gizmodo]

[UPDATE: Great reasoning in the comment thread and verification of this as a fake. Nothing too surprising, but there it is. Check it out.]

Zune 2.0 Details Leaked

Brian Lam — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 22:52:32 EDT

A Zune Worker and unmarked Zune Scene Editor walk into a convention center. The Zune scene editor says, "What do you do?" The trusting Microsoft employee says, "I make Zune."

And this is how the story of how Zune 2.0 and the Flash Zune, AKA little Zune, were leaked. Here are the details.

•Zune 2.0 and the Flash Zune will be out this year.
•Zune 2.0 is like Gen 1 but thinner.
•Larger HDD, same doubleshot finish.
•Flash Zune is 3 by 1 1/4 by 1/4.
•Flash Zune is video capable
•Flash Zune's screen covers 75% of the front
•Flash Zune will have Wi-Fi
•Flash Zune will have doubleshot
•Design phase is over, but some tweaks to hardware will occur.
•2.4 million next-gen Zunes will be made before 2007's holiday season, and that 2/3 of em are the Flash Zune players.

Amazing espionage and good fortune by Zune Scene agents. Unconfirmed, of course.–Brian Lam
Zune 2.0 and Flash Zune Details Leaked [Zune]