Zune HD's browser previewed, sounds just as sexy as the hardware
By Paul Miller 
posted Aug 5th 2009 2:38PM
posted Aug 5th 2009 2:38PM
posted Aug 5th 2009 2:38PM
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Damn the ZuneHD is sexy! Can't wait to have it!
just make it 7 inches and load windows 7. Zune Tablet FTW!
The next ipod you pulled out your butt?
:) ...i forgot the smiley face.
Now if only they'd release it outside the US :/
i'm still waiting for the Zune HD phone mentioned a while ago..
Make way everyone. Move aside for the iPod twits that feel compelled to comment in a Zune post. Get ready for the "M$" posts from Apple's smarmy cultists.
MSFT - Just make it work with your other stuff - like Windows Media Player/Media Center. Zune desktop is a good reason to buy an iPod.
I am so getting the silver Zune HD...it's sexier than the black one.
Mm, I'm gonna sell my iPod Touch when the Zune HD comes out. I regret not getting a Zune from the beginning, but the Zune HD is looking to be really bad ass.
@Paul A. Chapel
"Being an anal iPhone whore I have to say - this Zune is really HOT!
Did I make everyone happy now?"
Yes, but only because you called yourself a 'whore'.
@whyshouldi
well, SHARE THE FUN
you beat me to the post... lol
I see a comment about Paul A. Chappel in almost every post. Who is he exactly?
@Mr305
He is the epitome of Apple fanboyism. 'Nuff said.
@Mr305
He is an Apple fanboy, attention whore, and troll.
Please do not even acknowledge his existence. There are many of us who, because of his inability to have a simple, rational conversation, have decided to ignore him to try to drive him away. If people stop posting in response to him, eventually he will go away.
This also includes people like Quix.
@digiboi
Amen brother! i love itunes... but hate the ipod, i use itunesync, i get the best of both worlds :-)
What has the Zune HD got that other devices like the iPod touch don´t?
Is the screen itself really worth all the excitement?
Its about time they went Multitouch. Gotta give some love to Microsoft for being on the cutting edge of 'good enough'. So is this OS considered part of the Microsoft Mobile Unoperating System line?
Can we expect to see a multitouch, pinch and zoom enabled Windows RDP client or does using Windows through iPhone still control Windows better then Microsoft's native OS?
@Jean P.
Well I got tired of the iPod Touch when I couldn't use anything besides iTunes to update it and there was no version of iTunes that would install onto Windows XP 64-bit. So I was stuck with my old songs or upgrade to Vista or install XP 32-bit.
I guess it seems like the Zune forces you to use proprietary software also though, is that the case? That really sucks, but I still like the built in radio.
That is indeed looking very sexy. The thing I want the most on it is the OLED screen :) I really really hope that apple puts an oled screen on the new iPod Touch ( I doubt it) but it would be nice .....
MS has a long and always successful tradition of buying reviews, so ask real people (thinking ones) to find the flaws in it do not ever go by reviews of MS products.
I'm serious, this isn't an attempt to talk bull in some hate campaign against MS, it's just what history has shown, ALL their games and ALL their products are always wonderful and the reviews ALWAYS forget to mention any flaws even if there are minor obvious ones that you could easily mention without being nasty or silly.
I must admit, it is much nicer than my pre. I would have waited on a pre if this was a phone.
Either this isn't meant to be competing with the iPod touch, or it's doomed. I can't imagine anyone giving up a higher resolution screen, speaker, giant and well developed app store, and bluetooth (especially for Nike+ workouts ;) ) for the OLED screen, sub-HD video output, and FM tuner (how 1900... XD). I bought a $100+ bluetooth speaker and alarm clock for my iPod touch, and there is no way I could give it up for this.
I assume I don't have to point out the fact that it won't even be that iPod the Zune HD would have to compete with, as it will be on sale around the time as the third iteration of the iPod touch.
On a side note, this would make an excellent companion media player for an iPhone 3G S. Together they could rule the world!
All it needs is an App Store :)
The iPod Touch will resemble the 3G S except probably in a slimmer form factor. Therefore, there isn't much to look for. They can't change it too much in order to keep them compatibility of the apps across both the Touch and phone. The Zune HD will be so much better especially of they create an App store and market well. The possibility of the camera is crap because it will probably only be like 3MP which basically everyone already has with a direct connection to the internet, not just Wi-Fi.
I won't believe it until I see it. I just got the iPhone 3GS, and the browser is in a different league than the POS that is Mobile IE. I don't think there is a WORSE browser than mobile IE.
And considering Microsoft said their next mobile browser was going to be based on the flaky-as-hell, web-designer-nightmare IE6 rendering engine, I don't see how it could be anywhere near the 3GS's webkit browser in Speed and rendering accuracy.
@WixosTrix
"The Zune HD will be so much better especially of they create an App store and market well."
I'm sorry, perhaps I'm completely wrong here, but from what I can tell the Zune HD has considerably less to offer than an iPod touch-
Things the Zune HD has that the iPod touch doesn't: FM radio, OLED screen, and 720p video out.
Things the iPod touch has that the Zune HD doesn't: Bluetooth, app store, larger screen resolution, Nike+, and speaker.
Honestly, I would give up all the things the Zune HD has on the current iPod touch for a decent app store or speaker to be built in. 720p for video out isn't even HD...
