CrunchGear » zunehd

Zune HD TV interface: slick as hell

Devin Coldewey — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 21:00:44 +0000

It looks like the Zune HD’s aspirations go beyond simply showing HD video on your TV. It is, in fact, a home theater PC in your pocket. I don’t to sound like I’m shilling here, but it really is a pretty serious advance in PMPs, unless (and this is certainly possible) there are ones already doing this equally well over in South Korea or Japan. It looks quick, sharp, and easy to navigate, as well as simply being better looking than many full-size media boxes out there.

Apple may have the the sexiest player around, and it’ll be even better after the September announcement, but the Zune HD really, really has it beat in this situation.

[video courtesy of Gizmodo]

Hurricane Zune continues: pics of display stuff, release date from Best Buy

Devin Coldewey — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 01:42:22 +0000

I’m beginning to wonder whether someone is conducting this concert of Zune madness. The whole thing has been leaked, from the original unveiling to the specs, the approximate date, the pricing and models, and now the preorder tokens.

On reflection, that last one isn’t exactly big news, but it does pin down the release date: September 15th. We had September 8th penciled in, but we’ve waited four months, why not another week?

Looks like you can go pre-order your very own ZuneHD as soon as these get fully deployed; it’ll take a $25 down payment, though.

ZuneHD prices revealed: $220 for 16GB, $290 for 32GB

Devin Coldewey — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:39:42 +0000

We’ve got a hands-on with the Zune coming up shortly, but we thought you should all know that pricing has indeed been leaked on Microsoft’s sexy new player. At $220 and $290 for 16GB and 32GB respectively, they’re exactly in line with what I expected (I flatter myself shamelessly but it’s true) an a little lower than rumors had it.

This anticipates the expected price drop from Apple coming this fall. A microphone and camera (not to mention the App Store) on the iPod Touch still set it apart, though.

Zune gets FCC treatment, FCC needs a new camera guy

Devin Coldewey — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:20:00 +0000

Don’t these FCC inspectors do this for a living? I don’t know how you can spend all day photographing gadgets, circuits, and so on, and end up with such a shabby collection of out-of-focus, weirdly exposed shots of random components. Maybe they were in a hurry. You’d think with the amount of stuff they go through, they’d have a nice lighted table all set up.

But I digress. The FCC has been checking out the ZuneHD, and took a bunch of pictures while they were at it. Not exactly major news, but the curious among you will want to check it out, and besides, it shows the new dock!

The dock appears to be connected to a Dell display, and they’re watching Transformers via the HDMI-out. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that they took this shot right when Megan Fox is doing her thing:

Actually, there are probably 50 shots like that, all from far away (really?), so maybe it was just me who chose the Megan Fox one. Yeah, I’m pretty sure now.

There’s not a lot to note unless you’re really nerdy. You can see the model numbers, the Tegra chip, and for some reason a little note on the back internals saying “For our princess” — not sure what that’s about. Here are a few pictures I thought would be the most relevant, but there are PDFs full of similar ones if these don’t float your boat.

[via Engadget, though they missed the Megan Fox]

Leaked ZuneHD screens show newish UI

Devin Coldewey — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:40:53 +0000

There are a bunch of new shots of the upcoming ZuneHD out there all of a sudden, in advance of an official announcement expected later on. They show not only a Black ZuneHD (I kind of like the silver one but hey), but some interface tweaks that make it a very good-looking device indeed. The Zune interfaces, from the website to the player to the device, have always been sexy, but the devices always got the minimalist end of the stick. No longer!

Although the screen is less than spacious, it is supposed to be extremely crisp, bright, and responsive, so it’ll show off album art, visualizations, and videos to their best advantage. You can see the rest of the pictures over at Cruleworld’s Lifestream, but they’re mostly variants on what you see above, in similar sizes. When there’s bigger stuff out there, we’ll let you know. The rumored September 8th release date is really creeping up on us now, so be ready.

[via Electronista]

Rumor: 16GB Zune HD to cost 10-20% less than comparable iPod

Devin Coldewey — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:15:27 +0000

An engineer at Microsoft has ballparked the cost of the 16GB ZuneHD at somewhere between $250 and $280 (for reference, a 16GB iPod Touch is $300). That’s a little bit higher than I’d have guessed, but considering OLED screens are still expensive, to say nothing of flash memory, it’s a solid estimate. Trouble is, where are they going to get people to take it for a spin? Apple’s got a great spot for iPod discovery — maybe it’s time for Microsoft to do the same.

Honestly, a modest little store here and there with Microsoft hardware and a few partners could be a nice PR move for those guys. But I digress…

Rumor also has it that a 64GB version is planned for later in the game. Wow, that will be expensive. A note to Microsoft: you can’t have your device be the budget and luxury choice.

[via Ars Technica]

Zune HD to come out September 8th?

