Comments on: Microsoft confirms Zune HD coming this fall

The new device will feature an HD Radio tuner and OLED screen, but will it be enough to take on the iPod Touch? Also, Microsoft is rebranding Xbox video service with Zune name.

[QuetzalcoatlUSA]

Whoa! HD Radio tuner. Now if there was only something to listen to on terrestrial radio. Same junk content, only in HD! Good thing there are suckers born every minute.

[HughT]

I have both iPod 80 Gb and Zune 80 Gb players and of the two I prefer the Zune for the screen and picture quality. However I will not buy another of either of these until they provide some way to transfer files from the Zune back to the PC. It is ridiculous that with all this storage capacity I now have, I still must separately back up my music collection on another HD or portable media. I have approximately 40+ Gb of music and videos that I have collected over the years and I should be able to feel secure that if my PC should fail I still have my media files safely on my Zune or iPod.

[WorshipHim1st]

Zune offers a reverse-sync that ipod doesn't offer. Should your PC fail, you can sync everything on your zune onto a new pc hard-drive no problem.

[shamanskyh]

What about an accelerometer?????

[spoonard]

Will they be able to play Digital Copies included with DVD's and Blu-Ray movies? That's why I sold my 80GB Zune, because MS couldn't get it's DRM scheme together. Hopefully they have ditched DRM altogether.

[monkeyfun14]

They only use DRM on Zune Pass everything else is DRM free.

[javonyc]

i was just going to buy nokia 5800.
but i think i'll wait a month to see what zune has to offer..

waht do you guys think. should i go with the nokia 5800 or wait to the zuneHD with no phone??

[a_flores]

Dear Javo, I have Nokia 5800. This one is more than enough for me. I do not need any iPod or Zune nut because it is bad,but because I have another priority for my money. Nokia 5800 provides all I need, namely as cellphone (SMS and call) and music and video player and FM radio receiver with a very affordable price. It has built in speaker that loud enough for myself. I just wish that soon there will be a miniflash memory that reaches 20GB or more to replace the Nokia memory which is just 8 GB. For the last 20 years I already bought so many CDs and just ripped those thousands of song into my Nokia. GBU all!

[nSeika]

So, the price will most likely be "placed competitively" with Apple's iPod Touch, which means... USD 200 or more ?

I'd really look forward for the release here if they don't take their time, and if they would sell the old model outside America.

[auzie1234]

oh right and people if your wondering on the design ( ive seen posts saying they hate color) they are making other versions like the black one, http://lh3.ggpht.com/_ZPosYiIYUso/ShyL2nDoo1I/AAAAAAAAAiM/gBr4oZ4IdDA/s1600-h/Black%20Zune%20HD%202[4].jpg

i LOL at the apple fans who come to this to just say crap like "its gona be **** its microsoft" or ive even seen "apple is better anyways" all i have to say is that this, well is gonna be the next top of the line device so stop hatin, and start lovin because this is something your going to want

[sdf0013]

I still want to know what this HD stuff is. At the least it'd have to be 720p to be considered true HD (480p is not HD). Does that mean the screen is at least 1280x720? That's a lot of pixels for a little screen! Still, if they managed to pull it off I'd be really impressed - especially if you can load 1080p content and it would scale down for the screen, but play at 1080p via the dock on a tv. Now that would be really cool.

Hmm. Now that I think about it, the Xbox is really only 720p. That would mean if you design for one screen you can get your game on both (sans OS, etc). Now I'm starting to see the connection.

[dhavleak]

Check this out:
http://www.zune.net/en-us/mp3players/zunehd/default.htm

HD Radio and HD video out (720p) is probably what earns it that moniker..

The Xbox 360 can do 1080i as well, btw..

[hankthedwarf]

Having HD Radio capabilities wouldn't qualify it since the HD doesn't stand for Hi-Def, it's just the two letters "HD". The name is meant to confuse people who don't know any better. There's no such thing as high def radio.

[dhavleak]

HD stands for High Definition -- it's just a marketing term that can be interpreted to mean "better fidelity" for any of our senses (including touch).

