Windows Home Server Blog – Syncing Windows Home Server, Zune and Windows Media Center

I usually don’t post about other posts but I thought this one from Joel Burt was a good read.
The title is Syncing Windows Home Server, Zune and Windows Media Center!  It has everything you need to integrate your Zune and Media Center together with Windows Home Server.  It even serves up an acknowledgment about the [...]

Free Audiobooks from the Library

I recently discovered that my public library system in Indianapolis is now using a service called OverDrive to distribute digital audio books (as are many other libraries). After downloading a small Media Console you log onto your local library page and search for books. Some are available immediately and some you can add to your queue and receive when it’s available.

The console is clean and self explanatory. Books are downloaded in parts and stored on your machine. I chose to store the files on my home server which can be selected in the preferences. From the console, you can transfer the books to your portable audio device (a Zune in my case). Some titles can even be burned to CD from the console.

As you can see, I checked out a copy of The Call of the Wild by Jack London and was able to transfer it in under a minute. I synced my Zune and was off on my bike ride to work listening to a great audio book. I have 3 weeks to listen to it before I have to renew the item with my library.

I listen to several podcasts that have Audible.com as an advertiser. I tried it once as a promotion, but didn’t want to pay for a long term subscription. OverDrive is a fantastic FREE alternative that may not have the same selection of books, but will certainly keep me occupied for quite some time.

Treat your Valentine to a shiny new Zune!

 
Newegg.com has this pretty new white Zune for $99 and free shipping.  Your sweetheart will shower you with kisses over this jewel.  Either that or she will shower the UPS man with kisses.  Maybe you should be home when it’s delivered.  Anyhoo, get clicking.  You know you want to play with it when it [...]

The Zune and Amazon MP3 Downloads – Bonus: Bryan Adams Reckless .99 for entire album in MP3

I have never purchased music off of Amazon.com and I was wondering if it would be seamless into my Zune.  The answer is yes and here is my experience.  There is even a little Windows Home Server action mixed in here!  The bonus to this post is Bryan Adams’s Reckless album for .99cents!  Ten songs [...]

The Zune will not die with the recent Microsoft cutbacks

I’m a huge Zune fan so you know I post about it when I see news!
As per Microsoft and reported by Engadget, the next generation of Zune hardware and software are “on track.”
"Every time anything comes up, there is a set of people who pull a Chicken Little and say, ‘The Sky is Falling. [...]

Official response for Zune 30 Freezing Issue (Zune 30gb stuck at reboot screen) at forums.zune.net

Update: It seems that Zunes all over the world are waking up and shouting “Happy Birthday.”  Some are still reporting problems. My oldy moldy brown Zune is back to life though.  I saw several news sites that had this story front and center as it should be but some users out there need to chill.  [...]

Zune 30 Gig Players Freezing on Logo Screen December 31st Epidemic???

This morning I tried to boot up my Zune 30 only to have it hang on the logo screen.  I tried to recall the buttons in which to hold in order to reset it but couldn’t remember them.  (it’s the back button and up button)  I did a quick search for it via google and [...]