Microsoft Zune is a media management program for Windows with playback support, marketplace and social features that allow you to enjoy a high-quality video and audio experience. Even though this application was designed to be used with Zune devices for sync purposes, it is meant as a media explorer.

General notes

Since the production of the Zune line of devices was discontinued, the media manager continued to exist and receive updates for sometime, until the support for the player was halted. However, the utility is still available for download in an attempt to give users the option to sync their Windows Phone 7 devices.

Nevertheless, the software remains a decent choice as a media player. It features a streamlined graphical user interface which facilitates audio and video playback and playlist creation. Unfortunately, the dedicated marketplace where you could purchase music albums is no longer available.

Advanced functions

Similar to Media Go, you have the ability to burn media discs, create an unlimited number of song collections with your favorite artists and subscribe to podcasts. The core player component provides basic features, such as play, resume, fast forward, full screen and a volume slider. It is possible to pin media files to the Quick Play page for quick access to your favorite songs or browse through the last played tunes from the History section.

Features

free to download and use;
compatible with modern Windows versions;
gives you the ability to playback various multimedia files;
it is possible to subscribe and listen to podcasts;
you can view videos and digital images.