Wednesday
Oct032007
Zunes Now Support Podcasts
Wednesday, October 3, 2007 at 9:25PM 
Microsoft has launched its new Zunes and lo and behold they support podcasts! And there will be a firmware update to the old Zunes which will presumably add podcasts to the menu there too.
It's about time! I've never been happier to have been proven wrong. (Just in case you're keeping score I thought the word "podcast" would never appear on a Microsoft product.)
tagged Gear, Microsoft, News, Podcasting, Technology in Blog
Gear, Microsoft, News, Podcasting, Technology in Blog
Reader Comments (21)
Leo - like I said on the TWiT board, that's good to hear. :) I'm no MicroSquash fan by any stretch of the imagination - but I like the idea of wireless sync the new-gen Zunes are offering, and if there's really no other difference between one and an iPod other than iTunes, then that's all to the good b/c Apple could use the competition.
I'm really excited that the new Zunes support podcasts now. This will really help all of the podcasters find a larger audience which is good for all of the tech savvy out there (maybe we won't have to explain what a podcast is so often).
Just when I thought the word "podcast" was out, Microsoft pulls it back in.
Nice to see some flexibility by them. Although I'm not a Vista fan, I'm stuck with it and I'd love to be able to switch to a music/podcast player that would allow me to ditch itunes with all the problems I have with it concerning vista.
The new Zunes, and other non-Apple media players, might do better now that Apple has shed its hip image and repositioned itself as a stodgy anti-customer media and network services company. I expect to see Steve with note cards in January.
that zune is just about the ugliest product of 2007
Wow...I would have thought they would have tried to Microsoft-brand it as a Zune-cast
I was really disappointed when the new iPods could access the iTunes store wirelessly, I felt screwed by Microsoft, since they have had wireless built in since day 1. I swore to ditch my Zune (yes a brown one). I like the Zune MarketPlace because I can get all the teeny bopper music for the kids without having to buy it all the time, and then when their tastes changes next week, it was more economical for me. Now this wireless enabled stuff and the Podcast support...I am hoping for the best.
I hope I don't have to pay Paramount $1 to have access to podcasts.
Am I missing something or does WMP support podcasts now?
Quote Micheal:" (maybe we won’t have to explain what a podcast is so often)."
- Thats why we should use the name 'show', which is, in fact, what it is..
Surely, they always supported podcasts as they are just mp3 files. Microsoft has just made it easier to get them on to the device?
I suppose if they ever actually get released in the UK, I might look at one, but until they work with my iMac, it won't be replacing my iPod.
they look ok
NOW they decide to add podcast support. I still don't get why Microsoft doesn't rally all their assets together and integrate them as well as Apple does. Seems that it should be more of a portable media center extender AND drop the DRM for crying out loud. Audio and Video YOU record should be allowed to be used on a device much as you can any other archive method.
That's great. Now the ten people that own Zunes can listen to podcasts now. Let's see, that's Gates, Ballmer, Ballmer's poor kids, and a few others.
Now that the Zunes do support podcasts plus the extra 50GB of storage, I think I'll ditch my iPod. The main reason is I'm stationed overseas in Japan, and I have never had any fast downloads through iTunes. I mean it takes over a 24 hrs. to download a whole album, which is wierd because I have a fast cable connection.
DRM really isn't a big concern for me. All the DRM iTunes stuff I've bought I immediately burn to CD and rip to MP3. I'd do the same with any other DRM content.
Ugliest product of 2007???? What??? I don't get it. I think it looks quite alright.
[...] Meeting BoingBoing launches Daily TV Show Google Loses Domain Name Battle in Germany Zune 2 Out, With Podcast Support iTunes Store Down, No Update Done? Woman Sues Apple for one Million $, Over $200 Price Cut!!! [...]
RE the latest TWIT regarding podcasts on the Zune - Microsoft FINALLY made the right choice by naming something with a term people are familiar with - Podcasts! Traditionaly MS has problems naming things like Live and Squirting. A podcast is a podcast and always will be a podcast. Apple overtime will lose control over that name just as did Elevator and Kleenex. Go MS! Power to the Zune - at least sometime in the distant future :)
I have a zune, and I love it. I really am excited they are adding so many great features to it...I wish they would add a recording radio feature to it....so I could record shows from the FM I like but arent available via pod cast
They could've still called it "Netcast" ... hmm, I guess now that they support it, I'm getting myself one.
[...] Meeting BoingBoing launches Daily TV Show Google Loses Domain Name Battle in Germany Zune 2 Out, With Podcast Support iTunes Store Down, No Update Done? Woman Sues Apple for one Million $, Over $200 Price Cut!!! [...]