Zune HD apps and games confirmed, Twitter and Facebook due

(3 replies) #1 LAMj on 15 Sep 2009 - 08:40

Now is it a good time to make a Zune phone? WM is getting old.

#1.1 M_Lyons10 on 15 Sep 2009 - 13:27

LAMj said,

Now is it a good time to make a Zune phone? WM is getting old.

I agree. It looks like the Zune OS would be a reasonable starting point for an updated version of Windows Mobile. Something more touch friendly... The only issue is the fact that they are likely to continue making phones that are not touch as well (As there's a good number of people that prefer it), so it would have to work for that as well...

#1.2 neodorian on 15 Sep 2009 - 14:53

LAMj said,

Now is it a good time to make a Zune phone? WM is getting old.

Yes! My past 2 phones were WM and were pretty capable with features not found on most other devices. Still, over the past year there have been too many new and updated platforms coming out and I had to switch. I was getting tired of cooking new ROMs all the time to squeeze a little more performance out of an aging OS.

Hopefully they work this into WM7 because I've been waiting for a new, 3d-accelerated, Tegra-based WM platform for a while now. For now, though, it's Palm and WebOS for me and, if I had a second choice, Android on one of the flashy new devices just recently out or in the near future.

#1.3 JonathanMarston on 15 Sep 2009 - 18:34

LAMj said,

Now is it a good time to make a Zune phone? WM is getting old.

What they should do is create a Zune phone that is more entertainment oriented, and a Windows Phone that is more business oriented. Making one that does both just as well is difficult - if not impossible.

(15 replies) #2 cope on 15 Sep 2009 - 09:03

Bring this stuff to Europe. ASAP.

#2.1 cakesy on 15 Sep 2009 - 09:31

Anyone read this article about the Zune?

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/09...he_zune_hd.html

Now, I don't believe everything it says in that article, it is from a pro-apple website after all. I still think the oled screen will be amazing, just as with the new Sony walkmans. But I am worried about the processor, it does seem to be built up on hype.

Tegra's ARM11/integrated graphics = 35 fps in Quake III.
Pandora's Coretex-A8 with SGX GPU core =40-60 fps.

It sseem to be underpowered, compared with what is in the iPhone, Google phone and palm.

#2.2 XerXis on 15 Sep 2009 - 10:48

cakesy said,

Anyone read this article about the Zune?

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/09...he_zune_hd.html

Now, I don't believe everything it says in that article, it is from a pro-apple website after all. I still think the oled screen will be amazing, just as with the new Sony walkmans. But I am worried about the processor, it does seem to be built up on hype.

Tegra's ARM11/integrated graphics = 35 fps in Quake III.
Pandora's Coretex-A8 with SGX GPU core =40-60 fps.

It sseem to be underpowered, compared with what is in the iPhone, Google phone and palm.

i'd take anything that article says with a sea of salt grains.

#2.3 pc_tool on 15 Sep 2009 - 12:00

cakesy said,

Anyone read this article about the Zune?

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/09...he_zune_hd.html

Now, I don't believe everything it says in that article, it is from a pro-apple website after all. I still think the oled screen will be amazing, just as with the new Sony walkmans. But I am worried about the processor, it does seem to be built up on hype.

Tegra's ARM11/integrated graphics = 35 fps in Quake III.
Pandora's Coretex-A8 with SGX GPU core =40-60 fps.

It sseem to be underpowered, compared with what is in the iPhone, Google phone and palm.

The Microsoft fanbois on this site are going love an article which lays out how bad the Zune HD really is. Of course they will deny it, however the proof will be when, like the fugly Microsoft zune before it, the Microsoft Zune HD will fail miserably with few units sold.

#2.4 Liam Wolf on 15 Sep 2009 - 12:16

pc_tool said,

The Microsoft fanbois on this site are going love an article which lays out how bad the Zune HD really is. Of course they will deny it, however the proof will be when, like the fugly Microsoft zune before it, the Microsoft Zune HD will fail miserably with few units sold.

Hmm, have you personally tested this hardware? If not than be quiet. Let people believe Zune HD is great until the hardware is tested by a non-apple fanboi site and than decide rather you really want to stick your neck out into the lions cage.

