I was going to leave a comment in my last post answering questions, but I decided to make a new one. So first off, we're not announcing availability or launch date today. And we're not announcing price. But I can...

Another repeated question below - can we add codecs after we launch?

Yes, codecs can be delivered to Zunes via firmware upgrades and/or updating the client software.

I should explain the pictures below....

Zune started out as a strategy project, about 4 code names ago. Microsoft pulled some topic experts from around the company into a small rented space near campus (unfurnished initially, as you see) to begin to map out a new digital entertainment strategy. I'm proud to have been one of the original 12 folks pulled in "on loan" from their respective parts of the company.

There have been a lot of ups and downs since then, but it's been an adventurous learning experience for me.

 

I'm not making this up. The result of the first Zune brainstorming session. 

Setting up the very first Zune WLAN, in a very early office space. Note the early competitive analysis project in action... 

I can pretty much guarantee that nobody has earlier pictures from the Zune effort than I do. This is the first meeting room for the team back when we had under 10 members. 

Apparently folks don't live by Zune alone. Here's a gallery of photos from my Crater Lake trip this summer - riding the 33 mile rim.

Summer...I remember summer. Sweet, sweet, DRY summer. 

Two more have come up....

Audible is a good one...I definitely agree audio books are important for Zune. My refrain here is once again that we had to focus for this year, but will definitely be working on this one.

DVR-MS files (files created by a Windows Media Center Edition when recording TV). Yes. That's a hard one, and I'll steer clear of answering directly. As a MCE user myself, I will say that there are numerous ways for users to get DVR-MS files onto a Zune by transcoding to WMV. Some favorites:
DVR 2 WMV - free and fairly good on many systems Power Compress - Commercial ($29.95), and in my experience very reliable Most tools allow you to automatically recompress your DVR files into any profile WMV, ready for syncing to a Zune.

We know Wal-Mart's selling Zunes, but it looks like they've spilled the beans on the price as well. The Zune's listed at $284, leading us to think that the real MSRP will be $299.99. Also, a Zune phone is definitely on the horizon. Whether it's a Zune w/ phone hardware in it, or a phone with Zune software in it, Microsoft won't spill. We're guessing the former.
Here's Everything we know about the Zune.
The above video's from comingzune.com, a new viral ad in the Zune campaign.