What you need to know:
- Microsoft’s Zune mp3 player was discontinued in 2012 after struggling to find its place in a world that was rapidly moving toward multipurpose smart devices.
- The appearance of the device in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy movie franchise has led to a resurgence of interest in the Zune.
- The official Microsoft Twitter account posted a giveaway tweet where the prize is one unopened Microsoft Zune.
- The giveaway is listed AS-IS and does not guarantee that the Zune will work.
Have you ever wanted to get your hands on a 10-year-old piece of defunct technology? Now’s your chance, as Microsoft’s official Twitter account is hosting a giveaway for an unopened Microsoft Zune. Though whether or not it works is anybody’s guess, and Microsoft will not guarantee it to be in working order for the winner.
In honor of @MarvelStudios’ #GotGVol3 we’re giving away this never opened Microsoft Zune. We have no idea if it works. Like and RT for a chance to win! US 18+. Ends 5/17/23. Rules: https://t.co/Mdr2C4z9aY. #ZuneSweepstakes pic.twitter.com/SOR6IMCKqBMay 15, 2023
In the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise the main character, Peter Quill, has long connected to memories of his mother via music. Traditionally, this connection was represented through mix tapes played over a Sony Walkman. As a throwaway joke at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 filmmaker James Gunn opted to have Quill’s tape deck “upgraded” to a digital music player—the ill-fated Microsoft Zune. In a Facebook Q&A following Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. James Gunn stated that Microsoft was not actually happy to see the Zune being mocked in the film.
Any animosity toward the depiction of the Zune seems to have been cleared up with the recent release of Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, however, as Microsoft has even revived the Zune.net website — albeit for STEM research in space. While there seems to be some frustration that a full revival of the Zune didn’t happen, you can still luck out and add one of the defunct players to your collection should you happen to win the Twitter giveaway. In the official giveaway rules, Microsoft does stress that the Zune that the winner will receive has been unopened and thus untested, so the prize is listed AS-IS with no guarantee that it will work upon receipt by the lucky winner.
Even if the Zune does work, it may not pair with one of our favorite headsets. With or without a Zune, you can still listen to all your tunes and attend all your meetings in silence and comfort with a pair of Surface Headphones 2.
