XBox Music - Enough is enough...

[Gungzwei]

It's like WP8 and XBox Music were designed around iTunes users and not Zune/WP7 users. Way to screw your supporters MS! :angry:

 

[CJ Thunder]

I went from a 900 to a 1020. XBM is terrible. Doesn't recognize older ripped MP3s when other programs do, cloud has made duplicates of some songs, and podcast support is utter crap.

 

[CJ Thunder]

Another gripe for podcasts, why no "keep unplayed" option?

 

[bguy_1986]

let Microsoft know how you feel!!


Right from the Start: Xbox Music

 

[Simon Gregory]

Thanks bguy, just added my own comment.

 

[Gungzwei]

let Microsoft know how you feel!!


Right from the Start: Xbox Music

Man! Reading that blog was like listening to a leisure suited, greasy hair comb overed, used car salesman.

 

[six6xis]

I was watching a comparison video of Xbox Music and Spotify on the IPhone. The guy in the video was going through each of them at the same time and pointing out features. One of the things he showed was the ability to add a song to a playlist. I couldn't believe they have this option on the IPhone and not Windows Phone 8. On Windows Phone 8 you have to create a playlist using the song. I agree that they needed to open the platform up to other phones but you would think we'd have the best experience.

 

[Hoku001]

I'm totally invested in the MS ecosystem. WP7, WP8, W8, W7, Xbox 360, XB Music Pass, etc.. This situation with XBM and WP8 is so pathetic, it's beyond bad... Even the staff at my local Microsoft Store are mystified by how bad this is. Rather than rehash the same well know list of shortcomings with this "service", I have a question.

Does anyone know if it's possible for a 3rd party developer to build a modern UI Zune-like client that will restore the features that worked so well with WP7. I'd gladly pay for a Zune-like software that connected directly to a WP8 and could manage music on the device? Is it possible, or is the music hub in WP8 locked down so that only Microsoft can access it. Since Microsoft is intent on pushing out their own ******* creation that very few users want, this could be a huge opportunity for someone to come in and do this right. Does anyone know about the ability to develop in this area?

 

[d_abbatelli]

I'm totally invested in the MS ecosystem. WP7, WP8, W8, W7, Xbox 360, XB Music Pass, etc.. This situation with XBM and WP8 is so pathetic, it's beyond bad... Even the staff at my local Microsoft Store are mystified by how bad this is. Rather than rehash the same well know list of shortcomings with this "service", I have a question.

Does anyone know if it's possible for a 3rd party developer to build a modern UI Zune-like client that will restore the features that worked so well with WP7. I'd gladly pay for a Zune-like software that connected directly to a WP8 and could manage music on the device? Is it possible, or is the music hub in WP8 locked down so that only Microsoft can access it. Since Microsoft is intent on pushing out their own ******* creation that very few users want, this could be a huge opportunity for someone to come in and do this right. Does anyone know about the ability to develop in this area?

I did have the same question, so I did some research, and I ended up on this topic on XDA developers:
[APP development]Windows Phone music player - xda-developers

Now, is not exactly possible for a 3rd party developer to build a modern UI Zune-like client, since (as you imagined) the Music Hub is pretty much locked down.
Luckily, this guy didn't lose the hope and completely went around the Music Hub, writing codecs to read multimedia files and finding a whole lot of workarounds have things working as they should out of the box.
You can download the app here:
Ultimate Media Player | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States)
And visit the link on XDA to get the Desktop client needed for SD support.

The result is still pretty far away from anything "Zune-like", but it's still the most complete Media Player I've been able to find on WP8.

Moreover, since Microsoft doesn't look able to fix its own mess anytime soon, I would say that supporting this guy is the best chance we have to get a trouble-free music experience on WP8 before we all switch to Android/iPhone, so give it a shot!

 

[Simon Gregory]

It's been a while, and things have got worse. But apparently they will be doing bi-weekly updates to the Xbox Music app now and there is a dedicated uservoice site for Xbox Music. I have added a suggestion to fix the lack of Sync functionality that have been there since WP8. Add your votes if it affects you too:

http://xboxmusic.uservoice.com/foru...4685-fix-sync-experience-it-needs-an-overhaul

 

[netko]

Music player is a joke. I don't have xbox music because I'm on my phone for over 6 months and don't want to bother changing my country to one of only 20-ish cointries that support xbox. If they wanted people to use xbox music then they should've made it worldwide, not THIS limited. I doubt I'll ever buy a wp if this one gets broken.
I also see no point in forcing online music so much. I have my own collection that I'd like to manage and that I can listen to without wasting my internet (which isn't unlimited)

 

[Stephen Pedersen]

Microsoft Sync app is terrible. I've never experienced something so buggy and sad. That guy said he is enthusiastic, notice how he touched his face when he said that. Exactly, he doesn't even believe in it. Microsoft music is as cool as being HIV positive. This will be my last Windows Phone.

 

[fiveaces01]