The New Zune HD with 3.3" OLED Screen

Sonist · 05-27-2009, 04:16 AM

MS confirmed the upcoming Zune HD.

The OLED screen should be better than LCD for reading, and for battery life.

3.3" is too small for me, but it appears that some here don't mind.

It will run Windows CE.

Sweetpea · 05-27-2009, 04:27 AM

Looks neat. But what is this OLED technology? The page that the wiki links to, doesn't really help me... How is it better for reading?

HarryT · 05-27-2009, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonist

The OLED screen should be better than LCD for reading, and for battery life.

I've just bought a digital radio with an OLED screen, and I don't like it at all (the screen, that is - it's a great radio). The contrast seems to be a lot poorer than LCD, and the viewing angle very restricted.

rcuadro · 05-27-2009, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Looks neat. But what is this OLED technology? The page that the wiki links to, doesn't really help me... How is it better for reading?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OLED_display

Sonist · 05-27-2009, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I've just bought a digital radio with an OLED screen, and I don't like it at all (the screen, that is - it's a great radio). The contrast seems to be a lot poorer than LCD, and the viewing angle very restricted.

It depends on what they've put in there. I am not saying yours is one, but there are some cheap players around, which use primitive OLEDs (often monochrome) for no other reason, but to cash in on the OLED aura.

I wouldn't judge OLED by those, and I am assuming the Zune HD would be considerably better.

taosaur · 05-27-2009, 02:00 PM

I like the looks of it (people seem quite divided on that issue). What I'm looking for is a simple but self-contained player--one that can rate or delete a track and do playlists without plugging into a PC, and at a reasonable cost-to-storage ratio.

Sonist · 05-27-2009, 02:37 PM

This Zune HD would be a player, if the upcoming iPhone v.3 doesn't have OLED screen.

But if the iPhone does (and with both Zune HD and the new Walkman sporting OLED, I'd say Apple needs to,) then IMO the Zune will be next to irrelevant.

pking36330 · 05-27-2009, 05:24 PM

Zune's claim to fame so far has been the business model:
$15/mo for unlimited downloads + 10 songs you download and keep (if your subscription expires, all the downloaded music except your 10 per month expire and are not useable).

Compare Apple to Zune:
Apple: Spend $15 dollars and own 11-12 songs
Zune: Spend $15 dollars and own 10 songs and rent any song you want for the month, as many songs as you can download onto your Zune

Nobody shoot the messenger here, I have one child who loves her iPod and another that loves his Zune. Of course I get to love providing them money to fill them with music.

Sonist · 05-27-2009, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pking36330

Zune's claim to fame so far has been the business model:
$15/mo for unlimited downloads + 10 songs you download and keep (if your subscription expires, all the downloaded music except your 10 per month expire and are not useable)....

Well, it just goes to show that total user experience counts for a lot, too. And, that a subscription model may work for Netflix, but it may not work as well for music.

My wife has an iPhone, while I have been using a heavily hacked WM 6.1 (I hate the UI of WM 6.5). But I think, next month I am jumping on the iPhone v.3. The UI is just so much better, and now that it has turn-by-turn (and cut&paste :-), I think I am ready. I'd never use such small screen for long-term reading, so OLED or not, I am there. But OLED would certainly be welcome.

fugazied · 05-27-2009, 07:29 PM

Looks like a step forward for the Zune, but I'm not sure why the design is so angular. It already looks dated, and it hasn't been released yet!

I wonder how the pricing will be? To steal ipod touch market share they'd probably need to be 35%+ cheaper, because the ipod still has the cool factor and the app store. They need to target those too broke to get an ipod.

bhartman36 · 05-27-2009, 07:43 PM

I bought the Zune 8GB for my gf for Christmas. Maybe my timing was just bad (although I don't imagine I'd be able to afford the new version, when it comes out). I do have to wonder, though, what the benefit of OLED would be in this situation, besides an increase in battery life. I doubt OLEDs will make better reading devices than LCD devices. The OLED displays emit light the same way LCDs do. The only difference is that there's no backlighting. OLEDs are similar to e-ink in that they don't use light to produce black, but an OLED uses light to produce everything but black. In fact, because OLEDs are brighter, such a display might cause more eye strain for reading than your typical LCD screen.

