Zune HD 32 GB

Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum)

Zune is the digital experience that gives you access to premium entertainment and the latest technologies, allowing you to enjoy, connect, and discover content in a whole new way--the way you like it. Browse, stream, buy, and play all you want, including music, HD video, podcasts, games, and much more. Gain the freedom to enjoy your entertainment; Zune is everywhere you are--on your PC, Zune portable player, and Xbox 360 through Xbox LIVE. Zune brings your content up front, so you're always in control.

Instant entertainment that you control. Click to enlarge.

Technical Details

   
• Zune HD 32 GB: Holds up to 10 hours of high definition video, or 48 hours of standard definition video, or 8,000 songs, or 25,000 pictures.
   
• Product Dimensions: 4 x 2 x .4 inches (102.05 x 52.73 x 8.9 mm); 2.6 ounces
   
• Shipping Weight: .617 pounds
   
• Built-in HD Radio receiver
   
• OLED 3.3 inch screen with 480x272 resolution and 16:9 display
   
• HD video output (requires HDTV and Zune HD & AV Dock, all sold separately)
   
• Internet browsing
   
• Wireless capabilities

Browse, stream, buy, and play all you want, including music, HD video, podcasts, games, and much more. Click to enlarge.

With a 3.3-inch size and vivid 16:9 display, truer and brighter entertainment is at your fingertips. Click to enlarge.

Less than a half-inch thick and 2.6 ounces. Click to enlarge.

Feature Description

HD Radio: More Stations, Better Sound, No Fees
The new Zune HD gives you access to many local HD Radio stations with crystal-clear digital sound at no extra cost. Receive additional channels from your local stations and get more of the content you love--including sports, news, and music--in various genres and formats. Like something you hear on HD Radio? Song tagging technology allows you to buy the song if you are connected to a Wi-Fi network or to tag it for later purchase.

HD-Compatible Video: High-Quality Video on the Go Or on Your HDTV
Watch supported 720p HD movies, TV shows, and videos in high definition on your HDTV through the Zune HD & AV Dock (sold separately).¹ Or take them with you for premium entertainment on the go. (Additional Zune HD & AV Dock and HDTV required).

OLED Touchscreen: Wide View with a Special Touch
Get instant access to your content with multi-touch navigation. With a 3.3-inch size and vivid 16:9 display (480 x 272 resolution), truer and brighter entertainment is at your fingertips.

Wireless: Joy Is in the Air
Zune HD allows you to buy, stream, and update your music--and download free games--wirelessly via a Wi-Fi connection. Feeling entangled? Wirelessly sync your Zune HD to your home PC via your home network. You also can stream millions of songs over Wi-Fi directly to your Zune HD and turn it into a portable digital jukebox.²

Internet Browsing: News, Email, and Traffic, All in Your Pocket
Surf the web anytime, anywhere you have a Wi-Fi connection. Enjoy your favorite websites with a full-featured web browser, including tap-to-zoom technology, built-in accelerometer, and touchscreen QWERTY keyboard.

Expand Your Entertainment With Xbox 360: Receive Instant HD Video Streaming from Zune on Xbox LIVE Marketplace
Zune features movies, TV shows, and more in both high and standard definition. Browse and watch from thousands of titles for rent, or purchase available instantly through Microsoft's Smooth Streaming technology. Buy videos once and watch on multiple screens: on your Xbox 360, Zune player, and PC. See www.xbox.com/live for system requirements. The convenience of on-demand, only on Xbox 360.

Accessories (Sold Separately)

Zune HD & AV Dock
This all-in-one package enables Zune HD players to charge, sync, and play supported 720p HD videos on HDTVs. Send music to your home audio systems and control it all via a wireless remote.

Zune Premium Car Pack
Charge and play music, podcasts, and HD Radio stations from your Zune HD while you drive. The FM transmitter/car charger auto-seeks the best available frequency on your car stereo. A USB port located on the transmitter/car charger allows you to charge a second Zune player simultaneously.

Zune Sync Cable
Charge your Zune player and sync with your collection on your PC.

Zune Charge Pack
The Zune AC Adapter fast-charges your Zune player up to 70% within an hour. Folding blades make it easy to travel with. Use the included USB cable to sync with a PC.

Zune Power Pack
Connect your AV cable to your docked Zune HD to play music, HD Radio broadcasts, and audio podcasts through your home audio system. The HDMI cable connects your docked Zune HD to HDTVs to view movies and videos. Also includes Zune AC Adapter; Zune HD player and Zune HD & AV Dock sold separately.

