Microsoft changed its virtual currency structure in 2010, when it allowed customers to add funds to their account in increments of 400 points ($5) instead of 500 ($6.25). This was in reaction to complaints from users who were always stuck with a handful of leftover points that could not be spent.

Microsoft has made previous comments about wanting to be more transparent with the cost of digital content, but clearly still operates with the confusing ratio of 1 MP = 1.25 cents. Nintendo’s digital point system is simple enough; $1 = 100 points. And the PS3 actually has the novel idea of showing content prices in US dollars and cents, or whatever the user’s local currency is.

Under the reported new plan, Microsoft would follow in Sony’s footsteps. As mentioned, MS has made similar comments about creating a transparent system before and nothing ever materialized, but maybe the time has finally come. This latest report says the adjustment will happen by the end of 2012. Stay tuned.

[via Inside Mobile Apps]

Meanwhile, the Zune HD is currently listed as “out of stock” on Microsoft’s online store. The company has said that it will continue to support the PMP hardware as well as “honor the warranties of all devices for both current owners and those who buy our very last devices.”

At roughly 12m 30s into episode 45 of the Windows Phone Blog Radio podcast, the team confirms that “we’re not going to be making the Zune HD any more.” The topic then turns to Zune services in Windows Phone, and how Microsoft sees the multimedia experience in its smartphone platform as being the new focus.

[via Neowin]

Meanwhile, the support article that confirmed the Zune range had been discontinued has since been pulled, though you can still read the details in Google’s cached version (and below). According to the Zune Support Twitter account, “that site was added to the Zune website in error” and there’s “no further info” at this time.

“We recently announced that, going forward, Windows Phone will be the focus of our mobile music and video strategy, and that we will no longer be producing Zune players. So what does this mean for our current Zune users? Absolutely nothing. Your device will continue to work with Zune services just as it does today. And we will continue to honor the warranties of all devices for both current owners and those who buy our very last devices. Customer service has been, and will remain a top priority for us.” Pulled Microsoft Support statement on Zune

It seems Microsoft may be keeping its Zune hardware options open, though we couldn’t blame the company for being more focused on media integration in Windows Phone than standalone devices. Even Apple appears to have lost some enthusiasm for its iPod range, announcing minor updates to the iPod touch and iPod nano yesterday, while connected media players on smartphones – with both cellular data and WiFi to choose from – proliferate.

[via WinRumors]

Communications

Your entire communications network is centered around, if you want it, your People Hub. Instead of a contacts list, you have this hub which you’ll find on your Start Screen right when you turn your device on for the first time. This tile has, once you activate it, multiple little tiles inside of it flipping on and off with images of your contacts as lifted from several different places: Facebook, Outlook (Exchange and Office 365 included), Windows Live (Hotmail, Xbox LIVE, Messenger, and others included), Google (this has an email icon next to it, but this is connected to your greater Google account which includes Reader, Gmail, all that good stuff,) LinkedIn, and any 3rd party email accounts you may have. Twitter and LinkedIn integration right out of the box are new here in Mango.

One of the neatest features you can now take advantage of is the ability to take contact groups (which you make via your People Hub) and make them their own dedicated tile on your Start Screen. Your group tile (you can make several of them, mind you,) will then live flip through updates from random members of that group the same way a single person tile would, only the name of the Group appears every once in a while now as well. You can then, as per usual, do things like mass email these people if you want to, for instance, invite them to an email party. This can be exceedingly helpful, especially if you’re using your device for work (or if you’re a student, for class) and have a need for communicating with specific sets of individuals quite often.

You can also pin an individual to your Start screen, if you did not know, and communication with your people is now advanced to the point of absurd ease – if you want to take the time to configure each person with every account they own, that is. You can switch between Windows Live Messenger Chat, Facebook Chat, Messages, and more, all of it in a single conversation, but the time you must take is still in play: you must add a person to each of these services individually, linking them together under one profile, or the whole switching inside conversations thing doesn’t work out as slick as it should.

Messaging is improved as well if you just want to stay in that world – speech-to-text as well as text-to-speech are now both active and working quite well.

Applications

Multitasking – that ever-present goal for every mobile machine maker, that’s been improved here in Mango. This version of the OS makes it possible for apps to run in the background (they have to have that ability programmed in, of course, not every app works this way), switching between apps as simple as holding your dedicated BACK button down and flipping back and forth between windows. This is a really ingenious button / functionality combo when you think about it, so smooth in fact, that I’m surprised noone has thought of it before.

Applications and Hubs are now part of your Search results when its necessary, this bringing the Search function basically a level higher than any other mobile OS on the market today – do you need to search the entire contents of your phone right out of the box, though? Ask a hacker, they’ll know. Those having only worked with non-mobile operating systems will find this ability soothing to their claustrophobic senses.

Dynamic Live Tiles have been improved in some small ways that allow them to retrieve information and update themselves without the need for the user to open the app that corresponds with them. For example you can see small status updates from your friends in Facebook without opening a tile that contains your friend. This filters over to the aforementioned Group and individual tiles.

Internet

Your internet browsing has been upgraded with the newest version of Internet Explorer, that being IE9, complete with hardware acceleration and HTML 5. This sounds pretty awesome until you realize that Internet Explorer is no longer at the top of every web designer’s list of browsers to optimize for. What this means is that pieces of even the most well-visited websites in the world will be missing in action. On the other hand, this often results in nothing more than the absence of some banners and the missing list of “top posts” here and there. There was a question on one of the threads I was speaking in inside the past week on Facebook games – the answer is no – Facebook games still do not function inside this stock browser. You’ll still have to find alternate means, like a full-sized computer and non-mobile OS.

