Microsoft wrapped up the week with a significant firmware update to the Zune HD. The 4.3 patch sets the groundwork for upcoming 3D games and apps while also improving the web experience. Web browsing is now much faster and has the option of forcing it to show desktop websites and a better tap-to-zoom feature.
A source today claims the sequel to NVIDIA's Tegra mobile processor could muster double the performance of the original. The new chip is purported by "high ranking" industry contacts to be switching from an ARM7 architecture to the much newer ARM9 and also to use a dual-core design. Combined with improvements to the graphics core, the updated Tegra would be roughly twice as fast overall.
Apple could upturn the entire TV market by offering an iTunes TV subscription service, a prominent rumor says today. iTunes head Eddy Cue is believed to be pitching the idea of a $30 monthly plan that would give users much broader access, much like conventional TV. The exact terms aren't specified by the "multiple" MediaMemo tips but wouldn't confine the service to a single device.
Google at a Los Angeles event tonight unveiled its widely expected advanced music search feature. The addition (a video of which is available below) automatically parses regular searches for music from all four major labels and automatically filters it by artist, album or track; users can then either sample or buy the tracks through Lala or MySpace's iLike. Those who use recommendation-based Internet streaming service like iMeem, Pandora or Rhapsody can also find related music.
The Windows PCs at Microsoft's first retail stores are deliberately purged of the third-party apps they would normally carry, employees and eyewitnesses have confirmed. Product Advisor Jared Marino explains these systems, regardless of the brand, are considered Signature PCs and won't include any unnecessary third-party software. In exchange, they come preloaded with the normally optional Windows Live Essentials pack as well as extras like Bing 3D Maps, Security Essentials and the Zune client.
Many Zune users, including Electronista, have discovered a fault with their Zune HD multimedia players, saying Zune software does not update song play counts from the Zune HD device. Another forum user who is also a Zune Device Product Team member was able to reproduce the problem, and the team is supposedly working on a fix for the issue. Only Zune HDs with firmware 4.1 are apparently affected, Microsoft says.
Netflix this morning broke its once-exclusive Xbox 360 deal with Microsoft by offering Netflix for PlayStation 3. The link will let any US-based PS3 owner with a Netflix subscription stream movies and TV shows online; they can also add movies to the queue and rate titles. Early on, the service will depend on customers owning a free Blu-ray disc that draws on BD-Live for Internet access, but the service should eventually be integrated into the PS3's firmware.
Microsoft today reported its third consecutive decline in quarterly revenue. The company's total revenue during the summer dropped a sharp 14 percent year-over-year to $12.92 billion and is attributed almost exclusively to the Windows division, whose own revenue fell 38.76 percent to $2.62 billion. It also saw a decline in the overall health of its Business and Online Services groups.
Xbox Live Programming Director Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb tonight quickly denied Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's statements pointing to an Xbox 360 Blu-ray player. He now claims that Ballmer was referring to PC drives and repeats Microsoft's frequent public statements that it has "no plans" to add Blu-ray. He maintains instead that the Zune Video Marketplace will be the only HD video option in the near future.
Microsoft has confirmed plans to open its first Microsoft store on Windows 7's launch for Thursday. The Arizona Republic ad promises the Scottsdale store will open at 10AM and is providing multiple incentives to spur early traffic: the first 1,000 visitors get gift bags and tickets to an Ashley Tisdale concert at 5PM. Every PC buyer on launch day gets a free HP printer and a copy of Office 2007 Home & Student.
Microsoft's Pink phone project may be on the verge of falling apart even before its first product ships, according to a controversial set of leaks supposedly confirmed today. Backing a scoop from earlier in the week, a source for AppleInsider says Microsoft has poorly managed the project and squandered the acquisition of Sidekick creator Danger from 2008. Rather than implement Danger's advice, the larger company has watched the majority of the team either fired or leave in frustration as the majority of their advice is ignored.
Microsoft today acknowledged that it has debated porting the Zune software and its according services to the Mac or even to portable Apple devices like the iPhone and iPod. Director of Communications for TV, Video and Music Jose Pinero explained to Mary Jo Foley that it's one of "a lot of options" for platform expansion but also stressed that the Zune platform isn't tied to players like the Zune HD or even necessarily to Microsoft. Its own platforms take highest priority but aren't exclusive.
Although it's named the Zune HD, Microsoft's touchscreen media player is really a standard-definition device until you attach it to the AV dock. But it's here that the new Zune potentially has the edge over the iPod as a TV-friendly interface and features transform its role entirely. Our review takes a tour around the dock to see if it's worth the effort put into it.
