Microsoft has released the new Zune HD touchscreen media player and an update to the Zune PC software. The Zune has an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) multitouch screen, an NVIDIA Tegra HD processor and HD Radio capabilities with software advancements such as the new Quickplay menu, a well-featured web vrowser, and engaging music and video playback features.
The Zune HD website claims, “Zune HD is the only MP3 player with a touchscreen, HD Radio, HD video out, and wireless sync.”
Standard- and high-definition (HD) movies can be purchased or rented through the Zune Marketplace online store, and a new streaming music service on Zune.net lets Zune Pass subscribers listen to music from a web browser. The updates to the Zune hardware, software bring customers instant access to their favorite music and videos anywhere, across their mobile device, PC and TV.
Quickplay is a new signature menu for Zune, putting customers one touch away from the content they love, such as favorites, last played items and media most recently added, eliminating the need to dig through menus to find the music, videos, pictures or podcasts they want.
With Zune HD, consumers now have the ability to store and play back 720p HD video files to an HDTV using the new Zune HD AV dock accessory. Consumers can buy or rent HD content from the Zune Marketplace, sync that content to a Zune HD device, and take it with them to play back on a large-screen HDTV in the home or on the road.Zune HD device offers the first portable HD Radio receiver on a Wi-Fi-enabled device.
Zune HD also features new casual games and non-gaming functionality such as a calculator and an MSN Weather application. Later this year, Zune plans to release free applications such as Twitter for Zune.
Zune HD is available from major retailers with a black 16GB version for $219.99 (estimated retail price) and a platinum 32GB version for $289.99 (ERP).