By the way: Microsoft has Fanboys not Fanbois.

#2.5 Antaris on 15 Sep 2009 - 12:41

pc_tool said,

The Microsoft fanbois on this site are going love an article which lays out how bad the Zune HD really is. Of course they will deny it, however the proof will be when, like the fugly Microsoft zune before it, the Microsoft Zune HD will fail miserably with few units sold.

Do you actually read what you write?

#2.6 M_Lyons10 on 15 Sep 2009 - 13:31

pc_tool said,

The Microsoft fanbois on this site are going love an article which lays out how bad the Zune HD really is. Of course they will deny it, however the proof will be when, like the fugly Microsoft zune before it, the Microsoft Zune HD will fail miserably with few units sold.

Yes, because you're clearly unbiased... *snicker*

With regards to Tegra, it has been shown doing some very impressive things. I am going to hold off on making a determination until I can actually play with it (A benefit you do not seem inclined to give it), but it doesn't appear to be underpowered based on what has been shown running on it.

#2.7 WelshBluebird on 15 Sep 2009 - 13:56

cakesy said,

Anyone read this article about the Zune?

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/09...he_zune_hd.html

Now, I don't believe everything it says in that article, it is from a pro-apple website after all. I still think the oled screen will be amazing, just as with the new Sony walkmans. But I am worried about the processor, it does seem to be built up on hype.

Tegra's ARM11/integrated graphics = 35 fps in Quake III.
Pandora's Coretex-A8 with SGX GPU core =40-60 fps.

It sseem to be underpowered, compared with what is in the iPhone, Google phone and palm.

I'm taking that article with a pinch of salt. Mainly because of this:
"The newest release of Windows Mobile 6.5 won't even work on lots expensive hardware sold in the last year.". That is BS. My Xperia X1 is nearly a year old, and runs WM6.5 easily.

#2.8 JonathanMarston on 15 Sep 2009 - 15:41

The article makes the assumption that the Zune is an old OLED screen, and the Tegra is just a rebranded version of the chip that was supplied to Apple in the past. Apparently they even have inside information on the OS being used by the Zune HD by stating that it can't support multi-core processors.

How do they know all these intricate details about the Zune HD's underlying hardware and software? They don't: they're just guessing. Sure, it may be an educated guess, and the Zune HD probably isn't the most state-of-the-art device out there, but the article was written by someone with a pro-Apple, anti-MS slant, with no real solid information - just conjecture.

#2.9 Ozood on 15 Sep 2009 - 15:44

I hope no article says that. I have an HP iPaq hx2000 series running it fine. It originally ran WM2003.

#2.10 cakesy on 15 Sep 2009 - 21:59

WelshBluebird said,

I'm taking that article with a pinch of salt. Mainly because of this:
"The newest release of Windows Mobile 6.5 won't even work on lots expensive hardware sold in the last year.". That is BS. My Xperia X1 is nearly a year old, and runs WM6.5 easily.

Fair enough, don't trust that article explicitly, which is what I said. But you have a leap of logic in your next line.

You have a device that runs wm6.5 Lots of devices bought last year won't run it.

They didn't say no devices will run it, so unless you go out and buy all of last years devices, you can't really prove anything on your own.

If what they say is true, this is a real shame. Of course, the first google phone, g1, won't have enough mem to run the next version of android (cupcake?), so this is hardly new.

#2.11 nohone on 15 Sep 2009 - 23:47

Yes, the iPhone Quake ran faster than the demo given running on the Tegra chipset. The difference is that on the iPhone the image displayed was generated using iPhone resolution, 480x320 giving that framerate.

The Tegra was demoed using a resolution of 800x480 with Antialiasing and Ansitropic Filtering enabled, two features that were not used with iPhone.

So an image that has 2.5 times fewer pixels with AA and AF turned off, and it is only about 5fps faster? Doesn't seem like the iPhone is that much better to me.