A handful of images have leaked of what are widely believed to be the first Microsoft-branded phones. The renderings slipped out by Gizmodo appear to confirm the Turtle, a vertical QWERTY slider that also appears to have a touchscreen, as well as the Pure, a more conventional touchscreen with a side-sliding keyboard. Both have a very rounded design influenced by Sidekick creator Danger, which Microsoft bought out last year, and an interface mockup that borrows heavily from the visual style of the Zune HD.
Microsoft this evening preempted its arch-rival Apple in the tablet game with the Courier, its own self-developed tablet. The rough example discussed at the Gizmodo Gallery event is shaped like a book and has two 7-inch multi-touch displays that fold up when the system isn't in use. It would also support a stylus for handwriting and include a 3-megapixel camera on the back. While not yet certain for final production, Microsoft also suggests that the Courier might use inductive charging to power the device without having to plug it in.
Microsoft's Pink project for its own, self-branded smartphones has gained credibility through a series of leaks in recent hours. Veteran observer Mary Jo Foley maintains the project is real and will provide a software overlay for Windows Mobile 7 with a strong focus on services, most likely involving the Zune Video Marketplace as well as a possible Zune Pass music subscription. One or more stand a chance of being previewed at CES in January, but the OS itself isn't due until the second half of 2010.
Microsoft's Zune HD is already encountering sellouts less than a week into its availability, according to multiple reader reports. At Amazon, the 16GB modelremains in stock but the 32GB version is already facing a one- to three-week shipping delay. Visitors to Fry's see a reverse situation where the 16GB model is out of stock; the worst affected so far is Best Buy, which claims to be "backordered" for either capacity.
For awhile, many had thought the iPod touch had dealt blow to the Zune that Microsoft didn't have an answer for: the 2008 Zune update was just a mild refresh, and even the software team was mostly quiet for the next year. The Zune HD, then, is Microsoft's return salvo. It promises not only to put the Zune level in terms of features like multi-touch input and Internet access but to have features Apple lacks, such as 720p support, HD Radio and an OLED screen. We plan to discover just whether or not Microsoft's return to form is enough to quiet Apple's guns in our complete review.
Now that Microsoft has finally made available the Zune 4.0 update, users can finally unlock the Zune HD and use its full feature set. We've already taken a quick tour of the player to give readers, especially those most familiar with the iPhone or iPod touch, an impression of what the interface is like. Read on for more details and photos.
Microsoft tonight provided full details for its Zune update with the launch of the Zune HD, including features both on the device and the PC side. Both the player and the new 4.0 software now support renting movies in 720p and in standard definition from the Zune Marketplace. Crucially, the player is also now revealed to have non-media (but first-party) apps: the Zune HD will support just a calculator and MSN Weather out of the box but should get Facebook and Twitter apps before the end of the year. 3D games are also coming in 2009 and should include Audiosurf Tilt, Project Gotham Racing: Ferrari Edition and Vans Sk8: Pool Service to start.
Microsoft's long-anticipated venture into touchscreen players has just arrived in the form of the Zune HD, and we've already had an opportunity to unbox the player and give it an early look ahead of our full review. What might impress iPod owners first -- and the most -- is the sheer quality of the display. This is one of the few players to get to Apple's level in quality, responsiveness and the interface. The OLED display is extremely vibrant and high contrast, more so even than Apple's better iPhone or iPod touch displays; unlike an LCD, the Zune's OLED doesn't need a backlight and so black really is black. Colors pop out, and there's no ghosting or other slight visual artifacts you get from most mobile displays. We could easily see ourselves watching at least TV-length videos on the Zune HD during a commute just because of the pleasing picture.
Microsoft this afternoon took down most of its Zune online system for maintenance, including the Marketplace and the web, ahead of the launch of the Zune HD and its accompanying new PC software. The update involves a pre-planned but major revamp of the underlying service and won't see the service go live until the "early hours" of the 15th, just before the hardware and software updates are available.
Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer later on Thursday lightly teased an iPhone owner at a company meeting. According to witnesses that include Twitter anecdotes and a TechFlash reporter, the executive spotted a Windows team member using the Apple device to snap a photo and joked about his using the device before gently putting the phone on the ground and pretending to stomp it before moving on. He later made a similarly joking reference to the event during the presentation.
Microsoft broke news through its monthly Zune newsletter today that the Zune HD's launch in two weeks will also come with the first major update to the Zune media software in a year. The company is silent on what this will include but promises an "all-new" app with "exciting new features" that will arrive on September 15th, the same day as the new media player itself.
Microsoft late Tuesday revealed that it's discontinuing every non-touchscreen Zune in its lineup. While the company previously said the Zune HD was replacing the flash players, staff in the media player team have told journalist Paul Thurrott that the hard drive-based Zune 80 and Zune 120 have also ceased production and that sales of these and any remaining Zune will only continue until they run out of stock. It's not certain how long this will last.
