Zune 4.2 update released, what’s new?
January 26, 2010
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]
Zune 4.2 update released, what’s new? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 07:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Scheduled Zune maintenance could last for up to 24 hours
January 24, 2010
Scheduled Zune maintenance could last for up to 24 hours originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Jan 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Zune HD getting Xvid, Smart DJ, ever more appealing
January 12, 2010
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 compatablity 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 getting Xvid, Smart DJ, ever more appealing originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft updating Zune HD Twitter to stop censoring tweets
December 17, 2009
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.
Microsoft updating Zune HD Twitter to stop censoring tweets originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Zune HD Twitter app now live UPDATE: it censors tweets!
December 16, 2009
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.
Continue reading Zune HD Twitter app now live UPDATE: it censors tweets!
Zune HD Twitter app now live UPDATE: it censors tweets! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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MSI’s MT-V660 goes to the Zune HD bank for design ‘inspiration’
December 16, 2009
Well, at least MSI has good taste. We can’t fault the company for nabbing a multitude of Zune HD stylistic elements in the creation of its new MT-V660 PMP — outside of general moral qualms, of course — because the results are predictably attractive. Such brazen style-lifts aren’t a first for MSI, who took quite a few pages out of the MacBook Air book for its first X-Slim. Like we said, good taste. The MT-V660 itself has a 3.2-inch WQVGA screen and a codec-friendly Rockchip RK2806 chipset instead of the Zune’s Tegra. No word on price or availability.
MSI’s MT-V660 goes to the Zune HD bank for design ‘inspiration’ originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Zune HD 3D games video hands-on
November 11, 2009
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.
Continue reading Zune HD 3D games video hands-on
Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video
Zune HD 3D games video hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Zune HD Marketplace now loaded with free 3D games
November 11, 2009
That latest update to the Zune HD’s brainstem has unlocked an extra dimension to the multifunctional device, which can now boast “3D gaming device” among its many accolades. Aside from fixing a significant issue on the music side, the firmware refresh has given the green light for the following games to enter the Marketplace: PGR: Ferrari Edition, Lucky Lane Bowling, Vans Sk8: Pool Service, Piano, Checkers, and Audiosurf: Tilt. Yep, the music-surfing game that seems almost tailor-made for accelerometer-equipped media players is ready for your ownership and enjoyment. The best part? All the titles are free. So what are you waiting for, pilgrims, get downloadin’ and do come back to tell us how well that Tegra chip performs, won’t you? Full PR after the break.
Continue reading Zune HD Marketplace now loaded with free 3D games
Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds
Zune HD Marketplace now loaded with free 3D games originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Zune HD v4.3 firmware out now: fixes playcount bug, adds lots of great things (video)
November 7, 2009
Who says Microsoft ain’t lookin’ out for those who selected its Zune HD over something Designed In Cupertino? Just days after countless owners went berserk over a playcount syncing issue, Microsoft has released a new firmware update that not only solves that very quandary but also adds a gaggle of fantastic new and / or improved features. The v4.3 update is available now by selecting “Player Update” from within the device itself, and with it will come “support for upcoming 3d games and applications, as well as an auto-suggest feature for better text input, and other minor improvements.” We’re hearing that those “minor improvements” include a snappier browser, so it’s pretty safe to say you’re only harming yourself if you don’t get this download going right now. (Psst… there’s a vid of the new software running after the break.)
[Via MobileTechWorld, thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video
Zune HD v4.3 firmware out now: fixes playcount bug, adds lots of great things (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Engadget Podcast 164 – 09.20.2009
September 20, 2009
P.S.- Josh recorded this on on the road, so he had some audio troubles — thanks for bearing with us.
Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Song: NOISEWAVES – As Days Go By (Family Matters Theme Song)
Hear the podcast
00:03:00 – Google says Phil Schiller himself rejected Google Voice from the App Store
00:13:35 – Zune HD review
00:37:50 – Archos 5 Internet Tablet makes an honest PMP out of Android
00:44:04 – HP’s new DreamScreens pack Pandora and Facebook into a wireless photo frame
00:50:00 – HP ENVY 13 and 15 bring luxury to the everyman, look like MacBooks
00:59:39 – HTC Hero for Sprint hands-on and impressions
01:04:05 – Motorola CLIQ
Subscribe to the podcast
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Download the podcast
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Contact the podcast
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Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget
Filed under: Podcasts
Engadget Podcast 164 – 09.20.2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Zune HD commercial hits major selling points, forgets to include unsettling female spokesperson
September 16, 2009
Looks like the Zune HD commercials are now hitting the scene, and unless multicolored flashing lights aren’t your thing, this isn’t likely to cause uneasiness or provoke blatant fanboyism. Instead, we’ve got a neon spectacle highlighting four of its big selling points: HD radio, video playback, wireless, and yes, games are there, too. See it for yourself after the break.
[Via Dark Zune]
Filed under: Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video
Zune HD commercial hits major selling points, forgets to include unsettling female spokesperson originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Conceptual Xbox 1080 handheld beautifully merges Xbox and Zune
September 16, 2009
Carl Archambeault: you sir, are a champion. We’re not exactly sure if you’re on a first-class seat to Redmond or not, but the boys and girls in Washington could probably stand to learn a thing or two from the Xbox 1080. ‘Course, that’s probably just the fanboy in us talking — after all, who wouldn’t want the powers of an Xbox 360 and a Zune HD merged into one beautiful handheld? — but could you imagine the market shakeup if this thing became real? Paging Mr. Benjamin J. Heckendorn!
[Via Coolest-Gadgets]
Filed under: Handhelds
Conceptual Xbox 1080 handheld beautifully merges Xbox and Zune originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft releases XNA update for Zune HD developers, multitouch drawing app created
September 16, 2009
A lot of people had differing emotions when reading the Zune HD launch announcement yesterday: joy that the system would indeed sport a selection of apps and games, all free; dismay that those apps would be developed almost exclusively by Microsoft. Today you can turn that frown upside down, sweetheart, as it seems that exclusivity won’t last long. An update to the XNA Game Studio development environment has already been released, enabling coders to target the Zune HD. The new version, 3.1, adds libraries for handling the system’s accelerometer and multitouch screen, both put to use by developer Elton Muuga to create a simple drawing app, shown in video form after the break. It makes lines on a screen with finger touches and, like a ridiculously expensive Etch A Sketch, erases with a shake. It’s not much, but impressive given the thing’s only been available for a day now, and while we’re still unsure how apps like this will find their way into the Zune’s app store, we’re sure all will be answered soon enough.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Read – XNA Game Studio 3.1
Read – First Zune HD Multi-Touch Drawing App
Filed under: Gaming, Portable Audio, Portable Video
Microsoft releases XNA update for Zune HD developers, multitouch drawing app created originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 07:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Zune HD sold early, still unusable until tomorrow
September 14, 2009
See that there? That’s a shiny new 16GB Zune HD, which isn’t supposed to ship until September 15th. Why bother to honor the street date? Ask the cool cats at the Fort Myers, Florida Best Buy, who has no qualms selling our tipster a unit over the weekend. At the time, no 32GB versions were available, and even now, this 16GB unit won’t sync with one’s PC or do much of anything useful. Of course, Microsoft’s pretty much shutting itself down tonight as it readies a new software update, so we suspect all systems will be go within the next 24 hours. While we’re on the topic, has anyone else managed to snag a Zune HD early?
[Thanks, Everett]
Filed under: Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video
Zune HD sold early, still unusable until tomorrow originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 08:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Zune HD promotional videos offer brief glimpse at 3D gaming
September 12, 2009
Zune HD may really be just around the corner — this Tuesday, in fact — but there’s still a few things we don’t about. Enter a handful of promotional videos care of Buy TV to fill in some pieces. There’s a couple of really nice overviews of the car dock, built-in radio, Xbox integration, Zune video, and AV dock (it outputs 720p video, just to clarify). More importantly, though, in the video entitled “Portable Perfection” around the 30-second mark, you catch a quick view of what appears to be a racing title as the narrator discusses. There’s also what looks like some new Zune marketplace images in the Zune pass video around ten seconds in. Be honest, you had nothing else to do this Friday, and now you can at least watch some gadget noir. Check it out after the break and form your own wild opinions.
