Zune HD's "Apps" menu item spotted in the Marketplace, still short on details
By Paul Miller 
posted August 23rd 2009 2:29AM
posted August 23rd 2009 2:29AM
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
posted August 23rd 2009 2:29AM
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So will these be native apps designed specifically to take advantage of Tegra, or just WinMo apps ported over?
Probably both.
This better be just as good as the app store. 99 cent apps are what people want. There was an article about RIM setting a minimum price point which just seems ridiculous.
As for anyone going to check out the Zune HD, my local best buy has a hidden network named "Best Buy" that is unsecured and has internet access. So if anyone gets a hold of one long enough try to sneak into the wifi settings and test out the market place.
The smart money would be to have a tiered app store. Keep the fart programs and the games in the Zune store, and keep them cheap. Have the productivity and utility apps in the WinMo store.
This also makes sense because Zune doesn't have all the same hardware reqs as a typical winmo device (like the gps or cell radio).
God I want this thing.
It just keeps getting better and better.
The other thing i wouldn't be surprised to see, woudl be MS making a new xbox 360 controller, similar to what they have now, but having a slot that you can slide the Zune HD into, giving you an additional touchscreen display, right at your fingertips. In addition, the controller could also be used as a standalone, portable gaming platform.
We haven't seen even the beginning of this new, exciting platform.
@crawdad689: That sounds nasty.
just wait for zfart
only $1
@crawdad689: I'm not sure we need another Visual Memory Unit just yet.
I'm all for Apple and I'm a Mac person. But I REALLY want this product. Stop tempting me Engadget D:
Who cares. Brand loyalty is stupid. Just buy it if you want it.
You're honestly the first person I've seen on Engadget to make sense when responding to another comment about someone using Apple product, for that, I love you. Also, to make my previous comment make more sense, I REALLY WANT A ZUNE HD. That is all :)
Yeah.
I am a "Mac person" too. Every comp in my house is a mac and I am a slight fanboy admittedly. I agree with the whole brand loyalty thing. I'm not jumping over to AT&T because I would like an iPhone. I'll stick with Verizon where I very much enjoy my coverage...but I digress.
I actually am not a very big Microsoft fan at all (although I own an Xbox). Not many people I know are. BUT, a sexy product is a sexy product. And this my friends, IS a sexy product. We'll have to see how it all works out and how Microsoft pulls it off, but I would guess from what I have seen so far (and not seeing what the Big A has up their sleeve for the new iPod in a few weeks) that this has at least some potential to finally be a media player to break into Apple's dominance.
I love the look of the interface, the HD radio, the screen, and the Tegra (which has SO much potential for what this thing could offer).
If Apple doesn't step it up with their next offering (gonna have to do better than a camera boys), then consider me sold on this!
I thought Zunes don't work on Macs? Do they? Cause if they do, I would consider buying one.
I totally agree! Is there some petition we can sign and send to Microsoft encouraging them to port this thing over to Mac OS? Geez!
They don't. But I have windows set up on my Mac anyway.
@shdow.
Exactly what I was trying to say, but better put. X]
Come on give in, you know you want to one.
I'm a PC and want a iPod touch. :)
I'm not a mac person, literally hates the mac computers but I bought their ipod because it is essential to me when I use the gym. I plan on getting another color to match my outfit.
My point is, don't be like those idiots who supports so and so. Neither company cares bout you. Competition is healthy and it drives these companies to lower their prices and think of better ideas. Thats how our technologies have been evolving.
If Atari was the only video game console, our tech today would still be 80's. PDA's in the 90's evolved so slow because it was just Windows Mobile. Now we have Apple, Nokia, Blackberry and theyre all competing to always be better than the other.
A week after Zune HD comes out Best Buy is going to have a long long line at the return counter.
Let's see how many chumps fall for this thing.
All this talk about anti-brand loyalty and then Kehyu gets downranked for basically being the same (but inverse) of the OP. Guys, let people buy what they want, regardless of whether it's the product you like or think is 'better'. Isn't that what the first four posters have been upranked for? Why the hypocrisy?
Oh, but @FoxKenji-- JUST SHUT UP ALREADY.
Why is an iPod "essential" for using at the gym? There are plenty of MP3 players out there that offer similar capabilities and similar specs.
Essential to him.