Local Scout is a lovely new app that instantly gives you “highlights” for businesses around your GPS location including reccomendations for shops, activities, and of course restaurants. Each suggestion is displayed as either text or a tile that can then be opened to reveal items like address, directions (instantly through Bing), phone number, “neighborhood” – this being a general indicator of where it is, and category. You can also access “Quick Cards, these being reviews (if there are any) related apps (if there are any) and prices (when applicable). You can also pin the business to your Start Screen if you wish. When the GPS finds you, it finds you well within a big bunch of businesses, that’s for sure. On the other hand, I’ve not yet gotten the opportunity to take it all the way up to the sticks where businesses are light, so we’ll have to see how good it REALLY is.

Hitting your search button from, for example, your Start Screen, will launch Bing. From here you can access an expanded number of directories instantly, these including Bing Vision (for scanning products, bar codes, or QR codes,) Music Search and Voice search – these able to tell you what song you seek or get you what you need simply by letting it listen to your quandary. Both work fairly well, with the music searching function not able to figure out which Aphex Twin song I was listening to, but having no problem identifying a Dr Dre song. Music Search then shows you your album cover, title, album title, and allows you to head to the Zune music marketplace to purchase the song (or the whole album) if you’d like to do so.

Hands-on Video Tour

Anything I didn’t show in-depth above in images you’ll be able to see in the video below. Have a look and see how smooth it all is!

Wrap-Up

In all, the Windows Phone platform has been improved in a set of ways that will certainly be appreciated by those that already use Windows Phone devices. I’m not sure that these changes will be enough to attract new customers on their own, but tied in with the rest of the relatively easy to use system, Windows Phone should, by most means, continue to grow throughout the future. Without getting too analytical on the future of the platform, it is, as we’ve said before, dependent on the developer ecosystem that this platform will succeed in the near and distant future. The more we find developers attaching themselves to the Windows Phone platform, the more users will come with them.

It’s no longer just about creating a mobile OS that works, it’s about making one that people trust and love as well. Microsoft, continue with the improvements here and there, but direct your power beams at the developers full force if you want gains. That’s my best advice and has been my advice since the beginning. Windows Phone users, you’re in for a treat, because Windows Phone 7.5 Mango is a sweeter fruit than you’ve had before. Take a big bite and smile about it.

As we observed yesterday, the Zune HD has gone two years without a refresh; we initially reviewed it back in September 2009. A refresh was tipped for late 2010, but then Microsoft swung its focus to Windows Phone and how it could include both smartphone and media player functionality in one package.

“Your device will continue to work with Zune services just as it does today” Microsoft assures exising users, “and we will continue to honor the warranties of all devices for both current owners and those who buy our very last devices.” Late last month, Microsoft reducing pricing for its all-you-can-eat music service, Zune Pass, though also removed the ability to download and keep 10 non-DRM tracks per month.

[via WMPowerUser]

The Zune HD product page has since been restored but despite its reappearance and Microsoft’s clarification, references to the Zune HD are still missing from the Zune music pass page, where it had initially appeared as shown in this cached page. Either way, it seems like the struggling Zune HD will soon face a similar fate as the original Zune hardware that got discontinued earlier this year.

Surely the Zune HD wouldn’t be missed too much as the hardware has seen nary an update in the last two years along with plenty of price drops. Microsoft looks like its ready to phase out the dedicated mp3 devices in favor of its new Windows Phones. The company has recently announced porting Zune apps to the Windows Phone platform.

[via GeekWire]

Of course you know the true state of both platforms, here the Zune offering a service for a lower price point with less options hoping for a wider audience by getting rid of a digit in their price point. What you got before, for those of you that don’t know, was essentially a purchase of 10 songs at $1 each and an unlimited streaming service for an extra $5 a month. What you’re getting now is a lower price point at $9.99 a month to start with, but you don’t get to keep any of the songs you get to hear each month.

The Zune Pass is and has been available to several platforms for a while now, this including Windows Phone devices, the Xbox 360, Windows PCs, Zune devices galore, and of course in-browser at Zune.net. Microsoft continues to push the Zune with Windows 7.5 Mango as it’s pushed to devices across the board in the coming weeks. Will a $5 price change boost the service into the future?

*A hint of sarcasm – quick unofficial poll – do you use Zune?

[via MobileBurn]

The iPod and iPad question is probably the least surprising, to which Gates points out unsurprisingly that his children “have the Windows equivalent. They have a Zune music player, which is a great Windows portable player. They are not deprived children.” As for whether he would respond to calls from some investors to return to Microsoft and take back the CEO position from Steve Ballmer, Gates’ answer is a definitive no. “My full-time work for the rest of my life is this foundation” he claims. “I’m part-time involved. But this is my job now.”

It’s not just Travie McCoy songs that Gates can do – his children apparently tease him by singing the recent hit – but characters from Austin Powers. Challenged with the question of whether foreign aid gets partially skimmed off by less than admirable regimes, he dismisses it with a Dr. Evil impression. ”When we buy vaccines we are super-smart about what we pay. We get price reductions. We can track how many kids get the vaccines. People don’t stockpile vaccines. It’s not like you’re going to go to Mugabe’s mansion and you’d find polio vaccines in the basement and he’s going “Ha, ha, ha! I took it ALL!”"

Still, you can’t escape the geek for too long, and Gates’ money – metaphorically speaking – is on speech control and its integration into our daily lives. ”The next big thing is definitely speech and voice recognition” he insists. “You’ll be able to touch that board or speak to it and get your message to colleagues around the world. Screens are cheap.”

Einhorn cited Ballmer’s previous comments on the iPhone and iPod, in which the CEO suggested they were not a threat to Microsoft, as well as the much-quoted claim that Ballmer’s children were not allowed to use rival products such as Google search. Such a stance had left Microsoft – and Ballmer – “stuck in the past” Einhorn claimed, while Bing search was a “sinkhole.”