#2.12 cakesy on 15 Sep 2009 - 23:56

nohone said,

Yes, the iPhone Quake ran faster than the demo given running on the Tegra chipset. The difference is that on the iPhone the image displayed was generated using iPhone resolution, 480x320 giving that framerate.

The Tegra was demoed using a resolution of 800x480 with Antialiasing and Ansitropic Filtering enabled, two features that were not used with iPhone.

So an image that has 2.5 times fewer pixels with AA and AF turned off, and it is only about 5fps faster? Doesn't seem like the iPhone is that much better to me.

I don't trust a lot of that article, but either you are confused, or outright lying.

"Above the fold is Quake III running at 35fps with anti-aliasing turned on, while below is HD video output at 720p via HDMI out,"

from here: http://gizmodo.com/5012851/nvidia-tegra-vi...ing-like-butter

You are mashing up 2 different demos. The first, on the device, outputs at zune screen resolution, and does 35fps. Yes, it has anti-aliasing, so we need them to switch it off and see how it compares.

#2.13 nohone on 16 Sep 2009 - 00:18

From http://techreport.com/discussions.x/14864

"Nvidia has posted several videos of the its new Tegra mobile SoC in action, and the chip can apparently handle Q3A at 35 FPS at a resolution of 800 x 480 with lightmaps, dynamic lighting, high geometry detail, antialiasing, and anisotropic filtering all enabled."

#2.14 nohone on 16 Sep 2009 - 00:27

BTW, where would I be incorrect or lying? In fact, the first video states exactly what I wrote, WVGA (which is 800x480) with AA and AF, and the Gizmodo article says it is running at 35fps.
800x480 == 384000
480x320 == 153600
153600 * 2.5 == 384000

So a 2.5 larger image, with more features enabled, runs 5fps slower than the iPhone version.

Again, where was I lying?

#2.15 cakesy on 16 Sep 2009 - 04:22

nohone said,

BTW, where would I be incorrect or lying? In fact, the first video states exactly what I wrote, WVGA (which is 800x480) with AA and AF, and the Gizmodo article says it is running at 35fps.
800x480 == 384000
480x320 == 153600
153600 * 2.5 == 384000

So a 2.5 larger image, with more features enabled, runs 5fps slower than the iPhone version.

Again, where was I lying?

Ok, you got me, my mistake. I though the video was of the Zune, not some other device. The Tegra does indeed look impressive. I look forward to reading some reviews on the Zune soon, and the no doubt many, many comparisons.

Strange that they don't come with any software, so all the people who get them early, including reviewers, can't try it out. I have seen a few people wishing they could write about them.

(4 replies) #3 Calum on 15 Sep 2009 - 09:06

Great news!

This is now a certain solid competitor to the iPod touch. In my opinion, it is much better than the iPod touch. It's just a shame Microsoft haven't released this outside the US yet and are unlikely to do so this year. The longer they wait, the more people will buy an iPod touch and the less revenue MS will gain when they finally do release it worldwide :/ I'd like this product to do very well, but I think MS have got it wrong here; they don't need to test the market with that product, not only is it just fantastic but people want a touchscreen media player with those sort of features.

Last edited by Calum on 15 Sep 2009 - 09:20

#3.1 cakesy on 15 Sep 2009 - 09:14

Calum said,

Great news!

This is now a certain solid competitor to the iPod touch. In my opinion, it is much better than the iPod touch. It's just a shame Microsoft haven't released outside the US yet because the longer they wait, the more people will buy an iPod touch :/ I'd like this product to do very well.

From what I have read, they are not allowing anyone to create apps for it, like Apple have. You have to be a big company. There is not going to be any open marketplace. Hopefully they change their minds.

#3.2 Calum on 15 Sep 2009 - 09:22

Ah, I see. Thank you for the info there

I also hope they will change their minds because that's not the way to go. The reason Apple's App Store has become so successful is because of the amount of apps. available and the variety.

#3.3 cakesy on 15 Sep 2009 - 22:00

Calum said,

Ah, I see. Thank you for the info there

I also hope they will change their minds because that's not the way to go. The reason Apple's App Store has become so successful is because of the amount of apps. available and the variety.

found this quote:
"The Zune marketing manager was quoted in the Seattle Times on whether the Zune would open up for 3rd-party apps, and he gave a response of such mind-numbing PR-speak that John Gruber of Daring Fireball was moved to provide this English translation: "No, because our mobile strategy is a convoluted mess.""