Anyone know if it will sync on a Mac? Will M$ release a ZunePass application on the Mac to get subscription music? Will they go Palm style and build in iTunes support?
I might be planning on getting this Zune HD, but even if I don't, hopefully, if Microsoft has a good, free, and OPEN app store, Apple will get it's but in gear and improve it's own App store.
Oh who am I kidding, it's Apple. But I can DREAM can't I?
Apple's App store is the best and most successful compare with everyone else's. Clearly its strategy is working extremely well and that proves its business model works. Now look at MS once again saying 'me too' but in a feeble attempt at not cloning the App Store in its entirety they want to set an artificial minimum price on each app. Perhaps one day MS will get its butt in gear and create sound business policies for its store. Why would anyone even dream of such a thing though. It's useless.
@Kenji
Just desperate to grasp for an argument aren't you? I mean if the Zune HD is such a horrible device like you claim then why are you out here trying to protect the iPod Touch? Wait wait do you hear that? I think Steve job's is calling for you.
@FoxKenji You are the biggest iWhore i know. I admittedly am a little zune-biased, but at least i don't hunt for iWhoreish comments and rant and rave about Microsoft. I also love mac but seeing how i hate "fitting in" I bought a zune 120, so now i'm stuck with Windows Vista. That is until windows 7 comes out. By the way you need to relax and open up your mind. Seeing how now the zune hd actually has more features all around then the iPod touch, you freak out i understand. Just wait until it comes out go try it with an open mind, maybe a zune rep will be there, be as polite as possible. Oh and tell "Apple Chapel"(Paul A. Chapel) to do the same.
If you like your mac, windows, and the Zune HD, and want to be unique, why not dual boot Windows and OS X on a PC? That's always sure to turn heads, and it's a good conversational piece.
I actually wish I had a PC now so I could run Windows and Mac on it, not as fun to do that on a mac.
If Microsoft can do to its Zune Games/Apps what it did to the Live Arcade, I think it'll be pretty successful.
With the power of Tegra
YES, It will run a mobile version of
HALO3
Crysis
NeedForSpeed
with an unbelievable FPS.
and this will pave the way for Windows Live Suite
Twitter client with amazing UI
etc...
by Need For Speed, I mean PGR
PGR? The demo video they had at the preview I went to had Burnout...
@Mark
Seriously? The Zune HD demo unit had Burnout on it? Was it watered-down? Did you get to see it in action?
Oh, no, it was just featured on one of the demo videos. They didn't have any apps or games actually installed and they refused to let me use the wifi to try to see if there were any on the marketplace
HALO ODST!
Dang that Tegra is nice
Again, Why didn't any GeekSquad Agents try and hook this up to the hidden Wifi networks?
I had my phone all ready to tether but the people said they weren't allowed to let anyone use the internet on it, because it's "not finalized". My guess is that they didn't want people to see the apps.
Because they are Geek Squad, and from my experience, they probably couldnt figure out how to set up the wifi.
Because they are geek squad. They know how to turn on a PC, insert a repair disk, and charge you a 100 bucks. Anything else is mostly outside their scope of knowledge. They would had to have asked, or hopped on google real fast to look up the instructions.
Lol my sisters boyfriend works at bestbuy, he said all geeksquad does is call foreign companies and ask them how to do shit, that they probably still can't figure out how to do.
i tried i work there in the gaming dept, i knew about the hidden network unfortunatley the zune only shows visabile one and wouldnt let me add a custom but the rep said thats because they purposely locked that option out probably knowing of BBs network
I wish i had some of my goons with me, we could have pulled a jack move on them and take the zunes and sell them.
Of course you could sell it for much more than $220, seeing as how it's not going to be sold for another few weeks.
I'm still waiting to see the true power of Tegra... I guess Steve Ballmer put it best: Developers, Developers, Developers, Developers.
Cellphone makers seriously need to improve video recording qualities of camera phones. The ought to be a law. VGA or higher!
There's a world outside of America.
@iLoveApple : That's what they want you to think! ;)
Wouldn't the SDK just be XNA? Well, I guess technically you can only make games with XNA but if they modified it a bit for Zune, isn't that what they would use? I think Microsoft would be in the smarts to use XNA as its Game/Application SDK because its really easy to ease into. If you are reading Microsoft... :)
There's a calculator app that was written with XNA so it could still be using that.