Ballmer’s time as CEO has been punctuated with controversy, not least the exec’s habit of making announcements that Microsoft PR must quickly move to clarify or correct. Earlier this week, comments Ballmer made regarding Windows 8 were swiftly pounced upon as Microsoft backtracked over the OS’ timeframe and official name.

It’s hard to argue that Microsoft hasn’t responded well to the mobile segment, however. Windows Phone came late to the game, leaving Android and iOS plenty of time to solidify their positions, and the deal with Nokia will only really lead to fruition in 2012. Windows 7, despite years of Microsoft’s tablet-tinkering, has proved relatively unpopular and unsuited to the consumer slate segment, and the Zune PMP – while popular among a small fangroup – struggled to make inroads against Apple’s iPod.

[via Reuters and via NYTimes]

However, no official announcements have been made by Microsoft on the demise of the Zune. When asked about the situation, Microsoft sent an e-mail statement:

“We have nothing to announce about another Zune device — but most recently have introduced Zune HD to Canada via the Zune Originals store and remain committed to supporting our devices in North America. We are thrilled by the consumer excitement for Zune across many new platforms, including Windows Phone 7 and Xbox 360. Our long-term strategy focuses on the strength of the entire Zune ecosystem across Microsoft platforms.”

Current versions of the Zune, the last one being the Zune HD released in 2009, will continue to be sold until they’re gone. After four years of lackluster sales and low consumer interest, the Zune can finally be laid to rest.

[via Geekosystem]

You’ll be able to show off the music you’re currently listening to, as well as check on social networking updates. Better yet, though, is the ability to check up with your Facebook friends, thanks to the integrated Facebook Chat option. The application is free, and you can pick it up from the app portal on your Zune HD, or through the Zune Software if you’re already at your PC.

[via Windows Experience Blog]

Those four countries will get unlimited streaming for £8.99/€9.99 per month, while the UK, France, Italy, Spain and Germany will get non-DRM MP3 purchases.  There’ll also be video on offer, either to rent or to buy depending on where you live (rental supported in the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, Australia and New Zealand; purchases supported in the UK, France, Germany, Canada, Australia and New Zealand).

That video content can be watched on a Windows PC, through Xbox Live or sync’d over to a Windows Phone 7 handset.  Because of differing regional deals with content providers, it does mean that not everybody is going to be getting exactly the same service, and only US users of Zune Pass will get to keep ten tracks per month (for $14.99, including unlimited streaming).

Press Release:

Zune to Expand Multiscreen Entertainment Services Into International Markets

Major entertainment companies provide music and movie catalog to the U.K., France, Italy, Germany and Spain.

REDMOND, Wash. — Sep. 20, 2010 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the further international expansion of Zune, its digital entertainment service. This fall, Zune will expand its music and video footprint and bring the free Zune software, Zune Marketplace online store, Zune Pass1 music subscription service and enhanced features on Zune.net to new markets, providing a comprehensive entertainment experience on Windows-based PCs, on the go with Windows Phone 7 and in your living room through Xbox LIVE.2

“The integration between Zune, Windows Phone 7 and Xbox LIVE is an exciting expansion in our entertainment offerings,” said Craig Eisler, corporate vice president, Interactive Entertainment Business Group at Microsoft. “Zune enables users to access the entertainment they want, wherever they want it — and now, more people than ever will be able to enjoy the freedom and flexibility that the Zune service offers.”

Zune software has been upgraded with new features and functionality and will serve as the Windows Phone 7 synchronization client. The new software (version 4.7) will be available to download for free in more than 20 countries, including the U.K., France, Italy, Germany and Spain, to easily manage your personal collection of movies, music, podcasts and pictures. Zune software continues to set the standard for entertainment software, providing best-in-class experiences to organize, discover and enjoy digital media with a variety of exclusive features. For example, the Quickplay menu enables immediate access to recently played content and personal favorites, and Smart DJ 3 automatically creates playlists from your personal music collection and takes the extra step of mixing in suggested music from the Zune Marketplace. The updated Zune software will also enable instant streaming of high-definition movies, allowing you to watch some Zune Marketplace movies in HD, with no download time, directly on a Windows PC.

Zune Marketplace online store is accessible from within the Zune software and offers the ability to purchase millions of individual songs or albums from its catalog, all in MP3 format. Here, consumers can also subscribe to Zune Pass,4 which provides unlimited downloads and music streaming capabilities from the Zune music library, including content from major music labels such as Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Music and Warner Music Group, as well as thousands of independent labels. Zune Marketplace also has a large library of videos from major studios such as Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution for purchase or rental. Video purchases will be accessible through Xbox LIVE and Windows-based PCs, and can also be added to a Windows Phone 7. Simply buy your favorite video from Zune Marketplace and watch it on the screen of your choice.9

Zune.net is the perfect resource for consumers as it allows them to download the software and set up a Zune account with a new or existing Windows Live ID.5 Zune.net will also provide Web access to Zune Marketplace so you can purchase music or use a Zune Pass to stream music directly through an Internet browser,6 as well as purchase video content.7

Zune Expansion to New Markets

As Zune expands internationally, its music and video service will be tailored for each market. Genre experts will custom program Zune Marketplace and feature the top songs, videos, movies and unique promotions for each country.

The fall 2010 international expansion of the Zune music and video service includes the following:

Zune Marketplace will extend services to several markets in Europe and beyond.

