Zune HD is official, heading your way this Fall
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted May 26th 2009 8:03PM
posted May 26th 2009 8:03PM
Details are also scarce concerning storage capacities, CPU performance, and other crucial numbers, but it seems like they've got more in store come E3... and that's the next big piece of news. Zune integration is coming to the Xbox and Xbox Live, as the Zune marketplace will step in to replace the current Live video resources, expanding the library and offering all kinds of new perks, like Zune's first foray into international waters. According to the company, at E3 "attendees will see first-hand how Zune integrates into Xbox LIVE creating a game-changing entertainment experience" -- we're not entirely sure what the means right now, but it sounds sweet. Try to contain your excitement.
Update: Microsoft's just sent out a press release (after the break) and launched an official Zune HD page.
Update 2: We just got sent a picture of black Zune HD, now after the break, which we're told Microsoft is giving out to selected "Zune MVP" sites such as Inside the Circle and ZuneTracks. See it for yourself after the break.
Microsoft Announces the Expansion of the Zune Entertainment Service to New Platform and Markets; Confirms New Zune HD Portable Media Player
Premium Zune digital entertainment service to be available internationally on Xbox LIVE.
REDMOND, Wash. - May 26, 2009 - Microsoft Corp. today announced the evolution of Zune, the company's end-to-end music and entertainment service, to a new platform and new markets. Zune will extend its video service to Xbox LIVE internationally this fall. This marks an important development in the Zune strategy and brings the Zune brand to more than 17 million international Xbox LIVE subscribers. In addition, Microsoft confirmed the next generation of the Zune portable media player, Zune HD. Available in the U.S. this fall, Zune HD is the first portable media player that combines a built-in HD Radio receiver, high-definition (HD) video output capabilities, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) touch screen, Wi-Fi and an Internet browser.
"The Zune music player is an integral part of the overall Zune experience, and we're proud to be growing and extending our offering beyond the device," said Enrique Rodriguez, corporate vice president of the Microsoft TV, Video and Music Business Group. "Delivering on Microsoft's connected entertainment vision, this news marks a turning point for Zune as it brings cross-platform experiences and premium video content to living rooms around the world."
Zune Service Expands to New Platform
Zune will be a premium partner in the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace, bringing an exciting catalog of TV and film to the platform. Zune will occupy the first slot within the Xbox user interface in the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace, exposing the Zune brand experience to millions of new consumers for the first time. At the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) next week, attendees will see firsthand how Zune integrates into Xbox LIVE to create a game-changing entertainment experience.
Introducing Zune HD
Zune HD is the next iteration of the Zune device family and brings a new level of listening and viewing experiences to the portable media player category.
- Zune HD comes with a built-in HD Radio receiver so users can listen to higher-quality sound than traditional radio on the go. Users also will have access to the additional song and artist data broadcast by HD Radio stations as well as additional channels from their favorite stations multicasting in HD. If you don't like the song playing on your station's HD channel, switch to its HD2 or HD3 channels for additional programming.
- The bright OLED touch screen interface allows users to flip through music, movies and other content with ease, and the 16:9 widescreen format display (480x272 resolution) offers a premium viewing experience on the go.
- The HD-compatible output lets Zune HD customers playback supported HD video files from the device through a premium high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) audiovisual docking station (sold separately) direct to an HD TV in 720p.*
- Zune HD will include a full-screen Internet browser optimized for multitouch functionality.
- Zune HD is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing for instant streaming to the device from the more than 5 million-track Zune music store.
About Zune
Zune is Microsoft's music and entertainment brand that provides an integrated digital entertainment experience. The Zune platform includes a line of portable digital media players, elegant software, the Zune Marketplace online store, Zune Pass music subscription service, and the Zune Social online music community, created to help people discover more music. Zune is part of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division and supports the company's software-based services vision to help drive innovation in the digital entertainment space. More information can be found online at http://www.zune.net/en-us/press.
About Xbox LIVE
Xbox LIVE connects more than 17 million members across 26 countries to each other and the entertainment they love. Home of more content from one remote than can be found from any device connected to the television, Xbox LIVE is also a unified online social network bringing friends together, no matter where they are - in the living room or across the world. More information and Xbox LIVE membership can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
* Supported 720p HD video files play on the device, downscaled to fit the screen at 480 x 272 - not HD resolution. Zune HD and AV Dock, and an HDTV (all sold separately) are required to view video at HD resolution.
HD Radio™ and the HD Radio logo are proprietary trademarks of iBiquity Digital Corp.
Great, now your MP3 player can get spyware just like your PC.
>>The device will boast an IE-based, customized browser, but little else was said in the way of software.
johnny-come-lately microsoft still playing catch up in the portable music realm. It would be cool if they came out with this before the iTouch, but frankly, they seem like copy-cats at this rate.
