Questions about ZUNE

[bevt]

I've never had to use something like ZUNE before. I could access the files on my phone because the computer saw my phone as a drive. I could copy them to my computer and choose whether or not to delete them just like you do two folders on your computer.

I'm told Zune "syncs" and you don't get to choose how.

Does it copy my files to the PC and leave the pics/files on the phone?

If I move those pictures/files to another folder on my PC does it "sync" and remove them from my phone the next time I sync my phone? Sync to me means 'match' and if it attempts to match a folder on my PC to the phone it would either have to download everything again to the PC folder or delete it from the phone if a file/pic isn't there because I moved it.

What folder(s) on my PC does Zune use to sync the files/pics on my phone to?

Zune seems to have the power to lose my files/pics if I don't use it exactly right and right now I'm very uncomfortable with it.

 

[selfcreation]

check out the link in my signature , I have a section on SYNC with ZUNE you can also use skydrive ( also int ha tthread)



WP7 getting started

 

[BackToAndroid]

I've never had to use something like ZUNE before. I could access the files on my phone because the computer saw my phone as a drive. I could copy them to my computer and choose whether or not to delete them just like you do two folders on your computer.

I'm told Zune "syncs" and you don't get to choose how.

Does it copy my files to the PC and leave the pics/files on the phone?

If I move those pictures/files to another folder on my PC does it "sync" and remove them from my phone the next time I sync my phone? Sync to me means 'match' and if it attempts to match a folder on my PC to the phone it would either have to download everything again to the PC folder or delete it from the phone if a file/pic isn't there because I moved it.

What folder(s) on my PC does Zune use to sync the files/pics on my phone to?

Zune seems to have the power to lose my files/pics if I don't use it exactly right and right now I'm very uncomfortable with it.

Yes, Zune sucks. It's unintuitive and has a tangle of options that only reveal themselves via serendipity. Same goes for the "Live" website; you're never quite certain that every option that is available has been reviewed. Thankfully Zune is slated for replacement on the next major upgrade (reportedly.)

 

[canesfan625]

Yes, Zune sucks. It's unintuitive and has a tangle of options that only reveal themselves via serendipity. Same goes for the "Live" website; you're never quite certain that every option that is available has been reviewed. Thankfully Zune is slated for replacement on the next major upgrade (reportedly.)

So the button that says sync options is just impossibly difficult?

 

[BackToAndroid]

So the button that says sync options is just impossibly difficult?

I didn't say "difficult", just unintuitive.

 

[jimski]

Haven't lost anything in 18 months. Drag and drop. Works for me.

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

 

[mprice86]

I'm told Zune "syncs" and you don't get to choose how.

Of course you get to choose how. You can choose individual songs, albums, artists, genres, only songs that you've favourited, etc. etc. The same goes for all the media types.

Does it copy my files to the PC and leave the pics/files on the phone?

You can choose this as well, up to you if you want them left on the device once they've been copied.

If I move those pictures/files to another folder on my PC does it "sync" and remove them from my phone the next time I sync my phone? Sync to me means 'match' and if it attempts to match a folder on my PC to the phone it would either have to download everything again to the PC folder or delete it from the phone if a file/pic isn't there because I moved it.

Short answer, no. Longer answer; syncing isn't matching. When you connect your phone to Zune it copies over the new photos you've taken, they are stored to a new folder inside "My Pictures" called "From [your phone name here]".

You can choose to keep the originals on the phone or have them removed once they are synced; I recommend keeping them on the phone just in case you want a backup. Once the photos are on the computer you can do whatever you like with them, it wont affect the copies on your phone. Similarly, Zune knows what it has synced, so if you delete or move those images on your computer, it wont sync them again (unless you ask it to).

Zune seems to have the power to lose my files/pics if I don't use it exactly right and right now I'm very uncomfortable with it.

Zune has as much power as you give it. Certainly it will not delete anything unless you ask it to. Nor will it sync anything you don't permit it to. You get as many, probably more, warning messages from Zune about doing things as you would have done when using Windows Explorer to copy things to your other phone.

 

[johnmcd348]

It's going to take alot and I do mean ALOT of getting used to. Especially if you're like me and come from ActiveSync and WMDC. After nearly a year, I still find myself figuring out how to get things over to the phone or loading "To The Cloud......" so I can have access to it on my phone.

Does it suck? Yes, Very Much. Is it the way things are going with mobile device "convergence" between phone, computer, network, et, etc, etc? Yes.

Like me, You're just going to have to deal with it and get used to it. Until someone figures out the hacks to get around all of it, we're pretty much stck with it. And it doens't matter what platform you are on, Windows, Apple, Droid, they all pretty much do it that way. It just is, what it is.

 

[bevt]

I just don't see why you would ever need to go through a program like this to transfer files. If a phone can be seen as a drive you can just pull whatever you want from it just like a USB drive.

