Zune HD (xYz) positioned to take on Apple, Sony, Nintendo and Google?

Sounding too good to be true, the cats at Teamxbox have posted a lengthy piece quoting multiple sources from Redmond and Santa Clara who anonymously spill the beans on what the Zune HD is and isn't. The "digital entertainment handheld," dubbed unanimously as product "xYz" by said sources to emphasize its purpose of bridging the Xbox and Zune platforms, is not a phone (that's Project Pink) but a converged "mashup" of devices like the Sony Mylo, PSP, and iPod touch. The emphasis of the device is not the hardware but the software, services, and entertainment experience if offers while remaingly primarily "a portable game console and media player." It's said to link into Microsoft's Skybox computing services for mobiles and blur the lines between Xbox Live and the Zune and Sky Marketplaces. Even the Xbox 360's NXE interface will be making its way onto the new Microsoft handheld. As Teamxbox summarizes:

Buy a song, a movie or a TV show on your Xbox, play the content later on the handheld or the other way around. Play an Xbox Live Arcade game either on your Xbox or in this handheld.

At the moment, we have no way to authenticate any of this beyond what we've brought to the table already. Honestly, having had our hopes crushed by a tepid reaction to market trends from Microsoft in the past makes it difficult to believe all these seemingly fanboi fantasy claims of specs and convergence. However, if true, if Microsoft finally breaks free from the rigid silos of its own making and delivers an integrated living room, gaming, and portable media experience along with a stable Windows 7 computing environment... well, wait this just can't be happening.

[Via wmpoweruser and SlashGear]

Filed under: Gaming, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Zune HD (xYz) positioned to take on Apple, Sony, Nintendo and Google? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 May 2009 06:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: iPhone watch

Sonix7 Media Pro tangles with the PMP giants

We'll be honest -- there's a decent chance you'll never experience the joy of handling a Sonix7 Media Pro in your time here on Earth, but it's still worth looking at just to show that the Apples, Microsofts and Meizus of the world haven't scared us all away just yet. This so-called MP4 player packs a 3.2-inch touchscreen display, 30 hours of audio playback (20 hours on video) and a built-in camera and speaker. Unlike the hordes of alternatives, this one's actually not built in China; rather, it's born and bred in Britain. It's available now in 8GB and 16GB flavors for £89.99 ($136) and £104.99 ($159), respectively, and you check out the company's self-assembled showdown with the iPod nano just after the break.

Continue reading Sonix7 Media Pro tangles with the PMP giants

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Sonix7 Media Pro tangles with the PMP giants originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 May 2009 04:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: iPhone watch

Orange bringing Comes With Music-equipped Nokia 5800 XpressMusic to UK

What a difference a year and a half makes, eh? It was August of 2007 when Orange first got all weird on Nokia over the then-wild concept of a manufacturer-owned and operated music store -- bear in mind the iPhone hadn't launched very widely at that time -- and look how far we've come. The two companies have just announced that the venerable Nokia 5800 XpressMusic will be available starting May 29 loaded up with Comes With Music, Nokia's all-you-can-eat service that brings endless downloadable tracks through its Music Store. In Orange's case, Comes With Music will be available on any of five special plans starting at £25 a month (about $38), meaning that you'll be able to nab music for the duration of your two-year contract. As long as DRM's in the mix, you're basically locked into your contract for as long as you want the definitive Bryan Adams collection that you've downloaded -- so we're hoping Nokia nixes that nightmare sooner rather than later. And hey, congrats, Orange customers -- you're the first Brits to officially be offered this through a carrier, and you'll be getting it in an "exclusive" black / silver color combo.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Portable Audio

Orange bringing Comes With Music-equipped Nokia 5800 XpressMusic to UK originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 May 2009 05:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: iPhone watch

Sony's X-series OLED Walkman now priced in real American dollars, ships mid-June

Sony has yet to offer us official US pricing or availability on its eagerly awaited X-series of OLED Walkmans. As such, we have to grasp at whatever bits of desperate information we can as this 3-inch Walkman with built-in noise cancellation makes its way West following the Japanese launch. Amazon lists the little guy at $399.95 (32GB) and $299.95 (16GB) which just happens to be the same pricing as Apple's iPod touch, for whatever that's worth. It's not in stock but you can pre-order now if dare.