• Zune Pass (U.K., France, Italy and Spain). The monthly music subscription service will be available for 9.99 euros /8.99 pounds per month for unlimited download and streaming access to the Zune music catalog and will be accessible on Windows-based PCs, Windows Phone 7 and Xbox LIVE. The offer in the U.S. will remain at $14.99 per month for unlimited downloads and streaming access, with the ability to keep 10 MP3s per month.8
• Music purchase (U.K., France, Italy, Spain and Germany). Expansion to these markets will enable consumers to purchase MP3s and listen on their Windows-based PC, Windows Phone 7 or any other device that supports MP3 format. Users will also be able to purchase music videos to enjoy on Windows-based PC, Windows Phone 7 and Zune on Xbox LIVE.
• Video purchase (U.K., France, Germany, Canada, Australia and New Zealand). Consumers will now be able to purchase movies to download and watch anywhere — on the big screen in the living room with Xbox LIVE or their Windows-based PC as well as sync it to their Windows Phone 7 to enjoy on the go.9
• Movie rental (U.K., France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, Australia and New Zealand). In addition to Zune video on Xbox LIVE, consumers in these countries will now be able to rent movies for viewing on their Windows-based PC or choose to sync the rental to their Windows Phone 7.
The global expansion of the service is the latest step in a series of milestones for Zune, including powering Bing music search results, the added ability to purchase music and video on Zune.net, and the forthcoming integration with Xbox LIVE and Kinect for Xbox 360. By continuing to integrate Zune across the most important screens to consumers, Zune provides an all-in-one music and video service for users to discover, enjoy and experience their entertainment wherever they want.

About Zune

Zune is Microsoft’s music and video entertainment service that provides an integrated digital experience across Zune devices, Windows-based PCs, Xbox LIVE and Windows Phone 7. The Zune platform includes a line of portable digital media players, elegant software, the Zune Marketplace and Zune.net online stores, the Zune Social online music community created to help people discover music, and the ZuneOriginals.net online media player customization store. More information can be found online at http://www.zune.net/en-us/press.

After that initial tipster claimed that the Zune HD 2 was coming soon, with a product launch next year, it seems that a job listing popped up for Microsoft’s Portable Entertainment Group, which is the group that brought the current generation Zune HD to market. The job listing says that they group is “currently building the next generation of portable entertainment and communication devices.” The “communication” part could indeed be a key word in the whole thing, and this position could mean that the person hired would be working more with Windows Phone 7 than anything else, but right now it’s anyone’s guess.

However, an insider speaking with ZDNet‘s Mary-Jo Foley, informed her that the next HD 2 certainly is coming, and that it will probably have the same memory capacities of this generation: 16/32/64GB. However, further details on the device are pretty scarce, as you might imagine. Furthermore, the insider suggests that Steve Ballmer, after announcing Windows Phone 7 and the details therein, will go ahead and explain where the Zune HD is, and what it future entails. That’s where the Zune HD 2 is rumored to make its debut. Zune Software isn’t going anywhere, as it’s a key part of Windows Phone 7 and syncing with a PC, but it will be interesting to see what the next generation of Zune HD looks like.

[via ZDNet]

Courtesy of Mary Jo Foley over at ZDNet, it seems that some sources that she was speaking with have lead her to believe that a new, remodeled Zune HD could be on the way. As far as detailed information goes, you can imagine that there’s not a lot to go on here. Truth be told, even the current speculation isn’t worth holding a light to at the moment. Though, the talk of an ARM CPU powering the whole show is definitely interesting enough to give a second thought.

As for the software side of things, it wouldn’t be that big of a surprise to see some kind of Windows Phone 7-like homage in there. Considering there’s plenty of Zune love being tossed into the phone variation, showcasing both on the opposite device would make sense. The rumored date of arrival for these new gadgets would be some time in the early months of 2011. Is Microsoft working on something to combat the new iPod Touch? Let’s certainly hope so.

[via ZDNet]

Having extra services accessible by your device is one thing, but creating a universe where those features are an integral part by showcasing the inherent connections from those services to your phone, or vice versa, is another. That’s why Microsoft believes they are at the head of the pack, especially with the fact that they believe Windows Phone 7 will prosper based on its well thought-out connections between the phone and PC, Web, and a plethora of new mobile services. Two of those new features, which Lees announced today, is Find My Phone and a new Windows Phone Live site.

The two services are obviously different in their purpose, but the former will be accessed through the new site. You can guess what the new “Find My Phone” feature will do: device owners will be able to manage several different aspects of a lost phone: from finding it on a map, thanks to the integrated GPS, or even by making it ring remotely (that’s a helpful feature, for sure). You will also be able to lock the device, as well as remotely wipe it if you know you’re not getting it back any time soon. As for the Windows Phone Live site itself, customers will be able to utilize it like a media hub of sorts. Windows Phone owners will be able to upload pictures, sync their Windows Live Contacts as well their OneNote entries right from the phone to the Web.

Lees went on to add that Windows Phone 7 will be able to connect to your PC thanks to the Zune Software. But, just in case you’re like us and you hate cables altogether, then you’ll be happy to know that Microsoft’s including wireless sync out of the box. That’s right, you’ll be able to connect via a WiFi connection to sync your music, video, photos, and other high-resolution files. And, obviously, the devices will be connected to the Web, which means you’ll be able to use their feature-rich services, like email (which includes Gmail support), but you’ll also be able to access the Zune Marketplace and your Xbox LIVE account.

No matter how many features you boast, or what you expect to come some time later, it won’t matter until everyone can get their hands on a real Windows Phone 7 device, and actually put some time into discovering what the new mobile Operating System can dish out. All of these connected features, focusing on that landscape between the phone, the Web, and the PC is great. But, as we’ve seen in the past with almost everything ever conceived, some plans are just better on paper, rather than in physical execution. If you’re curious, there’s more information you can check out at Microsoft’s Windows Phone Blog.

For teenagers, one of the most important concept of our lives is being connected to each other – we like being in touch with all our social circles, be it for friends around the corner from school to friends across the globe. Media, entertainment, and pictures are also huge features – consider the huge importance of music, movies, video games, and Facebook albums in today’s world. And in portable devices especially it’s become more and more critical to have these features to ensure that you appeal to teens.

