The *OFFICIAL* Zune HD Thread

[Fonseca]

I am excited for it and I know a couple others are so I figured I would make a thread for new info that comes out about it and just general discussion. If you find anything interesting feel free to post it.

With a 3.3 inch touchscreen and 16:9 OLED display, Microsoft is taking aim at the iPod Touch market with the upcoming Zune HD. Fans of the Zune media player will still find the features they're used to along with some new additions that should make this a welcome upgrade.

The Zune HD will come with an integrated HD radio receiver, allowing the user to access a variety of HD programming at no additional cost. The Zune website notes that you will be able to tag the songs you like for later purchase (via the Zune Marketplace).

In a Wi-Fi hotspot? The Zune HD will allow you to surf the net as well as connect, update, and purchase content on the go. No need to wait until you get home to buy the song you just heard. Get it right away.

High Definition TV shows and movies (720p) will play on your home HDTV via the available AV dock (sold separately). Now you can take your favorite movie or show with you and watch on the Zune HD.

While there is no word on the hard drive size, one would expect it to be large in order to hold HD media files.

As a current owner of a Zune - you can count me in when this new incarnation arrives in the Fall.

Link

[YOUTUBE]oNgAVbDWkZk[/YOUTUBE]

As we explained in our Giz Explains: Low-Power Chipsets, Nvidia's Tegra proc is designed to handle high-def video and Flash with buttery smoothness in small packages, just like the Zune HD. So while this is as yet still unconfirmed, given that we haven't had confirmation from Microsoft, it makes a lot of sense and would actually be a very smart move—and the sources reporting the rumor seem very certain that it's true. With a Tegra processor, the Zune HD would certainly be able to decode videos with far less necessary power than with any other chipset, which means better battery life combined with better video quality. What else could you want from a next-gen PMP? [PC Perspective]

Link

According to an alleged “software engineer” on the Zune team, the 16GB Zune HD should cost between $249 and $280 this September (a date that lines up with previous rumors.)

There are a lot of interesting rumors in the interview, like the fact that Microsoft is thinking about not only 16/32GB models but a 64GB Zune HD too. We have no idea what the price would be for that one.

You can check out the full interview at Neowin.

Link

A 64GB?!?! That would be awesome!

So we already had some idea that the States would be seeing the now confirmed Zune HD sometime in the autumn, and now some leaked Microsoft docs are pointing to a September launch date.

The folks at Gizmodo have been tipped off with some apparently official Microsoft blurb that lists the the Zune HD as shipping on September 8th.

The docs also note that the PMP will be available in 16GB and 32GB versions from that date.

Of course, we've seen no other Zune's officially launch over here, so there's no news, and little hope, as to whether we'll see this little beauty launch on our shores.

Still, with its 3.3-inch OLED multi-touch touchscreen, HD output, Wi-fi and built-in radio, all tucked in to a rather lovely looking shell, it might well be worth a nip across the Atlantic to get your hands on it.

We'll keep you updated on anything we hear, and in the meantime be sure to let us know what you think to the Zune HD below.

Zune HD coming 8 September? ? technology news ?*Stuff.tv

September 8? That would be nice.

[Andrew]

How is the battery life going to be?

[h0stel]

How is the battery life going to be?

Edited OP. I believe that is all we know so far. Also with the OLED screen it will not need a backlight so that will save on battery life also!

[Arisen Dragon]

Looks cool , too bad I already have an ipod touch.

[h0stel]

I was planning on upgrading from my nano to an ipod touch but now I am going to wait for this!

[Deathwish238]

Hopefully it will be decent. Time will tell.

[h0stel]

I think it will be! If not then I will just take it back and get an ipod touch! Nothing lost but a little time with a nano instead of a touch. lol

[Fonseca]

I am looking forward to this.

[Sam]

[YOUTUBE]cNu4CluFOcw[/YOUTUBE]

Ready for a double dose of Tegra newsbits? We've been wondering what's packed in the Zune HD for some time now, but apparently PC Perspective has had the answer since Computex and didn't realize the newsworthiness until now. According to the article, NVIDIA staffers told the site that its uber-powerful Tegra processor will be the heart and soul of Microsoft's revised PMP. There's been no official word from anyone, and for all we know it might've been some (possibly misinformed) employee mouthing off for kicks. If true, however, it'd be one helluva 'screw you' from Microsoft to Windows Mobile fans, who've been waiting over a year at this point to see some retail hardware running on NVIDIA's mobile platform. We've put in calls to both companies for some sort of statement, but we're not getting our hopes up.

In other news, a group of researchers from Georgia Tech and Savannah College of Art and Design are showing off some of CPU's impressive potential with an augmented reality game ARhrrrr. Using a Tegra-powered mobile dev kit, the game projects a 3D town based on a two-dimensional diagram where you tap the screen to shoot zombies, or lay Skittles in real life to serve as virtual bombs. We've seen similar implementations before, but we're admittedly quite infatuated with this one, and as a bonus, there's video of the demo after the break.

Source

[Deathwish238]

hmm interesting...looks pretty cool although I'ld be afraid of my arms getting tired