Now don't get me wrong: I understand why Zune is now offering a season pass for some of the TV shows available in the Zune Marketplace. The idea is that you're able to pre-pay for a season of your favorite show (and save a little money in the process) rather than wait until the full season is done and spend more getting all of the back shows.

Yet, I do wonder if prepaying for a TV show is a worthwhile investment? I only ask because you're going on the assumption that you're going to get a full season of quality shows (at least quality enough that you don't mind a dud or two in the list). I would think that had I prepaid for Season 2 of "Heroes", I would've thrown my PC out of the window. Oh and what would Zune do in the instance where you prepay for a season, but the network (for whatever reason) decides to stop airing the show? Are you getting refunded for the remainder of the season?

No, for me, I still prefer to just get one by one. Hell, I don't need all the shows in any given season (not even one that's a series). There are going to be certain episodes that I like and those would be the ones that I would invest in. I would probably do better with something like Hulu Plus or even Netflix (since Netflix is really churning out the TV shows).

But what do you guys think about the new "Season Pass" offering? Think it's something you'll take advantage of?

Good, because I was thinking that $180 or whatever that ridiculous amount was on the one-year Zune Pass card was entirely too much!

You can now achieve 12 months of Zune Pass goodness for $150 per year. That's equates to 10 months of Zune Pass + 2 months free. You'll also be paying for 120 free songs per year since you get to keep 10 each month (but remember credits don't rollover, so you must use all 10 credits before the next batch kicks in).

Nice job, Zune!

So after using this XBOX Live dashboard public beta update for a while, I wanted to toss out some rhetorical questions, not-so-rhetorical questions and thoughts about the features and such that are currently present. Some of these questions I've posted to Twitter already, but they certainly merit being mentioned here as well:

• If ESPN isn't showing anything live, is it worth using? Anyone doing that on-demand stuff?
• Anyone get some crazy stuttering effect when they play Zune Pass music and scroll to other things?
• I have to admit the transitions from one panel to the next seems quicker
• Isn't searching on Netflilx a God-send? And you have to appreciate the "DVD" notification.
• Having the NFL going on right now just makes me angrier that it's not part of the ESPN app.
• Yeah, I get the whole streaming thing, but really I wish Zune Pass would find my local stuff.
• Reason being if I have stuff on my PC, that's not available in the Marketplace, I can't listen to it.
• Was anyone else getting total system updates almost every 2 days? I think that's passed, but wow...
• I'm starting to like the "Recent" tab on Zune Video. Resuming a video is much easier now.
• Still...does anyone bother with Facebook/Twitter on XBOX 360?

Overall, it's still a great update...

If you've been paying attention to my profile on Zune Social (and you really should be...) you may have noticed one name creeping its way, quite often, into the timeline. The artist is Esthero and I must say that I'm very fond of her music and her sound. She reminds me of Pink in her approach, but she has a delivery all her own.

So since we're on Music Monday, I thought I'd share one of her songs with you. This is the music video for her track "That Girl". If you want to check out more of her music, hear some full-length samples at Bing Music (link).

Much like this freeway scene, we seem to live life in a blur...

[inhale]

I think that we don't live in a 24 hour news cycle anymore, it's more like a 24 second news cycle. It seems like every single second someone is making news (good, bad or indifferent) and every single second some blogger or newsie is somewhere trying to be the first to report it, trying to be the first to tweet it so that it's their tweet that gets repeated 1000 times, trying to be the first on Facebook so they get all the likes. Then as quickly as that first person hit the 'like' or 'retweet' button, some other news is made and the cycle starts all over again.

Will we ever have time to breathe again? (I think Toni Braxton was on to something with that).

I understand the appeal for wanting to be first: it brings in traffic, gives you a higher profile and all of that, but seriously there's nothing wrong with stepping back and soaking in all of the facts, thoughts, opinions and ideas before approaching the public with your perspective.

I see this all of the time with gaming reviews, for example: People are just so anxious to have their review part of that initial cycle of reviews before people, in mass quantities, head out to buy the game. They want to be able to say that their review had a hand in a person's buying decision. I personally don't mind reading someone's review after the fact; even after I've bought and finished the game. I'm always willing to read other people's opinions on something no matter when they release said review, especially if the review is well-thought out and presents something to me in a balanced manner. Hell, I read reviews still of games that aren't even in-stores anymore simply because I just liked how it was written.

And I'm sure you know that politics is notorious about this sort of thing...

[exhale] 


[inhale]

It's like this idiotic practice people have of putting 'first' on someone's post. How the hell does putting 'first' on a blog post add to the conversation at all? It's suddenly become a game to see who can reply first to someone's written article. You know what, bucko? Why don't you read the article first and then if you're gonna post put something there that's meaningful and adds to the discussion. I don't care that you weren't first, I care that you used your brain.

Now I'm not standing on some pedestal thinking I have a shield from rocks that can be thrown. I've been submissive sometimes in this whole deal. Having that itch to hit the publish button before all of the facts are in. It's tempting and seductive to see your post end up high in the Google rankings because people (in their excessive search for the information) came across what you wrote since you were 1 of only maybe 3 people at the time to write about it.

