In addition to the release of Windows Phone 7, comes the final release of the Zune 4.7 desktop software. This is the first version of the Zune software that opens up all of the Zune Marketplace to users in Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom. This is the software you need  in order to sync a new Windows Phone 7 device with your PC in twenty-five other countries. This is global. This is fly like a G6.

Along with supporting Windows Phone 7, and the updates Marques mentioned previously, the Zune software has a number of refinements that enhance existing features and add new functionality. If you have the Zune software installed you can check for an update from the settings page within the Zune software or you can browse the optional updates section of Windows Update.

Again welcoming international users to The Social, below are some highlights of version 4.7 of the Zune software.

Settings

Managing Your Collection Separately - The Zune 4.2 update brought the support of Windows 7 libraries to the Zune software with no option of managing a media collection separately from your libraries. With Zune 4.7, under settings > software > collection you have the option to make the media within in your Zune collection be different from the content in your Windows 7 libraries. The process is a two click affair, one to select the option, and another to confirm your selection.

When you exit from the settings page content will be added or removed from your Zune collection (but not deleted from your PC) based on your decision to add or remove folders. Also, depending on how you manage your collection you may have to consolidate a few folders (e.g. Podcasts, Zune Pass content, Purchased Music and Videos) should you choose to manage your Zune collection separately from Windows 7 libraries.

Support for Streamable (.mbr) Files – As Marques discussed in his preview of Zune 4.7, the Zune software streams videos you have purchased without downloading them to your PC. You can find this option under settings > software > file types. This uses the same technology as Zune Video on Xbox.

Device Area Changes - In the device area, there are two Windows Phone 7 related options, namely do more on the web and pictures & videos. Though I do not have a Windows Phone 7 device, I think do more on the web might connect to the online Windows Live Phone website.

Manage your Windows Phone 7 Devices – Since Zune software allows you to purchase apps for your Windows Phone 7 device you will need a place to manage the phones associated to your Windows Live ID. Located under settings > account > computers and devices; you can install apps on up to five phones while using one Live ID.

Manage your Windows Phone 7 Apps – Under settings > account > purchase history > apps, there is a new category listing all the Windows Phone 7 apps you have purchased so that you may redownload them to your phone from one spot. If I had had a Windows Phone 7… phone and purchased apps in the Zune Marketplace, this is where all of my app purchases would reside.

Collection

Making Movies with Movie Maker – This is a new feature to Zune. From either collection > videos or collection > pictures there is a new right-click menu option that allows you to open videos or pictures in Windows Live Movie Maker to make movie or photo slideshow. It is called ‘Create a movie.’ You can include playlists as well if you are selecting pictures to make a slideshow.

This is the result from the photos above. It shows how fast you can go from photos to movie with Zune and Movie Maker.

If you do not have the latest version of Movie Maker installed, the Zune desktop software will prompt to download the latest version. Choosing to download takes you to the Windows Live Movie Maker homepage where you will need to download Windows Live Essentials 2011 and update any Live Essentials components you may already have on your PC (such as Photo Gallery, Messenger, and Live Mail).

Note: Only DRM-free music and video files are usable within Windows Live Movie Maker.

New Collection > Pictures UI – Your pictures are now organized by hierarchal folders, known as albums, similar to the file explorer sidebar in Windows Explorer. Looking at the photos above, I cannot create an eleventh folder to the ones that are present (to do that I would need to add another monitored folder in settings > software > collection). Instead, I can create a sub-folder to better organize photos within an album.

Note: Deleting Pictures from the Zune software will delete them from your computer. There is no option to simply remove a photo from an album short of moving it out of the folder using Windows Explorer or deleting the photo from your PC in the Zune software.

Sharing Pictures with Live Photo Gallery – A new picture-specific feature is ability to edit and share your photos via Window Live Photo Gallery. This is made possible through a number of links within collection > pictures in the Zune Software. Speaking of which, did you see this Cigar Guy in the back of that Tiger Woods photo?

Playing Streamable (.mbr) Files – From collection > videos, say you purchased a TV episode on your Xbox and want to watch it again on your laptop. Episodes marked with a wireless symbol are examples of shows that are purchased but not in your local collection, that you can play instantly. In addition to watching instantly, you can download the episode so you can watch it offline or sync it to your Zune or Windows Phone device. Suffice to say buy once play anywhere rocks.

Marketplace

Buying Windows Phone 7 Apps – The Windows Phone 7 app marketplace is here and it is stocked with a good mix of free and paid apps. You purchase apps and pay for them in cash, not Microsoft Points. Music and video marketplace content still require Microsoft Points. Apps are loaded directly to your phone. Since they are not downloaded to your PC you will need to have your phone connected to your PC should you decide to purchase apps using the Zune desktop software. Finally, note that from within the app’s description there is a list of phone services the app will use.

Using Zune Season Pass with TV Shows – If you want to spend less than you would if purchased a season of TV shows individually, you can choose to buy a Zune Season Pass. Looking at Season 5 of the TV show 30 Rock, over the course of what I assume will be a 22 episode season you can save 560 points, or $7 by going with a season pass (i.e. 4,800 points for all 22 HD episodes in Season 4 vs. 4,240 points for a HD Season Pass in Season 5 ).

Listening Freedom – There are 10 million DRM-free music tracks in the United States Zune Marketplace. There are 8 million DRM-free tracks in the European library. Unless you are using Zune Pass, there should be no more protected WMA files in the Zune Marketplace. Enjoy the ability to buy your music once and play it anywhere.

Drink it up because this is pretty much everything that comes with this software update. There are a few other additions such as a new buffering animation when you are streaming from the Zune marketplace needs a second to catch up. Also, the now playing icon in the lower right corner becomes animated when you are playing content in the Zune software. Have you noticed anything else that is missing?