Now the Zune is out, and if you were intending to get one, more the likely would have by claimed your by now. Well you want to customize it, make it look more “yours” thats where our ZuneInfo.com ZuneBackgrounds comes in! We are launching a new exciting section of the site today where we provide [...]

Oooh, black, shiny and scratches easily—must be a PS3. Close, it is the Black Diamond EH308 PMP from Thompson. This PMP is decked out in a high-gloss black finish with a light touch of blue around the button area. Other than the looks it is a ho-hum PMP. 1.8-inch OLED screen, 8GB memory, touch-sensitive controls, 15-hour rechargeable battery and support for the basic media files—MP3, WMA, WMV, MPEG4, etc. This PMP will go for a solid $300. Yeah, go with the Zune or the iPod unless you are really set on matching this to your PS3 or owning another product named Black Diamond. – Travis Hudson
Product Page [Via I4U]

Seeing as both editors and readers are tired from our exhaustive coverage of the Zune, we're going to place a moratorium on Zune stuff until something newsworthy comes up. Honestly, you know pretty much all there is to know about the Zune now, and can decide whether the iPod or the Zune is right for you.
But if you're still unsure, go back and read our coverage:
•Zune vs. iPod: The Final Word On Who Should Get Your Money
•Zune Q&A: All You Need To Know
•Frankenfight: Zune vs. iPod
•iTunes vs. Zune Software: What's Right For Your Music?
•Zune Dual Unboxing: Nice Package
•Zune: First Full Review
– Jason Chen

Apparently all that griping I did yesterday about the Zune not supporting Smart Playlists was a bit unfounded. At first I thought the Auto Playlists were only for syncing—since I couldn't find it, plus that's what Microsoft's been telling me—but then found (by clicking around some more) that you can create them for playlist management as well.
Find out how after the jump.
Not to bore you with the specifics, but you have to right click on the Playlists menu, then choose create "Auto Playlist". Why this wasn't a top menu option—the regular "Create Playlist is"—is unknown to me. That would have saved me a whole lot of trouble, not to mention egg on my face. Mmmm eggs.
And now for a moratorium on Zune stuff until something newsworthy comes up. We're all Zuned out here, as I bet you all are, so if you're still wondering whether the Zune's right for you, go back and read our coverage:
•Zune vs. iPod: The Final Word On Who Should Get ...

A deconstruction of the new Microsoft gadget reveals that it uses a processor capable of running Linux, prompting speculation about a Zune hack eventually enabling unlimited MP3 sharing. In Listening Post.

Filed under: Features, Portable Audio
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about echnology, multimedia, and digital entertainment:
In playing the three beats that define the waltz of Apple's digital music strategy, Microsoft has sought greater simplicity with the Zune. But that's not really what it's about per se. If one were to point a gun to my head and ask what is the one word I would use to characterize Apple's design goals since the first iPod, I'd say, "What are you, crazy!? Get that thing away from my head! You could hurt someone with that!" And then I'd scream as loud as I could. But if you were to simply ask without the firearms, I'd say, "elegance."

Elegance differs from simplicity and even minimalism; words included in its definition include "restraint." "grace." but also "opulence." iTunes and the iPod's surface and click wheel embody these words; the iTunes Music Store does not at this time, but its model does.

...

You've read our review, seen whether iTunes or Zune was right for you, seen other reviewer's takes on it, and even learned everything you need to know about the Zune in our Q&A. Now it comes down to the final question: should you buy the iPod or the Zune? After 72 hours of deliberating, I'll tell you what I would do.
Since I've got an iPod, I'm sticking with the iPod. I don't want to have to buy all my music again, give up smart playlists, and basically learn to use both a new player and the corresponding software. Then there are all the accessories I don't want to purchase again. Plus, since there's no OS X support, Mac users have their choice made up for them. And I'm a Mac user when I can be.
Say you're not using the iPod, or are ready to try something different. Now, you've got a lot more options...
You really like the music/picture sharing: Zune. It's a feature not found on the iPod, but will have limited use unless your friends all buy Zunes. Chicken & Egg pro...

We asked, and you answered. After reading this, you'll be such an expert on the Zune, TV news programs will ask you on as a talking head. There's such a wide breadth of questions, which says to us everyone has their own concerns/uses for a portable music player. Here's everything you need to know about the Zune, in no particular order.
Q: If I send a regular MP3 without DRM to my friend, does the zune apply the "3 day 3 play" restriction anyway, or is my friend free to keep the song permanently?
A: Yes, the 3 day 3 play DRM is placed on every song, even if it's just a regular MP3.
Q: Does the Zune support Divx codec?
A: Nope, just WMV.
Q: How is the sound quality compared to the iPod?
A: Using both the included headphones and my Sennheiser 580s, I couldn't tell the difference. Maybe my ears are retarded.
If your question is featured today, you win! The prize? An answer to your question, by me. See them all after the jump.
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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

It's no surprise that we take pleasure in seeing our favorite toys get completely dismembered and taken apart, and it didn't take too terribly long for someone to decide their Zune was better off laying in pieces. If you're still undecided on picking up Microsoft's new PMP, maybe seeing the gory innards will sway you one way or another, and if the bevy of high resolution shots (including a potentially explosive Li-ion cell's mugshot) doesn't faze you, be sure to watch us unwrap the freshly-released social mediator and make your call.

[Via Hack A Day, thanks William V] 
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It's a sad day, but nothing unusual. Merely one day after the Zune was launched someone has already gotten their dirty, grubby hands on it and dismantled it. Can't you just appreciate the Zune for what it is on the outside, why do you always have to judge a book by its content? Hit the link so see more photos and the process by which you too, can be a jackhole and strip apart the beloved Zune. – Travis Hudson
Zune Dissected [Minivan]