Friday 5 June 2009

Switched On: Dark side of the Zune

Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

When the iPod touch swiped away the small display, aversion to WiFi and telltale scroll wheel of previous iPods. Microsoft was left with Zune models squarely targeted at Apple's state of an older art. This fall, though, Microsoft will close the features gap and, in some ways, leapfrog the iPod touch with the Zune HD, which takes advantage of the startling contrast of OLED screen technology and will be one of the first (and likely the most popular) portable HD radio receivers. But no DNA test is needed to see that the Zune HD is inspired by the iPod touch, with a single button below the screen, side-mounted volume controls, and a power button at the top.

Now that the Zune HD will have a hardware exterior that looks like a credible challenger to at least today's iPod touch, what about filling the flash memory in its interior? Here, Microsoft has a number of opportunities that could improve the Zune's standing if successful, or leave it in the iPod's shadow if not.

Continue reading Switched On: Dark side of the Zune

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Portable Audio

Switched On: Dark side of the Zune originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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