I realize this is the way it's going and I'm going to have to deal with it but it is a lot of hoops for people to jump through. I guess it forces me to go to Zune so maybe I'll buy there. That won't be happening.

 

[canesfan625]

I just don't see why you would ever need to go through a program like this to transfer files. If a phone can be seen as a drive you can just pull whatever you want from it just like a USB drive.

I realize this is the way it's going and I'm going to have to deal with it but it is a lot of hoops for people to jump through. I guess it forces me to go to Zune so maybe I'll buy there. That won't be happening.

You can't just go transferring things willy nilly. Windows Phone is not configured as a mass storage because it isnt a mass storage device and because of the way the file system works. The USB hacks that are floating around can actually cause Zune to throw a fit when you sync.

The complains are overly dramatic though. Hoops? When you get down to it its not that much different than iTunes in its basics.

-EDIT- Found what I was looking for.

Microsoft very specifically designed Windows Phone not to be used in this way. The software giant is no stranger to mass storage, obviously, and if this wasn’t going to cause problems, they would of course have designed Windows Phone otherwise.

Here’s what Microsoft corporate vice president Joe Belfiore said to me on this topic the day after the Windows Phone 7 launch event in New York late last month:

“Windows Phone is not a mass storage device. It’s a Zune device. The data on the phone must be consistent, and [the system] needs to be able to identify items in storage. We don’t want the user to have to do that stuff manually. Yes, some may want to. But we wanted a synchronization system that was simple and easy and does metadata mappings automatically.”

 

[jfa1]

So the button that says sync options is just impossibly difficult?

It would appear to be that way for some at any rate!

 

[jfa1]

I didn't say "difficult", just unintuitive.

????

 

[bevt]

ITunes is no better - I agree. I used webOS for 2 years and managed my files efficiently and easily. That MS excuse is pretty lame.

 

[canesfan625]

ITunes is no better - I agree. I used webOS for 2 years and managed my files efficiently and easily. That MS excuse is pretty lame.

is it? Alright, google around and look at the people that have had problems after using the hack. Ranges from not showing device in Zune for some reason to showing two and other issues.

 

[johnmcd348]

My 1 and biggest complaint about WP is the relative inability to be able to load files onto the device. For years I was able to create files with Word, Excel, etc and send them to my iPaq and later my Axims and the file would sync and convert back and forth between device and PC effortlessly with no problems. I could create it on my computer, take it with me, edit it when away and return it back to the computer for other addendum's. I could move photos or any other item as needed and there wasn't any problem. It was nearly like a true handheld computer.

WP? Not so much. I just can't understand why you have a device/OS that's written to represent a software company that creates the OS that many use on their home computer and it cannot easily communicate with each other. When Win8 comes out and WP8 come out, will there be any ability for cross communication or will it just be another version of Zune? MS doesn't even really support the Zune Players anymore so why is it so important to look at the new WP7/WP8 devices as a Zune player that happens to be a phone also? Just because it worked for Apples marketing, doesn't mean it'll work here.

OK, I'll stop before this becomes a rant. I do like my Arrive and appreciate how well WP7 works compared to the slowness of the older WM devices

 

[Verkunder]

One word: Skydrive.

And you people saying Zune sucks really need to lighten up.

 

[boss.king]

If Zune integration is such big issue, then maybe WP7 is not the OS for you. I suggest you give Android a shot.

To the majority of the population, a media player like Zune, iTunes, etc, is a much more efficient way to manage your media and syncing. I can't imaging trying to keep track of what songs I want to add/remove or what photos I want where manually in this day and age, it just seems like extra work.

 

[canesfan625]

If Zune integration is such big issue, then maybe WP7 is not the OS for you. I suggest you give Android a shot.

To the majority of the population, a media player like Zune, iTunes, etc, is a much more efficient way to manage your media and syncing. I can't imaging trying to keep track of what songs I want to add/remove or what photos I want where manually in this day and age, it just seems like extra work.

The irony is that even people on Android still use Android Commander and things like it..

 

[gapost]

I just don't get why people seem to hate Zune. I have used Itunes, WMP and had the usb drive option on my Pre. MS is looking toward the future with cloud computing and if you use Office 2010, it is very integrated. You can save and open your documents straight from Sky Drive. That way, you only need one copy and can access it from whereever you are. Granted, if you aren't connected to the network, it could be a hassle, but it can be downloaded.

As far as music and photos and videos, zune found them on my computer. It's just a matter of dragging and dropping and they are formatted well. On the Pre, if you dragged an album to the phone, the art would be all messed up. If you have an .avi or xvid movie, zune will convert it as it puts it on your phone.

And if you have Zune Pass, it works great with Zune.

 

[selfcreation]

I dont get why people say zune sucks for sync

step 1. create a folder
step 2. sync your phone..
step 3. go for a Jog.

im gona MISS zune when it leaves its like 100times better then Itune