With the sales of Windows 7 continuing to be strong and the upcoming release of the restarted Windows Mobile platform: Windows Phone 7, the consumer product which has inspired the mobile OS reboot continues to take a back seat in the headlines even as it continues to progress. Zune may not be the most popular Microsoft brand out there, but it’s loyal following and niche success helps the platform to stay afloat in an iPod-dominated world. Even if the user base is small, the Zune name continues to make some unnoticed headlines.
Zune PC Software 4.7
This bit of news was a given considering the software needed to be updated in order to take advantage of the new line of Windows Phone 7 devices coming soon. We do not have a lot of new information on the software other than the Windows Phone upgrades and some new features and bug fixes which have not been described in any detail, but I think it’s safe to say we should have an update coming later this month.
The Zune PC software is already visually exceptional and runs great on Windows-based PC’s, but there are a few features that could make it even better.
Zune HD2 Rumors
Call me one of the Zune loyalists, but I think the Zune HD is one of the more undiscovered and underappreciated devices out there. The Zune HD’s refreshing user interface and industrial, yet sleek, design make it an excellent mobile media device. That being said, it looks like Microsoft may be taking one last shot at the market before calling it quits on its Zune personal media player.
According to ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley’s “reliable” sources, Microsoft is priming itself for a followup to the original Zune HD2, but with a possible update to the hardware by using an ARM processor so it can run the slightly different Windows Phone 7 OS. This would be smart because it would be a way to introduce the new mobile OS into more hands and also allow buyers to take advantage of the Marketplace which is set to go live in October. It also might explain Microsoft’s reasoning for licensing ARM technology which Mike Halsey reported here on Windows7news.
Zunes at 30,000 feet
A few months back, we reported that Microsoft and United airlines struck a deal to include the Zune music service on flights. It must have been a success, because Microsoft has confirmed that they will be providing United 500 Zune HD’s for passengers on long flights to Hong Kong and Australia. To sweeten the deal even more, Microsoft is pre-loading the Zune HD’s with media and movies that have not even hit DVD release yet. Apparently, Microsoft’s Dave McLauchlan has been working very hard with movie studios to achieve this. The Zunes will be encased in rubber and their screens will have a screen protector on them. Here is a picture of the Zune HD’s awaiting use and charging:
Source: Zune Insider Poscast
