More details and videos are surfacing about the ZuneHD, which will be released this fall by Microsoft. The video above, from C|net, doesn’t clearly show the entire menu of options, but gives a glimpse of the look and feel of the new player.
One thing that strikes me is the responsiveness of the accelerometer. Watch as the picture display pivots from portrait to landscape mode – it’s a brisk transition, compared to my own experience with iPhone and iPod Touch.
I’m guessing that the web browser will be another menu option – unless it’s tucked under the Social menu. No video that I’ve seen shows the browser, and my understanding is that it’s not yet enabled in these pre-release models. The browser is described by Microsoft as finger-friendly (as opposed to stylus or keyboard-driven). It’s a derivation of Internet Explorer, customized and optimized for ZuneHD. This browser is probably a forerunner to the updated browser expected in upcoming releases of Windows Mobile.
The ZuneHD has an OLED screen – as opposed to LCD screens like the other Zune models and the iPod Touch. What’s that about? OLED displays differ from LCD screens in significant ways: they don’t require a built-in backlight, so they don’t draw as much battery power as LCD; they’re thinner, again because the backlight is not required; they’re capable of displaying a greater range of colors, brightness, and contrast than LCDs; and they allow the display to be viewed from a much wider range of viewing angles than LCDs.
While it’s difficult to tell from the videos, it’s likely that the ZuneHD OLED display will be noticeably better in quality than iPod Touch when the two are viewed side-by-side. Now that’s a video I’d like to see.
More details and videos are surfacing about the ZuneHD, which will be released this fall by Microsoft. The video above, from C|net, doesn’t clearly show the entire menu of options, but gives a glimpse of the look and feel of the new player.
One thing that strikes me is the responsiveness of the accelerometer. Watch as the picture display pivots from portrait to landscape mode - it’s a brisk transition, compared to my own experience with iPhone and iPod Touch.
I’m guessing that the web browser will be another menu option - unless it’s tucked under the Social menu. No video that I’ve seen shows the browser, and my understanding is that it’s not yet enabled in these pre-release models. The browser is described by Microsoft as finger-friendly (as opposed to stylus or keyboard-driven). It’s a derivation of Internet Explorer, customized and optimized for ZuneHD. This browser is probably a forerunner to the updated browser expected in upcoming releases of Windows Mobile.
The ZuneHD has an OLED screen - as opposed to LCD screens like the other Zune models and the iPod Touch. What’s that about? OLED displays differ from LCD screens in significant ways: they don’t require a built-in backlight, so they don’t draw as much battery power as LCD; they’re thinner, again because the backlight is not required; they’re capable of displaying a greater range of colors, brightness, and contrast than LCDs; and they allow the display to be viewed from a much wider range of viewing angles than LCDs.
While it’s difficult to tell from the videos, it’s likely that the ZuneHD OLED display will be noticeably better in quality than iPod Touch when the two are viewed side-by-side. Now that’s a video I’d like to see.
Effective today, BBC America's great content is available for download in the Zune Video Marketplace. Such series as The Mighty Boosh, Primevil, Torchwood, Little Britain, Doctor Who, Fawlty Towers, Top Gear and Robin Hood. Enjoy!
Effective today, BBC America's great content is available for download in the Zune Video Marketplace. Such series as The Mighty Boosh, Primevil, Torchwood, Little Britain, Doctor Who, Fawlty Towers, Top Gear and Robin Hood. Enjoy!
That’s right folks, the Zune HD is real, and it’s coming this Fall. Microsoft officially announced the next iteration in their Zune line today, making it less of a tripped out pipe dream, and more of a totally tubular reality. The specs, which look exactly like that leak we saw, go like this: 3.3-inch, 480 x 272 OLED capacitive touchscreen display, built-in HD Radio receiver, HD output (utilizing a new dock — not on-board), and… not much more right now. Microsoft is doing away with the famed squircle in favor a full multitouch device, and they seemed to indicate that some new touch-friendly apps and games would be headed our way, though they were fairly mum when it came to details. The device will boast an IE-based, customized browser, but little else was said in the way of software.
