Comments on: Video: Hands-on look at the Zune HD

As All Things D wrapped up on Thursday, CNET News' Ina Fried got a quick chance to get close to the Zune HD, which Microsoft plans to ship this fall.

[terminalblue]

OK Everybody, it might not have an app store to start, but with live integration that means it can most like run XNA based software...that mean user developed apps just like with the touch.

[Compy439]

If the browser comes with a flash player I'm sold because my Archos is starting to get a bit buggy with me. Hopefully Microsoft won't charge a fee to buy a plugin for the browser.

[SuPaGrAm]

As far as price as everyone is asking, I've heard rumors of 249.99 for the smallest size, whatever that may be.

I wonder what the battery life will be like... the touch's battery could be better.

[pcSimon]

It shows how much Microsoft loves text.........
They probably want to make it different from iPod Touch, but icons really are better than text.
I also wonder why the UI is mostly black and white. Use some colors and it will be better.

[revengeofthecow]

I think it looks pretty nice, actually.

[Assais]

look at his manly fingers how ewww

[sahilk]

app store?

[Alphaman63]

Looks interesting -- it's nice to see some competition for this form-factor in the industry! But I'm wondering if this will easily plug into other non-DRM sources of music (emusic, Amazon, iTunes) or if it will only work with MarketPlace? I know it will play MP3's, but I buy a lot of stuff from emusic and Amazon, and both of those are well integrated into iTunes and WinAmp. Too bad there's still no word on all the old Plays4Sure music, but I think all those users have been orphaned, and I doubt the HD will change that. :(

Also wonder if this will play standard MP4's, or only vids proprietarily encoded through MS-only codecs? I've a lot of vids that are NOT wmv's, and I'd hate to have to re-rip all my DVDs. I love the idea of HD output!

I sure hope MS gets some more DRM-free labels to sign up for the Marketplace before product announcement -- it would be nice if they could come close to the volume available in the iTunes store or even the 5 million on Amazon! That would be something to talk about!

Unfortunately, Apple's next gen products won't be out for a few months, and they could leap-frog this product before it even gets to the store shelves. I know MS is probably feeling the pressure from E3 and WWDC, but this is an awfully early pre-announcement. They've told Apple exactly what features to shoot for.

[goodspeed8701]

The ipod touch is a iphone with no sim card. people grow up use iphone instead of ipod touch. how can u have an iphone and pay another money for another iphone with no sim card and camera.

[myles taylor]

I don't know anything with an iPhone and iPod Touch....well except me, but that's I had the Touch first. Where I lived you couldn't get an iPhone. A lot of people can't get an iPhone and get an iPod Touch instead. Also, there are plenty of young people who get it as a gift. Some people aren't prepared to spend a monthly fee to get those features.

[RammerRW]

iPhone = iPod Touch + Skype

:P

[_Rusty_]

I have the deluxe cover for my Ipod that makes it appear to look like a Zune. This has been an excellent deterent to theft. One time I had someone break the window of my car where I had left my Ipod in the Zune shell, and they left three more Zunes.

But seriously why don't they change the name?

[Ronny531]

Looks pretty nice. I think depending how the web browser works will make it or break it...

[eudefender]

Great technology! Will it be available around Europe?

[Fil0403]

Currently, it seems to be only planned for the US, although I personally wouldn't be surprised if you'd see in Europe about 1 year after being released over there (provided it has at least some success, of course, which is not hard to believe it will have to some extent at least, having in mind its qualities and the fact that the Zune is already the 2nd most sold hard drive-based digital music player).

[Fil0403]

As I already stated in another related article, I'd personally still prefer an iPod Touch to this, but it does looks cool and promising to me nevertheless, and it's nice to see Microsoft closing the gap (they were in pretty much the same position with the Xbox and we all know where they are now - and I'm afraid here the usual ignorant excuses that that is due to some anti-competitive measures doesn't really fit -, so gotta keep an eye on them).

[jessiethe3rd]

Looks kind of cool but to be honest I use my Zune primarily when I am working out - how is one suppose to workout and use one of these things without looking at the screen to change to the next song or move from one playlist to the next. There's something to be said about hardware buttons.

[adjerry91]

In video you see that the screen is pressure touch method hopefully in the final version it is electric like the apple touch.

[Draigous]

This looks really nice. Can't wait to get more info on it. And to the applefanboys, Zune did catch up to the itouch after 2 years finally. But that should be a bad thing,because it show that Apple hasn't done anything in 2 years. Their new itouch coming out is really a touch screen netbook but apple's not going to call it one. It won't even fit in your pocket. And it will probably start around 500 dollars.

[boy444]

I'm a little mad, I thought it would be a little bit thicker., because I don't want to fell like I'm going to drop it. I also was hoping I could add my xm account to the zune. I would love to use it more than just in the car., because I love the xm. I don't think 32gb is the limit to mp3 players, I just saw a 320gb mp3 player, so I can't say it will be up to 32gb, maybe 200gb, hope it will go up to 500gb or 1 tb. One thing, can I sync wirelessly like the other one? The zune pass do I unlimited music or that keep ten a month?

[Kendokill]

Let's hope it has an actual battery life. This was my main complaint with my 30gb zune.

[tipoo_]

It supports the XNA framework, it already has quite a few decent games for it.

However, the game changer here would be if the HD did indeed use Nvidia's Tegra processor, as rumored.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UQVHJ3UFaA&feature=related[/url]

Simply put, that would put the Zune HD eons ahead in processing power and graphical prowess. And it seems pretty likely that it WILL use the Tegra, the Zune HD can output 1080p video and no other ARM processor than the Tegra can do that yet.


As for non-gaming apps, I'm pretty sure it wont take long for people to use XNA to come up with hundreds of fart-and-burp sound apps as on the App store, and the tens of useful ones too ;-)

[PaulMpanga]

I am downloading zune software rightnow, however am also going to upgrade my itunes. I am waiting for WWDC, if apple adds a camera to the touch, then am sorry zune.

[Dj Funkshun]

can i upgrade my original zune 4 da zune HD?