Microsoft released version 4.3 of their Zune HD firmware today. The new update includes bug fixes, support for 3D games, and new applications to the Zune HD. The list of fixes (courtesy of Digital Trends) are as follows:

Interface Changes:

• Apps open and close faster
• Quicker startup time (it was up to 30 seconds or more before)
• Touchscreen is supposed to be more accurate

Music:

• More detailed artist bios with links to related songs, other artists and albums and other information
• On the radio you now have a choice of seek method in the settings

Keyboard:

• Keyboard option has been added in the settings menu
• larger landscale keyboard

Other:

• Faster web browsing
• Auto suggest feature for text input

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Zune HD firmware update 4.3

The good folks at Ubergizmo have released a review of the Zune HD media player here on their website. Here’s an excerpt from their conclusion:

“Technologically, the Zune HD is one of the most powerful mobile devices out there and its user interface is unbelievably fast, but it lacks applications beyond the basic media player functions. At least, it’s got great potential. At the moment, the iPod touch has better (and so much more) apps, and provides a better web experience. You need to know if you want your device to be a media player or a personal digital assistant (PDA).”

Make sure to head over to Ubergizmo to read the rest of the review.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Zune HD Review, Ubergizmo

Reviews for the new Zune HD which was officially launched on Tuesday are now starting to hit the web and the overall impressions have been quite positive thus far. Most of the comments are roughly the same:

• Audio is great
• Video support is good – HD output is cool but available selections in the Marketplace suck
• Touch-screen is awesome
• GUI is awesome
• Lack of apps is a bummer
• A/V dock being extra is a bummer

Without further ado here’s a quick rundown of all the various reviews, first impressions etc. Oh yeah we’ve got ourselves a 32GB Zune HD in the house and we’re still playing with it so stay tuned for our own review which probably won’t arrive for another week or so .. but definitely check out the other reviews in the meantime.

SlashGear:

“Given the lackluster appeal of the original Zune models, it’s come as no small surprise how much we like the Zune HD. There’s a sense that the Zune team really love digital media, and put above and beyond the usual effort into crafting a PMP capable of not only showing that off to its best, but doing so in a way that endears and pleases with its creative UI. Yes, boosting native codec support and ironing out the few confusions in the control structure would make it even better, but if you think of the Zune HD as the first generation of Microsoft’s new breed of PMPs then you have to admire everything they’ve achieved. Even the pricing is reasonable: $220 for the 16GB model and $290 for the 32GB, though we wish Microsoft offered a 64GB version too. Those buyers looking for broad mobile flexibility – apps, media playback and everything else – should stick to the iPod touch for the moment, but anybody wanting an excellent PMP should definitely be considering the Zune HD.”

DVICE.com:

“Summing up, the Zune HD represents a remarkable feat of technological prowess. Its user interface is the best we’ve seen on a portable media player, its sound is admirable, and its HD playback is jaw-dropping with that tiny NVIDIA Integra processor inside. This built-from-the-ground-up media player portends great things from Microsoft, perhaps hinting that this tiny form factor might someday grow into something more. Zune phone anyone?”

PC Magazine:

“With a fantastic OLED touch screen, a top-notch Web browser, and a wireless music store, the Zune HD is the best PMP you can buy—that is, if you live outside the iTunes universe.”

PC World:

“Should you consider buying a Zune HD? Absolutely, if the hardware design appeals to you and you like the idea of feasting on music for fifteen bucks a month. The video features are another major attraction if you plan to supply your own content from (ahem) ripped DVDs or other sources rather depending on Microsoft’s offerings. But the HD isn’t a pocket-sized computer like the iPod Touch–as I said at the start of this review, it’s a mere media player, albeit a (mostly) neat one.”

Gizmodo:

“

The Zune HD is the best touchscreen PMP on the market. It’s got the most unique vision, the most impressive hardware and the most stylish software. It’s priced fairly at $220 for 16GB and $290 for 32GB, though I’d call the $90 dock a required accessory.

But I’m not sure that’s enough. PMPs like the Zune HD and Sony X-Series try to advance the genre with new and impressive media playback features, but the success of the iPod Touch shows that that media playback alone isn’t necessarily enough anymore. People seem to want pocketable computers, either in smartphone or near-smartphone form, or simpler, smaller devices like the iPod Nano and SanDisk’s Sansa line. So it’s not going to steal sales from the iPod Touch, but it should make some Samsung and Sony executives pretty jealous.

I’m left wishing Microsoft could get its Zune team to work with (read: boss around) the Windows Mobile team to put together a media phone. The Zune HD is a great PMP, but it could have been a jaw-dropping, unbelievable phone.”

Engadget:

“So let’s pretend for a moment that these players are exactly the same in every way except for how you get music on them. In that scenario, we think Microsoft’s angle has some real advantages. Of course, these players are different — you’re still sacrificing a lot for that $15 subscription — and even though the Zune HD is a tremendous media player with a lot of great features, we still don’t think it competes 1:1 with a device like the touch. Still, it competes, and for Microsoft and the Zune brand, that’s a major leap forward.”