That's right folks, the Zune HD is real, and it's coming this Fall. Microsoft officially announced the next iteration in their Zune line today, making it less of a tripped out pipe dream, and more of a totally tubular reality. The specs, which look exactly like that leak we saw, go like this: 3.3-inch, 480 x 272 OLED capacitive touchscreen display, built-in HD Radio receiver, HD output (utilizing a new dock -- not on-board), and... not much more right now. Microsoft is doing away with the famed squircle in favor a full multitouch device, and they seemed to indicate that some new touch-friendly apps and games would be headed our way, though they were fairly mum when it came to details. The device will boast an IE-based, customized browser, but little else was said in the way of software.
A new installment of the New Zune Insider Podcast just went live today, get excited! This week you can listen to the dynamic duo of yours truly (Skipdeez) and Jessica (Jetherealz) rap about new music and upcoming shows. We also answer some random questions from our Twitter followers (hit us up! @skipdeez and @jetherealz). Oh, and I should also mention we talk about a little something called Zune HD and discuss the new Xbox Zune video Marketplace. We also trade Zunes with our bosses, which is not only exciting, but makes for some good comedy. You love it, you know you do…
Not subscribed to the Zune Insider podcast yet? You can subscribe via the Zune software by clicking here. You can listen right on the web on from here. Or, you can just download the podcast directly from the RSS feed here.
Comments? Questions? Post a comment here or send us a tweet, we'd love to hear from you!
Enjoy!
A new installment of the New Zune Insider Podcast just went live today, get excited! This week you can listen to the dynamic duo of yours truly (Skipdeez) and Jessica (Jetherealz) rap about new music and upcoming shows. We also answer some random questions from our Twitter followers (hit us up! @skipdeez and @jetherealz). Oh, and I should also mention we talk about a little something called Zune HD and discuss the new Xbox Zune video Marketplace. We also trade Zunes with our bosses, which is not only exciting, but makes for some good comedy. You love it, you know you do...
Not subscribed to the Zune Insider podcast yet? You can subscribe via the Zune software by clicking here. You can listen right on the web on from here. Or, you can just download the podcast directly from the RSS feed here.
Comments? Questions? Post a comment here or send us a tweet, we'd love to hear from you!
Hey electronic fans in Seattle! DJ Dan will be here Friday night at Club Heaven in Pioneer Square. You know you want to go, and DJ Dan wants to make it easy on you by giving away two pairs of tickets here on Zune Insider! DJ Dan is a native of Seattle who has been releasing club hits for more than a decade – my favorites are "That Zipper Track" and "That Phone Track" (check 'em out in the Zune Marketplace).
Just post something in the comments about Seattle's electronic music scene and I'll randomly pick two commenters to give tickets to. DJ Dan will be doing his thing along with Cybersutra, Richard J. Dalton and Aurora Diving Club.
Hey electronic fans in Seattle! DJ Dan will be here Friday night at Club Heaven in Pioneer Square. You know you want to go, and DJ Dan wants to make it easy on you by giving away two pairs of tickets here on Zune Insider! DJ Dan is a native of Seattle who has been releasing club hits for more than a decade - my favorites are "That Zipper Track" and "That Phone Track" (check 'em out in the Zune Marketplace).
Just post something in the comments about Seattle's electronic music scene and I'll randomly pick two commenters to give tickets to. DJ Dan will be doing his thing along with Cybersutra, Richard J. Dalton and Aurora Diving Club.
Many of you have likely seen the news today announcing Zune HD. We are really excited to bring the new Zune to market later this year, and we think the capabilities of the device are pretty cool. For those that have not had a chance to check it out yet, Zune HD will feature a HD Radio receiver, HD video out capabilities, an OLED screen with multi touch, and an internet browser. Find HD Radio stations in your area by visting the HD Radio site. There are still more details to come!
We also announced that we will be coming to Xbox, taking over the existing video marketplace and bringing a rich new experience with new features. This is the next step in our strategy to broaden Zune as an entertainment service for Microsoft, stay tuned for more details at E3!
There is more goodness to come, but we wanted to take a moment to announce what we are working on both on the hardware, and software services front. Stay tuned to here for more info.
Many of you have likely seen the news today announcing Zune HD. We are really excited to bring the new Zune to market later this year, and we think the capabilities of the device are pretty cool. For those that have not had a chance to check it out yet, Zune HD will feature a HD Radio receiver, HD video out capabilities, an OLED screen with multi touch, and an internet browser. Find HD Radio stations in your area by visting the HD Radio site. There are still more details to come!