#3.4 nohone on 16 Sep 2009 - 00:47

XNA with the Zune HD extension pack which offers APIs for developing touch based apps and APIs for the accelerometer:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...73-0b7f83ef77f9

(5 replies) #4 +Berserk87 on 15 Sep 2009 - 09:12

I'm willing to bet that if this is as successful as there hoping for, a year or so from now will be a revamp that functions as a phone and zune hd.
same as the ipod touch/iphone, there will be zune hd, zune phone.

#4.1 cakesy on 15 Sep 2009 - 09:15

I will be surprised if they wait a year to announce the zune phone. I think we can see it coming. Look at all the companies moving to android, I think they know that Microsoft is going to drop winmo, and produce its own phone, just as they dropped play4sure (funny name), and released there own mp3 player.

#4.2 pupdawg21 on 15 Sep 2009 - 09:49

Microsoft didn't exactly drop plays4sure. There is some misconception. They dropped the technology for their own use with their products but the technology is still licensed for use to other companies to my understanding. For example I'm pretty sure that Napster's ToGo service is using Microsoft's Plays4sure technology. It seems what they did is segment Windows Media Player and the Plays4Sure technology for use by anyone and designated the Zune Technology solely for themselves. Which is why the Zune does not work with Windows Media Player but pretty much every other stand alone player does. It all leads to their attempt to try to create an eco-system similar to what Apple has done with iTunes/iPOD.

#4.3 M_Lyons10 on 15 Sep 2009 - 14:53

Berserk87 said,

I'm willing to bet that if this is as successful as there hoping for, a year or so from now will be a revamp that functions as a phone and zune hd.
same as the ipod touch/iphone, there will be zune hd, zune phone.

I expect them to do this as well, but I don't think they will drop Windows Mobile entirely. I think they will integrate a cleaner UI similar to Zune's into Windows Mobile. Microsoft does try pretty hard to not break applications developed for their platforms, so I don't expect them to scrap the old code entirely.

#4.4 M_Lyons10 on 15 Sep 2009 - 14:54

I couldn't edit for some reason... I wanted to add that:

With that said, I am really looking forward to Microsoft updating their mobile OS'... Perhaps Project Pink?

#4.5 lordcanti86 on 16 Sep 2009 - 17:53

M_Lyons10 said,

Berserk87 said,

I'm willing to bet that if this is as successful as there hoping for, a year or so from now will be a revamp that functions as a phone and zune hd.
same as the ipod touch/iphone, there will be zune hd, zune phone.

I expect them to do this as well, but I don't think they will drop Windows Mobile entirely. I think they will integrate a cleaner UI similar to Zune's into Windows Mobile. Microsoft does try pretty hard to not break applications developed for their platforms, so I don't expect them to scrap the old code entirely.

I think MS's plan is to eventually integrate Zune into their other products, including the Xbox, Windows Mobile, and even Windows itself (as much as anti-trust laws will allow them).

(10 replies) #5 Leonick on 15 Sep 2009 - 10:17

Well that is great news, though i doubt too many will bother, i mean with the iPod Touch and iPhone already established, many units i mean. Also the Zune is only in the US, big disappointment

#5.1 pc_tool on 15 Sep 2009 - 12:02

Leonick said,

Well that is great news, though i doubt too many will bother, i mean with the iPod Touch and iPhone already established, many units i mean. Also the Zune is only in the US, big disappointment

not to mention the Microsoft Zune HD fails in about every category. Did you read that Apple Insider article?

#5.2 +xiphi on 15 Sep 2009 - 12:23

Why would anyone read an Apple Insider article?

#5.3 jandler on 15 Sep 2009 - 13:08

pc_tool said,

not to mention the Microsoft Zune HD fails in about every category. Did you read that Apple Insider article?

I actually spent some time reading the apple insider article. Most of it is based on little data drawing bigger conclusions. A little bit of this, a little bit of that...typical FUD. Nothing more.

