Zune HD

By jonhapimp
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Grand Master

Digitalx

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If this in fact true it's a good step forward for Microsoft and Zune. They've got great software however, if iPod Touch rumors are true and next iPod Touch features a camera and maybe GPS I think it will still leave Microsoft in catch up or "lacking" so to speak with competition with their hardware anyway. I guess we'll maybe leave that judgment till we see the specs and features of both including the price.

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Grand Master

George P Global Moderator

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Isn't it safe to say that those who have a PMP like the touch also have a cellphone that they use just as a cellphone etc? So then do you really need GPS in your PMP? Or even a camera? I guess if you wanna make it a glorified PMP+digital camera then maybe.

I don't see those two things as really holding back the new Zune if it doesn't have them. We don't know specs yet so it's hard to say. We just don't know what it'll have.

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Digitalx

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Isn't it safe to say that those who have a PMP like the touch also have a cellphone that they use just as a cellphone etc? So then do you really need GPS in your PMP? Or even a camera? I guess if you wanna make it a glorified PMP+digital camera then maybe.

I don't see those two things as really holding back the new Zune if it doesn't have them. We don't know specs yet so it's hard to say. We just don't know what it'll have.

It's debatable i guess. If you got a smart phone you don't need those features or an ipod touch for that matter. Me personally I have a phone which is basic and i use occasionally it's got a camera which is rubbish to say the least however if ipod which carry with me quite often to listen to music and do occasional net browsing where and whenever possible when on the go if could add a decent camera would be quite neat plus alot of applications use the find location feature with gps on iphone so i think for developers sake and a bit of unification across both platforms adding gps to ipod touch would be handy.

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TheNGTV

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Zune OS is not a optimized version of Windows Mobile. It is a optimized version of Windows Embedded, which is also what WIndows Mobile is also made out of but there OS's are not the same.

The current versions use CE, but I see them going up to Mobile codebase for unity's sake.

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Grand Master

Richard Hammond

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I am sorry... HD?.. on a screen that small?.. really?

Its not gonna have a HD screen its just marketing buzzwords, much like the HTC Touch HD doesnt have a HD screen it just has a high resolution 800x480 screen which im guessing the Zune will also have.

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Grand Master

Digitalx

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800x480 for a mobile device is a HD resolution for a small screen just like 1920x1200/1080 for 22-24" monitor.

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Smigit

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800x480 for a mobile device is a HD resolution for a small screen just like 1920x1200/1080 for 22-24" monitor.

As far as I'm concerned, I've only ever seen the reference point for whether something is HD or not being based on the resolution, irrespective of the size of the screen. Playing a Wii on a small display doesn't suddenly mean it's outputting HD because the screen is smaller. The devices may still be a higher definition compared to whats on the market, but in terms of what makes something get the "HD" label these days I really don't think that it applies here.

Edited by Smigit
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Grand Master

Digitalx

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i think that's just a misconception between a higher quality definition image on a screen based on DPI/PPI, resolution and size and the industry standard for display and video(34236842.png) 720/1080 etc. both are a an abbreviation of HD but both are different meanings or intentions rather. So remember it's not the Zune34236842.png it's the ZuneHD :)

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Smigit

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haha. true

Well if your saying what you said but I wouldn't abbreviate it. The term "HD" is pretty much universally used as meaning a specific resolution upwards. I think it's safer just to say "high definition" if "high definition" is what you mean as opposed to what the industry standards are.

At least thats how I feel on the use of the term.

edit:

And as for the device I think it's a very good move forward...partially because of the hardware itself but more because MS is FINALLY going to ship this one internationally. It's sort of depressing it took that long but better late than never. Sure this won't be an "iPod" killer but frankly I doubt MS is thinking along those lines. Theres plenty of room for competitors in the market.

It does have me wondering but where in the next 24 months we will see MS release a phone to try and issue a direct attack on the iPhone. Sure traditionally MS hasn't been in that market but for the longest time they only provided software and service based solutions for multimedia. With them taking Zune hardware international and the strong backing the 360 has I no longer consider it out of the question that MS would release a mobile phone. Sure, other competitiors will have WM 7 (given it probably would be out by the time we see any MS handset), but a MS device keeps all the services under one umbrella. I duno, ATM it seems pretty plausable that thats where they will take this now the Zunes finally looking like it's maturing.

