2011 20/May 2:47pm

Zune and Windows Phone 7 styled music player for Android

Zune / Windows Phone 7 music player for Android

We love the Zune’s stylish, flashy and efficient music player user interface which, by not simple luck, has been inherited by Windows Phone 7. Official Zune development might or might not have stopped, nevertheless it’s created something bigger and also quite a following. So, when we found out that it’s been ported into an Android music player we were pretty excited.

The application comes from LauncherPro’s developer, and although it’s still quite an early alpha build, we’ve taken it through its paces and its pretty smooth and really close both functionally and visually to the original.

UPDATE 1: Zune/WP7 styled music player shown running on Nook Color, images after the link.

UPDATE 2: Alpha 3 just released with many bug fixes and new features, link for download after the break.

UPDATE 3: Alpha 4 now out with widget support and playlist creation, link for download after the break.

You get the typical categories: music, albums, songs, playlists and genres, in the same Zune/WP7 typographical style. You can swipe to side scroll between the categories, jump alphabetically and the app even downloads artists’ images for the now playing song and displays them as a background. We did run into an occasional bug and forced closures but otherwise it’s quite functional, despite its alpha status.

We doubt this will land on the Android Market anytime soon, so if you want to try it for yourself, hit the download link below. From the page click to download the application apk file onto your computer. Now transfer the file via USB to your device. Make sure you have checked ‘Unknown sources’ under Settings > Application settings on you Android device. Now use a file browsing app, like Astro File Manager, to open the file and install the app–no root required.

[Download link, twitter@fedecarnales]

UPDATE 1: We’ve installed the app on a Nook Color and it’s just lovely running on the bigger screen. Screenshots below:

Zune/WP7 styled music player running on Nook Color - Album view

Zune/WP7 styled music player running on Nook Color - Now playing

Zune/WP7 styled music player running on Nook Color - Jump by letter

UPDATE 2: Alpha 3 can be downloaded from here, adding a provisional icon, better navigation, ability to add song to playing queue and more.

Article Tags:

sibyy

I’ve posted this on XDA as well. The app is fantastic! Definitely has the potential to become my one music app of choice.

In terms of development and bugs of this app:
i) My biggest issue is going back, especially when you are on a playlist you have to exit to get back.
An on screen back button + a way to get back to main screen quickly I think would be best.
ii) Add playlist creator–e.g. long press on song to add to a playlist.
iii) Add better scaling for larger screen though I understand this could be more challenging:
+ Bigger progress bar for Jumping/skipping song on + Bigger buttons.

Overall though again great app. Try it!

sibyy

oh and forgot the most important!!!
Swipe left/right to change song! like in the Zune

dave

All it needs is:
-Ability to delete songs from the player
-Ability to hide music files that aren’t songs (ringtones, notification sounds, etc)
-Shuffle
-Simple widget
Neil Slade

I am not sure how to install this on my Nook Color– Please give step by step instructions.

I have gotten the Alpha3.apk file– but WHERE- under what directory do I move this to via USB into my Nook?

Thanks

The Nook Color

Alexis Phi

Hey there, it doesn’t matter specifically where you copy it, as long as you can find and open the file through an application on your NC.

You might find it easier if you have a microSD card inside your NC to copy the file there, in its root (main) directory. Else just copy it directly on your NC storage in the ‘My Files’ folder. Now assuming you have Astro File Manager installed, launch it on the NC and open the file.

Hope this helps.

Neil Slade

More importantly– does this player have TONE CONTROL– EQUALIZATION?

The stock player 1.2.0 works fine for me except it has NO EQ! Ridiculous, every player needs at minimum bass and treble tone control, and better yet a 7 or 10 band EQ.

Alexis Phi

I understand the need to control audio frequencies however unfortunately no build-in equalizer for the time being for this app.

There is a universal audio equalizer app for Android, however it’s only compatible with 2.3+ (Gingerbread and up). So it wouldn’t work with the Nook Color on stock 1.2, even if it’s rooted. It would work, hopefully, with CM7. If you wanna give it a shot here’s the link: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.smartandroidapps.equalizer