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.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Categories: Mp3 Players Tags: 3d games, 3dGames, engadget video, EngadgetVideo, featured, features, games, microsoft, video, zune, zune hd, ZuneHd
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]
Continue reading Zune HD v4.3 firmware out now: fixes playcount bug, adds lots of great things (video)
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.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Categories: Mp3 Players Tags: download, firmware, firmware update, FirmwareUpdate, fix, microsoft, update, video, zune, zune hd, ZuneHd
This isn’t exactly the same magnitude as last year’s
Z2K scare, but it’s still an all-around bummer for all you Zune nuts. According to a spate of complaints posted to the
Zune.net forums as of late, certain Zune HD units are not syncing their playcounts properly with the user’s PC and Zune Social accounts. To be a little more specific, it seems that if you let a song play through on the device it will not be counted as played — but if you skip to another tune before it has a chance to complete (but after 20 seconds or so), the play will be counted. A real pain, right? Of course, this is not only bad news for obsessive list keepers, but for Zune Social fans as well: if your listening habits aren’t being properly tabulated, how are you supposed to make new friends and discover new music? Certainly not by going to noisy rock clubs and talking to people! Apparently a Microsoft Zune support team member has acknowledged the issue, but the company has made no statement relating to the bug — or possible firmware fix — as of yet. We’ll keep you posted.
[Thanks, Jon]
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video
Zune HD stops syncing playcounts with nary a firmware fix in sight originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Categories: Mp3 Players Tags: cease production, CeaseProduction, dead, discontinue, microsoft, r i p, RIP, zune, zune 120, zune 16, zune 4, zune 8, zune 80, zune hd, Zune120, Zune16, Zune4, Zune8, Zune80, ZuneHd
We’ve already gotten a glimpse of the
Zune HD’s packaging courtesy of Best Buy’s big
preview event this past weekend — but what about the contents of said packaging? Therein lies excitement. Excitement like some giant fold-out instructions, a USB cable, and a pair of headphones that seem to be more or less identical to the ones that came with the
Zune 120 — oh, and a little thing called the Zune HD. Hit up the link below for a closer look, and a couple more demo videos for those that still can’t get enough of the thing.
Filed under: Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video
Zune HD box contents spotted at Best Buy originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Categories: Mp3 Players Tags: microsoft, microsoft zune, microsoft zune hd, MicrosoftZune, MicrosoftZuneHd, packaging, unboxed, unboxing, zune, zune hd, ZuneHd
At Best Buy’s Zune HD preview today a certain Matthew Arkin on Qik was able to shoot footage of the “Apps” item that resides within the “Marketplace” section on the device. It’s still incredibly unclear what Microsoft’s plans are for that functionality — they’ve long admitted its existence, but have waffled on the name and have been reticent to show it off in meetings with us. Microsoft so far has only promised to have applications on par with the games currently available for Zune, but there’s obviously a lot of implied competition with Apple’s App Store that the word “Apps” on a touchscreen device conjures up. On video (embedded after the break) the rep is asked if there’s an SDK, and apparently Matthew got a “yes” offscreen, but we’re not really sure of the veracity of that statement, or what it means for developers at the moment — hopefully good, freedom-ey things.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Continue reading Zune HD’s “Apps” menu item spotted in the Marketplace, still short on details
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video
Zune HD’s “Apps” menu item spotted in the Marketplace, still short on details originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 02:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Categories: Mp3 Players Tags: app store, apps, apps marketplace, AppsMarketplace, AppStore, marketplace, microsoft, zune, zune apps, zune apps marketplace, zune hd, zune marketplace, ZuneApps, ZuneAppsMarketplace, ZuneHd, ZuneMarketplace
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.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Now that NVIDIA is totally free to chat up its Tegra involvement in the Zune HD, it’s wasted little time in publishing a list of Zune HD preview locations where you can witness the magic for yourself this weekend. The tour is fairly limited to the big urban hubs, but peep the PDF and see if your friendly neighborhood Best Buy is represented.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in. Warning: PDF link]
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video
Zune HD getting previewed at select Best Buys this weekend originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
It’s no big secret that NVIDIA’s potent Tegra chip will be powering Microsoft’s forthcoming Zune HD, but up until now, the former company had been rather quiet about its involvement in the project. Just a few days after the OLED-equipped portable media player went up for pre-order around the web, NVIDIA has stepped in to affirm that its own Tegra processor will be “providing the multimedia muscle in Zune HD.” We’re told that no fewer than eight independent processors make up Tegra’s collective whole, with each one engineered for a specific class of tasks; among them are an HD video processor, an audio processor, a graphics processor and two ARM cores. Each of the chips can work together or independently to minimize power consumption, and the built-in nPower technology is said to optimize system power use and enable extended HD video / MP3 playback time. Sounds good in print, but we’ve got just under a month to find out how it performs for real.
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video
NVIDIA confirms Tegra processor within Zune HD, details it real good originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Categories: Mp3 Players Tags: chip, microsoft, nvidia, nvidia tegra, NvidiaTegra, pmp, processor, tegra, zune, zune hd, ZuneHd
Can you feel it? The Zune HD is really really real, and the FCC just rubber stamped another internal component: the onboard HD Radio. With a September 15th release date already on the books, it’s not exactly a surprise that the wireless insides of the device won’t fry your babies, but it’s still a comforting thought. And check out that sexy label! Totally worth the second trip to FCC land.
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video
Zune HD’s HD Radio breaks through the FCC as well originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 15 Aug 2009 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Recent Comments