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Zune HD Facebook app will be ready when it's ready
Sit down, child, we've got some bad news. This is going to come as a real blow, but the Zune HD Facebook app, the one promised to be here by the end of January, isn't going to make it in time. Microsoft has said it's "still coming soon" but that it just isn't going to be done until at least February. We realize how hard this will be for you, since there are just so few ways to log into your FB account (or someone else's) right now, but you're just going to have to be strong. It'll be here eventually, and when it does that den of sin will finally turn into the profanity-free social network we've always talked about.
International Zune with phone functionality hinted in Microsoft job listings, magic boxes
We're not sure how it happened (ok, we have an idea) but Microsoft went from confident incumbent to the scrappy tech underdog in the last few years. We're not talking marketshare here, but mindshare. Through it all the Xbox 360 has remained a constant fave and Windows 7 has certainly helped the company rekindle consumer enthusiasm as did the release of the Zune HD. Now, if we're reading our tea leaves correctly, then Microsoft's got a whole lot more in store for 2010. Redmond's already hinted pretty strongly that it's hell-bent on bringing the acclaimed Zune media experience to more devices including its Windows Mobile handsets -- something we hope to see unveiled in Barcelona. The problem, is that dedicated Zune hardware is pretty much restricted to the US and Canada at the moment. A quick look at Microsoft's job boards, however, reveals the need for a London-based "Business Development Manager" responsible for driving European content licensing deals for digital music and support engineering and development divisions including Zune, Xbox, and Windows Mobile. Another Zune-related posting reveals a position for a hardware test engineer with "working knowledge of cell-phone 2G and 3G technologies." We're also seeing that the latest Zune software update is country aware judging by Arne Hess' language and localization testing over at the::unwired. Man, if Microsoft can get its act together and horizontally integrate the best of its killer apps and services then the rest of the industry had better watch out.
Windows Mobile 7 roadmap elucidated, starts with MWC 2010 demo
You know, January is all but expired now. Gone are the heady (or is that headless?) days of CES 2010, and we're nearly past the rumor euphoria of the decade, so what do we have to look forward to? According to CNET's sources, WinMo 7. This year. Sure, we heard as much from DigiTimes, but it's always good to put a more legitimate source to what is quite the juicy forecast. Confirmation that Microsoft is planning to finalize all code by this summer also meshes with an earlier leak of an LG Windows Mobile 7 handset set for a September release, while the latest Pink phone rumors are also reiterated. At any rate, it all kicks off in Barcelona come February 15, with Microsoft also circling its MIX 2010 web development conference a month later as the time it'll start dishing the dirt on how to code for the new OS. So there we have it, new consumer phones and a long overdue WinMo overhaul all coming to you within the next few months.
Zune 'Phone' devices listed in latest software update
Whoa, what's this? The so-called Zune software maintenance release has a trio of Phone device drivers tucked away inside the Zune.inf file according to Long Zheng over at istartedsomething. And similar to the three devices listed representing the three types of Zunes, we have three Phone.DeviceDesc placeholders for three unannounced (Pink and WinMo 6.x/7?) phones presumably running premium Zune media services. We expect Microsoft will come clean at Mobile World Congress starting February 15th. We'll be there live which means that you will be too.
Zune 4.2 update released, what's new?
We're receiving word from multiple early-bird readers indicating that they've received the 4.2 update on their Zunes and that, now that they're out of that nasty maintenance window, all is right with the world. That said, our tipsters are not spotting any major differences, and neither are we, certainly nothing as exciting as 4.3 brought to the Zune HD. What about you? Have you been granted access to 4.2 yet? If so, let us know in comments if you've found anything fresh and exciting. And, if you haven't, feel free to discuss the weather -- it sure has been a little crazy 'round these parts lately. [Thanks, Brent R. and Bryan]
Scheduled Zune maintenance could last for up to 24 hours
Regular Zune users may have already noticed the alert warning of some impending downtime, but those that haven't should know that Microsoft is advising folks that some maintenance scheduled for tomorrow could last for as long as 24 hours. That will begin at 10PM PST on January 25th, and will affect all Zune services, including Zune Pass, Zune Marketplace, Zune.net streaming and Zune video on Xbox Live. Once the service is back up, users will also have to update their PC software, and users of Zunes other than the Zune HD will also have to update their device's firmware. This scheduled maintenance is also apparently just that, maintenance -- although Microsoft is promising that things like Smart DJ and other features announced at CES, as well some as "unannounced features," will be rolling out in another update sometime this Spring.
