Is this the Zune HD?
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted April 10th 2009 6:01PM
posted April 10th 2009 6:01PM
Update: Based on discussions with sources, it's looking very likely that the device in these images is -- in fact -- a new Zune on its way to market.
[Thanks, Anonymous tipster]
Well, I've now got a good successor for my Zune 2.
On a more serious note, assuming this is real... if they're calling it the Zune HD, does that mean we're to expect at least 1280x720?
No.
My reasons: the HTC Touch HD, OmniaHD etc.
Well Jack, the Omnia HD does shoot HD video, so its name isn't completely inappropriate like the HTC Touch HD.
On the top of my Sega Genesis it say High Definition Graphics ... just saying ...
HD video-out maybe?
Me too. I love my Z80 but I'm ready for an upgrade.
The device might be sharing guts with the HTC Touch Pro as the form factor seem similar.
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2009/02/htc_touch_diamond2_handsonmain.jpg
HD is just a marketing buzzword, and to consumers it means "Has a good picture." Normal people don't care about about pixel density.
So, basically, the fact it is simply called a Zune is enough to make a choice? I thought Apple had a legion of fan boys....
Seriously, Microsoft should have released a touch interface Zune around the same time as the iPod Touch to be competitive (18 months ago). It may not be too late, but it's approaching dusk (not to say there are lots of nice aspects the Zune hard/software).
I've been looking for a replacement to my iPod 5G for some time now but the pricing on iPod touches, the thought of having to continuously pay for upgrades, and iTunes itself has closed that door for some time. If this is a touchscreen with a full web browser at a price even just $50 better than an iPod touch of comparable capacity, sign me up. If it's not a real HD res, as long as it's better than an iPod touch I'm all for it.
I hope it has 240 gigs on it, I can't wait to ditch my ipod classic.
No!!! Give me back my squircle!!!
I agree with CH3BURASHKA. Long live the Zune pad!
No squircle = no deal. Sorry Microsoft. That and I like my Zune 80 just fine thank you very much.
I disagree with the sentiment that it needs to have a touchscreen to compete. I never asked for a touchscreen iPod, and don't care that my iPhone is one. I guess it makes some things better, some things worse.
The standard 'ol controls work fine on most PMPs, don't fix what ain't broken.
I do agree that it SHOULD support 720p to be called "HD" in today's marketplace, but I can't even imagine that's possible on something smaller than, say, 7". I know the Dell Mini 9 is now 720p.. I doubt that 9" screen is the smallest 720p screen ever, but it's gotta be close.
No wolf... no part
@tekd You havent used the Zune 3.0 software yet have you. Itunes looks like a piece of shit in comparison. The software is what convinced me to buy a Zune 16.. that and the very lucrative $15 a month subscription with 10 free mp3 downloads.
I agree. Touch ISN'T necessary for every device. Using buttons is easier for me that using touch on PMP's.
I don't know why I'm not getting more attention, I know for a fact that the new zunes will have hd radio built in and engadget hasn't even contacted me.
yay! now i can upgrade my zune!!! wooot!
Its happening...
Will this be available in europe without having to import from the US?
I will get this ZUNE and put my iPod to rest only on one condition: THAT IT WILL FINALLY SYNC TO MAC.
the sad thing is that it's most probably going to have flash memory. (8gb, 16gb, 32gb etc.)
so it can get real expensive real quick. but i'm still definitely buying this to replace my zune 30.
The Omnia HD does shoot in HD and the HTC touch HD owes its name to its target clientele: an HTC senior employee told me that the name means: Touch (this) Hard Dude.
If it would sync with iTunes on a mac, or at least integrate with my iTunes library, I would happily replace my iPod touch with one of these. I'm getting a bit sick of the constant lock-in when it comes to Apple's products. All this coming from an apple fanboy!
But it is important that Microsoft release this thing with some kind of software for Mac because it does look like a much better competitor to most of the current iPods...
"Seriously, Microsoft should have released a touch interface Zune around the same time as the iPod Touch to be competitive "
I totally fail to see why touch screen is a must-have feature for a PMP. It's cool on the iPod Touch, for sure, but it offers NOTHING to convince me that it increases the experience of the thing's music playback features. Touch Screen is the absolute most overrated feature for music players EVER.
HD = Hefty Defecation
It's a Zune. What do you expect? Microsoft will be running an ad for this soon. Two old fogeys will be looking for media players in some West Florida branch of Best Buy. They can't afford an honest-to-goodness iPod Touch so they get the cheapest and tackiest approximation to a Touch, a brand new Zune HD. They were given $300 and get $150 back for buying a Zune. Now they've got a crappy Zune HD and enough money for a two months supply of Depends diapers. Yippee!
@John
" If this is a touchscreen with a full web browser at a price even just $50 better than an iPod touch of comparable capacity, sign me up"
Microsoft mobile device with a decent web browser??? HAHAHAH are you ***** joking? The last 3 version of IE mobile have been complete rubbish, and even the "next generation" browser coming with Windows Mobile 7 is based on the IE 6 rendering engine.. I wish I was kidding..
for more zune goodness, check out:
http://zunehd.net/
All this Ipod touch talk...I dont understand why anybody would want to sacrifice space for touching? I don't care if this zune has a touch screen or not, but if it really is HD, i expect at least 120 gigs. I understand the whole movable and non-movable parts regarding the memory in a pmp, but I've never had a HDD fail on me in these things ^_^
I have to say, I really like the Zune marketing campaign. Even if I don't see many commercials, they sure are memorable.
Its called zuneHD because of the OLED screen it supposedly has.
Look up OLED, its amazing. It was at CES 09 if anyone was there.