We also announced that we will be coming to Xbox, taking over the existing video marketplace and bringing a rich new experience with new features. This is the next step in our strategy to broaden Zune as an entertainment service for Microsoft, stay tuned for more details at E3!
There is more goodness to come, but we wanted to take a moment to announce what we are working on both on the hardware, and software services front. Stay tuned to here for more info.
The ZuneHD is officially announced by Microsoft today, and features:
3.3-inch, 16:9 widescreen display
480 x 272 OLED capacitive touchscreen display
Multi-touch capability on the touchscreen
Built-in HD Radio receiver. HD Radio provides higher-quality sound than traditional radio, and allows additional song and artist data to be displayed on the player. Some stations also multicast in HD, so you can switch from HD to HD2 or HD3 for additional listening options. And, you can tag songs to buy them from HD Radio, just like you can now with the Zune’s Buy From FM feature.
HD video output lets you play high-definition video on an HD TV, though a (separately-sold) HDMI dock.
Web browser – Internet Explorer-based, customized for ZuneHD and optimized for multitouch functionality.
Built-in Wi-Fi allows for streaming of Zune Marketplace tracks to the player
Built-in accelerometer. This is cited as being used with the web browser, but presumably would be available for other functions as well. Gaming, perhaps?
Touch-screen QWERTY keyboard. This is also cited as a browser capability, but its presence could be a sign that it’s available for other functions, too. We’re hoping it is for Wi-Fi sign-on and Marketplace browsing, for example.
No official word yet on price or capacity. (It is a flash-drive player – not a hard drive model.) Release date for this is expected in the fall.
More info is at the official site: http://www.zune.net/en-us/mp3players/zunehd/default.htm
The ZuneHD is officially announced by Microsoft today, and features:
3.3-inch, 16:9 widescreen display
480 x 272 OLED capacitive touchscreen display
Multi-touch capability on the touchscreen
Built-in HD Radio receiver. HD Radio provides higher-quality sound than traditional radio, and allows additional song and artist data to be displayed on the player. Some stations also multicast in HD, so you can switch from HD to HD2 or HD3 for additional listening options. And, you can tag songs to buy them from HD Radio, just like you can now with the Zune’s Buy From FM feature.
HD video output lets you play high-definition video on an HD TV, though a (separately-sold) HDMI dock.
Web browser - Internet Explorer-based, customized for ZuneHD and optimized for multitouch functionality.
Built-in Wi-Fi allows for streaming of Zune Marketplace tracks to the player
Built-in accelerometer. This is cited as being used with the web browser, but presumably would be available for other functions as well. Gaming, perhaps?
Touch-screen QWERTY keyboard. This is also cited as a browser capability, but its presence could be a sign that it’s available for other functions, too. We’re hoping it is for Wi-Fi sign-on and Marketplace browsing, for example.
No official word yet on price or capacity. (It is a flash-drive player - not a hard drive model.) Release date for this is expected in the fall.
More info is at the official site: http://www.zune.net/en-us/mp3players/zunehd/default.htm
This may surprise you, but the Zune accessory that we get the most response to in Zunerama is one of the higher-end Zune docks available – the ZK500 dock from Kicker.
I was reminded of why this is today, when I hauled my ZK500 outside and blasted tunes for 4 hours while ZuneWidow and I did yard work. I love this sound system.
With my Zune 16gb docked in it, the ZK500 admirably and richly served up my “Running” playlist. Today’s random selections from that playlist included The Cars, Boston, Joe Satriano, The Actual Tigers, The Who, Jason Mraz, Plain White Ts, and many more of my faves.
This may surprise you, but the Zune accessory that we get the most response to in Zunerama is one of the higher-end Zune docks available - the ZK500 dock from Kicker.
I was reminded of why this is today, when I hauled my ZK500 outside and blasted tunes for 4 hours while ZuneWidow and I did yard work. I love this sound system.
With my Zune 16gb docked in it, the ZK500 admirably and richly served up my “Running” playlist. Today’s random selections from that playlist included The Cars, Boston, Joe Satriano, The Actual Tigers, The Who, Jason Mraz, Plain White Ts, and many more of my faves.
This morning, the Zune team launched some handy updates to service.zune.net – the site for Zune troubleshooting and for sending in players for repairs.