Windows Mobile 7 rumors coalesce around Q4 launch, MWC announcement
While DigiTimes isn't our go-to source for all things Microsoft, the Taiwanese tattler does have its finger on the pulse of the Taiwanese / Chinese manufacturing juggernaut. As such, we expect it to be privy to information related to HTC, Acer, and ASUS handsets. So lean in close when it cites "sources familiar to Microsoft's roadmap" in claiming a September 2010 release of Windows Mobile 7 to its handset partners -- the same month pegged by that LG leak last week. That should translate into consumer availability by the end of Q4, or Q1 2011 at the latest. As it's stated, WinMo7 will bring an improved interface, browsing, and multimedia experience with integrated support for Zune, Xbox Live, and Silverlight; nothing we haven't heard before (and long wished for). DigiTimes claims that only English and "common European languages" will be available initially with Asian localization coming in 2011. Oh, and it'll be announced at Mobile World Congress. One thing's clear: the rapid convergence of the rumor mill around dates and feature sets has us very excited about Microsoft's chances at resurrecting its smartphone soul in time for the holidays. As such, we'll be at Mobile World Congress in force to bring you the full story starting February 15th. It's going to be good.
JBO: Joystiq Box Office, January 11 - January 15
We can't be gaming all the time, despite our best efforts, and from time to time we'll actually take advantage of the movie-playing abilities on our gaming systems. JBO features our top picks for XBL, PSN, Netflix's Watch Instantly and Blu-ray each week. Recommendation of the Week: The Dungeon Masters ($3.99 three-day rental, $14.99 to purchase, Amazon VOD) We don't normally include Amazon VOD in this list, simply because it's not (readily) accessible from gaming consoles ... although you can watch it on your Mac or PC. However, I just had to share this movie with you. I was lucky enough to see director Keven McAlester's The Dungeon Masters at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2008, and it is finally coming to a screen near you. The documentary chronicles the exploits of three D&D dungeon masters (and one who is also a gamer) and the trials and tribulations of living with their obsession. You can watch the trailer for the movie and pre-order it on Amazon VOD. The bad news? It doesn't come out until February 12. (Buy now, watch later!) The good news? It's amazing. Depressing at times, sure, but a telling and realistic portrait of certain types of gamers. You know the ones. A perfect movie to watch as you bust out the 4th Edition and start rolling. Read on after the break for the rest of our recommendations, and let us know what you're watching!
Zune HD getting Xvid, Smart DJ, ever more appealing
We know you were put off by the whole Twitter censorship debacle last month, but Microsoft and the Zune HD have moved past that (honest) and they want you to come along as well. They're enticing everyone to forget about that bone-headed move by, well, throwing everyone a bone and adding in Xvid support, part of full compatibility with MPEG-4 part 2 Advanced Simple Profile. DivX will not be coming out to play, but Smart DJ will be, a feature that isn't so much new but is newly portable, providing a counterpoint to the iPod's Genius and, since you can use it to stream content from the Zune Marketplace (when connected via WiFi) it begins to approach the functionality of apps like Pandora or Slacker Radio. Tasty, indeed, though at this point we're not sure when Microsoft will be throwing us this juicy firmware update.
Zune HD Twitter app updated, dirty words no longer censored
Microsoft promised us it would remove the silly content censorship from the Zune HD Twitter app ASAP, and here we are a day later with version 1.1, which lets you see all the schoolyard swears you could ever want. High five, assholes. Unfortunately, we're not seeing a huge performance improvement: it's a tiny bit snappier, but we're still seeing unresponsive buttons, laggy scrolling, and random WiFi disconnects. On to version 1.2! P.S.- Screenshot of the new non-censoring app in action after the break. Be careful, it could damage more delicate constitutions.