NYTimes:

“It’s an outdated joke; the Zune HD player isn’t perfect, but it’s every bit as joyful, polished and satisfying as its rival. The question is whether Microsoft will stick it out long enough to close the catalog gap, the ecosystem gap and the image gap.”

Technorati Tags: Zune HD Reviews

Microsoft formally announced Zune HD pricing and availability today and guess what? Those leaked prices over at Amazon.com were indeed true (*shocking* – sense that bit of sarcasm?). So here are the details.

The Zune HD will be available in 16 and 32Gb capacities. The 16GB model is priced at $219.99 while the 32GB model is priced at $289.99. AND in case you’ve been under a rock for the last six months or so, the Zune HD will feature a built-in HD radio receiver, support for HD video playback, multi-touch navigation, a beautiful OLED display, support for games, a built-in web browser, and of course Wi-Fi connectivity. The unit measures 52.7 x 102.1 x 8.9mm and weighs approximately 2.6 oz.

Pre-order begins now at locations such as Amazon.com, Best Buy, Walmart and the Microsoft Store. The Zune HD will be coming out on September 15th.

[Pre-order the 16GB model at the Microsoft Store]

[Pre-order the 32GB model at the Microsoft Store]

Technorati Tags: Zune HD, Zune HD Price

Although Microsoft has yet to release official pricing for the upcoming Zune HD media player, this hasn’t stopped the folks over at Amazon.com from setting a pre-order price. According to this Amazon webpage, the 16GB Zune HD will be priced at $219.99 while the 32GB Zune HD will be priced at $289.99. Unfortunately clicking on the links results in an error page at Amazon – so these prices are still unconfirmed at this time.  Here’s hoping that Microsoft will indeed be pricing the Zune HD at these price points tho – I mentioned in the past that Microsoft needs to have more differentiators in their Zune product line – price is obviously one way to make your product stand apart. An under $300 dollar 32GB flash-based media player will certainly be welcomed by the mass audience IMHO.

[Check it out via PC Magazine]

Technorati Tags: Zune HD Price

CNET has published a hands-on look at the upcoming Zune HD media player and I have to admit – it looks pretty good. Now I know I ragged on the Zune HD in my previous posting several months ago – basically saying it might be too little too late. I still feel that way in many ways but hey – if the Zune HD can execute nicely as a media player than that’s only good news for us consumers.

There are still things that bug me of course. I love the Zune PC software but I hate the fact that it’s separate from Windows Media Player. I want one comprehensive music management application. Perhaps that’s the single biggest beef I have with all of the Zune world….

Anyhow enough of my complaints – check out the CNET gallery and impressions. Here’s a quote from the article:

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Zune HD, CNET Hands-on

Now that the cats out of the bag with the Zune HD, one can’t help but wonder if this is still too little too late for the Zune. Does the addition of the Zune HD really change anything for the Zune and the related Zune marketplace?

Zune HD:

There’s certainly a lot to like with the player but we won’t focus our attention on that (you can read the press release for that information). Let’s focus on the things that are still lacking:

• Let’s face it. The Zune HD Is still playing catch-up with the iPod touch. The player adds multi-touch capabilities, has a built-in accelerometer, and has HD output. Joy.. but these are still features that the Apple iPod touch community have had for nearly two years now. Will an iPod user realistically switch to the Zune HD simply looking at this new feature set? Doubtful. Will this new feature set keep a current Zune user from switching to the iPod touch? Not clear.
• HD Radio is a very cool feature.. as long as you’re in a location that has HD Radio channels broadcasting. Go to the middle of the country and forget it. A radio is just a radio at the end of the day. The whole point of the media player is to bring YOUR content with you wherever you go.
• The player itself is sexier than the previous Zune iterations.. but it still looks a bit too industrial for our tastes – especially when compared against the iPod touch. iPod touch – smooth curves. Zune HD – some rounded corners but also some ugly screws in the back. Ugh..

Zune Marketplace:

If we’ve had one major complaint over the years, it’s the confusing mess that is known as the Microsoft Zune marketplace and the somewhat related Xbox LIVE Marketplace. Two marketplaces that share a common login and payment system.. but that’s really about it. For some stupid reason, they’ve been separate for all these years.

So now, Zune will feature prominently within the Xbox LIVE Marketplace.. great but um… does an Xbox 360 user care about the Zune brand? Probably not.. they simply care about purchasing and downloading videos and music. Without knowing the full details, what we need is a single unified store front for all of Microsoft multimedia content. We’ll find out more about this at E3 next year.. but to take a simple cue, just look at Apple and their iTunes store front. You can purchase a movie and have it synced to your iPod or to your Apple TV.. or have it playable on your PC. Can you do the same with content on Xbox LIVE Marketplace? Of course not. Of course this could all change next week as one media outlet announced that the video section of the Xbox LIVE Marketplace was being outright replaced with the Zune Video marketplace. If so – cool.. but what about the music? Why can’t I purchase and listen music on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace????