Devin Coldewey — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:00:11 +0000

The rumor mill is churning, churning. Not too much, though, because it only squirted out a little bit of Zune HD-related info: some leaked Microsoft documents say the OLED-screened, Tegra-powered, HD-outputting next-generation media player will be coming out on September 8th. They also say there will be 16GB and 32GB versions, which seems right. The question is, will it have the value to compete with the iPod Touch?

ZuneHD rocks the Teg-ra, rocks the Teg-ra

Devin Coldewey — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:13:29 +0000

I thought we already knew this, since it was included in all those other details that were confirmed shortly after, but everybody else seems surprised so we should probably at least act like we didn’t know (we’re very polite here at CG). Yes, the ZuneHD does officially use Nvidia’s Tegra chipset — its hardware decoder and low power draw made it a natural choice.

I still would have liked to see a slightly bigger screen, the better to show off that beautiful UI, but I guess you can’t have everyzing.

Amazon hints about Zune HD Xbox Live integration

Matt Burns — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 14:15:25 +0000

Microsoft officially outed the Zune HD a week ago, but the Amazon product listing under the Technical Details section is talking about Xbox Live integration that wasn’t mentioned in the Microsoft presser.

Integration with the Xbox LIVE network gives you access to millions of videos, TV shows, and games from Xbox LIVE720p HD video output to your HDTV with optional docking station

There is more too.

This is under the Product Description section.

Zune is a premium partner in the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace, bringing an exciting catalog of TV and film to the platform. Zune is in the first slot on your Xbox user interface in the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace.

That’s pretty darn clear language. We could speculate how the service would work with Netflix and other services. About how you could buy and play certain XBL games on the Zune HD. And how Microsoft is finally supporting the Zune like it should have from the start, but we won’t. We’ll wait for Microsoft’s official word on the subject.

Zune HD gets the video treatment

Devin Coldewey — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:21:26 +0000

It’s pretty crazy over there at All Things Digital, and in the hubbub it looks like the Zune HD has had its picture tooken and video shotten. This little video tour shows off the smoothness and speed of the UI, which looks like it has adapted extremely well to the touchscreen. I have my doubts about the screen resolution (480×272 is… well, passable), but the fact that it’s OLED makes for beautiful contrast, and I think that aspect is really emphasized by the stark Zune UI.

Accelerometer looks quick, all the functionality appears intact from previous Zunes, and the touchscreen itself appears very responsive. Of course, as soon as we get one of our own we’ll give you the full rundown. There’s more pictures over at Giz if you like that sort of thing.

ZuneHD to debut at E3

Devin Coldewey — Wed, 27 May 2009 19:00:26 +0000

You saw the leaks, you read the announcement last night, and now you know when this sucker will be touchable for real. E3 will see the ZuneHD in all its glory, and we’ll be there to cover it for sure. Even if I have to tear myself away from the Dark Knight or Project Trico, I’ll get you guys some solid video of this long-awaited update to the Zune family.

Sure, it’s not an iPod-killer, but it could be a great device and it proves once again that Microsoft is committed to the platform. E3 is next week, so hold tight and we’ll get you your hands-on.

ZuneHD: official at last, but HD it ain’t

Devin Coldewey — Wed, 27 May 2009 04:09:34 +0000

The ZuneHD has been acknowledged by Microsoft, and although much of what we reported turns out to have been true (OLED touchscreen, web browser), we were hoping for a little more resolution. A 480×272 screen on a device branded “HD” is a bit misleading. I suppose the HD is for the HD radio receiver inside, but honestly, that’s not much of a killer app, though it’ll be nice for radio fans. I’ll also be happy to use a touchscreen on the Zune OS, which seems well-made for it, but I confess disappointment at what should have been a breakthrough device.

Still, the HDMI out will be nice for sure, so using this thing as a sort of emergency HTPC will be sweet if I get the chance. Here’s the skinny, straight from the press release:

Zune HD is the next iteration of the Zune device family and brings a new level of listening and viewing experiences to the portable media player category.

* Zune HD comes with a built-in HD Radio receiver so users can listen to higher-quality sound than traditional radio on the go. Users also will have access to the additional song and artist data broadcast by HD Radio stations as well as additional channels from their favorite stations multicasting in HD. If you don’t like the song playing on your station’s HD channel, switch to its HD2 or HD3 channels for additional programming.
* The bright OLED touch screen interface allows users to flip through music, movies and other content with ease, and the 16:9 widescreen format display (480×272 resolution) offers a premium viewing experience on the go.
* The HD-compatible output lets Zune HD customers playback supported HD video files from the device through a premium high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) audiovisual docking station (sold separately) direct to an HD TV in 720p.*
* Zune HD will include a full-screen Internet browser optimized for multitouch functionality.
* Zune HD is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing for instant streaming to the device from the more than 5 million-track Zune music store.

In the category of not exactly what we thought, we’ve got Xbox Live integration for Zune Marketplace videos, which will be excellent. I’d rather keep my stuff there than trapped in my Zune app.