Microsoft updating Zune HD Twitter to stop censoring tweets
Microsoft definitely copped some of Apple's lame App Store antics with its tweet-censoring Zune HD Twitter app, so now it's time for the infuriatingly vague PR-speak backtracking -- Redmond just pinged us to say it's "identified the issue" with the Twitter app and that a naughty words-enabling update is coming "as soon as possible." That's a pretty lame response, considering the "issue" is that the app is coded to actively censor tweets -- not exactly an "oops" moment, you know? Here's the entire statement: The recently released Twitter for Zune HD application has been abbreviating some explicit words in tweets when viewed on the device; however these explicit words do appear in their full text on the Twitter site or on any other Twitter client. We have identified the issue and are taking steps to update the application as soon as possible to ensure Twitter for Zune HD users are able to view tweets in their original state. Flack silliness aside, it's still the right step -- let's hope this update addresses the performance issues we noticed as well.
Zune HD Twitter app now live UPDATE: it censors tweets!
It was a slow rollout today, but the promised Zune HD Twitter app is now live in Marketplace. We've been playing with it a little since we got it, and while it's definitely one of the more attractive mobile Twitter clients we've come across, it's also distressingly laggy: it's stalled out several times just scrolling a list of tweets, button presses go ignored, and refreshing data seems to cause all sorts of consternation -- our Zune's dropped its WiFi connection several times now. Not sure what's going on with that, but we've definitely seen some far more polished apps running on the Zune, so we're hoping these glitches get cleaned up soon. Update: Turns out there's a bigger problem here than just poor performance -- as reader Scott Zero points out, it censors naughty words out of tweets in your timeline. (Seriously -- here's his original tweet that we've highlighted above.) Sure, it's a free app, but this kind of active content censorship just rubs us the wrong way -- even worse than Apple's various Twitter-related App Store shenanigans. Bleh.
Twitter for Zune coming tomorrow, @Facebook where are you?
Poetically enough announced via a tweet, the Zune team has given word that the long-awaited Twitter app is coming to Microsoft's little media player that could. Coupled with November's release of 3D games, by our count that leaves only Facebook left as the promised Zune app officially registering M.I.A. More details for tomorrow's release in the morning, and with so many Twitter apps available on other platforms as case studies, we'll be expecting some good things here, mkay Redmond? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
LinkedIn profiles reveal Windows Mobile 7 clues, folks with really great people skills
Much to Ballmer's chagrin, Windows Mobile 7 is still a rather nebulous thing, but it's getting a wee bit clearer thanks to some bits and bytes extracted from the LinkedIn profiles of current and former Microsofties and Motorolites, the latter group indicating the company that brought you the Droid is also rather committed to Microsoft's theoretical new hotness. Various experience line-items reveal that the OS will support Silverlight (natch), will have a new navigation app, and will include much better game support along with some sort of Zune integration -- finally. Now, any guesses on how many people will lose their jobs for being so open about what those positions entail?
Zune HD getting magenta and purple flavors on December 1st
Not enough variety in your Zune HD color palette? How about a friendly dab of magenta and purple to mix up the proceedings? Microsoft's Zune Store is now showing some grayed out selectors for purple and magenta color options for the player, which will apparently be available on December 1st -- just in time for something or other. No word on whether these will be available for both 16GB and 32GB versions, but pink already representing on the 32 gigger, we'd really hope Microsoft would spread the love down to the cash strapped. [Thanks, Jerel]
The Guild season 3 finale
The Guild has come to the end of season 3, and it's all come down to this. Codex is facing off what's left of the Axis of Anarchy, Riley has appeared to ruin Zaboo's game, and all of the other issues this season come to a head as the showdown reaches its conclusion. And being that this is the season finale, there's a few surprises in the mix as well, and a shocker of a finish. You can watch the show over on MSN (which is now calling itself Bing), on the Xbox Live and Zune marketplaces, or right after the break below. The gang has also released the final gag reel of the season, with outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage from the last three episodes. Lots of fun stuff in there as well, though definitely be sure to finish the season first -- as you might expect, there's some spoilers. And I'm sure the gag reels, and lots of other special footage, will end up on the eventual DVD release for this season. We'll let you know about that, and season four, when we hear about it. Long live the Knights of Good! Like The Guild? We do, too! We've got all the episodes of season 3 posted: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and episode 12 above. We've also chatted with all of the folks at BlizzCon, including Felicia Day, Sandeep Parikh, and Jeff Lewis and Michele Boyd. And as if that wasn't enough Guild, here's the liveblog of their panel, and the guys were nice enough to stop by our meetup as well. Stay tuned for more Guild here on WoW.com!