It’s all about simplicity for the user – Microsoft. Can you please do that much? Stop playing the “Let’s cooperate with the media conglomerate card” and start focusing in on the consumer at hand. Don’t make us wonder whether this movie will work on my Xbox 360 or on my Zune HD etc. Make it simple.. and make it work.

And while you’re at it – just remove that stupid Microsoft Point system will ya? It’s annoyed everyone for years now.. we accept it because we have no other choice to do so but it’s silly.

It’s all about the Apps..

The Zune HD doesn’t change one important thing about the Zune. It’s basically a portable media player and nothing else. Sure current iterations let you play some games and the new Zune HD will have a built-in web browser.. but that’s really about it.

Look at what Apple has successfully forged with the iPod touch/iPhone. It’s built an incredibly large developer community with some developers going from rags to riches over silly applications. It’s a shame that Microsoft with its rich developer history hasn’t yet fully realized this yet. Sure it’s starting to roll out a Mobile App marketplace for Windows Mobile… but that surely will not extend to the Zune anytime soon (if ever). Until we have a rich application community, the Zune will never be able to compete in this arena.

A user buys an iPod touch and the whole experience is only just beginning simply because they can now purchase thousands of app that extend and enrich their media player. What do we have on the Zune? Music.. videos.. photos.. a browser… oh yeah.. HD radio.

Pricing

I’ve never really been critical of the Zune pricing.. but if the Zune is going to succeed in any way, it needs to be competitively priced against the iPod touch – aka it needs to be cheaper. Microsoft has the money, and they can certainly make people turn their heads simply by pricing the Zune HD cheaper than a comparable iPod touch. And let’s face it – it SHOULD be cheaper if only because the feature set is lower than the iPod touch.  You want a game changing product Microsoft? Under-price the competition.

Paved with the best of intentions…

It’s been a brave road for the Zune team.. but I can’t help but feel that it’s road that will lead them to nowhere. Microsoft lacks the unifying vision in the digital marketplace that Apple has and it certainly doesn’t look like anything is going to change soon. The mere fact that there needs to be a Zune “brand” within the Xbox LIVE marketplace says it all. You’ve got brands and groups competing with each other within Microsoft. You have duplicate software applications on the same PC (Zune software vs. Windows Media Player) that practically do the same thing – except one talks to the Zune and one doesn’t… yet is better integrated with the rest of Microsoft’s digital home technologies (Windows Media Player/Center).

Take a step back and unify your vision Microsoft. It might take some time but it will be well worth it don’t you think? Our simple recommendations:

• One marketplace for content
• One software for managing content
• Content that plays – at least on all Microsoft devices (and PCs)
• One unifying application community – develop for Windows Mobile gets you on Zune etc
• Unify the front end on mobile devices will ya? Make the Zune UI the single user interface for all Microsoft branded devices – from phones to players to whatever.
• Look at Apple for guidance

Please rethink your Zune strategy Microsoft. We’ve stuck by you all these years.. and really.. nothing has changed. The Zune is still playing catch up.. and it’s still a confusing mess out there for the average consumer. It shouldn’t have to be.

Technorati Tags: Zune

After months of rumors, Microsoft finally confirmed yesterday the existence of the next generation Zune player called the Zune HD. The new Zune HD will have the following features:

• “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.
• 3.3 inch OLED touch screen interface with a 16:9 widescreen format display (480×272 resolution).
• 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.
• Supported 720p HD video files will play on the device but downscaled to fit at 480 x 272. You’ll still be able to output in HD.
• Zune HD will include a full-screen Internet browser optimized for multitouch functionality.
• Wi-Fi enabled as with previous Zune products – allows you to connect, update, and buy content wirelessly from Wi-Fi hotspots.
• Built-in accelerometer
• Touch-screen QWERTY keyboard

Microsoft is finally taking on Apple’s iPod touch with the new Zune HD product and hoping that a feature such as built-in HD Radio tuner will help differentiate itself from the pack. The real question is – will people really care about HD Radio enough to buy into the Zune story? The iPod touch has a major feature going for it that Microsoft has really yet to match – a large 3rd party application community in the App Store which turns the iPod touch into essentially a portable computer of sorts. Then again – one could argue that the Zune focuses in on one thing and one thing only – delivering high quality multimedia content to the user.

Finally, Microsoft announced that the Zune brand experience would be extended to the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace. The Zune will occupy the first slot within the  Xbox user interface in the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace. According to Enrique Rodriquez, 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.”

No word on pricing nor availability at this time.

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[Check out the product page]

Technorati Tags: Microsoft Zune HD, Microsoft