@ Mmmm... Dohnuts
I am certainly aware of the app store but things like the speaker (which isn't that great), bluetooth (i've seen no one use that on their touch) and resolution on a 3.3-3.5 screen isn't that big a deal. I've seen videos on the touch and videos on my zune and there isn't a huge noticeable difference. I'm not saying these things are insignificant but the majority of consumers are not going to use things bluetooth on a pmp unless someone really starts pushing A2DP and offering bluetooth headsets out of the box.
idk much about the Nike+ but I assume that works over bluetooth so I guess thats a good use.
@WixosTrix
I have a bluetooth speaker that doubles as an alarm clock which works great with my iPod touch. You can even set the alarm to send a 'play' command to your iPod over bluetooth and wake up to your music every morning. Also, it's synced to receive any calls I get on my cell when it's within thirty feet (since it connects automatically and all, wireless win ^^).
As for the internal speaker, it is actually better quality and a bit louder than the original iPhone's, despite being buried pretty deep internally (I've actually had the chance to do a side-by-side comparison). It can't be heard easily on a city bus or anything like that, but it is definitely worth having in there for little games and alert noises ;) (like new emails and pushed alerts).
Oh, and one more thing you can put on the Zune HD's better list that I just thought of: the brushed aluminum first gen iPhone-esque back definitely beats the iPod touch's highly scratchable outer casing (although that won't be a deciding factor for most people, since they would just put a case on either one).
I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't use my DAP to browse the internet. I use it listen to MUSIC. Anyone who is looking for good sound quality from a PMP knows to avoid an iPod. Most of my friends have Touch's, and the only thing they do with it is play games. I'm gonna wait and see how the Zune HD stacks up to the Sony X series and Cowon S9, then maybe I'll get one, but I do admit, it looks damn sexy.
@Wwhat
cnet also has a history of fixing reviews/scores so that the iPods come out better. There's been many occasions where they've reviewed a player missing something and marking it down yet no mention of the same thing in their iPod reviews and also upping the iPod scores if they give something else a score higher than it.
Honestly, all I care about is multitasking on this device. That's a killer feature!
Why is this not a phone yet? T-T
because adding 5mm to the thickness isn't worth it to add phone capability
oh I bet it sure will get iphone's butt kicked good
It will be some time after the Zune launch.
http://www.rgbfilter.com/?p=815
MS has already said that both the new Zune and Windows Mobile 7 will be based on the same code base, and the minimum hardware specs will be the same (hardware that can handle OpenGL ES 2.0 such as the Tegra, acclerometer, compass all the bells and whistles). These are the minimum hardware specs any WM 7 ODM will have to adhere to.
Imagine if Apple allowed 3rd party manufacturers to make phones with the iPhone OS, while still making the iPod Touch and the iPhone 'classic'.
Another bonus, with WM 7, MS has stated that you'll still be able to download applications without using their 'Marketplac', which means no censorship.
I wonder, if the people asking for this to be a phone aren't the same ones who say MS should consolidate to one OS?
Unlike another company, MS tends not to adopt a one-size-fits-all approach.
As far as convergence devices go the iPhone hasn't been topped. It's individual features each leave something to be desired however.
-It's a passable camera(finally)
-It's an OK PMP(better sound quality is certainly not hard to find.)
-It's not a great phone(neither battery life nor signal strength are strong points)
-It's doesn't have a physical KB(actually a plus for me, a deal breaker for others.)
As cool as this design is it's not ideal for a phone, as Apple learned and Motorola showed with the Razr, metal enclosures aren't good for cell reception.
Based on what we know, I don't think it's a stretch to suggest that the HD will be a better PMP than the iPhone is.(better Battery life, better sound, larger storage(I'll bet the HD hits 64GB before the iPhone), HD capabilities.)
I also don't think it's unreasonable to opine that WinMo 7 could be a better phone than the iPhone is for different people.(Various form factors, competing chipsets drive performance, MS app store+whatever you can find or code, MS's desperate need to remain viable in the mobile space(necessity being the mother of invention).
Now, you've got two devices instead of one. Maybe the performance gains are worth it.
No flash is a GOOD thing: no stupid Ads.
It just needs Ad Block Plus :D
I dunno... you'd be surprised just how much the internet relies on flash these days. Having no flash support sucks, but they can always add it in later. Maybe they'll have silverlight support, though? That would be great, if more things used silverlight.
@Quix
Your persecution complex is showing.
NO FLASH!? WHAT THE HECK DO THEY THINK THEY'RE DOING?
On Flash: If you read the CNET article, it says there's no Flash for audio or video, but that pages like Facebook load just fine.
In other words, flash navigation elements, etc. should work fine, but you're not going to be hitting up Youtube.
Considering the HD's focus on TV compatibility, it makes you wonder if MS and their partners don't want HULU and the like running through the HD on your TV?
Quix, the problem with the way you try to keep the community fair is that engadget comments are individuals. Just because some schmoe hurt your feelings about apple's lack of flash support doesn't mean the rest of us need your criticism. Simmer down.
To be fair and balanced I will say that not having Flash is a let down. It sucks that the iPhone/Touch doesn't have it and that the Zune HD doesn't have it (yet).
On the other hand, I enjoy Flash on my WinMo device just fine. Skyfire FTW!
@TJ Good thing facebook loads up fine since IT HAS NO FLASH in the ui or anywhere really. Do people even know wtf flash is? Is all of the hubub about flash from people who have no freaking idea what it is or does? Other than suck obviously.
Naw, this is definitely a letdown if true. I was hoping to stream hulu on this thing and hook it up to an hdtv. Silverlight for netflix would be nice too.
You can always turn off flash. But having the option is good for occasional use.
Whoa whoa whoa.... all this means is no flash.... yet. There might be flash later on.