Week in review: Microsoft making moves

During a busy week of high-profile tech conferences, Microsoft delivered a double shot to steal the media spotlight.

Microsoft announced its plans to take on the iPod Touch with a new, touch-screen Zune that will be able to surf the Web, play high-definition movies, and tune in to digital radio. The Zune HD, which will be available in the U.S. only starting this fall, features an HD Radio tuner as well as an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) touch screen, Microsoft said. It is based on Windows CE and will use a version of Internet Explorer customized for its touch screen, Microsoft said.

The software maker did not announce pricing or capacity, though it said the device will use flash memory and attempt to take on Apple's high-end iPod models.

The software maker also said that at next week's E3 trade show in Los Angeles it will announce details on a new Zune-branded video service for the Xbox that will replace the current Xbox Live marketplace for TV and movies. The company didn't announce details or specifically say that content will be playable on both Zunes and the Xbox.

Microsoft also took the wraps off Bing, the rebranded and rebuilt search engine formerly code-named Kumo, designed to replace Live Search.

Bing isn't available to the public yet, but you won't have to wait long. Starting on June 1, some users will get Bing search results from Live Search. On June 3, we're told, Bing will be Microsoft's new default search. We got early access to the service. Here's how it looks.

Crave editor Rafe Needleman found it to be a solid improvement over the previous search product, and said it that beats Google in important areas. It's surprisingly competitive with Google, according to Rafe, who also said it will help Microsoft gain share in the search business.

CNET News' Ina Fried has a report on how this all came about, including a profile on Brian MacDonald, the creator of Microsoft Project and Microsoft Outlook, who came out of retirement to help redesign the user interface for Microsoft's search engine.

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[tipoo_]

Looks awesome! I'm exited, i've been itching to get away from Itunes.

[Fil0403]

I agree it looks good and it's exciting, but I have to admit your comment regarding iTunes puzzles me, since it is actually one of the main reasons why I wouldn't switch my iPod for anything else (Zune HD included) - I started using it even before I had an iPod and I still find it better than WMP as a digital music jukebox.

[seven7dust]

Itunes on the windows side has it's problems
but wat makes the iPod touch wat it is is the iPhone O.S and all it's software !
I doubt Microsoft can really competete with Apple on the touch O.S front
especially after looking at the current state of Windows Mobile

[gosmith7590]

The marriage of two loser technologies - the power-hungry HD Radio chipset, with dropouts and poor reception, gets put on the Zune HD, while Microsoft's Zune HD gets free promotion from the HD Radio Alliance:

http://hdradiofarce.blogspot.com

[Fil0403]

1) Zune is not a technology, it's a product.

2) I would agree if you'd say it's not exactly a huge success (I know I wouldn't switch my iPod for any other MP3 player, Zune HD included), but "loser" strikes me as a rather interesting way of describing the 2nd most sold hard-drive based digital music player worldwide.

[Fil0403]

I'm not seeing myself (nor most people, for that matter) moving off of Google or iPod in favor of these (just yet?) and I do still consider these to be better products, but kudos to Microsoft for the valuable improvements and for closing the gap.

[seven7dust]

yup Me too !
the OLED screen on the Zune HD will most definitely be Awesome
and Bing's video search is Nice too
Kudos to MS for making decent improvements for once !