I am not very smart when it come to resolutions and all...however, doesn't the size of the screen have something to do with this? Is the difference between 720p, 1080i or 1080p more visible on a bigger screen as opposed to a small screen? Yes.
If I am correct then can anyone tell if the difference is that noticeable between the 720 and the scaled down on a screen as small as the Zune HD?
The HD is for the Video Output. When you connect the Zune to your TV via HDMI, what you see can be displayed in 720 resolution on your TV. No device that I know of in this class, can do that right now. The display on the Zune itself will be awesome as well because it is using OLED which is what Apple will probably be switching to.
Fact: The Zune 120 is better than the iPod Classic
Better UI, way more functionality, better Software (iTunes), way bigger screen, better navigation controls, form factor is in the eye of the beholder, but they are both rectangular devices so they are not that different, the list goes on and on.
If you don’t agree, have you ever used a Zune120 w/ Zunepass so you could feel the full functionality of the Zune ecosystem vs. iPod's? We all know what the iPod and iTunes is about and Zune w/ Zunepass is entirely different experience.
So why wouldn't this device be better than the iPod touch?
The only thing I can see getting in the way is lack of an App Store. I would be surprised if they had one right from release (IPhone/Touch didn’t either), but it shouldn’t take long, especially given that it could easily integrate with the Zune Marketplace, Xbox Marketplace, and browser...
Sounds like a great product to me, and I'm not bashing the iPhone/Touch because they are awesome products too.
And let's not get caught up in the whole HD radio thing. That is just one more feature that this device will have that works seamlessly with the Zune and Zune Pass...
And they can port all 44 versions of iFart. Then we'll reach the promised land.
sounds expensive lol
The OLED screen is a gimme for a 2009 device... after you see on, as on the Cowon S9, you will not buy an LCD-based device for video viewing ever again.
There are two aspects of HD that have not been previously available in a PMP -- HD Radio and HD video output. No, you're not going to get HD on a tiny screen, but at a reasonable viewing distance, you won't get much advantage from more pixels, anyway. And you'd pay for it in power and performance, all the time. They made the right call on this one.
I'll have to hear it. The iPods have become fairly reasonable PDAs, but they lost much of their PMP potential even while finally getting a better screen, in the iPod Touch. Coupled with the poor sound on the Touch is the lack of any model with reasonable storage for video users, all to serve Steve Jobs' obsession with "thin".
My 30GB Brown Zune offers better sound than any iPod and analog radio with RDS, which is nice. I've been leaning toward the Cowon S9 as an upgrade, even though, at 32GB, it's not significantly better for video storage (and may even be a step backwards, as H.264 support is fine on the Zune but unofficial at best on the S9). But the S9 has the best sound on any PMP/MP3 player yet made. Since I already have a good PDA, and wouldn't buy one from either Apple or MS as an upgrade, I like it when a PMP maker remembers they're actually supposed to put audio and video first, not "apps" or optimizing on-line sales by not supporting the built-in FM radio feature (at least all the older iPods had this, it was part of the PortalPlayer chipset).
i never realized how many ms fanboys there were on engadget. you guys are so defensive over the slightest insinuation that this is a knockoff of apple's product, which let's face it, it is! that's what companies do. especially microsoft. that's their raison d'etre in the computer world. that's not necessarily a bad thing as it leads to comparable products at lower prices. apple's place, with the exception of the mid-90's when they were bankrupt of both money and ideas, is to innovate. for the risks they take in bringing unproven products to market (mac, imac, newton, wi-fi, ipod, iphone, etc), they charge a premium. two companies with very different business models, competing in the same markets. this happens in almost every industry. in my opinion, these companies need each other. microsoft needs apple for their ideas and apple needs microsoft to keep their prices within reason and to continue to innovate. the zune is a perfect example.
oh man, the zune hd is hot. i've had the zune 80 for awhile now and despite it's early problems (i.e. random resets), it's an absolutely wonderful media player. i hope that they decide to include dedicated rockers or something along those lines on the side of the device to switch tracks, raise or lower the volume, etc. when they finally bring it out. epic win.
On a screen that size will you even see the difference between it and Touch for a example? Without killing your battery?
HD radio is nice but i don't have an xbox and it kind of looks bad. Design could have been much better. Will this announcement change anything over at Apple though? I hope they do something better.
lol fanboys make the internet so stupid reallu though it looks damn sexy like the iPod--but wait... i guess they copyrights looking sexy huh?? lol apple and microsoft; neither of them are the best so... dont see what all of the gripe is about--still looks like people who don't want to jump on the bandwagon and the bandwagon lifetime subscribers doing whatever they can to even out their regrets
OMG I just jizzed in my pants, seriously I can't wait to snap one up! MS this A+
Copying? No... how about COM-PE-TI-TION?