#5.4 GreyWolfSC on 15 Sep 2009 - 13:59

That Apple Insider article is a joke. About the only thing relavant I could find in it is that it correctly states the Zune HD is a Microsoft product and it has an nVidia chip in it.

1. Microsoft only demonstrates the Zune HD in the dark. Um, ok, except for all those videos from well-lit trade show floors.

2. Their complaint about the Tegra chip seems to be only backed up with information from an analyst in 2007 which turned out to be inaccurate.

3. Microsoft has always stated from the time they announced the device that HD video output would be via external display.

4. Nobody's ever said that the HD radio in the Zune HD is anything other than the HD radio the broadcasting industry has been promoting. It can, in fact, carry high-definition and 5.1 surround.

5. This is mostly opinion, and is related to #2, but Windows CE does apparently support multiple processors and the CE that's supposedly in the Zune is optimized as such. The Windows CE SDK is designed to allow you to customize it in great detail to the device you're building the package for.

#5.5 zagor on 15 Sep 2009 - 14:46

pc_tool said,

not to mention the Microsoft Zune HD fails in about every category. Did you read that Apple Insider article?

You believe everything you read ha?
Why don't you use your own eyes and brain? Go to a bestbuy store and compare your itouch with zune, yourself!

This is free advice from an iphone 3gs owner!

#5.6 M_Lyons10 on 15 Sep 2009 - 14:50

pc_tool said,

not to mention the Microsoft Zune HD fails in about every category. Did you read that Apple Insider article?

I think the key words there are "Apple Insider article"... LOL I'd prefer to rely on entirely unbiased reviews of the product. Just as I wouldn't go to a Microsoft centric publication for a review of the iPod Touch, I would not go to an Apple centric publication for the Zune... To do so doesn't make any sense whatsoever to me...

#5.7 zagor on 15 Sep 2009 - 14:54

M_Lyons10 said,

I think the key words there are "Apple Insider article"... LOL I'd prefer to rely on entirely unbiased reviews of the product. Just as I wouldn't go to a Microsoft centric publication for a review of the iPod Touch, I would not go to an Apple centric publication for the Zune... To do so doesn't make any sense whatsoever to me...

It doesnt have to make sense...Sense has nothing to do with it :-)
You just have to believe it :-)

#5.8 M_Lyons10 on 15 Sep 2009 - 15:11

zagor said,

It doesnt have to make sense...Sense has nothing to do with it :-)
You just have to believe it :-)

hahaha, that made me chuckle... ;-)

#5.9 cakesy on 15 Sep 2009 - 23:59

M_Lyons10 said,

I think the key words there are "Apple Insider article"... LOL I'd prefer to rely on entirely unbiased reviews of the product. Just as I wouldn't go to a Microsoft centric publication for a review of the iPod Touch, I would not go to an Apple centric publication for the Zune... To do so doesn't make any sense whatsoever to me...

You are completely mixed up. You should not trust Microsofts article about the Zune, nor Apple article about the iPod. You should read lots of sources, and claiming to skip the biased ones is a joke. There is a huge amount of bias here, just as there is at Apple insider. Your comments, for example, are always pro-Microsoft for some reason.

#5.10 lordcanti86 on 16 Sep 2009 - 17:45

pc_tool said,

not to mention the Microsoft Zune HD fails in about every category. Did you read that Apple Insider article?

Yes, because when I think of unbiased analysis of a Microsoft product, I think Apple Insider.

#6 Xero on 15 Sep 2009 - 14:35

Wooo, Vans Sk8: Pool Service & Audiosurf Tilt. WHERE DO I SIGN?!

(4 replies) #7 Windows7even on 15 Sep 2009 - 14:40

apps are wurking now..but wtf....only like 8 games and 2 apps...that blows!

#7.1 neodorian on 15 Sep 2009 - 14:57

What do you expect? New platform and all... Give it some time. Palm Pre hasn't even opened the official app store (still in beta) and there are something like 50 apps after a few months as well as over 200 beta/homebrew apps and games. These things take a little while to pile up but if the platform is good, you will see more within a few months. If it is hard to develop for then you may not be so lucky. I haven't read much about the developer framework or SDK so I can't really make any predictions.