Durumbu.com is compiling what people expect from Zune HD. Just go ahead and put in your comments.
Cute. Wake me up when the next-gen iPod Touch comes out...
hopefully you will wake on the right side of the bed and without your fanboy-ism that despises any competition. New products are good! they keep everybody on their toes and promote creativity.
Wake ME up when iTunes doesn't suck.
Quick, steal his keyboard while he's asleep!
Wake me up when iPod people stop being D-bags in Zune threads.
Wake me up when the irritating fanboys on both sides decide to STFU and get along for a change.
wake ME up, before you go go.
Wake me up when september ends
GO GO POWER RANGERS
Regrettable for the consumer, Apple is SO far ahead with their iPod line with the iTouch and specifically the App store that I can't even imagine a realistic way for Microsoft, or any other company for that matter, to even make a dent in the Apple PMP kingdom. We would all benefit if a true competitor could force even more innovation from Cupertino.
I wonder how well Skype and Truphone run on the Zune HD? Or how good the web browser is.. Just want to focus on the media playback capabilities? Then the ability to use Pandora and Last.fm alone should kill any desire for a Zune if you have an active brain cell in your head.
Now keep in mind that I'm talking about a device that's basically unchanged from it's release well over a YEAR ago, that has a good chance of a major overhaul along with the new iPhone, and you have yet another Zune that's dead on arrival. Good god Microsoft, is it THAT hard for a multi-billion dollar company to make a successful PMP? This is getting ridiculous.
@utahnkid: They broke into the console market, they might be able to break into the PMP market.
Yeah rank it down, keep pushing that minus button, make it disappear. Don't bother trying to refute even one statement with a logical argument. I'm sure the truth hurts.
As they say, ignorance is bliss.
Exactly, Proud Japanese.
Remember the year 2001, when Sony was the undisputed king of console gaming?
Microsoft then released the Xbox, which, while it didn't come anywhere close in sales numbers, still sold 24 million units, putting it in second place.
Fast forward to now. They're in last place. Why? They got complacent and thought that people would pay lots more money for the name "Playstation."
Remember 2006, when Apple was the undisputed king of the PMP market?
Microsoft then released the Zune, which, while it didn't come anywhere close in sales numbers, has now sold over 3 million units, putting it in second place in PMP market share.
Stranger things have happened. I say, go Microsoft! I'm always for competition in the market. If this is real, and it's a compelling product, I'll buy it. I've been very satisfied with my Zune 80, so I'm definitely willing to stick to the brand.
@dave
I think somewhat unfortunately that was years ago, and not on a Windows PC =(
iTunes has been getting ever more bloated and pathetic, especially for Windows. And Apple just keeps removing features from it (like the ability to remove the stupid little link the itunes store so you don't accidentally click it when trying to change tracks, or the genre link, etc.) so you'll spend more money. Lame as hell.
If MS can release a seriously upgraded music management program that doesn't run like a$$ I'd switch in a heartbeat. Please MS!!!
Sony has NEVER been the undisputed king of gaming consoles. Did you forget about the little company known as Nintendo? And the difference between it and the Zune is that the first XBOX wasn't terrible. Microsoft saw what they thought the market was lacking and tried to fill the void with their product.
Go back to 2006 and take a look at the little (literally) console known as the "Wii". If you would have shown any out of touch nerd (basically everyone on Engadget) the specs on paper at the time and they would have immediately labeled it as a joke - unable to compete with the XBOX or Playsation on any front. While Microsoft and Sony were busy cramming every possible feature and capability under the sun into their next gaming system, Nintendo was focusing solely on the "user experience" (sound like any other company you know about?). Satoru Iwata saw very early on that a device solely relying on technical prowess would never stand up to a one that offered the user a unique and intuitive experience (noticing the parallels?). They knew that you can't just come into the game with the right technical specs, you have to bring something truly enjoyable to use - and that's something you can't just throw money at to accomplish. So how well did this gamble work out? By the end of 2008, the Wii had more than DOUBLED the XBOX 360's numbers. 10.2 vs 4.7 million units sold.
On top of all of that, the XBOX is a HORRIBLE example of success as defined by a business. It took almost a DECADE (7 years) to make the XBOX unit profitable. From it's inception in 2001 until 2008 it actually cost Microsoft money to stay in the gaming business because they used the same logic with it that that use with every other product: Throw money at it, listen to out of touch nerds and engineers, and focus entirely on technical aspects; leaving minimal time for developing the entire user experience. Setting aside the massive discrepancy in units sold, if you're strictly addressing how much money Nintendo has made from it's consoles (and we can just count from 2001 on up to be fair) vs Microsoft (especially if Microsoft keeps up the same spec war) I dare say none of us will ever live to see the day they even approach the kind of numbers Nintendo has.
And I guess none of you bothered to even read my first comment because the entire point of it was that I truly want someone to genuinely challenge Apple's iPod line. The consumer would only benefit from it from specs all the way down to price. It makes me sick that you guys let Microsoft get away with the shit their churning out of the Zune department. All that does is validate in their minds that if they can manage to release even the most mediocre of product, you'll still eat it up like pigs over a slop bucket. You're so set on not buying Apple that you'll buy any alternative, no matter how bad it is (relatively speaking). Don't put up with their shit! DEMAND better Zunes! The current (and most likely soon to be upgraded) iPod Touch is LEAPS AND BOUNDS ahead of the Zune and I can guarantee that this new model won't have anything close to the App store.
@utahnkid
You're so in touch though, right? You need to get out of your house, get on your skateboard (or whatever kids these days ride --- one of those slithery boards?) and go to the mall and talk to girls. They're not THAT bad, really.