559 comments on a non-Apple non-recession antidote article!
I just noticed that the Model Number and FCC ID are both "11.26".
Release date anyone?
Good call!
holy shit didn't even see that! I hope so (prefer it to be sooner though but gives me time to save money in between buying a PS3.)
I wonder if us owners of current hard drive Zunes are going to be getting anymore firmware updates or if the party is over?
Hope not. they need to add more games too!
Why do people really pick favorite companies in technology? I say buy it all! thats what i do but i'm a big techaholic.
HD radio a huge plus but screen resolution a huge letdown.
Been a Zune user for about a year now, really like it except for playing videos on the 4:3 screen, but I think Ill hold off on this unless theres some WinMo7/Zune phone with a 854x480 screen.
You're kidding, right? 854x480 on a screen this size? Not only will you not notice a difference, but it will take a lot more power both from the battery and the CPU, to be pushing out that much resolution, even though it's probably going to be Tegra powered so it wouldn't matter that much. Also an OLED screen with that kind of resolution would be really expensive, not really worth it for something you'll hardly notice in my opinion. I think they made a great choice, 480x272 on a 3.3" OLED screen is perfect.
Don't know if this was posted yet but, here is the hands on video with the device. I will be buying one of these to go with my Red Zune 80.
And to all the complainers get a life.
http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Hands_On_With_Microsoft_Zune_HD/551-102561-643.html
where's the gps? with google maps and latitude?
I love how iPod/Apple fanboys always conveniently forget that Apple had to buy the patent rights to a HDD-based music player from Microsoft.
Does anyone know how much it'll cost????
As an owner of a Zune 120 AND an iPod Classic 120, I can honestly say the Zune makes me wish I had never bought the iPod.
The bottom line here is that Apple is a company that relies almost entirely on hype and publicity.
They have recreated the same products over and over with tiny tweaks to try and sell it off as a completely new device.
Let's look here.
The mini:
2 Generations, the difference between the two?
Gen 2 lost the Gold color option, added more batterly life, and an option for 6GB instead of just 4.
This was a good move. a new product with lots of CRUCIAL improvements.
The shuffle:
3 Generations
Gen 1: 512 or 1GB, only in white, with 12 hours of battery and built in USB (no cord)
Gen 2: 1GB or 2Gb silver, green, blue, pink, orange, 12 hours battery, dock instead of built in usb
Gen 2 "Refresh 1": more colors
Gen 2 "Refresh 2" some more colors
gen 3 4GB only, only silver or black, less battery life. but you can talk to it.
The CLASSIC
SIX GENERATIONS
Gen 1 : 5, 10Gb, 10 hours
Gen 2 : 10, 20Gb, 10 hours
Gen 3: 10, 15, 20, 30, 40GB , less battery
Gen 4: 20, 40GB more battery
Gen 4 "Photo" 30, 40, 60GB, variable battery
Gen 4 "Color" 20, 60GB
Gen 5: 30, 60 ,80 GB, long battery life,
Gen 6 80, 120, 160Gb MASSIVE battery life
Dont get me started on the nano. (If you think im spitting bullshit, go ahead and look up "ipod" on wikipedia)
The point is apple would be NOTHING without the ipod.
If you honestly think they would be the company they are today JUST because of macs, you know nothing about how they work.
The only thing seperating a mac from a PC is their shitty operating system.
I've got news for you, macs run on LINUX.
The mac OSX software isbased off of an old UNIX system that apple claims as original.
So you try to say microsoft is ripping off a company that built an entire computer system off of someone ELSES code and claimed it as their own?
As it's been said before, apple didnt invent black plastic, or touchscreens, or anythign you see on the new zune.
Microsoft went the touchscreen route because that's the FUTURE.
So i guess all the phone companies, like LG, and Samsung, and RIM are all ripping off Apple too?
Here's a little news
Touchscreens were invented by scientists in the 1960's!!!
So if you want to talk about ripping off and be a twit, then i guess Apple ripped off all those scientists?
And intel ripped off IBM?
Think before you speak.
/End rant
On a sidenote, i like the looks of this new zune, and just hope it has high capacity options (over 16,000 320Kkps songs don't exactly fit on 32GB of space ;) )
I wish it has some buttons, because, as another commenter said, i like to be able to reach in my pocket and change songs, but i guess pulling out the device will stop me from looking like im scratching my junk in public.
I'm really hoping for more 3rd party suport for this new zune,
maybe if companies start making cheezy shit like all these crazy docks and connectors and cases for the new zune people will think it's a good device. Everyone knows if your mp3 player cant connect to your skull with a trendy and thin pink dock connector it's a piece of shit.
Genius.
I'm going to purchase one and ditch my ipod. They finally got the design right.