#7.2 M_Lyons10 on 15 Sep 2009 - 15:15

neodorian said,

What do you expect? New platform and all... Give it some time. Palm Pre hasn't even opened the official app store (still in beta) and there are something like 50 apps after a few months as well as over 200 beta/homebrew apps and games. These things take a little while to pile up but if the platform is good, you will see more within a few months. If it is hard to develop for then you may not be so lucky. I haven't read much about the developer framework or SDK so I can't really make any predictions.

I haven't either, but it uses WPF, so I'm assuming you can develop in .Net? I mean, it would only make sense for Microsoft to open the device up to this huge repository of developers and hobbyists... If this is the case, I expect the apps to add up rather quickly...

Now just to hope for a way to weed out the junk...

#7.3 winlonghorn on 15 Sep 2009 - 18:03

M_Lyons10 said,

I haven't either, but it uses WPF, so I'm assuming you can develop in .Net? I mean, it would only make sense for Microsoft to open the device up to this huge repository of developers and hobbyists... If this is the case, I expect the apps to add up rather quickly...

Now just to hope for a way to weed out the junk...

Sadly, this is not a true App Store yet. They said that they are not opening it for third party developers at this time. They are simply developing several high quality apps themselves for now. The reason given was that they don't want overlapping products and the Windows Mobile team is creating an App Marketplace. They are waiting to see if that will be viable for the Zune.

#7.4 cakesy on 16 Sep 2009 - 00:00

winlonghorn said,

M_Lyons10 said,

I haven't either, but it uses WPF, so I'm assuming you can develop in .Net? I mean, it would only make sense for Microsoft to open the device up to this huge repository of developers and hobbyists... If this is the case, I expect the apps to add up rather quickly...

Now just to hope for a way to weed out the junk...

Sadly, this is not a true App Store yet. They said that they are not opening it for third party developers at this time. They are simply developing several high quality apps themselves for now. The reason given was that they don't want overlapping products and the Windows Mobile team is creating an App Marketplace. They are waiting to see if that will be viable for the Zune.

This is a huge mistake for Microsoft. Sure, Apple took a year to open an app store, but it was still the first. Microsoft has to compete with all the other app stores out there right now, as well as the king of them all.

(2 replies) #8 +Techno_Funky on 15 Sep 2009 - 16:08

Pretty much killed much interest in that device the moment they announced of not going international.

#8.1 cakesy on 16 Sep 2009 - 00:01

Techno_Funky said,

Pretty much killed much interest in that device the moment they announced of not going international.

All these devices, from palm, google phone, iphone are first released in the US, then the rest of the world. It will come, don't worry (unless it fails, which Microsoft wont allow. Expect to see lots of ads coming your way soon).

#8.2 lordcanti86 on 16 Sep 2009 - 17:43

cakesy said,

All these devices, from palm, google phone, iphone are first released in the US, then the rest of the world. It will come, don't worry (unless it fails, which Microsoft wont allow. Expect to see lots of ads coming your way soon).

The real issue with taking the Zune HD international is the HD radio standard (which is different in Europe than here in the US) and the Zune Pass (which would require contract negotiations with European record labels. There are lots of little RIAAs everywhere).

(1 reply) #9 dimithrak on 15 Sep 2009 - 16:28

yeah Microsoft need to let go of their stupid Start logo and focus on promoting the ZUNE OS as the new mobile platform for them.. they are too stuck on the name "WINDOWS" lol

#9.1 lordcanti86 on 16 Sep 2009 - 17:50

dimithrak said,

yeah Microsoft need to let go of their stupid Start logo and focus on promoting the ZUNE OS as the new mobile platform for them.. they are too stuck on the name "WINDOWS" lol

Windows Mobile 7 will be based on the Zune HD OS

(3 replies) #10 a1ien on 15 Sep 2009 - 17:17

hello from seattle

#10.1 winlonghorn on 15 Sep 2009 - 18:04

a1ien said,

hello from seattle

lol, yeah I wonder why the Zune HD says that?