Microsoft today committed to a ship date for Windows Mobile 6.5, its last significant update to the current generation of its smartphone OS. The first devices to use the new platform should reach shops on October 6th. It's not said which evices will be the first, but HP, HTC, LG, Samsung and unusually Toshiba will be the first to have 6.5-equipped smartphones in North America. AT&T, Sprint and Verizon will be the first in the US, while Bell and Telus should do the same in Canada.
The TV industry needs to find a convincing online strategy or else risk handing the market over to Apple, Microsoft's UK managing director of consumer business Ashley Highfield warned this weekend. Speaking at an international TV industry festival in Edinburgh, the executive warned that TV could "face its iTunes moment" in two to three years and hand over control of online video to Apple. Without a quick shift in emphasis to TV on the web instead of traditional service, customers are predicted to flock to paid download services and bypass regular providers altogether.
NVIDIA general manager of mobile Mike Rayfield today hinted at a future Tegra-based device in coming months in a video interview (seen below) that may hint at links to Apple. The executive told Hexus that an unnamed company is developing a "media pad" that would have 3G and a touchscreen between 7 and 13 inches in size that would be based on the chip. No indication was given as to the feature set other than the entertainment focus.
A weekend demo campaign at Best Buy stores has inadvertently betrayed Microsoft's plans to offer third-party app support for the Zune HD. A visitor briefly given control of the player by a representative has captured footage (shown after the jump) of a conspicuous "apps" menu item alongside music and made it clear the production player can download and install third-party software. The in-store unit's Wi-Fi was "blocked," however, and made it impossible to enter that section and see whether a true store is available and what titles are complete.
Despite Apple's claims to the contrary, a test by a forum member at Weiphone suggests the iPhone 3GS may already have enough performance to smoothly play full HD video. By manually copying over videos using file transfer apps on a computer and the iPhone, the community member says he could play up to a 1080p (1920x1080) clip at 30 frames per second at up to a 35Mbps without any lag or stuttering. Although they don't show in the official iPod app, they work using Apple's built-in video player when called by a third-party program.
Microsoft is actively trying to poach iPhone developers to give the Zune HD a true third-party app platform, according to assertions by one developer. The producer of an unnamed Twitter client for the iPhone tells John Gruber that he was asked earlier this year to port his app to a Microsoft platform with the promise of "a bucket of money" in compensation. The Windows firm's plans weren't clear at this early stage, but it's reportedly "certain" this was for the Zune HD rather than just Windows Mobile.
Following the official confirmation of a launch date and pricing information for the upcoming Zune HD, Microsoft has also detailed a number of accessories. The AV Dock can be used to play 720p movies, TV shows and videos from the portable device to an HDTV without sacrificing the HD resolution.
Microsoft early this morning set the final launch for the Zune HD. True to leaks, the company's first touchscreen player will ship on September 15th and will come in a 16GB black version for $220 and a 32GB platinum-colored version for $290. Pre-orders start later today through Amazon (16GB, 32GB) as well as Best Buy, Walmart and Microsoft's own company store. Best Buy stores in major US cities will also have in-store previews on the 22nd and 23rd.
The Zune HD may ship a week later than expected if a Best Buy retail promo is an indicator. Although two previous sources have cited an in-stock date of September 8, Gizmodo now sees a pre-order campaign that will have the Microsoft player available September 15th, or exactly a week later. They additionally confirm 16GB and 32GB versions of the touch player.
Amazon has recently posted a product page for the 16GB and 32GB Microsoft Zune HD portable media players, revealing their prices but not shipping dates. The prices match those from a recent leak from Best Buy regarding the very same products, and the Zune HDs are expected to launch at Amazon as the same time as Best Buy, which should be September 8th.
Microsoft dropped a hint of the imminent Zune HD launch on Tuesday by pulling all of the existing flash-based models from the official Zune store. The move just leaves the full-sized hard drive models and implies that at least the Zune 120, and possibly the now two years old Zune 80, will sit alongside the Zune HD when it goes on sale in September. No official explanation has been provided for the removal, though the Zunes show elsewhere on company pages and include links to third-party stores.
A leak from within Best Buy tonight has potentially confirmed planned pricing and a ship date for the Zune HD. Microsoft's rumored pricing of $250 or more appears to have been lowered significantly and now, according to a Gizmodo tip, would start at $220 for a 16GB model -- $10 less than an entry iPod touch, which may have the same capacity at or near the Zune's launch. A 32GB version would be priced at $290, or again slightly less than what the next-closest iPod is likely to cost.