Now though, I take a look at this 'instant-on' society we live in where Facebook, Twitter, Digg, Google Instant Search, all of these tools are helping to bring information to many more people faster than having to wait for the 11pm news. Hell, by the time the 11pm news is on we've already gone past those topics and basically just want the weather report.

Yet, in this age, where information and sharing is practically always a button away, it's very easy for misinformation to filter its way into the lexicon. Because of this 24 second cycle, misinformation can spread just as heavily as the true news causing many more people to obtain the wrong information to work with and consequently end up making bad or misguided decisions because of it.

...yet even as bad as this is, it gives us time to think!

So don't be afraid of not being first. or second. or third. or 30th.

Be more afraid of what you say turns out to be flat-dead wrong.

And even if it is, this is where the news cycle can help you. Go ahead and acknowledge your mistake and where errors were made; then move on. By the time you announce that retraction, we've already gone 30 more stories ahead. Unfortunately, by the time you finish that retraction you'll have missed being first on maybe 17 of those 30 stories.

I'm also not saying don't be confident in what you write and what you publish. If everyone spent their waking hours second-guessing everything they did nothing would get done. I would just advise that you know what you put out there will quickly get swept up, interpreted and re-launched into another group of people. I try to do the same now (again, I'm no angel in this).

I'm starting to find that it's nice to every once in a while be the last guy to the table: Sure you get the scraps, but you know exactly what on the food table to get judging by how sickly everyone else looks. =)

[exhale]

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.

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?

Como ya a pasado un poco de tiempo, creo que ya tienen decididos quien quieren que se lleve a casa un gramófono.

When I was at #MSMVP: San Diego this past Saturday, I chatted it up with a few people. I told them that MVPs were there to give them a few tips and tricks about the technology available in the Microsoft store. For the employees this allows them to give much more information to their potential customers and help them understand how these techs can work together to improve their life at the office, at home and on the go.

I didn't know that very few knew about the concept of "Buy once, play anywhere". So here's how it works.

You use a Windows Live ID to log into several Microsoft properties. If you're using the same ID for all of it then you're creating one identity that goes across several properties. For the sake of understanding how "Buy once, play anywhere" works you have to have the same ID login for XBOX 360 and Zune.

Go into the Zune Video Marketplace on XBOX 360 and purchase a film. When you do, you are now the owner of that particular piece of content. Head over to your PC, fire up the Zune software and go into your purchase history. If you're using the same ID, you should see that same film available for download to your PC.

So now you have it on 2 of Microsoft's 3 screens: PC and TV. Connect your Zune HD (or Windows Phone 7) to the PC and sync that film to the device. Now you have that film available to you in three different ways: PC, TV, Mobile Device and remember, you only paid for this film once.

This feature works well so that no matter where you are, you have your favorite videos available to you at all times. It makes much more sense now that the revamped zune.net front page has a headline titled "your entertainment, everywhere". "Buy once, play anywhere" is one of those major details that will allow you to keep what you enjoy only a push of a button away.

Surely, by now, you understand how excited I am that the previous two #MSMVP events have been successful. It’s great that the community has come out to the Microsoft Stores, learned from MVPs and Ambassadors and gotten a better understanding of Microsoft technologies and how they could play a role in their everyday lives at work and at home.

Now, we’ve reached the third installment of MSMVP, which is taking place at the Microsoft Store in San Diego. It’s my belief that, at least initially, you have to make each subsequent event more exciting and larger in scope than the previous event. Eventually, they all become so large in scope that they become their own individual blockbusters. I’m even hearing that Ian (at the Microsoft Store in Scottsdale, AZ) is in ‘initial, front-end’ planning stages for a second #MSMVP event at his store.

[Click here for more about #MSMVP, including photos, stories & RSVP info]

But enough about that, I’m here to let you guys in on some of the great things we have planned for #MSMVP: San Diego:

There will be several MVPs at the event. They will be able to answer your questions, listen your feedback and give you some deep technical advice. There’s a diverse set of MVPs from various Microsoft technologies including Zune, XBOX 360, SQL Server, Small Business Server and Visual Basic. So whether you’re a business owner, IT guy, or a family looking to spruce your home entertainment, the MVPs are here to help.

Attendees will be able to get hands-on demonstrations with current and upcoming technologies including Kinect for XBOX 360, Zune HD and XBOX 360 S.

We will have plenty of giveaways/attendee gifts at the event. It’s our way of saying thank you for attending and picking the brains of the MVPs, Ambassadors and Microsoft staffers.

Catering will be provided by the Microsoft Store.

If you and/or your friends will be attending, I encourage you to bring your questions. If you want some troubleshooting with your devices and can bring those along, feel free. Come challenge the XBOX MVP to Kinect or find me to create a Smart DJ playlist from one of your favorite artists.

I look forward to seeing folks there to learn, discover and enjoy. If you plan to attend the event, please RSVP to help us get a more accurate headcount (although, quite frankly, walk-ins are gladly accepted).

Hope - Union - Blood of Heroes

• Watch the almost hour long parade that followed El Grito in Mexico City 
• Google Translate (Yes, I'm Mexican and fluent in Español.. But this page is sooo helpful!)
• Official Chicano Park Site (Super iconic location in the city of San Diego) 
• A well put together pow wows website     
• Some information on Quetzalcoatl. Don't believe everything, just get a feel for it.