Mine should say, "Hello from Erie, PA!"

#10.2 cakesy on 16 Sep 2009 - 00:01

winlonghorn said,

lol, yeah I wonder why the Zune HD says that?

Mine should say, "Hello from Erie, PA!"

Or, more likely, hello from Zadung City, China.

#10.3 lordcanti86 on 16 Sep 2009 - 17:39

winlonghorn said,

lol, yeah I wonder why the Zune HD says that?

Mine should say, "Hello from Erie, PA!"

MS headquarters is located in Redmond, Washington, which is very near Seattle.

#11 zagor on 15 Sep 2009 - 20:12

woow..this thing has an amazing screen. Good thing that best buy is very closeby. I wish my iphone had the same screen. Just gorgeous, fantastic.

#12 +Kirbeh on 15 Sep 2009 - 20:32

AUDIOSURF ON IPHONE NOW PLOX

(4 replies) #13 mrmomoman on 15 Sep 2009 - 22:23

Just picked (3) 32GB Zune HD's. I just sold my newer itouch and so did the other 2 to pick this up before testing it. I am impressed to say the least. The screen is really nice and I like the A/V out to HDTV. Now my movies have a place to be seen instead of my 30" monitors. The FM Transmitter for the Car is nice since one of my cars doesn't have an audio plug for Apple or MP3 players. The HD radio is really nice. I can't wait for the marketplace to fill up.

Overall I really like it and not even wondering if I made a questionable purchase.

I would highly recommend the Zune HD. But don't be surprised that its smaller than you expected but it feels right in your hands as well as its very very well constructed.

#13.1 cakesy on 16 Sep 2009 - 00:02

mrmomoman said,

Just picked (3) 32GB Zune HD's. I just sold my newer itouch and so did the other 2 to pick this up before testing it. I am impressed to say the least. The screen is really nice and I like the A/V out to HDTV. Now my movies have a place to be seen instead of my 30" monitors. The FM Transmitter for the Car is nice since one of my cars doesn't have an audio plug for Apple or MP3 players. The HD radio is really nice. I can't wait for the marketplace to fill up.

Overall I really like it and not even wondering if I made a questionable purchase.

I would highly recommend the Zune HD. But don't be surprised that its smaller than you expected but it feels right in your hands as well as its very very well constructed.

So you have an ipod Touch (you can't even get the name right), and you never though of playing movies on it? You know you can get apps for it, right?

#13.2 Liam Wolf on 16 Sep 2009 - 00:48

cakesy said,

So you have an ipod Touch (you can't even get the name right), and you never though of playing movies on it? You know you can get apps for it, right?

I think he meant that he is happy he can A/V out to other HDTV's and Monitors.

#13.3 mrmomoman on 16 Sep 2009 - 01:29

Cakesy are you one of those people who has to correct others when you know what they are talking about but its not to your standards? Or try to question their comments because they didn't call the device they have what you like to call it? An ITOUCH is an IPOD TOUCH? Does that make you happy? An IPOD is an IPOD or is it an IPOD classic, mini, etc. I have one of those too. Would you like pictures? Would that make you happy?

I have played movies on the I-Touch(Ipod Touch). Thanks for the update on the movie playing bit. A/V out to HDTV does that not compute? I do not need to write a technical review as we all know that it outputs 720p to an HDTV. I like this feature and it worked very well so I commented on it.

Thanks for pointing things out to me. Now I can rest happily knowing this.

#13.4 cakesy on 17 Sep 2009 - 01:05

mrmomoman said,

Cakesy are you one of those people who has to correct others when you know what they are talking about but its not to your standards? Or try to question their comments because they didn't call the device they have what you like to call it? An ITOUCH is an IPOD TOUCH? Does that make you happy? An IPOD is an IPOD or is it an IPOD classic, mini, etc. I have one of those too. Would you like pictures? Would that make you happy?

I have played movies on the I-Touch(Ipod Touch). Thanks for the update on the movie playing bit. A/V out to HDTV does that not compute? I do not need to write a technical review as we all know that it outputs 720p to an HDTV. I like this feature and it worked very well so I commented on it.