Another leaked next-gen Zune? If so, BOL (barfing out loud)

Devin Coldewey — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 06:52:19 +0000

Let’s talk about why this isn’t a real next-generation Zune. I can think of seven reasons right off the top of my head, having used one for about a year now and knowing a little about the way things work. Can you spot all of them?

Okay, now check your answers against the list I’ve put together.

The Zune team is too aware of interface problems like the controls taking up a tiny portion of the bottom of the device. The thing would fall out of your hand again and again as you tried to grip the feeble sliver that makes up the Zune pad and buttons.
On that note, they wouldn’t do touch buttons because you grip the Zune across said buttons when you’re using the touchpad.
Zune moved to a non-chromed touchpad with the last generation of Zunes. Would they go back on that so quickly?
The art style is way off; the Zune art team likes white backgrounds, directed chaos, and a completely different palette.
The reflection. Zune doesn’t really do those kind of fade-out reflections. That’s something that every other hardware maker likes to do, especially Apple, whose stark presentation style lends itself to reflections.
This would be super-easy to Photoshop: lengthen a regular Zune, retouch the diagonal highlight (that’s the hard part), and make the buttons look like touch buttons. Boom.
It’s GOD damn ugly.

Seriously. If they come out with this dog? I’ll listen to an Insane Clown Posse album start to finish. Yeah, don’t think I’m joking.

ZuneHD details “confirmed”

Devin Coldewey — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:37:27 +0000

If I didn’t know better, I might think that the Zune team was trying to create a buzz. The ZuneHD peek-a-boo show continues, with some rather drool-inducing specs being thrown around. Apparently Microsoft has confirmed a few, probably by not saying they won’t be in the unannounced device. Off the record. But anyway, Tegra? Check. OLED? Check. Xbox 360 integration? Maybe-check.

Here’s what the latest rumors are putting inside this cryptogadget:

OLED touchscreen ~3.6 inches (very sharp, maybe even 720p?)
Nvidia Tegra chipset (probably a better version of what powered this thing)
HDMI out, Wi-Fi, and of course probably USB
HD radio (that would be nice)
Flash and HDD flavors, from 4GB to 120GB
Limited edition sexy dock

Questionable:

Camera (doubt it)
Xbox integration (would be nice)
Windows Mobile 7-ish interface?

It sounds a bit like a wish list to me, but if Microsoft really wanted to change the game, this would be a hell of a device. The idea is that it’d going to get a big-ass debut late this Fall, internationally.

But will it ship with a clock?

Another Zune render pops up with fanboy-ish specs

Matt Burns — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:59:48 +0000

There has been a quite mumbling on the ol’ Intertubes that Microsoft has another Zune in development. We kind of already knew that from an Microsoft suit interview. The latest ‘leaked’ pics sport the same design that was in the first photoset however, are clearly renderings. The source claims these pics are real, along with a long list of specs and capabilities. Some which seem kind of unlikely, but if implemented will serve as a benchmark for even Apple in portable media devices of this size.

16:9 OLED touchscreen
HDMI TV out
HD media playback
Support 3d Xbox games (whatever that means)

The screen is large, physical buttons missing, the menu familiar, but what the hell is on the back? A camera? Screw holes? (likely) Some super-duper Microsoft secret? We might find out this fall when WMPowerUser claims these players will launch in 16 GB and 32 GB, but if these early pics turn out to hold some truth to the upcoming release, we’re digging it.

ZuneHD.net is live, not registered to Microsoft

Matt Burns — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:40:35 +0000

The Internet was awash with ZuneHD pics and speculation late last week and it seems that a squatter is attempting to cash in on the rumor. ZuneHD.net appears to be a simple placeholder for an upcoming device. There is single image made in the classic Zune style, but there is something strange about the site. Mainly that the site was registered after the leak last Friday.

So here is what we know. The site is registered to a Zac Altman through GoDaddy and not Microsoft. This doesn’t mean that MS will not purchase the domain from the self-proclaimed Zune expert, but Zune fanboys need to calm down. ZuneHD.net isn’t proof that a new 720p Zune is inbound.

ZuneHD arrives in a splash of color?

Devin Coldewey — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 23:34:02 +0000

It’s all very anonymous and tipsterish, but it appears that some promotional material for new Zune hardware called the ZuneHD has leaked onto the blagosphere. Engadget got the pictures, those rascals. The art style is very Zune, so I can see these being authentic. So what do we think the ZuneHD has in store?

Well, the name is a giveaway. HD implies 720p (to me at least), but that’s kind of… ridiculous. Perhaps it’s just a generic “power up” moniker. I’m skeptical of the benefits of something like 720p in such a small form factor anyway. Still, the 1.85:1 aspect ratio screen indicates a pretty serious dedication to video. And with no visible controls (no Zune pad at least), might we be able to assume this is a touchscreen device?