A few years ago, the idea of having a Zune with a web browser or an iPod touch that has serious gaming on it wasn’t even something people considered. If you wanted to email or IM people, you’d use a computer. Gaming was done on a console or Gameboy. But now, the idea of building these features together hasn’t just become a convenience for teens – it’s a necessity. The fact is that the market wasn’t capable or expected to offer this service in years past, forcing users to buy separate devices – why older people, perhaps, are more insistent on separate, specific featured gear for each situation. It’s only now, as these multifunction devices have been made – at an affordable price point – that the new generation of technology users is becoming attached to them over the past system of specific devices for specific uses.

Teens are becoming more and more attracted to devices that multitask – iPod nanos with cameras built in, a Zune HD that plays games and has Facebook, and of course, the titanic success of the App Store (not just for Apple, but Android and other devices as well); in short, the extending of portable media players beyond media. These connected media players that not only do media, but internet and beyond, are becoming must-have device for teenagers: delivering in one package the huge wealth of features that teens want.

And this multitasking concept becomes even more important going into the summer – when most high school and college students, being off from school, go off to camp or travel. In these situations, having a device or two that can function as almost everything a young adult wants – music, video, Facebook, Twitter, gaming, pictures, emails, even eBooks is huge. One device, one charger, only one thing to worry about losing or breaking, for a teenager at camp or traveling, is a huge thing.

Finally there is another huge reason that teens are using converging devices is simple – pricing. The golden rule of teenager’s technology usage is pricing – or specifically, lack of pricing. As a general rule, teens have no money, and when spending it, hate spending their own money. (When it’s their parents’ money, think the exact opposite). So buying one device that accomplishes everything they want to do at a “good enough” level for what they want saves them the need, and therefore the money, of buying 4 or 5 dedicated gadgets that may do those same tasks, albeit slightly better then the multitasked device. Money, and teen’s unwillingness to spend it, is a huge reason for the popularity of these multifunction devices among the youth market.

So overall, it’s these devices, multipurpose, connected, and increasingly mislabeled portable media players – that do far, far more then portable media – that are what’s big in tech for teenagers right now, especially considering the time period of summer vacation: where having such a device is hugely important for a traveling or away from home teen.

The Best of R3 Media

Froyo Landing on Motorola Droids in July and August: At the announcement for the Droid X today, it was made perfectly clear that the update to Android 2.2, for the Droid X and the original Droid, was coming by the end of the Summer. And now, thanks to some leaked direct images from an internal Verizon Wireless source, we are starting to get a bit more of a clearer image. The original Droid is apparently getting the update to Froyo a month ahead of the Droid X — it’s expected to launch at the end of July. As for the Droid X? That’s coming at the end of August, apparently. [via Android Community]

Parrot AR.Drone Hands-On: The Parrot AR.Drone is definitely one of the most talked about, and heavily wanted items on the planet right now. And, thanks to our charms here at SlashGear, we were able to get some hands-on time with the new-fangled device. You’ll be able to control the Drone from your iPhone or iPod Touch (that includes the iPad, too), and there’s even an Android application coming some time in the future. There will be interactive games that you’ll be able to “play” on the mobile controller, with more games coming from an open source approach later, after the device launches later this year. Check out the other details, pictures, as well as the video through the link. [via SlashGear]

BlackBerry 9650 Heading to US Cellular: As CDMA-based devices go, the BlackBerry lineage is a breed that gets passed around a lot. No surprise here, but the device that’s already made an appearance on Verizon Wireless and the Sprint Network is making its way to the sixth largest wireless carrier in the United States, better known as the regional carrier U.S. Cellular. It’s launching some time in early August, but other than that, we’ve got no more information, as US Cellular is being remarkably quiet on the launch. Guess they have to have their surprises, too, right? [via PhoneMag]

The Dredge ‘Net

Zune Music Comes to Xbox 360, No You Can’t Listen to It While You Play Games: Long title, because it deserves one. Not because it’s good news, though. If you’ve got your hands on an Xbox 360, and you’re one that’s used Last.fm before, then you know that music played from Last.fm can’t be played while you’re playing games, or anything else for that matter. That’s right — you’re console can’t multitask that certain application. In any event, Zune is just about ready to make it so you can use your Zune Pass on your 360, but it’ll work just like Last.fm — no music multitasking. But, then again, if you’ve got a Zune Pass, then you probably have a computer and the Zune Software, which means you can just connect your computer to the Xbox 360, thanks to wireless syncing, and play your music that way, right from the media player. So . . . Problem solved? [via Gizmodo]

Nintendo 3DS May Do 3D Video Chat, How Cool is That? Yes, that rhymes. Excuse us, we’re in a curious mood tonight. Anyway! Apparently, Nintendo’s dropped some hints that 3D video chat can, and will be done on the Nintendo 3DS. No idea how, considering that the 3D cameras are on the outside of the device, but hey, Nintendo’s obviously got some ideas. Now, we make it happen. We want 3D video chat! [via Kotaku]

Trinity Euphoria Yacht is Real, Costs A Lot: Yachts are expensive. There’s definitely no denying that. And, the Trinity Euphoria is $39,000,000 worth of 168-feet goodness. It can comfortably hold 10 people in its five state rooms. There’s a pair of 2,250-hp engines, too, and they can send the yacht on 3,000 nautical miles on a tank of fuel. That’s beyond impressive. [via The Awesomer]

Microsoft Research, unsurprisingly, aren’t saying much about Menlo – though it’s given a brief namecheck on Hunt’s own MR People page – but there are tidbits to be found.  Hunt’s LinkedIn profile, for instance, mentions the following:

“Co-lead two of the largest cross-group research projects in MSR’s history: the Menlo and Singularity projects. Menlo combined OS, UX, and applications research to explore the future of computing when mobiles becomes users primary PCs. Singularity combined language, tools, and OS research to determine how to build more reliable systems and built a new OS from scratch in managed code.”