Edited by Smigit
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Grand Master

Digitalx

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yeah well like i say it's easy to get muddled with things like high definition and higher definition and when they're abbreviated the most common term is usually the majority player it is in partial a poor choice of naming like if it was ZuneSD i'm sure most people would instantly click on it has a SD card but they were intending standard definition or something like that so yeah.

All zunes now use QVGA 240x320 a rotated screen the same resolution ipod classic now turn take the click wheel thing away add wider screen gives them more likely chance of using 480x320 HVGA 3:2 screens which like i say are obviously higher definition then originals

As for your edit it would be interesting but I believe there'll be more of an extended future on phone platforms through a software service channel rather then microsoft dipping into a self branded hardware. I believe a comparison would be like AT&T making their own phone sort of thing they have capabilities and stuff to do it just not the wisest idea specially when take into considertion all factors of developing your own hardware.

Edited by Digix
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Grand Master

Prince Charming

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Damn that's sexy. I've got a Zune 80 in red and I love it...but I'd be tempted to upgrade. Could put my 80 to use as in a dock in the kitchen :).

The kicker for me will be storage size...I will not upgrade to a more capable device with apps and a nice touchscreen interface...if it's sporting less than 80GB of flash. I will not compromise on storage.

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Smigit

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As for your edit it would be interesting but I believe there'll be more of an extended future on phone platforms through a software service channel rather then microsoft dipping into a self branded hardware. I believe a comparison would be like AT&T making their own phone sort of thing they have capabilities and stuff to do it just not the wisest idea specially when take into considertion all factors of developing your own hardware.

Yeah thats option B I guess. Well not an option...they will do something like that but I still think they may jump on board with hardware too. I mean before the Zune shipped they also had the Windows Music store which other devices could make use of. To me it makes sense for them to support other manufacturers by providing the base OS and they can use MS's or customise functionality and then issue their own handset that is fully based around MS's infrastructure (zune, live ect). If they have the touch screen Zune they may already be half way there hardware wise.

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Grand Master

Digitalx

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Yeah thats option B I guess. Well not an option...they will do something like that but I still think they may jump on board with hardware too. I mean before the Zune shipped they also had the Windows Music store which other devices could make use of. To me it makes sense for them to support other manufacturers by providing the base OS and they can use MS's or customise functionality and then issue their own handset that is fully based around MS's infrastructure (zune, live ect). If they have the touch screen Zune they may already be half way there hardware wise.

Yeah. It'd probably come off like skypes cell phones. They'd be handy for few but not many and microsoft usually follows the many numbers before jumping if there's a demand for it. And you just look at the attitude IE and windows to some unless they added a development and 3rd party option to it all almost like an open development platform people would most likely steer clear of a microsoft lock-down phone. But in other ways i think we're still in the process of transitioning and unifying full internet capable mobile applications which are near equivalent to their desktop/PC counter parts. There's also the form of UI unified design which microsoft needs to nail down similar to apple has with iphone. As minimal as it is a GUI can sucker people easy and when you look at winmo 6.5 it's a step in right direction but still doesn't have its finger on the pulse so to speak. Zune software is beautiful if they took that and worked it well into a unified UI design concept people could work with and develop apps which are similar as done with iphone and its apps it'd be a big step up.

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NienorGT

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The kicker for me will be storage size...I will not upgrade to a more capable device with apps and a nice touchscreen interface...if it's sporting less than 80GB of flash. I will not compromise on storage.
80GB of flash... HA! This would cost $600...
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Grand Master

Sean B. Veteran

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I have a feeling that this new device, along with the entire Zune platform update, is going to be an awesome release this fall. Needless to mention the fact that it is finally going international.

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darkmanx21

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I think it's going to be based off this design: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/03/toshiba...o2-exclusivity/

I think the first gen was a Toshiba re-brand also, so it does kinda make sense. I think they are definitely on the right path though.

I think the Zune software is already better than iTunes. The Marketplace sucks in comparison to iTunes, but it's fairly easy to navigate and useful. Going internation is already a huge plus.

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spenser.d

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^^^I agree about the software - it's lightyears ahead of iTunes. The marketplace does need some work. I do love the Zune Pass though and that's something Apple doesn't have, especially now that you get to keep 10 songs a month DRM free.

-Spenser

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