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Zune HD Rivals iPod Touch

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 15, 2009 3:44 PM CDT

(Newser) – Microsoft releases a new Zune every year, mostly to collective shrugs, but this year’s model “might be the Zune that you’ve been waiting for,” writes Mark McClusky of Wired. “You were waiting, right?” The slim, white-and-black Zune HD is “a lovely industrial design,” with a beautiful screen that can display a true 16:9 aspect ratio. It’s also the first touch-controlled Zune, so the “infamous ‘squircle’” of past Zunes is gone.

The Zune can display down-sized HD video, has an HD radio receiver, and can export either to your TV. The software is in many ways better than iTunes. But there are some downsides. There’s still no support or Divx video, and the application and video stores are a tad thin. But all in all, “that scrappy underdog from Redmond might just have what it takes to compete with the iPod.” And at $289 for the 32GB version, it's $10 cheaper.

Official renderings of the Zune HD. (Microsoft)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 5 comments

Sayyiduna

Sep 15, 2009 6:23 AM CDT

There's a considerable difference in picture quality if you watch programming broadcast in hi-def, the picture is much clearer. I think one of the guiding forces of the hi-def phenomenon, however, is video gaming. Games on my Xbox look WAY better in HD than they do standard, and some of them aren't even playable at SD resolutions (because of text size, among other things.)

Guest

Sep 15, 2009 4:15 AM CDT

Um, you probably thought a lot of stuff in the 1980's that turned out differently.

Guest

Sep 15, 2009 4:09 AM CDT

HD really ??? , I did know that 720x230 was HD..... come on shut up

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Look Out, iPad: Windows 8 a Contender

But a lot can happen in a year, note reviewers

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Company has given up on device, will focus on software: source

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She. Is. Not. Kidding.

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Apple's new music offerings a mixed bag

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Microsoft player is best yet, but purchasing media is a drag

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