30GB Zunes Failing Everywhere, All At Once

I have 3 iPods and an iPhone. The oldest of my iPods is now 4 years old. I've never had a problem with any of them.

I didn't think we were discussing the iPod here, could have sworn we're all talking about the Zune.

...but since the topic was started, I think there will be a fix for this very soon and that it will be an easy software patch. Unlike those godawful iPod who's batteries are still needing to be replaced after a short while of use, even 5+ years later. You'd think they'd be able to solve that issue by now, other than asking you to pay $50 over and over again to have it get fixed.

Y2.009K?

I think when I said I haven't had a problem with any of my iPods, that covered not needing to change their respective batteries.

I'm sorry Zune owners are having problems but that is par for the course with MS products.

Maybe I should have quoted KRich and started my comment with "By contrast..."

Unlike those godawful iPod who's batteries are still needing to be replaced after a short while of use, even 5+ years later. You'd think they'd be able to solve that issue by now, other than asking you to pay $50 over and over again to have it get fixed.

Oldest iPod is 5 years, original battery. Other iPods, also still running well on original batteries.

Oh so now not needing to send in your iPod because it's battery was faulty, isn't a valid issue doug, but a day of not being able to use your Zune suddenly is?

Sorry, but paying $50 and waiting days to weeks for product shipping for something that has been neglected by Apple for many years now, is much more of a issue to me than waiting a couple hours for a patch.

They both messed up by not making the batteries replaceable, but at least MS uses batteries that work so you don't have to send your player in on a yearly basis.

my ipod is 5 years old - never had a problem with it. never had to have anything replaced. i don't know of anyone who ever had to have their battery replaced, either.

Sorry, but paying $50 and waiting days to weeks for product shipping for something that has been neglected by Apple for many years now, is much more of a issue to me than waiting a couple hours for a patch.

If you live near a mall with an Apple store, you can walk in with your iPod and walk out with a brand new battery installed. No days or weeks to wait. Certainly you don't expect Apple to pay for overnight shipping or for free repairs once the unit is out of warranty, do you?

Have you ever been to an Apple store, I'd much rather mess with the goons on the phone than the ones they put in those stores. Not to mention driving to a store is still much more inconvient than hooking my player up to my PC and downloading a patch. I have a better solution for Apple, fix the batteries LOL

MS, Samsung, Sony have all replaced out of warranty products for me for free, no questions asked. Especially when it's a known issue that is common. I would expect that of Apple as well, but the best they would ever do is $50 or $100 to replace it with a new one, but why do that when they still haven't solved the issue lol.

Oh so now not needing to send in your iPod because it's battery was faulty, isn't a valid issue doug, but a day of not being able to use your Zune suddenly is?

I have not had any problem that prevented me or my wife from using any of the iPods we have ever owned. So, yes, a day (or a week or however long until a patch) where nobody's Zune 30 works at all is an issue.

I don't know what you all are talking about, maybe you are just apple fanboys, or don't want to admit you bought a bad product, but Indie is right. It's pretty well known that iPods have a battery issue.

I was appauled when they asked me for $50 for something they should have fixed years ago also.

Have you ever been to an Apple store, I'd much rather mess with the goons on the phone than the ones they put in those stores.

I'm sure my sister would appreciate being called a goon. XD  (She works at an Apple store.)

I don't know what you all are talking about

Here is my take on it. There were some Apple batteries that died prematurely. Some in warranty some not. Apple being Apple gets huge press for anything good or bad. This is bad, the number of stories make the problem appear larger than it really is. Per unit, I am not convinced that any iPod is any more susceptible to failure than a Zune or any other portable player. While the percentages may be low, it still sucks when it is your unit that is affected.

The oldest Zune just passed the two year mark. Midway through this year, Microsoft reported selling just over 2 million units total. By that time, Apple was close to 160 million iPods sold since inception; about 150 million of those from 2005 forward.

So, a problem with 1.5% of iPods would affect 400,000 more units than there are Zunes in existence. 

You must not remember it very clearly then, especially early on, because it was enough for Apple to consider a full fledge recall at one point, but they didn't and would just fix them on a case by case basis. What they didn't tell us at the time is that it would cost us $50 each time. I'm getting to the point where I'm going to start purposely breaking my iPods right before warranty just to get them replaced and have a brand new battery come with it. It's not being blown out of perportion by me, or anyone else, and never way. It's the opposite, you are denying how big of an issue it really was and still is, or again, are just not remembering it clearly.

I guess the 360 rrod issue only appears bigger than it is because it's gotten such huge press....oh wait, that's an MS product, so it must be as big as it appears XP

I've had 4 iPod's, and have yet to need a battery replacement for any of them.

My very fist iPod, a 3rd Gen 40GB iPod, I sold to a co-worker. That iPod is now 5 years old, and has seen tons of use. (I used it as my car jukebox for years.) The battery is just now to the point where it only lasts a day, so my buddy bought a new battery for $20 online. You can find them cheaper than that, too. So, $15-$20 is not $50...and most people don't use the same music player for 5 years...

Wow, that's even worst for Apple, other places are selling batteries for $20 and yet they still charge me $50. Maybe the "free" shipping, isn't really "free." Either that or they are charging me $30 to take 5 minutes, crack the thing open and swap the battery out. Now they are ripping people off even more with what they are charging. Hopefully they are putting all that extra money in researching a solution.....somehow I doubt that LOL

Researching a solution to what, exactly? Rechargeable batteries eventually die. You don't have to send your iPod to Apple for a bettery. Just buy one for $15-$20 and be done with it...if, that is, you still have a use for a 5 year old iPod. The reason Apple charges a premium is they don't really want to bother with replacing batteries. They'd rather let the 3rd parties handle it, so they choose not to compete.

I don't think you understand the situation gecko....the batteries are not "dying" because they are getting old, they are dying prematurely because they are faulty. They are not gradually losing juice either, it's a one day it works, next day it doesn't type of issue.

You are honestly telling me that the battery is suppose to die after a year or two's use...hardly. If that was the case, I'd have to replace many electronics I own mulitple times by now.

Eeew.  Who wants anything that's five years old?  What are you, a third worlder?  You're four years overdue to throw it away and get a new one.

Such a comedian.

Let's see: my first was 40GB, and as I got close to filling it up I decided I didn't need to have *all* my music with me all the time, so downsized to a 4GB Nano and sold the 40GB to a co-worker. The Nano is still going strong, but if it ever gets to a point where it's ready to die or the battery is tying, whatever, I'd be ready for a new one. 5 years is quite a long time for a music player. And none of my gadgets get thrown away. All get passed along to a new owner when I move on to something new.

What if I took advice from the forums and reset my Zune by disconnecting the battery?

This is a bad idea and we do not recommend opening your Zune by yourself (for one thing, doing so will void your warranty). However, if you've already opened it, do one of the following:

• Wait 24 hours from the time that you reset the Zune and then sync with your computer to refresh the usage rights; or
• Delete the player's content using the Zune software (go to Settings, Device, Sync Options, Erase All Content), then re-sync it from your collection.

Wait...the Zune has an enclosed battery? I thought only the iPod was so "evil"? ;-)

Anyway, good to know it's a simple fix...