Update: And just like that, it's official. Sony's 16GB NWZ- X1051 with 32GB NWZ- X1061 will be priced $299 and $399, respectively, when they go on sale nationwide Stateside in mid-June. As a surprise, they'll also feature embedded apps for YouTube and Slacker Radio for all the free video and audio you can consume over WiFi.

[Via OLED-Info]

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Sony's X-series OLED Walkman now priced in real American dollars, ships mid-June originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 May 2009 04:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ioBridge used for web-based water metering, shiatsu massage

The ioBridge I/O module -- is there anything it can't do? We've seen this plucky little device used for firing makeshift weaponry, pouring brewskis, and even charting electricity use (by far the most useful / least exciting of the lot). And now? Mr. "Power Meter" is back with a project that'll help you further keep tabs on your utility bills. Hit the read link for a step-by-step on how to: install a meter on your home's incoming water line, connect that to your favorite ioBridge module, and track your water consumption via the free ioBridge web service. Sound like a fun weekend project? Hit that read link to get started.

[Via Instructables]

ioBridge used for web-based water metering, shiatsu massage originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 May 2009 02:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: iPhone watch

Microsoft: 'June 2009 will be an important month for Zune lovers... hold off from buying an iPhone/Pre'

Microsoft has a new twitter account in support of its Office 2010 product launch. What's strange though, is that the people behind the account seem to care more about the future of the Zune than Office. Two tweets (of five) from this account have caught our attention. The first says,

June 2009 will be an important month for Zune lovers.

Then as a followup to the barrage of questions received, @officethemovie adds,

New product launch, that's all I'm allowed to say. Hold off from buying an iPhone/Pre.

Naturally, we're expecting the launch of the Zune HD and/or the unveiling of project Pink. Whatever happens, the month of June is going to be historic with Apple's WWDC scheduled to kick off on June 8th and the Palm Pre rumored for release on June 5th or June 7th.

Update: It's worth mentioning that the big E3 gaming expo kicks off on June 2nd (press events on the 1st) -- could be important if there's any truth to the new Zune HD supporting some form of Xbox game integration.

[Via Neowin, thanks Anthony S.]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Microsoft: 'June 2009 will be an important month for Zune lovers... hold off from buying an iPhone/Pre' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 May 2009 04:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: iPhone watch

New iPhone specs leaked -- 600MHz CPU, 32GB, 3.2MP cam?

Take this for what it is -- a totally unverified rumor from a Chinese forum -- but a set of specs for a next-gen iPhone have leaked out along with this screenshot, and they're not entirely far-fetched. According to the alleged leak, iPhone model MB717LL 9 ("iPhone2,1" perhaps?) will have a 600MHz processor (up from the current 400MHz unit), 256MB of RAM (from the current 128MB), 32GB of storage, a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, as well as a digital compass and FM radio, all while retaining the same battery, basic shape, and screen size. Do we believe it? Well, if we were to conservatively guess at specs for a next-gen Apple phone that's pretty much what we'd come up with -- with the exception of FM -- so we're not shaking our heads too hard. Plus we've definitely seen evidence that a compass will figure into the equation, and there's endless whispers that the camera will see an upgrade. Still, only Steve and the gang know for sure, and we're (probably) not finding out till they're ready -- WWDC, are you here yet?

[Via The iPhone Blog, thanks Brian]

Filed under: Cellphones

New iPhone specs leaked -- 600MHz CPU, 32GB, 3.2MP cam? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 May 2009 00:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: iPhone watch