Microsoft Releasing Multitouch Zune HD — And It’s Sexy

Leander Kahney ()

zune-hd

Microsoft will release a Web-surfing, HD-video-playing, multitouch Zune in the fall to compete with the iPod touch — and the hardware actually looks pretty cool. But as Apple well knows, the gadget is one thing, the software and services are another.

Sporting a sexy metal case, the Zune HD will have a 3.3-inch, 480 x 272 OLED capacitive touchscreen display (16:9 widescreen); a built-in HD Radio receiver, and WiFi. The “HD” refers not to the touchscreen, but the HD radio and HD out (720p), though that’s only available with an optional cradle. Pricing was not released, and release is “early fall.”

“There’s a lot here that MSFT is doing well, especially when it comes to the hardware,” said Interpret analyst Michael Gartenberg on his blog.

Announced at the Wall Street Journal’s D7 conference, M$ offered no other details — CPU, storage, or most crucially, the software and services it will run. M$ promises more details at the E3 game show in Los Angeles next week.

According to the company, at E3 “attendees will see first-hand how Zune integrates into Xbox LIVE creating a game-changing entertainment experience.”

Yeah, right.

Microsoft is promising multitouch apps and games, plus a custom Web browser based on Internet Explorer — and there’s the first nail in its coffin right there! M$ says the Zune HD will offer better Xbox integration and a Zune marketplace, presumably something akin to Apple’s iTunes Music Store for buying apps, media and games.

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But there’s the rub: M$ might be able to produce nice-looking hardware, but the iPod experience it is competing with is much more than a sleek gadget. It’s an App Store with tens of thousands of carefully-veted apps, a well-stocked media store, and an integrated hardware/software platform that is robust and reliable.

Apple has sold 13 million iPod touches since its debut in 2007 and December 2009.

21 comments »

About the author

Leander Kahney

is the editor and publisher of Cult of Mac, and author of three books about technology culture: Inside Steve’s Brain, the New York Times bestseller about Steve Jobs; Cult of Mac; and Cult of iPod. Leander has written for Wired, MacWeek, Scientific American, and The Guardian in London. Follow Leander on Twitter @lkahney and Facebook.

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Posted in Hardware, iPhone, iPod, iPod Touch, News |

  • http://www.filmguide.co.nz Jonathan

    “Sporting a sexy metal case..” Say what? That looks hard, cold and clinical. It’s a long way from sexy. So long that it disappears over the curve of the horizon.

  • http://www.bulletdev.com/ James Foote

    I’m not too sure about this one. I’ll admit to being a complete Apple fanboy, and also to hating Zunes. Still, I think it’s fair to say that this won’t do too well when they have the almighty iPod touch to compete with. They should fall back with their Zune PMP as soon as possible, because in the log run it’s just going to lose them money.

  • Bryan

    Who put my iPhone in a trash compactor?!?!?

  • Jonathan

    Wow. That’s incredibly sexy! – perhaps microsoft is stepping it up?

  • http://www.philoking.com Jason Burns

    If only you could make it through an article without calling Microsoft M$. I don’t get why you guys bother reporting on competitive news when it’s totally biased and negative and not even close to accurate. Try again, this article = fail.

  • Steve

    Is that a screenshot with the words on the screen? Doesn’t fit! Reminds me of the XP previews when the Shutdown didn’t fit and it was ‘Shut Do…’.

    Ah Microsoft, always playing catchup, never innovating.

  • http://www.snubcommunications.com Craig Grannell

    There’s another more bizarre rub which might not be apparent if you live in the land of stars and stripes: Zune will still only be available in the USA. Quite why Microsoft’s making this decision is beyond me, but they’re trying to placate British users by saying we’ll have access to Zune’s marketplace. Uh, thanks. Real useful.

  • Jeff

    Sexy? I don’t think so.

  • Fin Devious

    Does Microsoft have any original ideas.

  • http://coreminimalist.blogspot.com Dann

    Yes, but will it play AAC?

