What you need to know
- Microsoft has brought back the Zune website, though it is no longer a page dedicated to the music player.
- Instead, the website has been relaunched with a focus on STEM research.
- The resurrection of Zune.net is also part of a promotion for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which comes out in theaters this week.
Fans of Marvel movies and Microsoft enthusiasts giggled when Chris Pratt's Star-Lord was given a Zune at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The long-dead music player was given to the protagonist of the film by Kraglin, who claimed "It's what everybody's listening to on Earth nowadays." The joke being, of course, that the Zune was retired ages ago.
Microsoft turned into the skid and embraced Zune being part of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. The tech giant has restored the Zune.net website that has been inactive for over ten years. The page is now about STEM research, however, rather than selling or supporting Zune devices.
Zune.net now has articles about STEM research, including multiple links about how science is used in space. A video show Redwire engineers 3-D printing in zero-gravity. There are also guides and resources for teachers about 3-D printing aboard the International Space Station.
Star-Lord makes an appearance as well in a video about getting his Zune fixed. The hero sends a message to the International Space Station requesting help and then floats his Zune over. The astronauts then 3-D print Star-Lord a new Zune.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters this week. We'll keep our eyes peeled for any shots of the Zune in action. The music player is thick enough to take a punch from a supervillain, so maybe it'll come in handy.
If you have a Zune laying around, it is possible to get it up and running in 2023. It requires some third-party software and technical knowledge, but it is possible. Microsoft's Scott Hanselman shared a video of how he got his Zune back in working order.
