“Testing with the player by CNET reveals that the browser, although made by the Internet Explorer team, is directly comparable to Safari for the iPhone and can do nearly everything Apple’s software can, including multi-touch commands and the on-screen keyboard,” Electronista reports. “It only lacks recognition of embedded video.”
CNET’s Senior Editor Donald Bell says that “the player itself is ‘expensive, solid, and sexy,’ It’s slightly thicker than the iPod touch but considerably narrower due to its smaller and lower resolution 480×272 display,” Electronista reports.
Electronista reports, “Microsoft won’t yet commit to a price or a ship date for the player, although it’s expected in September at or near $249 for a 16GB model.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: As with all Zune products, the reason for this one’s existence – beyond Microsoft’s indescribably misplaced vanity and utter mismanagement – completely escapes us. Perhaps the whole Zune fiasco is designed to burn millions as some sort of tax write-off? Whatever it’s supposed to be, Zune is a very effective at one thing: Eviscerating the Microsoft brand (as if it needed any help after Vista).
MDN, Microsoft maintains products like this and keeps the development teams running while essentially waiting for the competition to make a fatal mistake. You might call it the “shadow strategy”.
The lower resolution ought to really be a big hit.
This will be (even more) embarrassing for Microsoft when Apple introduces the iPhone 3GS version of the iPod touch, with video camera and built-in video editing software.
> lower resolution 480×272 display
How is that HD? I know… it can play out to an HDTV. But what percentage of users actually use a device like this connected to a TV set. The whole point is mobility.
HD output is dumb and useless: who wants to clog up your portable device with multi-gigabyte HD movies when you can’t even see the HD on the portable device!
looks pretty decent..like the 720p HDMI output & HD radio reciever functionality
I really home Steve Embalmer continues to run that company into the ground for as long as possible. Microsoft is slowly being embalmed alive.
Please, please don’t replace that ADD suffering CEO anytime soon.
I love watching him blow billions on every me-too whim that tickles his fancy.
@zmarc,
If I can get at least 64gb, I’d love to have that feature.
How is that HD?
Actually, I read somewhere that “Zune HD” is for HD radio.
Which is not high definition, but rather a hybrid analog/digital transmission scheme.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hd_radio
i thought MSFT went out of business.
I’ve got my cash saved up for a new touch when v3 is released.
Are there 2 dead rows? A 9 x 16 ratio is 270 by 480. That may be another Excel math error that they are not aware of.
HD = Horrible Device?
Wow. There must be no limit to how pathetic and lame micro$oft is.
If you get kicked off the band wagon you just have to pick yourself up and hop right back on!
Oh, wait, M$ was never ON the bandwagon
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Uh, what’s the point if it does “almost everything” the other guy does, only not as well, and isn’t notably cheaper? Does Microsoft expect bonus points for being “good enough”?
HD radio is the only HD that is anywhere near the new and improved Zune.
HD video is NOT a part of the new and improved Zune.
Seriously–didn’t Steve Jobs say that Apple had patented the Hell out of the iPhone? When are they going to start suing people for copying it and its interface?
Cry havoc! and release the Lawyers of Apple!*
* with apologies to my homeboy, Willy S.
MDN word: “Hear,” as in “I can hear the lawyers crying havoc now!”
I see… they now offer a chrome-plated turd.
So what’s the point of those hundreds of patents Apple has, which they claims it will defend vigorously, if Microsoft can just copy all of Apple’s iPhone/Touch ideas with impunity?
Didn’t Microsoft announce they were going on a diet, trimming fat, and focusing on high profit streams?
Looks like same old, same old. Throw a stream of second rate products into every market you can think of no matter how peripherally related to core strengths because no one is allowed to outshine Microsoft.
“narrower due to its smaller and lower resolution 480×272 display,” Electronista reports.”
Yet Microsloth give it the “HD” name at the end. So that suckers will think its HD video on the screen itself.
@Just Sue!
Multi-Touch as a ® and Apple’s specific approach to it were patented. Zune utilizes a different method but M$ may still be sued for using “Multi-Touch” in press notes and due to copying gestures.
This device might have competed well two-years ago against the iPod touch upon launch, but now it’s just playing catch-up.
One thing Microsoft cannot do is be higher priced. They have NEVER won at that game, as their stuff only makes it as “good enough” and lower in price.
This Zune will be surpassed – big time – by the forthcoming iPod touch, which will best this silly Zune thing, by doing 60,000+ things more than Zune, and have a built-in 5MP still camera along with being able to capture 720p video – and play it back on a big-screen if desired.
Once again, Zune is at least a year+ behind, which is like 30 years when looking at another market, like cars….
MDN: Well, put, another tax write off… And how many write-offs does Redmond have now-a-days anyway?…
MS and Apple agreed to never sue one another for patent infringement again way back in 1997.
pee cees have often sold because they were thought to be good enough and they were considerably cheaper. This zune might get some traction at $69.95.