Foley then talked to Directions on Microsoft analyst Michael Cherry, who suggested that Microsoft could be looking to “follow Apple’s lead” and develop a tablet-friendly platform on which regular Windows apps could be relatively easily ported.  He describes that as a “frankenOS” of sorts:

“Microsoft could follow Apple’s lead and build a similar tablet on CE or Windows Phone 7, and have developers create CE and Web based applications for it….Mostly, it would be a rival to the iPad with similar battery life attributes.  Microsoft could even add some USB ports just to differentiate the connectability.  They could also open the carrier access.

“Second, Microsoft could build a tablet on Windows 7 Standard Embedded, and really be ruthless in removing Windows 7 components that do not make sense in the ‘new’ tablet scenarios. I have not seen any attempt to use what they have to create a truly “designed for tablet” version of OS (key here is instead of adding tablet extensions you remove non-tablet components of the base OS).”

That actually sounds a lot like our own Courier speculation, in which we suggested that Microsoft’s apparent abandonment of the dual-display digital notebook concept was in fact only a move to cut off talk of Microsoft-produced Courier hardware.  Instead, they could take the Courier customisations and develop a special tablet build – as Cherry says, “really be ruthless” in stripping out any superfluous functionality – that third-party manufacturers could then put onto their own hardware.  Indeed, several firms have already suggested they have notebook-style hardware on the way though they’ve been coy with their OS preferences.  Such a plan would also mean that porting apps over from other Microsoft platforms could be easier, both to the newly customized tablet and to mobile devices.  Of course, this is all some way in the future (if it evens pans out that way), but it’s good to think that Microsoft might be doing the sensible thing and pulling together the different strands of their various computing options.

With OpenZDK, developers can create Zune HD apps – as well as apps for the original Zune models – that take advantage of the Tegra APX2600 chipset, including using custom vertex and fragment shaders with OpenGL ES 2.0 and programming in C++.  The resulting apps run on top of the regular Zune firmware, and shouldn’t impact your Microsoft warranty at all.

The end result is the ability to make games that match up to Microsoft’s own titles, such as PGR: Ferrari Edition and Audiosurf Tilt, rather than the more mundane possibilities that the dumbed-down XNA allows.  More information on getting started at the OpenZDK wiki, and the ZuneBoards guys have a special forum (currently empty) for apps created with the new framework.

[Thanks Nurta!]

It also confirms that the Turtle has a 320 x 240 display, and that there are alternative codenames – Pride and Lion – for the Turtle and Pure CDMA versions respectively.  There’s also what’s believed to be a social networking center, called The Loop, and the whole thing is based on Windows CE albeit heavily hidden with a distinctive UI that borrows from the Zune and Windows Phone 7.  Says the source of the firmware leak:

“Everything is programed in .NET a lot like 7 is. It does not say it inside the files where I have seen, but It is coded in XAMl and is in the structure that CE 7 is supposed to be structured, it is my belief that it will be based off CE 7, and it will have a lot of tie in to Windows Live as well.”

Gizmodo’s tipster reports that the device was “intuitive, ‘better than Android,’ and decorated with Windows Phone 7-style animations throughout,” though that’s based on a few seconds use.  They also saw an app store, though currently empty of titles.  Meanwhile over at Twitter, user Conflipper apparently also has some firmware access of their own, and has released a few shots of the UI – including the dialer and PIN screen – together with a photo from the Pure’s camera.

No release date has been leaked for the Pure, but the assumption is that it’ll land at around the same time as the Turtle, at the end of April 2010.  Microsoft were tipped to be preparing the Pink platform as a replacement to the Sidekick, and it certainly looks like that’s what these devices are turning out to be: social networking-heavy media phones with an emphasis on usability rather than the sort of enterprise functionality you’d get on Windows Phone 7.

[via Windows-Phone]

I don’t understand why I’m still reading people clamoring for a Microsoft “Zune” phone. It’s pretty clear that we’re not going to see a phone from Microsoft themselves, at least not one based on the Xbox and Zune business models. I’ve talked about why we wouldn’t see a Zune phone before but it’s worth repeating.

The business model of Windows Mobile is totally different than Zune and the Xbox (in fact, I’d argue that we’ll see Microsoft get out of the Zune hardware business long before they become a direct handset vendor, but that’s another story).

Zune was a good idea to some extent, since the technology Microsoft was licensing wasn’t getting them anywhere. As it was, hardware partners were taken aback by Microsoft’s actions but at the end of the day, they simply were not delivering on the markets needed by Microsoft to be successful.

Phones are different. Windows Phones are a core platform that is strategic to Microsoft’s other lines of business and built on Microsoft’s traditional business model of licensing technology to partners. The problem is that no one has ever been successful licensing technology platforms to others and then competing with a device of their own. Apple failed (twice, with both Mac OS and the Newton platform), Palm tried it only to have to split the company into two and Nokia tried it with Series 60 (which it’s now open sourced). No matter how creative you are, it just can’t be done. Microsoft now has traction with more than 20 million licenses sold last year and a good collection of partners (many of whom are looking at Google and Google’s hardware aspirations) along with a new crop of phones for consumer and business use. A Zune or any other phone sold by MSFT would potentially hurt all that and for no good reason.

Moreover, how would MSFT bring this to market? There’s no mass market for unlocked phones in the US (just ask Nokia how hard it is to sell a high end phone with no carrier). MSFT as an MVNO? Not happening. A partnership with a carrier as Apple did with the iPhone? Well, it could work but that would alienate licensees and carriers alike.

There’s always some possibility of MSFT exploring a different type of business model for a phone, but it’s far more likely more Microsoft branded functions and services get baked into a versions of Windows Phone and integrate well with other platforms. That is, of course, something we’ve heard Steve Ballmer hint about in the last few months.

