Comments on: Zune review part 2: Zune Marketplace access from Canada

By: christina

christina — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 13:22:04 +0000

The Zune Marketplace is now available with the 4.7 update to the Zune software. So you’ll see the ‘Marketplace’ link at the top; but, (big but), the Canadian Marketplace only offers apps and videos. No music or podcasts to be found

By: Tanner

Tanner — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 20:31:03 +0000

So does this mean that since I’m in Canada and I already have a lot of music (including albums), I can use the Zune HD here and not worry about the marketplace? I have the 80gb and I have no need to worry, and I probably wouldn’t use the marketplace so…. essentially what I’m asking is is it possible to use the Zune HD in Canada and use the browser and the games while not having the ability to use the marketplace and the HD Radio??

Reply from Peter: I’m not 100% sure as I don’t have a Zune HD nor am I affiliated with Microsoft. My guess would be yes, though.

By: Archie

Archie — Tue, 04 May 2010 17:47:51 +0000

I am so frustrated with Microsoft and Zune. We’re Canadian and managed to buy a Zune HD by going across the border and buying. We’ve used the trick to access the marketplace and go across the border to buy the monthly passes and points. One difficulty is that we can’t get videos or TV.

I’ve tried buying points online however even when I use my paypal account they want a phone number which I’ve heard they check. I don’t get what the big deal is. If I want to buy something American online, why can’t I.

Microsoft seems to think they’re the government by chasing down consumers to ensure they’re in the US or American. What happened to globalization.

What about if I wanted to buy a MS Points card for someone in the states from Canada … not possible.

This is stupid. It’s a complete invasion of privacy when a retailer wants to know where I live. If you sell it, why can’t I buy it regardless of where I live.

And – even if it is a Canadian law that doesn’t allow me to buy it, why can’t microsoft and other retailers simply sell them online, tell consumers they can’t be used with a Canadian account and leave it at that. Why all the secrecy and checking?

If I can drive across the border and buy a card why can’t I buy one online?

I feel like we live in China with someone dictating what I can and can’t buy or access via the internet.

By: Bobby-T

Bobby-T — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:56:24 +0000

Ya um… its Jan 19 2010 and still no stupid marketplace, also, they do not alow loggin for canadian users on american pc, just a heads up, and they ask for a phone number and they check it too.

By: taysgguy

taysgguy — Mon, 25 May 2009 23:03:55 +0000

Make sure your hotmail account’s country is set to United States, not Canada, or else you wont be able to download when you log into your Zune software to purchase

By: Shawn

Shawn — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 07:54:42 +0000

Great tip for accessing the marketplace, it was frustrating that I couldn’t see it on my computer. As for downloading free podcasts to the zune, I’ve found you can download podcasts from itunes to it if you set the zune program settings to monitor the itunes folder. Download an itunes podcast (video or audio), and the zune software will pick it up; from there you can transfer the podcast to the player. Furthermore, you can then also directly subscribe to the podcast from the zune program, bypassing itunes completely. I don’t know if all itunes podcasts are compatible with the zune, but I haven’t had any problems with the ones I’ve downloaded so far. It came in especially handy for downloading daily Global Canadian news broadcasts.

By: Nicholas Rumbolt

Nicholas Rumbolt — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 22:27:46 +0000

Thx man.this article helped me a lot.

By: KieN

KieN — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 04:55:23 +0000

ok this is a very nice article…but rite now it is…Dec. 23 2008…no canadian zune market place.
im finding this very irritating, because i dont own a credit card. so i cant really buy from anywere.
cursed microsoft

By: Joe blow

Joe blow — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 01:25:48 +0000

I bought a Zune in Canada in July 08. I bought 7 puretracks songs, they wouldn’t load onto my zune copyright licence issues?!

No problem, I went to zune marketplace, millions of songs there! Oh wait, they sell the Zune, but you can’t access the zune marketplace in Canada!

I returned my zune for a full refund, bought an ipod and was buying songs within 10 minutes.

The zune software seemed slow and bloated, it confused the heck out of me. Being in my 30′s, maybe the Zune is marketed for a younger generation. A generation that enjoys bloated, complicated software that is difficult to use.

I love my 6 hour old Ipod, user friendly, add my creditcard and start buying music. ( When your in your 30′s, you can afford to buy music LOL)

By: Jason Dunn

Jason Dunn — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:45:03 +0000

Nice article – I have a similar one at Zune Thoughts – but you got one important thing wrong: you can’t use Canadian Xbox Live points. If you were to buy a card from Wal-Mart here, or buy points online from your Xbox Live account, the points wouldn’t work for Zune Marketplace purchased. You sort of lucked out by buying it off eBay: those are US-based points and they work in the Zune marketplace. I usually do silly things like ask my friends in the US to buy points cards, scratch them, then send me the code.

Jason Dunn
Executive Editor, Zune Thoughts
www.zunethoughts.com