The site provides a way to register your Zune player, perform online troubleshooting, and to track the status of a Zune that is sent in for repairs.
Some screenshots:
Information on a registered Zune player
Troubleshooting help
Status of a player sent in for servicing
The site updates are available for United States and Canadian (English) customers.
This morning, the Zune team launched some handy updates to service.zune.net - the site for Zune troubleshooting and for sending in players for repairs.
The site provides a way to register your Zune player, perform online troubleshooting, and to track the status of a Zune that is sent in for repairs.
Some screenshots:
Information on a registered Zune player
Troubleshooting help
Status of a player sent in for servicing
The site updates are available for United States and Canadian (English) customers.
Maximo has released its iM-590 earphones – the latest upgrade in the iMetal line. I’ve been using these sound-isolating earphones for the past three weeks, and found them to be impressive in design and performance. At $59, the iM-590 headphones fill a nice niche – superior quality earphones at a reasonable price.
The iM-590s come fully equipped with accessories, including four sizes of earbuds, shirt clip, airplane adapter, cell phone adapter, 24-inch extension cable, and carrying case.
The carrying case can hold all of the accessories, and includes an inner drum for wrapping the cable around.
The iM-590’s thoughtful design extends to the shirt clip. The clip attaches above the “Y” in the cable split; in fact, it doubles as an anti-tangle slider. This means that you can clip the earphone cable to the collar of your shirt – eliminating loose cord.
(Most shirt clips are attached to the main cable, below the split. This results in the clip attaching in the middle of your shirt, giving a longer length of looser cord to deal with.)
This is a definite plus when you’re out for a run or at the gym.
The earbud tip material strikes the right balance of flexibility and resilience. It makes for a comfortable fit, in my ears at least, and effectively blocks outside sound. These are “sound-isolating” earbuds that deserve the label.
The headphones are lightweight, made of a metal alloy material. The sound produced does not disappoint, with full lower tones and crisp uppers. Maximo recommends that the headphones be “burned in” for ten hours. I’ve used mine for about thirty hours at the time of this review. I honestly can’t say I’ve noticed a difference over that time, but I presume there is an engineering basis for recommending the burn-in. I can say that the sound has been rich and satisfying throughout.
If you’re in the market for a good set of earphones that are a definite cut above the norm, you can’t go far wrong by settling on the solid design and performance of the Maximo iM-590 earphones. We’re giving the iM-590s our Recommended by Zunerama designation.
Maximo has released its iM-590 earphones - the latest upgrade in the iMetal line. I’ve been using these sound-isolating earphones for the past three weeks, and found them to be impressive in design and performance. At $59, the iM-590 headphones fill a nice niche - superior quality earphones at a reasonable price.
The iM-590s come fully equipped with accessories, including four sizes of earbuds, shirt clip, airplane adapter, cell phone adapter, 24-inch extension cable, and carrying case.
The carrying case can hold all of the accessories, and includes an inner drum for wrapping the cable around.
The iM-590’s thoughtful design extends to the shirt clip. The clip attaches above the “Y” in the cable split; in fact, it doubles as an anti-tangle slider. This means that you can clip the earphone cable to the collar of your shirt - eliminating loose cord.
(Most shirt clips are attached to the main cable, below the split. This results in the clip attaching in the middle of your shirt, giving a longer length of looser cord to deal with.)
This is a definite plus when you’re out for a run or at the gym.
The earbud tip material strikes the right balance of flexibility and resilience. It makes for a comfortable fit, in my ears at least, and effectively blocks outside sound. These are “sound-isolating” earbuds that deserve the label.
The headphones are lightweight, made of a metal alloy material. The sound produced does not disappoint, with full lower tones and crisp uppers. Maximo recommends that the headphones be “burned in” for ten hours. I’ve used mine for about thirty hours at the time of this review. I honestly can’t say I’ve noticed a difference over that time, but I presume there is an engineering basis for recommending the burn-in. I can say that the sound has been rich and satisfying throughout.
If you’re in the market for a good set of earphones that are a definite cut above the norm, you can’t go far wrong by settling on the solid design and performance of the Maximo iM-590 earphones. We’re giving the iM-590s our Recommended by Zunerama designation.
Whether you are looking for music, movies, videos, TV shows, games or software for your Zune player, you will find them here. Read about the top sites in the entertainment industry for Zune downloads today. More