So, now that we’ve got the whole Microsoft getting into the phone business cleared up, let’s move on and try and resolve that whole “moon landing is a hoax” thing for our next project.

Meanwhile further entries referred to the ability to “View and manage pictures and videos taken with your phone at the Studio”, with users able to sign up as “Studio members”.  The suggestion is that this could be Microsoft’s new media upload service, enabling content produced on the handset to be shared via a web gallery.

It’s not the first cellular tidbit discovered in the Zune software recently; earlier this week references to what could link the PMP’s Zune Pass subscription-based music download service with a mobile phone were discovered in version 4.2.202.0 of the firmware.  Microsoft have continued to deny any intentions of producing a Zune phone, however recently collated Twitter messages seemingly tip a surprise consumer-focused announcement at the Mobile World Congress 2010 in a little over a week’s time.

[via Engadget]

Microsoft may be ready to unveil its own phone based on the Zune with hints that the device may be in the works turning up in the latest software update for the Zune PMP. The new version of the software is 4.2.202.0. The drivers are leading some publications to say the Zune Phone is basically confirmed.

Check out the circled code in the pic above and you will see several — %Phone.DeviceDesc% = ZuneMTPZUSB, USB\VID_045E&PID_0640 — lines of code. The lines of code are reportedly used for associating devices with the Zune driver. I wonder if these lines of code could be a way to use a music service like the Zune Pass on Windows smartphones instead?

If you like affiliate programs Microsoft and 5 Star Affiliate programs have announced a new one for the Zune Pass subscription music service. Affiliates will be able to earn a commission for each Zune Pass subscription sold at $14.99 per month.

Affiliates can get media to advertise with including banners and widgets that let users listen to 30-second song clips before they buy. Microsoft and 5 Star are both mum on exactly what the commission is for each subscription sold.

That would mean not only that Mac-using Zune HD owners would be able to use the supplied software to manage their media collections, but potentially that third-party PMPs would more easily be able to access the Zune Pass subscription-based music download store.  Right now it’s possible to tweak certain PMPs into accessing it – Foley herself has a Sony Walkman playing Zune Pass tracks – but there’s no broad, official support for it.

Meanwhile Pinero also confirmed that “our next step is mobile phones” and giving, presumably, Windows Mobile devices access to Zune Pass; however he maintains that “we haven’t talked about a timeline for when that will happen.”  Still, Microsoft continue to protest that “Zune is a music and video service from Microsoft. Period” and not just the company’s attempt to oust the iPod, and so we’re hoping they see sense and throw open the doors.

About a week ago, we saw a pamphlet telling us about the new features coming to the Zune Software, most notably the addition of HD movies. There’s still the regular television shows, and the venerable podcasts, of course. We have no reason to think that the newsletter is telling us a bunch of heresy, so it looks like we’ve got something else to look forward to now.

September 15 is stocked to be a good day. The week before will have a load of information coming from Apple though, so we’ll have to wait and see whether or not Apple does indeed have something up their sleeve to take on the new Zune. What are your thoughts? Are you getting the new Zune? Or are you banking on Steve Jobs announcing something that will blow your mind?

[via Engadget]

September 15th is the launch date for the Zune HD, and according to SuperSite’s Paul Therrott, the Zune HD will be the only Zune model available after launch. The interview with the Zune team also eluded to the fact that if you pre-order the 16GB Zune HD, you can only get the model in matte black. If you pre-order the 32GB Zune HD, you only get platinum. The other available colors will only be able to be picked up at launch date, from both online and physical retail stores.

We’re looking at the end of a Zune era, coming in about two weeks. If you’re wanting to get a cheap, current generation Zune for whatever reason, it’d probably be best to keep your eyes open for deals that will inevitably be popping up as stores begin to clear stock. Of course, considering what’s coming, you might want to save some cash.

[via I4U News]

It’s a solid strategy to let current stocks filter out before the release of a new model, and it seems that Microsoft has fallen in line. You can still purchase the larger models, like the Zune 80GB and Zune 120GB from the official store, and you can still pick your colors, as well as the design that goes on the back of your personal music player.

If you’re dying to get your hands on the current generation 4GB, 8GB, or 16GB Zune, then go ahead and stop in to your local electronics retailer, or click on over to Amazon, as they still have models in stock. But, considering what’s coming, it might be a good idea to just go ahead and wait.

[via Engadget]

According to ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley, Pink will be built on top of the Windows Mobile 7 core but be different in UI appearance from any other smartphone using the platform.  Microsoft have apparently tasked the Danger team that it acquired in 2008 to develop the device, which will supposedly be built by just one manufacturer.

While sources differ on who that manufacturer might be, both Sharp and Motorola have been tipped; each have worked with Danger before on the Sidekick.  That certainly fits in with earlier rumors that the Pink device would blend consumer functionality from the Zune and the Sidekick for an audience different from traditional Windows Mobile buyers.

The source – a software engineer within Microsoft who claims that, while he chose to leak independently, his actions are known and unofficially sanctioned by the company – also suggests that movies are finally coming to the Zune Marketplace, and that the team are working on the final licensing agreements with the major studios.  That content will be available in HD.

If that starting price turns out to be accurate, it will position the Zune HD above Apple’s rival iPod touch PMPs.  The Zune’s Tegra HD-capable chipset, HDMI output and AMOLED multitouch-capable display are likely culprits for pushing up prices; it remains to be seen whether Microsoft can sufficiently persuade consumers that their platform is finally better than Apple’s.

[via Electronista]

Microsoft have previously only suggested that the PMP will land in the US come the fall, and are yet to comment on this specific date suggestion.  The Zune HD has a 3.3-inch OLED touchscreen, WiFi and HD Radio, together with the capability to play back 720p HD video via a docking station accessory.