The FCC has likely spoiled Microsoft's launch plans by posting test info for the player's wireless behavior. While the NVIDIA Tegra processor, Wi-Fi and Windows CE foundations are all public information, the filing specifically shows models with 16GB and 32GB of storage and confirms at least one rumor regarding Microsoft's strategy for the touchscreen media player. The company has previously acknowledged the Zune HD would replace flash players but has never specified how much storage they would have.
Microsoft on Friday afternoon showed a construction photo of one of its first retail stores, simultaneously confirming its logo. Similar to the Apple stores the Windows developer hopes to replicate, the stores have art teasing the imminent opening and in this case show all of Microsoft's brands. Unusually, this includes the Bing search engine as well as the company's more tangible products, like Windows 7 and the Zune.
Samsung on Friday bowed a new high-end touchscreen media player aimed at the same high-end audience as the iPod touch. Although Internet access doesn't appear to be a feature, the YP-M1 is the first dedicated player to use NVIDIA's Tegra processor. The chipset both provides hardware decoding for playing back videos and also speeds up the unique widget-driven interface that lets users see settings at a glance.
The web browser for the Zune HD will be one of the highlights of Microsoft's media player when it ships, a hands-on with the devices show. 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. It only lacks recognition of embedded video.
A handful of images have leaked today of the Zune HD ahead of a more official announcement for the device expected later today. Aside from confirming a black color in addition to the known silver, the shots also show that the music player has a significantly reworked music interface that lets users browse content more visually than on current Zunes, which only show a very small thumbnail. They also show the interface for HD Radio's sub-channels and replace early shots' "more" menu item with an "Internet" item, hinting that all non-Marketplace features, like web browsing, will go into that category.
Microsoft's struggling Zune media players may have been single-handedly responsible for a plunge in revenue at the Entertainment and Devices group and could be a sign of much deeper trouble for the line as a whole, analysts said Thursday. Although only a small part of Microsoft's poor spring quarter, revenues the group that handles both the Xbox 360 and Zune dropped by 42 percent year-over-year and alludes to Zune sales falling precipitously in the same time span. The Xbox 360 isn't likely to have contributed to the fall as it was one of the few consoles to see more systems shipped this spring than last.
Microsoft's first retail stores will launch in two cities where Apple already has a major presence, the company confirmed today. The Windows developer has signed leases both in Mission Viejo, California as well as Scottsdale, Arizona and will be surrounded by Apple retail shops. The California store will be the only one to open in the same mall as its rival, launching in The Shops at Mission Viejo, but all of them will have five Apple stores within driving distance.
A Samsung spokesperson on Friday confirmed the company is the one who was rumored to be among five top handset makers developing a handset powered by NVIDIA's Tegra processor. The chipset, which would allow HD graphics playback from the handset whether it's from movies or video games, is also linked to the upcoming Zune HD from Microsoft. As in the earlier report, the handset is most likely to debut at AT&T or T-Mobile, and be priced at around $200.
The previously promised NVIDIA netbook, which spawned a prototype built by Mobinnova, will be called the Firefly, according to a recent SemiAccurate report. The nettop will reportedly be powered by the Tegra chip that is also being used in Microsoft's Zune HD, and unnamed netbook manufactuers claim a September launch date. The Tegra chip itself is already known to be delayed beyond NVIDIA's own 2008 timeframe, however, and has cast doubts on the new timeframe.
Microsoft this afternoon reported a steep drop in its financial health for the spring triggered by its most important businesses. The Windows developer experienced its first-ever sequential drop in revenue and saw its revenue fall 17 percent year-over-year to $13.1 billion. The company's net income also declined by a sharp 29 percent compared to spring 2008, landing at $3.05 billion.
Microsoft has quietly filed for a trademark that may allude to a unified app store for both Zunes and Windows Mobile phones. The filing for the name "OneApp" would cover not just an app download store for cellphones and media players but would also address a developer kit for the same platform. Among the apps suggested possible through the service would include games, media playback, messaging and mobile payments.
Microsoft's planned retail stores will deliberately open near Apple stores, the company's COO Kevin Turner said in a presentation today at the Windows Partner Conference. The executive was emphatic that the stores wouldn't imitate Apple retail, at least in the long term, but that they would "innovate." Specifics of how this would work weren't mentioned in the session.
MCS Music America has filed a lawsuit against Real Networks, Yahoo and Microsoft over alleged music copyright infringements earlier this week. The copyright administration company claims the defendants breached copyright on several pieces of music and their artists. MCS represents a large number of other plaintiffs and says streaming music services such as Rhapsody, Zune and Yahoo Music allow users to retain the copyrighted tracks for an extended period of time, saying the defendants are required to obtain the rights for such a form of distribution.