Zune Sync Dock
Connect to your PC and sync your collection while you charge your Zune in style. Control from a distance with the included wireless remote, which gives you full access to your Zune player from anywhere in the room.

1. Zune HD & AV Dock and an HDTV (all sold separately) are required to view video at HD resolution. Supported 720p HD video files play on the player, downscaled to fit the screen at 480 x 272--not HD resolution. HD Radio and the HD Radio logo are proprietary trademarks of iBiquity Digital Corp.

2. Users will need a 1080p-compatible HDTV, an HDMI cable, and broadband speeds greater than 8 Mbps for instant viewing at 1080p and 5.1 surround sound.

Compare and review:

   
• Amazon

Archos 7 160 GB Internet Media Tablet

By	F. Herbert

archos 7 160 GB

As an owner of both the new Archos 7 as well as last year’s model (the 705), I wanted to provide some points of comparison between the two for anyone trying to decide whether to save some money on the older model. In general, the two are very similar — they provide essentially the same functionality, although the new 7 includes a couple of new features (and includes for free some of the plugins that you had to pay for before with the 705).
Here’s a quick rundown of the positive changes in the 7 vs the 705:
* Speed — particularly of the web browser. The new 7 has a much faster CPU and renders web content at a much better pace (probably 3x the speed of the 705). Using the browser on the 705 was often painful except on pages that were geared to mobile devices. The 7 can handle even most complex pages without a problem. Since I use the device for browsing quite a bit, this is a HUGE plus for the 7.
* Email — The 7 includes a native email client that supports GMail, Yahoo mail or any POP/IMAP server. It’s very simple but usable. It’s also free (i.e. not a plugin).
* Better screen — The screen on the 7 definitely is crisper than that on the 705. And the colors are rendered more accurately (at least from my subjective point of view).
* Better responsiveness — The touchscreen on the 7 is more responsive than on the 705. The increased sensitivity really helps the usability. That said, people who use other touchscreen devices (e.g. iPhone) may find that the screen is still not as sensitive/responsive as other devices.
* Size — although the screen is the same size between the 2 units, the 7 is slightly shorter and thinner than the 705 (but not by much). The 7’s glossy case does collect fingerprints rather quickly, but that’s purely an aesthetic issue.
Advantages of the 705 over the 7:
* Archos dropped the mini-USB plug that was used to connect the Archos to your computer. It now uses a proprietary connector for this purpose.
* They also dropped the USB host port from that came with the 705. The 7 includes the USB host capability, but to use it you must purchase the DVR station or mini-dock add-ons. This was built-in directly in the 705 unit. This makes using the device to dump pictures from your digital camera more of a hassle as one more attachment must be carried just for this.
* They also dropped the video out connecter that was standard in the 705. Again, to use this feature with the 7 you’ll need the DVR station or mini-dock.
* No stylus or case included — I’ve found that using my finger generally works fine but a stylus is still better/more accurate on the screen. Luckily, the 705 came with 2 of them, so I use the spare with my 7. As for the case, you’ll have to buy one from Archos to a third party if you want/need one.
Things I wish they would have improved:
* Weight — this is one heavy device at nearly 1.5 lbs. Granted, the size makes carrying it in a pocket prohibitive, but the weight would do you in otherwise. Fine for a travel bag though and definitely much lighter than a laptop.
* Most plugins still not free — The browser plugin and “web radio/tv” plugins are now free, but to view many online videos and items ripped from DVD, you’ll need to plunk down extra $ for those plugins.
* Support for Flash 9 — The Archos ostensibly ships with support for Flash 9, but what they don’t tell you is that not all Flash 9.x versions are created equally. For example, while most clips on YouTube work, the version of Flash on the Archos does not support popular sites like Hulu. This for me is one of the largest disappointments of the Archos 7.
* No HD or 3G plugins available — despite what the product description days, the plugins that provides HD video thru the DVR dock (or mini-dock) and which support a 3G wireless connection thru a USB dongle do not actually exist. There’s also a very good chance they never will. Archos is notorious for promoting features which are never delivered. If either of these plugins is critical in your decision to purchase the Archos 7, you would be best off waiting until they are released before making the purchase.
For me, I use the 7/705 as a travel companion so I can watch videos, browse the web and store digital pictures. For web use, the 7 is a huge improvement. For videos, the better screen is a nice improvement, but for picture storage, the lack of the built-in USB host port and the need to carry the mini-dock is a bummer.