Do you think the Zune HD has a chance against the iPod?
http://www.polladium.com/poll.php?poll_id=165&location_id=1
One big problem I nearly forgot... Microsoft has managed to create the only PMP on the planet, essentially, that can't play "Digital Copy" videos you find in most Blu-Ray packages these days. These will typically work on either iPod/iPhone (DRMed under FairPlay) or on "Plays4Sure" devices, with the original Windows Media DRM for mobile devices. But they had to go their own way with the Zune, and thus, unless they've enhanced this with Plays4Sure support (seems to be a no-brainer, given that's a Microsoft thing anyway), this will be terribly compromised as a video player. Well, that, and the likelihood of a 32GB limit.
Either one could be a deal-breaker for me, much as HD output and HD Radio are both big plusses in my book.
Heyy i was wondering if anyone knew alot about the Zune HD if they do plz Email me at FraTay804@aol.com want someone to cohost on my ustream and talk about it
Yes!!! The new zune hd... this looks absolutely incredible... As a mobile developer I really hope some of these technologies and innovations make their way to windows mobile 7. I think there is a very good chance this will happen.
Hey all u apple users. Especially iphonerulez. You are such an condescending ass. U swear that everything that comes out after iPod is a knock off or a copy. Apple doesnt own shit like that. Excuse my language. But thats idiotic, un-insightful, and ridiculous. In case u forgot all of those apple laptops that first came out that could not get viruses because of their installed software. They ran like they had viruses and they were crappy as shit. So let me give u the moral of the lesson. It takes a little bit for the company to get on its game, but you have to see the potential. iPod doesnt have everything. It sure doesnt have any kind of HD qualities. Because it decides to have a touch screen its a copy. BULL!!! With all the new features it didnt need a touch screen to do better. And it will. Zune has always cost less. been durable. and it held more. why should i pay 250 dollars for 8 gigs or 16 gigs when i can pay a hundred less for 30. yah. i think i chose the one. its overrated cuz it has a name. if it didnt have the na,e apple in the first place it wouldnt have half of the profits it does today
No one has mentioned the screws. Whats this, I can open my Zune without having to risk cracking my screen to simply replace a battery!? OMFG, how dare they!
In all honesty - this thing looks amazing. I'm a general fan of Microsoft's recent trends and this, by no means, has let me down.
nice i like the black finish better very cool anyone know how thick it is?
If you guys honestly think that this device will play any xbox game, then you are going to be extremely disappointed. I can imagine that this thing will integrate with the xbox, but not play it's games. This device doesn't come with a third of the processing power that xbox 360 has.
Next, this thing is going to lack applications. Sure, microsoft will open an appstore clone for this device, but how many people actually will want to develop for the zune HD? Seriously? How many people use zunes? Developing applications for a huge consumer base (the iphone/touch) is going to be 10x more profitable than developing applications for the zune HD, and why? Noone buys them, thats why. We don't even know if Winmo apps will be compatible with this thing. If they are, I can imagine that there would be compatibility issues with many winmo apps.
The HD movies option is an interesting one, but it is not a very catchy idea. First off, the iPod Touch itself is more HD than the zune HD is. The zune HD has a smaller, and strange resolution standard that not a lot of people use. Next, noone wants to carry around a bunch of dock cables to watch an HD movie on a TV. Finally, HD movies are huge, they are 2 to 4 gigabytes in size. On a 32 gig zune HD, you might fit 6 or 7 movies on there if you are going to put music on it as well. Do you seriously want to carry huge, bulky movies on a small flash device? If you are going to watch HD movies, then carry around a blu-ray player with replaceable media, because I don't want to fill half of my PMP with 5 or 6 movies that I will watch once, and only once. the whole HD movie idea is just as useless as the sharing feature on the zune.
Lastly, the new iPod Touches come with cameras, so the zune HD is already outdated. You may argue that the 16gb zune HD is cheaper than the 8gb touch, but knowing apple, and what they did with the nanos (upgraded to 16gb nanos after news of 16gb zunes), apple will either stop producing the 8 gb touch, or sell them for less than $200.
Either way, the iPod touch is still a better product. You guys can call me a "fanboi" for all you care, but the truth hurts, the zune is not an "innovation". The only reason the zune HD exists is because of the iPod Touch. The Zune HD is still a copy.
Just another cheap knock-off of an Apple product by Microsoft. It's sad. There are a lot of really talented engineers at Microsoft who, I'm sure, can create some great things if given the chance. For some reason, Microsoft doesn't know how to make stuff on it's own, and it's copies (Windows, Windows Mobile, Zune, Microsoft stores, Bing, Live, etc) aren't even very good.
I wonder what they could do with some corporate self confidence and a good leader...
Wow. That's a great, well thought out response.
You seem like the perfect target customer for a Microsoft product.