JBO: Joystiq Box Office, November 16 - November 20
We can't be gaming all the time, despite our best efforts, and from time to time we'll actually take advantage of the movie-playing abilities on our gaming systems. JBO features our top picks for XBL, PSN, Netflix's Watch Instantly and Blu-ray each week. Recommendation of the Week: North by Northwest: 50th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray) It's been 50 years since Alfred Hitchcock's classic North by Northwest first appeared in theaters, and Warner Bros. has put together an amazing package that includes a new one hour documentary about Hitchcock called "The Master's Touch: Hitchcock's Signature Style," and a new half-hour documentary about the film itself. It also carries over older extras like a documentary about Cary Grant, commentary and more. It's packaged in the Warner Blu-ray Book format that I loathed at first, but now love: No inserts or booklets to lose, and they look fantastic on a shelf. You've probably seen the iconic image of Cary Grant running in terror from a biplane, but never seen North by Northwest. For my money, it's his best film. Read on for the rest of the recommendations, and as usual, we'll see you at the popcorn sta -- well, actually, we won't see you at all. But you catch our drift. Plus, be sure to tell us what you'll be watching, or what you've seen recently that bowled you over.
iPhone version of Audiosurf put 'on hold' due to music library restrictions
Though the Zune HD-owning community (whose names are Michael, Alan and Michelle) are now able to play the entrancing Audiosurf: Tilt on their beloved media device, iPhone and iPod Touch owners are still forced to go without. Many were hopeful that the iPhone Firmware Update 3.0, which opened up the device's music library to third-party developers, would allow the game's creator, Dylan Fitterer, to bring the game to the popular media player. Unfortunately, in a brief interview with gaming news site Charge Shot, Fitterer explained that the update "didn't bring enough access." We contacted Fitterer to find out exactly what he meant by this -- he explained, "Apps can play songs, but they can't get at a song's bits (needed to analyze it and build a matching rollercoaster + traffic pattern)." He added that there were workarounds -- for instance, a player could upload a song to the App or through a central server, which would create a level for them. However, he said that system felt inconvenient, and that he doesn't "want to put Audiosurf on iPhone until it can really let you ride your music - all of it." There's still a chance the game could end up on an Apple product -- though Fitterer negotiated directly with Microsoft to get his game on the Zune HD platform, the two parties came to no form of exclusivity agreement. "I'm ready for Apple to call," Fitterer joked.
Xbox LIVE gets 1080p Zune Video store, Twitter, Facebook and more on November 17th (video)
Remember all those fantastic features that Microsoft promised were in the works for its Xbox 360 back at E3? Get ready folks, because they're all arriving in five days. At an undisclosed time on November 17th, users will be able to login to Xbox LIVE and check out the totally bodacious new portals available to kill time and act social without actually combing your hair. As we'd heard, Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm (US and UK only) modules will all be featured, not to mention on-demand 1080p / 5.1-channel HD video through the Zune Video outlet. In case that's not enough (and be honest, it's never enough), users will also see a new "News and More" section in the "Inside Xbox" channel with streams from MSNBC, The New Yorker and Dilbert. Yeah, Dilbert. Hop on past the break for a few video demonstrations, and then get back to your Modern Warfare 2 binge before your teammates see you slacking off.
Zune HD 3D games video hands-on
It took us a tick to get our Zune HD loaded up with those new 3D games that were released this morning, but we thought you might want to check out a quick hands-on. That Tegra chip is no joke -- the graphics in PGR: Ferrari Edition are easily on par with the PSP and quite possibly better, with intricate textures, high-quality reflections, and smooth framerates. The other games aren't nearly as intense, but they're just as smooth. Best of all? They're free -- although you will have to look at a Zune ad while they load. Not the worst tradeoff in the world, but we'd love to see what paid app developers could do if Microsoft would open this beast up. Check the video after the break.