[Via Zunited, thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Continue reading Zune HD promotional videos offer brief glimpse at 3D gaming
Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video
Zune HD promotional videos offer brief glimpse at 3D gaming originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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All Zune models not named ‘Zune HD’ on the outs
September 1, 2009
Microsoft guru Paul Thurrott of SuperSite for Windows fame has read the writing on the wall. According to the reps he spoke with, production has ceased on all Zune models before the upcoming Zune HD. In other words, when supplies run out, Zune 4, 8, 16, 80, and 120 are as good as dead, with only this year’s model left standing. Shed a tear for the old guard, and keep an eye out for what we’re hoping will be some pretty sweet sales as everyone tries to clean out stock.
[Via ZuneSpring]
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video
All Zune models not named ‘Zune HD’ on the outs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Zune HD box spotted?
August 22, 2009
According to one tipster, the Zune HD was a no-show today at both of his Houston-area Best Buys, so hopefully this little tidbit can make it up to that loneliest of all Zune fans. According to CrazyphoneGuy of Twitter and his prodigious Twitpic account, the picture above is of the Zune HD’s new box. It looks quite a bit like existing Zune boxes, but that’s certainly no slight. Anyone else track down the Zune HD at a Best Buy today, or was NVIDIA just fooling with us?
[Thanks, Brayan]
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video
Zune HD box spotted? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 22 Aug 2009 17:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Zune 4.0 software won’t play nice with HDTV Media Center recordings
August 14, 2009
With the launch of the Zune HD and the CEDIA show just around the corner, we’ve been hoping this could mean an all new integrated future for Windows Media Center and other Microsoft platforms — until now. As a few commenters pointed out yesterday, the corrected spec sheet received from Microsoft indicated HDTV and protected Windows Media Center DVR-MS (the files used by Vista Media center) recordings were not supported. We reached out for clarification and received the following:
“Zune HD, and the forthcoming Zune 4.0 PC software, will support and transcode Windows Media Center recorded TV file formats from Windows Vista or Windows 7 that contain MPEG-2 video, in either the DVR-MS or WTV formats. Support is limited to unencrypted SD and HD recordings. HD Files with AC3 audio are not supported by Zune.“
As you may or may not be aware, at least in the U.S. , and most other countries, any high definition broadcasts you snag from antenna, ClearQAM or otherwise use Dolby Digital AC-3 audio, meaning the Zune software won’t be able to convert them. Current workarounds for bringing Media Center recordings on the go should still be a go, but all we can see is the missed opportunity to tie the two platforms together with easy one click transcoding support. Hopefully Microsoft still has something up its sleeve to pull together Zune and Windows 7 Media Center, but portable DVR recordings ain’t it.
Filed under: Handhelds, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Portable Video
Zune 4.0 software won’t play nice with HDTV Media Center recordings originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft’s Zune HD AV Dock and Power Pack up for pre-order
August 13, 2009
No need to hide your unabashed love for Microsoft — we know you’ve already plopped down a few bills to pre-order your Zune HD, but did you bother sinking a few Jacksons on high-margin accessories? If not, we’ll have you know that the Zune HD AV Dock (left) and Zune HD AV & Power Pack (right) can be pre-ordered right now from Microsoft’s online store as well as through Amazon, and we suspect most every other respectable e-tailer will pick ‘em up soonly. Both devices are expected to ship alongside the device itself on September 15th, with the former including a dock, three inserts, wireless remote, AC adapter, HDMI cable and AV output cable for $89.99. The latter is meant to pipe content from your docked Zune HD onto a TV, as it includes an AC adapter, HDMI cable and AC output cable for $49.99.
[Thanks, Thomas]
Read – Zune HD AV Dock
Read – Zune HD AV & Power Pack
Filed under: Peripherals, Portable Audio, Portable Video
Microsoft’s Zune HD AV Dock and Power Pack up for pre-order originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Zune HD coming September 15th, says leaked display stand
August 11, 2009
Once again, an anonymous Best Buy employee has come through with some new Zune HD details, and this one’s infinitely more tangible than a computer screen. Pictures of an official display sent to Gizmodo seem to all but confirm its street date will be September 15th, just one week past what we heard yesterday. Pre-orders require at $25 deposit, but as for the full price, the best we’ve got right now are those $220 / $280 estimates from yesterday.
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video
Zune HD coming September 15th, says leaked display stand originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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