I’ve been incredibly impressed with the Zune HD UI and the look & feel of the ZuneHD hardware. It’s simply a beautiful device. You can now pre-order one from Amazon for delivery September 15th. I’m on the fence on whether to purchase or not. I definitely don’t need it as I have a perfectly fine iPod Touch 2g. But my gadget lust is pushing me to pick one up…
Catch more of Brent’s reflections on tech, gadgets, software and media over at Geek Tonic.
I agree that it looks pretty slick. But as I said on Twitter the other day, will this device matter much if Apple refreshes the iPod Touch line with a camera and lower prices?
Personally, I’m done with PMPs. In fact, they never did much for me because I’ve always managed to eek that sort of functionality of my smartphones. Now a Windows Mobile phone with a Zune UI for media and games would be a different story. But as it stands, my likely fall gadget purchase will be the similar looking HTC Hero running Android – phone and a camera, on top of all else. Granted, it won’t have nearly the same video capabilities of the Zune. But I’ll trade that for better multifunction performance.
“…my likely fall gadget purchase will be the similar looking HTC Hero running Android…Granted, it won’t have nearly the same video capabilities of the Zune.”
I’ll gladly concede, temporarily lower quality video with Android as to not get the BSoD² when a critical business call comes in on a Zune phone.
Note¹: Android video will improve soon since it has already been ported to run on Texas Instruments OMAP4:
“…Texas Instruments multi-core OMAP4 mobile phones offer deliver breakthrough multimedia improvements versus today’s most popular smart phones, including 10+ hours of 1080p HD video playback and 4+ hours of 1080p HD record, up to 20-megapixel imaging, PC-like Internet browsing, 3D graphics enabled user interfaces and best-in-class power management technology with SmartReflex 2 technologies..”
http://preview.tinyurl.com/bmjm6s
Note²: The Zune is just Windows CE, a nearly 20 year old operating system, so what will the inevitable crash on a Zune phone be called any way? RRoD? Brown Ring of Death?
You see, I’ll likely always use a Blackberry (or perhaps Palm some day) for my phone. There are two reasons for that:
1. I want hard keys. If I could have both touchscreen & hard keys on a well implemented interface (like Palm Pre) I’d be happy. I would have a Pre if it weren’t for #2
2. Work. My day job gives me a perfectly good Blackberry and replaces it whenever I need a new one. Free phone, free service = no brainer. If blackberry doesn’t come out with a better browser though I’ll soon begin pushing for Palm Pre support at work.
So then I’m left with the PMP/MP3 Player. I still love my little Nano – it’s a great MP3 player and really better than the iPod Touch for music imo. But the iPod Touch is so good for all-purpase it’s difficult not to love it too.
The ZuneHD looks great, but as Dave says I wonder what the next gen iPod Touch will look like? I would love to see them tack on 3G internet onto the device, but yeah that gets it pretty darn close to the iPhone huh.
RROD, BSOD on a Zune…yea right. Oh yea and a 20 year old operating system.
I guess BSD (1986) and Mach Kernel (1985) which Apple products are based on qualifies as old also.
Come on folks all operating systems kernels are based on the science from the 80’s. Its the windows (no pun intended) dressing that makes or breaks the usability.
The best interfaces hide the kernel and it looks like Microsoft has taken a lesson from HTC since they were one of the first to remove the 80’s feel from the embedded windows code.
The new Zune looks great. I don’t know if I am going to replace my Zune 30 with one…maybe when I get my first Zune BSD on my Zune 30 I will.