In the video world, it's become accepted that 720p is the bar for HD. (and the Zune HD will play 720p to your TV - hence the HD connection)

In the audio world, there isn't a universally accepted bar - but HD radio in some circumstances (non multiplexed data stream) is the same quality as a CD. This isn't always the case -- but it isn't uncommon either. As far as radio is concerned, if I can get CD quality music, I don't have a problem with anyone wanting to brand that HD radio.

So if a tiny little device about the size of a credit card and 0.9 mm thick is able to play HD video to my TV and tune in and play HD radio -- I have no problem with it using HD in it's branding.

[masonkid1]

Oh yes!
It look like the hardware is awesome, but how will the software match up?

[the_ricochet]

I think something fairly cheap they could add on is a built in microphone for wifi VoIP use (hold it to your ear like a phone). The iPod Touch has this capability, but you need their ridiculously overpriced earbuds/microphone combo.

This way MS could tout the phone capabilities on the cheap without having to deal with cell phone company partnerships and high expectations of truly going head to head with the iPhone.

[hahahaMSsucks]

...and in true M$ fasion, they follow in the footsteps of the innovators at Apple. And as the ignorant masses gather and talk of how new and amazing it is, myself and tens of millions of others chuckle softly to ourselves. For we have enjoyed this "new" and "innovative" experience for two years already... although admittedly without the poor user experience of a Windows device. And in mere weeks, when Apple bestows its newest updates to their already superior products, we shall laugh again as the immitators at M$ find themselves, once more, years behind.

[hankthedwarf]

Boy you really added nothing.

[monkeyfun14]

Oh what copy and paste? LMAO

[Vegaman_Dan]

I don't think it is going to make much of a difference how many new accounts you keep creating, people will still recognize a troll when they see comments like yours.

Same stuff, different name.

[affinityjb]

There's no reason why they can't parlay this device into a phone. I hope the touch screen is as responsive as the iTouch, or else it will flop. So far no one has been able to match Apple (except Palm from what I hear?) in their GUI magic.

[windows91]

F**K YEAH. This is my 18th birthday present. Can want for it to come out, it looks sweet

[nivlazenemij]

Need to replace my old iPod and was all set to buy the new Sony X series but I think I'll wait until the new Zune is out. The specs on this one look pretty sweet.

[MoveOver]

They didn't even take the time to make sure the word MARKETPLACE fit on the screen.

[aristotle_dude]

What is the point of HD video on a non-HD screen? It's not even Full SD resolution for crying out loud.

[ColonelTe]

I want one because I love zune! Not everybody has one. It's exclusive, not lame.

[nowimcool]

I find it hard to believe that the HD radio feature is much of a selling point. The reason I have an mp3 player and put a line-in into my car is so that I don't have to listen to the radio (or carry a stack of CD's).

HD radio is still radio ... who cares about the better audio quality when most of that quality is wasted on commercials!

[capealava]

Zune has always been a clunker. The designers have no sense of art, which is not a big component of Microsoft. It is like Microsoft makes great tractors and trucks, but leave the Porches and Ferraris to Apple.

[notfromboston1]

I don't think the Zune HD will not be able to catch up with the iPod Touch in terms of the OS. As Apple releases OS 3.0 in a couple of weeks, the Zune will fall farther and farther behind. It will be interesting to see the touchscreen capabilities, but I don't think this is going to be a real competitor to the iPod Touch. I think Microsoft has been spending more money on advertising than R&D, and it will probably show in the Zune HD. I imagine how the internet browser is going to be pretty painful to use, but we will have to wait and see.

[Kwasiowusu]

@ notfromboston1 :.I don't think the Zune HD will not be able to catch up with the iPod Touch in terms of the OS."

OS?
Who the heck gives 2 hoots about what OS is running on his handeld gaming device(which is what Zune HD is)?
Does anyone care what OS runs on the supoer popular Nintendo DS/DSi?

@ notfromboston1 :"the Zune will fall farther and farther behind. It"

The Zune HD needs to run XBOX Live games, XBOX classic games, plus XBOX Live Arcade games, together with some new killer handheld games from Microsoft, and that puts it ahead of the iPod right from the get go.