Ok, we had a bit of a rough start after getting open the box and all, but we've given the Zune, and its software, sharing, wireless, etc. as good a looking over as we could hope to. We've got things we like, and things we don't; rough edges to go right along with the well thought out niceties. We came away under whelmed and not at all surprised and why? The expectations were for Microsoft to deliver a "Microsoft" player and system; maybe not too shabby looking, but not very usable, and definitely bug ridden. But everyone hoped Microsoft had got it right this time, eschewed patterns of old and gotten a fresh start with new blood willing to think about things from outside the staid Microsoft culture. But that just wasn't the case. It's a Microsoft product (in the vernacular sense) through and through. Click on to find out why in our full review of the Zune, Zune player, and Zune marketplace. (And we do mean full.)

Obviously the first thing you'll notice about any device is, of course, the hardware. We're all well acquainted with it by now; it's about as wide as a 5G iPod, but taller, heavier, and thicker than even the 80GB version. What do you get for that extra space? A larger 3 inch display  which, like the iPod, is also QVGA  and WiFi (802.11b/g). You lose battery life by comparison, which is saying something considering the 5G iPod isn't exactly known for its battery performance. The device layout is simple: static five way d pad (that, of course, looks like a scroll wheel more on that in a bit), dedicated back and play / pause buttons, a dock connector and audio out port, and hold switch. Since Microsoft didn't have the luxury of an extra dimension of input that Apple has in the clickwheel, and since the device changes orientation, their buttons are a little mixed up and wonky. A dedicated play / pause button is always nice to have, but many times we were left wondering whether things might have been done right another way. If the interface were arranged properly, the back button might not be necessary. Still, no matter what it was you intended to do with your Zune (except engage hold), it can be done with one hand (specifically, o n e t h u m b ) . The device is eminently pocketable. Though it's fairly squarish in its lines, compared to the HTC Hermes we've been toting around it's not too

hard to forget it's in your pocket. The hard plastic exterior has a soft touch matte finish, which makes it very  omfortable to hold and feel. The display and the exterior didn't scratch nearly as easily as we thought it might, which  s a good sign. The doubleshot that green, blue, or translucent rim around the exterior of the device is something of a small delight. It gives the player an easily recognizable visual feature, something consumers can see and instantly recognize, something to remind them to pull out their Zune. It's no pair of white headphones in terms of iconography , but it's a start . The Zune does also has a few useful additions that you can't help but like. The headphones, as  we know, are magnetic, so they're easy to wind around the player when necessary, and don't fly all over the place. When you pull them out of the jack, your music pauses, just like Steve's player. Opposite the d pad is a small,  ocationallycorrelated indentation of the same circular shape. It kind of helps orient the hand when in landscape mode; not too shabby.