Using a Zune Pass outside of USA

Just to set the tone, I don’t really own a Zune MP3 player but I do own a couple of iPods. Got me an iPod shuffle (2nd gen) and an iPod Mini (either 1st or 2nd) a long time ago and they’re still working. My mini is more than five years old and I just use it as a storage disk because the battery dies after a couple of hours. Five years ago I used the iTunes that came with it and it was a so-so for me. I didn’t really enjoy the UI, quite confusing setting it up and the inability to transfer files from one pc to another made me revert to good old Winamp with it’s useful plugins. Haven’t been using any other music player since then (A collegue laughed when she saw me using Winamp). Apparently I’ve been living under a rock for not trying out other players out there.

Come 2009 a friend gave me a Zune Pass and asked me to try it out. That Zune Pass commercial also got me curious. Being the law abiding citizen that I am (*wink* *wink*) it was quite fun being able to  have unlimited music for a month and getting to keep 10. I know that iTunes has changed in those five years and I know its UI has definitely changed according to Apple standards but damn…. the Zune UI looks great. Ok I got you confused now didn’t I? (or not) There’s Zune MP3 player and then there’s Zune their media player.

Red Zune

Black Zune

Zune

Minimalist white is the theme of the entire player with a hint of mixart, your album arts made into a mosaic, here and there. I just love the simple UI and how easy it is to figure out where everything is. The best part is when you get yourself a Zune pass, you can search for a multitude of songs and stream or download (with DRM of course) as many times as you want for a whole month. Within that month you can then choose ten songs that you want to keep for yourself.

Tried the search function with one of my favorite artists, Imogen Heap. I don’t have a copy of her first album I, Megaphone and I wanted to hear how much she has changed, so a quick search will get you all of her albums plus extra info on her. Surprise, surprise it also give me her singles that’s quite unheard of (for me at least).

The Immy lover in me just says that Not Now But Soon is worth buying the Zune pass then and there. =)

My recent love for the The Cure got me excited. I knew they were old but I never realized that they have so many albums. Unlimited songs here I come!

Oh yea! I love Pictures of You!

Check out the other pictures below.

and when you’re playing/sleeping they show you cool pictures of the band and some info.

And the best part of it all is the mixart!

OK OK I didn’t deceive you with the title. Apparently, Microsoft only sells the Zune in the US but that’s not going to stop you from getting one right? 😉 So, few things you have to do to get the Zune Marketplace to work in your place and how to get the Zune player itself

1. Change your locale to United States (Control Panel -> Change country or region -> Current Location: United States)
2. Go to Zune.net then download the Zune 3.0 software
3. Register and remember to choose United States all the way

Now the Zune Pass itself is quite difficult to get and my friends say you can only buy it in the states. too bad 😦 You can always use your credit card to buy but having the physical Zune pass card is just cool.

Now having one card won’t make me blog about it now would I? Thanks to Aimee for giving me a bunch! haha If you get a chance to go to the US or a friend is coming back ask if he or she can buy you one at WalMart or one of those stores. Try it out and don’t be hatin.

ping back to yizhe http://cloudfex.com/cs/blogs/cloud/archive/2009/05/17/using-a-zune-pass-outside-of-usa.aspx Apparently it was a double pass as he was the one who went to the states and bought the cards for Aimee. Thanks man!