Tiny software start-up Microsoft announced a big development for its Zune today: Zune HD! And the Internet heaved a collective sigh of "no joke." Indeed the Zune HD — in all its touch-screen glory — has been a badly kept secret for months. But now the zunecat’s out of the zunebag, although pricing and capacity are still under zunewraps.
The new gizmo, set to come out this fall, sports a 16:9 widescreen, though the "HD" in the name is a teeeeeny bit misleading: It’s HD radio, no video, though the gadget can do HD video output with the right docking station. That means you can use the Zune HD like a portable HD player, but you still need an HD monitor (like your HDTV) to actually view it.
The major development is Microsoft integrating Zune HD with Xbox Live, though details of said integration won’t be available until the dog-and-pony show at E3 next week. Games? Something along the lines of an app store? A magical download that turns your Zune into a wand that grants wishes and makes kittens giggle? Anything is possible, you guys.
Confession: I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Zune out in the wild. I’ve seen it in photos online, I’ve heard people use it as a punchline, and it comes up on my favorite podcast now and then.
Is the ZHD a splashy enough product to entice would-be iPod folk to switch? Is the draw of an HD radio a big enough deal — or will the Xbox Live integration be the real draw?What do you think, PopWatchers? Any hardcore Zuneophiles out there?
I have a Zune (since Christmas 06). I am a patient, old-fashioned Microsoft sadomasochist and even I cannot stand it. It never keeps a charge, turns off after 3 minutes, doesn’t save my quicklists anymore…it’s literally awful and there is no point in getting this over an iPod. Can’t express that strongly enough. Just not even close to worth it.
I have a 120gb Zune, and I absolutely love it. So far, so very good for me. I think people SHOULD check out this Zune HD model – looks cool.
The only person I know who owns and loves the Zune works for Microsoft.
It certainly looks ugly – esp. in comparison to the sleek looking iPod Touch.
It is fun to watch Microsoft continually fail at its attempts to create something “cool,” though…
I got my dad an 8gb Zune because it had a radio function. He seesm to like it.
I’m absolutely thrilled about this beauty.
Digital radio
FM radio
internet access
16×9 screen
OLED display
Xbox integration
Possible games
(the Zune pass, I know this is old, but I’ve been looking for an excuse to get it)
BTW I’m quite sure the Micrsoft itself was leaking the Zune HD info.
I’ve never understood why people buy itouch over an Archos, so a zune ? with ms “technology” ?? seriously, do people compare products before buying or they just care about how it looks ? (and of course, does a celebrity own one ?…)
Been using the ZUNE 80 since launch. Absolutely happy with it. My fiancee has an IPOD Nano and is happy with that. But since I play XBOX 360, already have my Microsoft Credits (which work on Marketplace on Live and Zune) I see no reason to go anywhere else but ZUNE HD.
My hopes are that MS will announce either a Gameing Model OR a Gaming Attachment of some sort at E3. I would really love to see this thing go head to head with both iPod AND Sony’s PSP.
To those of you who continue the same old “I hope MS fails again” mantra… remember the original XBOX… Sometimes getting a small foothold is all MS needs to launch a Success.
By the way, wouldn’t the consumer be better served with some good old fashion “competition”? I know it’s a redical concept, but seriously.
Anyway, let’s hope for some cool “as of yet unknown” tech to be announced at E3… I know I am.
And @jj: how about calling MS support, that’s what they’re there for.
I have the 80 gig Zune and I love it!!! I even bought a second one for my hubby and had a problem with it. I called Microsoft and they sent me a prepaid label and returned to me a new Zune. As far as the problems mentioned below, I have never experienced that. My kids have the ipod and they love theirs but I find that the Zune program is much easier to maneuver around and takes much less time than itunes. With us being a family with both gadgets, I think you would have to pry my Zune from my stiff, dead hands before I would buy a ipod for myself…lol. Just an opinion.
Can you call people on it? No? OK.
I own an 8gb Zune, and I absolutely love it. I’m definitely getting on this new wagon, hope it’s a flash drive, I’m afraid of the hard drive failure.
I have a 120G Zune and an Ipod, and I’ll admit that my Zune gets more use. The best thing about it is it syncs to my wireless home network anytime it is in range, so my song library (as well as video) stays up to date. Sometimes we even leave it plugged-in in our car (a Ford with Sync) and it still reaches our network in the driveway to keep the library updated. I wish it had the Ipod’s games and other apps…
I want something cool, that not everyone else has. so yes.. this might be it.
It will only be a matter of a few more years before other products come out that rival the apple line.
I have a Zune 80 and I can’t live without it. Fuhk the Ipod and the Ipod sheep. I prefer the Zune for it’s larger memory and lower price!
Sorry guys, I’ve worked with computers all my life (including my BS degree)… From having both Apple II’s and MS-DOS machines in my life as a kid to having both OS X and XP machines in my house now… And you’ll NEVER catch me buying a Microsoft product over an Apple one if I can help it. I know two people with Zunes who passionately hate them and hundreds of happy iPod owners (and several other brand owners who are also happy, I realize there are other options). And heaven forbid something does go wrong, Apple’s customer service is way better. They jumped through hoops for me once when they had no obligation to do so (we got robbed and they had to go to their archives to get me transaction info that was more than a year old… It took several days and *gasp* they actually called back!)