ZuneHD Photos

Project Pink renderings were leaked this week by Gizmodo. They were however not related to the Zune Phone. Now we have concept artwork of the actual Zune 3G along with the specifications leaked from an industry analyst who remains unnamed.

The device will run Windows Mobile 7 and will feature the Zune Marketplace with not just music but also Windows Mobile applications specifically made for the Zune phone. Notable is however that through the Zune Marketplace it will also be possible to go into the Windows Mobile App Store. The store will however be branded as Zune.

Read more:
http://www.buyzunephone.com/zune-phone-photos/

Zune HD accessory roundup

The Zune HD represents a big step forward in Microsoft's war against the iPod, but when it comes to accessories, there's just no catching up to Apple. Step inside any local electronics store and you'll find yourself wading through a swamp of speaker docks, cases, cables, chargers, in-car FM transmitters, and alarm clocks, all made for the iPod. Try looking for the Zune section, though, and you'll be sorely disappointed.

Fortunately, the handful of accessories made for the Zune are all surprisingly high in quality. The iHome ZN9 alarm clock, for instance, is one of the better bedside speaker systems we've tested, regardless of what MP3 player you plug into it. Same goes for the Kicker ZK500--the thing is a first-rate, floor-shaking speaker dock that any Zune owner should count themselves lucky to have.

Some accessories are uniquely Zune, though. The HD AV dock, for example, has no equal in the iPod world. With it, you can output 720p video from your Zune HD to your TV, as well as show off your music collection, flip through photos, and tune in to HD Radio channels.

Read the rest of the article here:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10358097-1.html

Zune HD brings new experiences

Microsoft’s new touch screen portable media player is the new kid on the block of the ever popular touch screen based PMPs. But what makes the Zune HD stand out and what are its shortcomings? Check out this thorough startBlue review.

The first thing one notices is the design. Extremely industrial, it is available in either Black 16GB or Platinum 32GB which consists of a brushed metal back and a glass OLED touch screen. The second thing that catches your eye is the clarity, detail, and colour of the OLED screen. Unlike many of its competitors, the Zune HD innovates with the newest in screen technology. Unlike traditional displays that have one light bulb that is filtered by a liquid crystal display, the Zune HD contains thousands of light emitting diodes or tiny light bulbs. The result is a stunning display.

Beneath the outer hardware exists some impressive internals. It is the first PMP to have HD Radio. HD Radio allows you to not only listen to FM radio but also HD stations, giving you a larger selection and higher clarity. Bringing it all together is the 8 core NVIDIA Tegra Processor which allows for handling of HD Video, a slick graphical UI and games all together with powerful battery savings. Each core has a unique purpose so by selectively turning them on and off, the Zune increases your ability to save energy.

Read full article here:
http://www.startblue.net/technology/reviews/zune-hd-brings-new-experiences.htm

Zune HD Review: The PMP, Evolved - Gizmodo

The gorgeous 3.3-inch capacitive OLED touchscreen takes up the majority of the device's face. More on that below. It's surrounded by three hardware buttons: Underneath the screen on the face is the home button, on the top edge is the power/hold button, and in lieu of a volume rocker the Zune HD has a button on the left side that brings up Quickplay options. These options drift onto the screen and offer volume, track forward/back and play/pause. Quickplay can be enabled to work even while the player is locked.

On the bottom of the device is the proprietary Zune port (the Zune HD will work with all of the surprisingly easy-to-find existing Zune accessories) and the headphone jack. It's rated for 33 hours of audio and 8.5 of video, which is very strong if it's true (especially since previous Zunes were lacking in battery life, to say the least). The Zune HD lacks both a speaker and a camera, though neither is necessarily a mark against it. Still, both options would be welcome.

Source:

http://gizmodo.com/5360126/zune-hd-review-the-pmp-evolved

Zune HD gaming and app downloads confirmed: Twitter, Facebook, and 3D games on the way

The promotional video and leaked shots already made it clear but now it's official: the Zune HD will be a gaming and application platform. In addition to a few casual games, calculator and MSN Weather apps pre-loaded onto the Zune HD, the official Microsoft press release touting the launch contains this little nugget of gaming gold:

"Later this year, Zune plans to release free applications such as Twitter for Zune and Facebook for Zune, in addition to fun 3-D games such as "Project Gotham Racing: Ferrari Edition," "Vans Sk8: Pool Service" and "Audiosurf(TM) Tilt." Games can be added to Zune HD via Zune Marketplace over the Wi-Fi connection or when connected to the Zune PC software."

Hear that Nintendo, Sony, and Apple? There's a new handheld gaming platform in town. All that remains to be seen is how it will integrate with the Xbox 360.

Source:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/15/zune-hd-3d-gaming-and-app-downloads-confirmed/

Lucky Zune fan gets his Zune HD early

Loveandhatejw over at ZuneBoards posted a picture of himself (that haircut is a mess lol) and the black Zune HD he grabbed at Best Buy. Unfortunately the player his unusable without the Zune 4.0 software which is supposed to unlock the device.

Yea well I picked mine up from a buddy at best buy today. It’s useless
out of the box but here is my pic with it from webcam. Sorry for crappyy q
uality in advance. I may or may not upload more pics.

Got the software?
Out of the box no software is included.

Two days is a long wait, how’d you get yours?
There’s was someone I new at best buy, they have helped me before.

Source:
http://www.mobiletechworld.com/2009/09/14/lucky-zune-fan-gets-his-zune-hd-early/

Zund HD is Born - CNN

After three years, Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT)'s Zune music player will no longer be available to be purchased once current stock is depleted. Fortunately, Redmond already has a successor in place to take up the slack, the Zune HD, according to a report from The SuperSite Blog.

The current crop of Zune hardware -- the Flash Zune 4 GB, 8 GB, 16 GB, as well as the model with hard drives of 80 GB and 120 GB -- start around $80 and will be sold until there are no more left in stock. The Zune HD will be available on Sept. 15 and start at $220.

The Zune HD 16-GB model will offer up to five hours of hi-def video and 22 hours of standard video. The 32-GB model ups the HD playback to 10 hours. To further round out its video capabilities, the Zune HD is able to support HD video playback through an HDMI docking station.

And of course the Zune HD has a 3.3-inch OLED touch screen with a 16:9 wide-screen format display and 480 x 272 pixel resolution.

Read more:
http://www.crn.com/retail/219501176;jsessionid=JNMAH3RTKSBY5QE1GHOSKH4ATMY32JVN

Zune HD Pamphlet Explored

One thing I noticed was how similar the pamphlet size was to the box on the demo table and just assume it is one that will be included in the box as an accessory up-sell to inform users of the available accessories and services available to the Zune HD. A video and few pictures on the internet have confirmed this.

Source:
http://www.bostonpocketpc.com/Zune+HD+Pamphlet.aspx