  • http://kevinhoctor.blogspot.com Kevin Hoctor

    I’m sorry, exposed screws and a base that looks like it should be detached does say “sexy” to me. Maybe “industrial” is a better term.

  • Danny

    Not. Sexy. Nothing attractive about those 4 screws or rivets on the back. Hah! Good enough for the Windows crowd I guess.

  • Rupnok

    An inadvertent Apple convert from about 5 years ago who can’t believe that with all their resources Microsoft can’t come up with a product that just blows away something, anything that Apple makes. Instead it’s catch up to Apple if you can. If I was Apple I’d be flattered to be copied, but also ticked that their ideas and innovations are so blatantly ripped off by Microsoft and many others.

  • Jay

    Don’t under estimate MS on this one, people said all the same things when they wanted to get into the video game market, and look at where the 360 is now.

    They are off to a good start with the design here, I’m excited to see the follow through.

  • imajoebob

    Is my calendar off? Or is this 1998? It’s a sleek look, but it looks a lot like it was designed by a retired Palm Pilot engineer. And if you’re going to ruin the lines with big-ass screws, make ‘em ones I can use to screw around with the player, not these bizarro 3-pointers. It’s usually better to avoid allusions to a toxic waste symbol.

    The good news is that it comes complete with serial port connector.

  • Andy

    Are you guys stupid or what? I don’t get why you guys write Microsoft with a $ symbol? If windows computer are not that expensive and the OS they sell are not that expensive either. Apple computer definitely are expensive!! The zune gets all the updates for free while apple’s ipod sells them for 10 bucks!! the software they sell on apple.com is also expensive that’s why people download them illegally. I know you guys are fanboys of apple but come on give Microsoft some credit. and yeah I own a macbook but that was the stupidest choice in my life!!! when i could get an HP computer that has 4 GB of memory and 500GB HD for $899 and with a blu-ray writer/player!!!

  • Austin

    Not like they gonna change anythin guys…..ACTUALLY THEY WILL, man theirs like 20 apple boys, and 5 MS boys here, all them spreading the hate towards it, infact id think theyd be jealous posting on every thread “dont buy it!!” its like their trying to avoid a meteor crashing into apples market with apple ipod touch.

    Anywho, my thoughts on the device are, well it looks awsomely amazingly SeXay, of course i might like the black version more, but id still buy it eighther way, ima buying it. sounds great as of now. and Microsoft is sendin out the bigger news in the summer (stuff that will blow your minds away, and possibly send your ipods, or older Mp3′s to the eBay market.) anyways stay tuned for E3 and keep a close eye on da new age of Mp3′s

  • webbs

    Actually, even though I am a mac fanboy, this does look nice. A few parallels though, but if everyone loves the iPhone, why not pinch a few ideas. Anyway, I think to really compete with the iPod Touch/iPhone, they will need something similar to the app store as that is very popular. If they can pull that off right too I think it might have a chance.
    Of course, I would not give up my beloved iPod Touch just yet for a picture of some hardware.

  • CaryMG

    1] If by “fanboy” you are referring to someone who cites a superior company’s superior products — go fuck yourself.

    2] TouchScreen ? BTDT.

    3] HD Radio ? A confusing gimmick no one uses.
    Quick note — the “HD” doesn’t stand for “High Definition” .
    The HD radio marketing scumbags know that that’s what the average schmoe
    will *think/assume* it stands for but it’s meaningless.
    It’s as if they are lying by saying their doorstops are HiD
    without having to come out & *say* it.

    4] Mi¢ro$oft suxorz.

  • Sean Peters

    “Carefully vetted apps”? Like the BabyShaker? iFart? And then there are those apps that were so carefully vetted that they’ve been rejected for no apparent reason.

    Look, folks, the iPhone has a lot of things going for it… but the App Store is not one of those things.

  • http://ipodssuck.com Simon

    This Thing Will Eat the Ipod Touch