Microsoft has announced that the Zune media player is officially dead: 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 […]

There’s still hope for the Microsoft Zune, based on a new teen survey on portable media players. 13% of the teens surveyed that plan to buy a portable media player plan to buy a Zune in the next 12 months, up from 0% a year ago. 73% plan to buy an iPod, down from 100% […]

iPod upgrade & repair gurus iFixit have done a tear-down of Apple’s latest portable media players and revealed some Apple iPod touch secrets: It’s got a Broadcom BCM4329FKUBG wireless chip, so the hardware appears to support 802.11n. There’s also Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and an FM receiver and transmitter on this chip. Apple left in […]

We’re still skeptical about the prospects for the Microsoft Zune HD….but CNet’s Donald Bell recently geeked-out with a pair of the new Zune HDs and came away impressed: I am tentatively reaffirming my faith in Microsoft. This thing was worth the wait, folks. Mind you, it’s not going to crush the iPod Touch–a product that […]

CNet’s Matt Rosoff got a preview of the upcoming Microsoft Zune HD, and came away “thinking that Microsoft might finally have a contender”: I was surprised and pretty impressed with its small size–without measuring, I’d guess it’s maybe two-thirds the size of an iPod Touch, and quite a bit thinner. In my hands, it felt […]

Microsoft’s weak quarterly earnings report is pushing some to call on the company to abandon its once-hyped “iPod-killer”, the Zune. According to a Marketwatch story, investors think it’s time to dump the Zune and focus their attention on competing with Apple’s iPhone: “The market reception for Zune is so disappointing that many retailers have even […]

The Apple Tablet may still complete vaporware, but it’s looking more and more likely that Apple is going to release a large-scale version of the iPod touch.

Here are five reasons why the Apple Tablet will rock.

Microsoft has confirmed details on the upcoming Zune HD portable media player and, based on their announcement, it’s time to put away the Zune player under the “three strikes you’re out” rule. Here are the highlights of the new Zune HD: Zune HD comes with a built-in HD Radio receiver. Users also will have access […]

This is a video demo of the Mikiphone Pocket Phonograph, a sort of steampunk precursor to the Walkman and iPod from the 1920’s. Can you imagine trying to carry your media collection around like this? via bb

CNet’s Ina Fried reports on Microsoft‘s quiet reorganization of their Zune team: The software and services portion of the Zune team–the bulk of its staff–will be added to the portfolio of Enrique Rodriguez, the vice president who currently runs Microsoft’s Mediaroom and Media Center TV businesses. The hardware team, meanwhile, will now report to Tom […]