Thanks for pointing things out to me. Now I can rest happily knowing this.

yeah, just that your comment sounds like ad copy from Micrsoft Marketing department themselves. And how can you even write that you have never thought that it was a bad decision, surely you would have to think about it before you wrote that?

I am sure the Zune is a nice little machine, just don't need someone from Microsoft marketing coming in here telling us that. I will wait for the real reviews thanks.

(1 reply) #14 lordcanti86 on 16 Sep 2009 - 17:38

One would imagine that Bing and Windows Live apps are also in the works, along with possibly YouTube and MSN Video.

Last edited by lordcanti86 on 16 Sep 2009 - 17:47

#14.1 +Chsoriano on 16 Sep 2009 - 20:45

yeah, I'm kind of hoping these come out soon, a Live Mail and Bing search app would be cool

#15 t0l4 on 16 Sep 2009 - 20:26

my bday is in a couple of days ^_^ , andy generous giver get me a zuneHD :p ? i want one sooo bad :d

#16 pupdawg21 on 17 Sep 2009 - 17:38

I went out and got a Zune HD and it is quite nice. There have been some people complaining saying they are getting long ads at the start of some of the Gaming apps. I received a ZunePass ad when I launched the Chess game but I haven't gotten any ads on any of the other apps and the ad was quite short maybe 2 seconds.

- The video playback is clean, crisp, and smooth
- HD 720P video output with the Dock
- The Web Browser is pretty decent. - Much better than the IE thats typically in Microsoft's Mobile devices like phones
- Audio Quality, imaging, and channel seperation is great.
- Browsing Audio/Video/Podcasts is very fluid and visual
- Some nice graphical effects when tracks play
- The HD Radio Quality is great and you can tag whats playing of course to download/search for later
- There is no physical button that I've found to turn the volume up or down but there is a dedicated button on the left side that pops open a touch interface to the volume that you can use from anywhere.
- They got rid of the stupid multiple button function to turn the device off there is a proper Power button right on the top of the device.
- Play games while listening to music
- Seems to be quite capable graphical wise ... Looking forward to seeing what Games developers put together for the device.
- Headphones included sound quality is good but its not the excellent squishy ones that the 80GB Zune originals had.
- Lighter, smaller, and thinner than I thought it would be.
- Has some what of a layered display. So on the left you can see whats currently playing, yours pins, history, and some other information and on the right there still is enough space for you to see and launch the main menu options without seeming cluttered.

Cons:
- It doesn't come with the excellent squishy headphones with the cloth wire that came with the Zune 80GB's

. I really liked those headphones. I have small ears so hard end ear buds tend to hurt my ears or barely fit and those headphones did a good job of cancelling out outside noise

- Wireless signal isn't quite as good as I'd like. I found myself being connected sometimes but not able to successfully browse the internet

- Slim pickings for Apps at the moment - About 10 apps/games All by Microsoft

- Ad before launch of some apps. I haven't experienced this much some reported seeing ads for cars and such when launching the apps. All I have seen is an ad for Zune Pass that lasts about 2-3 seconds not too annoying.

- Strong smell of something in the packaging housing the headphones and sync cable ... It doesn't exactly stink but it smells chemical like. Like new car smell but a little worst. But some people love the new car smell

- there should be a 1 click URL clear button on the web browser interface. Instead it looks like you need to hold the backspace button for a few seconds. There might be something that does this but I haven't found it yet and maybe overlooking it.

- Screen kinda becomes almost invisible in certain sun light angles

- I keep finding myself swiping the area under the screen to the left/right to go back (like I do on the Palm Pre all the time) when you can't do that hehe. That part of the device isn't touch sensitive.You tap the arrow at the upper left of the screen or the enlarged text at the top of the screen to go back on any screen.

Not really a con but the feel of the touch screen felt funny to me initially in comparison to my other primary touch sensitive device the Palm Pre. But after about 2 minutes or so that feeling of oddness went away.

Don't have any hard details on battery life yet. Still draining it down from first full charge/sync.

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