There’s a reason why the Zune HD’s interface moves so smoothly. Powering the device is the Nvidia Tegra, which Nvidia recently described as an “an entire computer-on-a-chip,” and one with “eight separate processors, including: a GPU, two video processors, and audio processor, two ARM core processor and more.” (That “and more” bit is a bit ambiguous for my liking, but what are you gonna do?) In any event, the Zune HD looks to have some serious computational power going for it. WILL IT BE AN IPOD KILLER?
As Peter’s video shows, the interface zips around with not a hint of slowdown. You can thank Nvidia’s GeForce for that, assuming you’re in the business of thanking big companies for anything
Web pages are accelerated by the GPU, as is any video you play, be it from the Zune itself, transferred over from your Xbox 360, or downloaded from allthelatestmoviesarehererightnowforyoutodownload.com.
So yeah, the Zune HD looks neat, but as a Mac user, and given the device’s lack of compatibility with my preferred operating system, I wonder whether I should even bother getting excites, let alone prepare myself to shell out hundreds of dollars to be able to listen to a couple of MP3s.
First of all let me say that your stock is rising. Now as far as an iPhone killer well let’s see. If MS is smart about this whole thing they can and will most likely introduce a Zune-Phone. Yes people you heard it here first a Crunchgear exclusive. Zune-Phone there, I said it again happy? Now what this Zune-Phone could lead to is a wonderful new world of on the fly information wifi and cellular access with the Tegra chip powering this unit the sky’s the limit. Imagine yourself in a world where you can tuck your child into bed half way around the world. Skynet can allow you to do just that, oops I mean Microsoft.
All in good fun but this might be the item that will spank all MP3 and Cell phone players into the stone age. This zune will revolutionize media as we now know it. Take that bit of information, chew on it and come see me in 2 weeks. Let it sink in and accept defeat apple boyz accept it.
funny thing is i just thought about a zune hd phone, just to see you mention it. if apple have the itouch and iphone, then i believe the next iteration of the zune hd is the zune hd phone. I am sick and tired of trying to find a tegra phone or looking for the next phone manufacturer to make a phone utilizing the tegra chip.. now my next hunt is the zune hd phone..
The lack of compatibility, an established app store, the simple fact that it is not an iPod and the fact that non-tech savvy people will not care about its hardware specs are all against this device truly becoming popular.
Also, you boast of the specs of the device and how smooth it is, but the iPod touch is due for a refresh this september (maybe with a video camera!) and I am sure that apple will better its hardware specs also.
I also wonder about microsoft’s profit margins on this because it seems like a lot of hardware to be putting in a device selling for under $300.
I have to disagree. Getting a decent app store up and going would not be hard for MS. I am sure it is going to tie in very smoothly with Win 7. As for the hardware, any user that actually plays with a decent working demo model will realize that it is a pleasurable experience and when told they can connect it to their HD tv… That’s all she wrote.
I can’t wait for this gadget to hit. I also cant wait for the zune phone (IE: winmo 6.5 with the zune interface).
“Getting a decent app store up and going would not be hard for MS.”
You obviously haven’t tried;
http://store.microsoft.com/
David, you say that “the simple fact that it is not an iPod” will make the ZuneHD a failure. I’ll remind you that, at one point in the very recent past people were saying that Microsoft was barely a factor in the game console market…that they were dominated by Sony because the XBox just wasn’t a PS2. Look where we are now. Hardware issues aside, who has the market share?
“Hardware issues aside, who has the market share?”
Nintendo
We’re talking nextGen consoles here. Not to detract from the Wii’s accomplishments, but it can hardly be considered on the same technological level as the other 2.
Hello…..MS.
MS!?!?!?!?!?!
Microsoft, duh!
If they were smart, they’d create clients for both the Prisoners (Mac users) and the Free (Linux users). Of course, this being Microsoft, we can all sleep soundly knowing this will NEVER happen.
I keep hearing this, but nobody ever answers why they need to do this. On the computer front, Apple has a relatively small portion of the market share, and Mac users are more likely to be brand loyal to the iPod anyway. So what does Microsoft get out of creating Mac interface software for the Zune? I would wager that the Zune customers they would pick up from adding Mac software wouldn’t even cover the development and distribution cost of creating a Mac client.
“Mac users are more likely to be brand loyal to the iPod anyway”
For some its true.
But not all, I for one like macs because of the interface and hardware look, but I also like the Zune HD and I have an xbox but not 360, went with PS3 for bluray movies.
Most people I know use both Windows and Mac, can’t think of one person right now who does not use something of both companies.
To me its the product that sells, though I do not like the whole IBM “1970″ with proprietary software now been more of the norm.
I really thought by now we would have moved away from that business model but I guess not.
LMFAO! you said the same exact comment in the Beatles Rockband thread. D00d come original or dont come at all.
As awesome as it is, its still called a zune. The new ford fiesta is awesome, and it will actually sell because its not called a pinto. Get my point?
If I bought my electronics based on how cool their name sounded, this argument might make sense.
Except for the fact that “iPod” is a stupid sounding word too.
Look up “ford pinto” and read the
part about it being a flaming piece of shit. Most people recall how awful that car was upon hearing the name. Not that iPods don’t explode.
THe Pink Project is going to be key to Microsoft’s succes in the mobile Entertainement market : http://www.mobiletechworld.com/2009/08/11/microsoft-project-pink-to-be-unvieled-on-september-9/
As a Fedora user, I find this news fairly interesting. Given time, most popular Linux distros develop a way to support portable media devices (and even if they don’t, there’s always the option of manually adding the music files yourself). The only issue is the amount of time ‘given’. I’ll be using this device with Fedora with terrific compatibility with Banshee in seven years. Maybe six if I live on the bleeding edge and compile my own packages.
Holy crap. I’m getting that.
Apple can die and horrible death.
Does Apple do any philanthropic missions? Or does Steve just spend his time playing field hockey on his golden segway?
Why does Microsoft even bother, I mean the Zune is —-. Great, Zune HD is here, lets all buy it. WHO is going to buy THIS PIECE OF CRAP if the Tapplet and the new iPod touch are going to probably be presented on September 9. Please make a poll and ask the TechCrunch readers if anyone is planning to buy Zune HD. Thanks, shatchertech. Check out my blog at http://www.shatchertech.wordpress.com