One of the only downsides to owning a Zune HD instead of an iPod is the lack of speaker docks. There simply isn’t that many available and the ones for the previous Zune’s aren’t compatible. But Kicker knows what’s up and just released firmware to make its $249 ZK500 Zune HD friendly. But there is fine print involved and you can’t update the system yourself.
Here’s the thing: you have to ship the system to company to have the firmware installed. But if you bought the ZK500 after the Zune HD was released, you’re good. The company will pay the necessary shipping cost to have the update completed.
However if you bought it before, you’re going to have to pay $40 to have the firmware installed. Ridiculous? Yeah, it kind of is.
Either way though, the system will not output high-def from the Zune HD because of the older dock connector used. But I guess if you spent the cash on the new Zune HD, you may as well spend another $40 to make your older speaker dock compatible.