Still no word on pricing or capacity for the PMP, but we’d expect it to be competitive with Apple’s iPod touch.  Microsoft is expected to announce a new, Zune-branded video service at E3 this week.

[via Gizmodo Australia]

The physical differences are a large rectangular “Home” button rather than the small circular one on the iPod Touch. The device is lightweight and feels good in the hand. Using the device is enjoyable and the accelerometer responds quicker than the Apple counterpart as well.

The only problem is that there won’t be the thousands of applications for the Zune HD like there are the iPod Touch, giving the device a very large disadvantage. Hit up the link for some video and more photos.

[Via Gizmodo]

WiFi will come standard, as it has always been a part of the Zune, and the device will also have an accelerometer (which is standard in most devices anymore). Web browsing will be accomplished through a browser built on Internet Explorer (which might be the lone deal breaker here, but we’ll wait to see).

We’re looking at a potential “early fall” launch date, as Microsoft expands the Zune Marketplace overseas, and incorporates the Zune with the XBox environment. The price and storage capacities of the Solid State device are still hush-hush though, but I’m predicting something around 16-32GB and look for a price to undercut the iPod Touch.

[Via Gizmodo]

The scheme will see red and black hard-drive Zunes (120GB and 80GB) cut to $179.99 and $159.99 respectively, while the flash-based models will also see a cut.  The promotion will not be available in stores, but via Microsoft’s Zune Support Line.

The same sources also suggest that the new Upgrade Program is in part a replacement to the extended warranty which Microsoft offered on the Zune 30GB.  No word from Microsoft themselves as yet.

[via Gizmodo]

“If it was up to the hardware, this device could launch sooner in time” unnamed source

The sources go on to suggest that hardware is in fact the lesser piece of the puzzle, and that Microsoft have been holding off until other elements are in place.  One such element is software, with the NXE (New Xbox Experience) UI moving over to the xYz and integrated with Microsoft’s Sky services under the Live Anywhere tag.  Sky includes SkyBox, SkyLine and SkyMarket, various mobile download and backup systems reliant on cloud-servers.

“When this handheld arrives, people will say it is Microsoft’s response to the iPhone, the Nintendo DS, the PSP, and so on, but it will be pretty evident that this device, its software, and services have been in the works for a very long time” unnamed source

TeamXbox also suggest that the xYz/Zune HD will have WiMAX, certainly a feature that would be unique among the segment.  It would also be something Microsoft would have to wait for: even now, US WiMAX service offers only partial coverage.

As for the pure hardware of the device, they claim the rumors they’ve heard line up with the possible hardware specifications leaked earlier this week.  That would mean a capable NVIDIA Tegra chipset for HD video and long battery life.

[via wmpoweruser]

The individual behind the non-official account – which seems likely to be taken down as a result of Twitter’s non-impersonation rules – then used the attention to promote an article they had written on iPhone privacy.  It seems the twitter account did not exist when Microsoft’s team erroneously linked, and so the enterprising user set up the account to take advantage of the mistake.

The Microsoft Zune HD is still expected to be launched later this year, but not for another few months.  It’s unclear how this tallies with the recent rumors about Microsoft “Pink” cellphone specifications.

“New product launch, that’s all I’m allowed to say. Hold off from buying an iPhone/Pre. :)” @officethemovie tweet

Further pleading for information has been met with stony silence, but the implication seems to be that either the Zune HD or the “project Pink” cellphone are on the cards.  The Zune HD is expected to have an AMOLED touchscreen, HDMI output and either 16GB or 32GB of storage. 

Microsoft have already confirmed that 2009 will see new Zune hardware, though they were reluctant to go any further into what type of device we could expect.  The comparison with the Pre and the iPhone, however, is likely to reignite speculation that a Zune with cellular capabilities is in the pipeline.

[via Neowin]

There is some wild speculation that the small device will be able to play 3D XBox games as well, utilizing an NVidia chipset to do so. Of course the device will also feature a full HTML web browser, but hopefully it will be nothing like Internet Explorer on Windows Mobile. One would also hope that a native Microsoft browser would be able to support Microsoft Silverlight, and potentially Flash, considering the rumored graphics chipset. If that were so, it could give the Zune HD a leg up on the iPod Touch.

Microsoft’s Zune has always been the underdog in the personal media player world, though recently the Zune market share jumped to 4% in 2008, against Apple’s domination of the market. The Zune HD would be the right step for Microsoft, though the device is more imitative of current Apple iPod Touch features than cutting edge in design. If the device could play 3D Xbox games, it could also position itself as a competitor for the Sony PSP.

[Via Neowin.net]

The Zune is Microsoft’s entry into the portable multimedia device field, and has always been overshadowed by Apple’s iPods. The Zune 4th Generation would offer users a touchscreen display and other features similar to the current iPod Touch, though it remains to be seen if there will be an Application Store for the Zune like there is for the iPod Touch.

Microsoft released the first Zune in 2006. The first generation featured a 30 GB hard drive, WiFi for sharing music with friends, and a radio FM Tuner. While many view it as a decent music player in its own right, Apple’s penetration of the music player market has been too great for the Zune to overcome in any sense.

[Via Engadget]

It comes as no real surprise, in a way, that new Zunes are coming; Microsoft last announced an updated range back in December 2008, in the shape of new color options for the Zune 120.  Rumors have circulated that the company plans a phone/Zune crossover device, something that Microsoft themselves continually deny.

Of course, just because all of the Zune products so far have been PMPs, it doesn’t mean everything Microsoft announce this year will be the same.  Earlier this month the company advertised for a software engineer to work on living room media under the Zune banner, suggesting that Microsoft have on-demand music and video on your HDTV in mind.  It’s unclear if this means a new software release for another device (such as the Xbox 360) or a piece of hardware.

[via Engadget]