On the other hand, the fact that OLEDs can be printed on flexible surfaces means that they might come in handy for foldable e-books. I suppose that's a good thing.

Sweetpea · 05-28-2009, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fugazied

Looks like a step forward for the Zune, but I'm not sure why the design is so angular. It already looks dated, and it hasn't been released yet!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder... I rather like the looks of it.

Lilly · 05-28-2009, 02:04 AM

It seems that they might have already a built-in consumer from XBOX owners! Here's a bit of the article below; you can read the rest at http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/p...une-hd/1317951

Confirming weeks of speculation, Microsoft has officially announced the Zune HD. The specs -- a 3.3 inch OLED touchscreen, the ability to output in HD, an HD Radio receiver, a full-screen web browser and built-in Wi-Fi -- are pretty impressive, but perhaps the most exciting tidbit is that the Zune marketplace will be fully integrated into Xbox and Xbox Live as a replacement for the current Live video service.
Zune

That's a huge step for Microsoft, who until now have oddly kept the Zune and Xbox brands on opposite side of the room. With one move, they'll be exposing the Zune to about 17 million customers who are already using a piece of Microsoft hardware. Moreover, those 17 million are also gamers, and the Zune HD's combination of touchscreen capability, Wi-Fi access and robust marketplace seems the perfect recipe for a move into the handheld gaming space.

Mr. Dalliard · 05-28-2009, 02:56 AM

I have been waiting eagerly for this, ever since details first leaked.
Now MS have confirmed the specs, I must say that I am rather disappointed - the screen resolution is much lower than I expected.

HarryT · 05-28-2009, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonist

It depends on what they've put in there. I am not saying yours is one, but there are some cheap players around, which use primitive OLEDs (often monochrome) for no other reason, but to cash in on the OLED aura.

I wouldn't judge OLED by those, and I am assuming the Zune HD would be considerably better.

It is indeed a mono screen, but it's a very "reputable" brand of radio (Pure), so I'm surprised they'd use such a poor quality screen in it.

05-27-2009, 04:16 AM	#1
Sonist Apeist Posts: 2,126 Karma: 381090 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The sunny part of California Device: Generic virtual reality story-experiential device	The New Zune HD with 3.3" OLED Screen MS confirmed the upcoming Zune HD. The OLED screen should be better than LCD for reading, and for battery life. 3.3" is too small for me, but it appears that some here don't mind. It will run Windows CE. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Sonist; 05-27-2009 at 04:20 AM.

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05-27-2009, 04:27 AM	#2
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	Looks neat. But what is this OLED technology? The page that the wiki links to, doesn't really help me... How is it better for reading?

05-27-2009, 02:00 PM	#6
taosaur intelligent posterior Posts: 1,562 Karma: 21295618 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ohiopolis Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2, Samsung S8, Lenovo Tab 3 Pro	I like the looks of it (people seem quite divided on that issue). What I'm looking for is a simple but self-contained player--one that can rate or delete a track and do playlists without plugging into a PC, and at a reasonable cost-to-storage ratio.

05-27-2009, 02:37 PM	#7
Sonist Apeist Posts: 2,126 Karma: 381090 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The sunny part of California Device: Generic virtual reality story-experiential device	This Zune HD would be a player, if the upcoming iPhone v.3 doesn't have OLED screen. But if the iPhone does (and with both Zune HD and the new Walkman sporting OLED, I'd say Apple needs to,) then IMO the Zune will be next to irrelevant.

05-27-2009, 05:24 PM	#8
pking36330 FT Parent PT Reader Posts: 322 Karma: 187838 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: South Alabama Device: Shocked by how much I've read on an iPod Touch received as a gift!	Zune's claim to fame so far has been the business model: $15/mo for unlimited downloads + 10 songs you download and keep (if your subscription expires, all the downloaded music except your 10 per month expire and are not useable). Compare Apple to Zune: Apple: Spend $15 dollars and own 11-12 songs Zune: Spend $15 dollars and own 10 songs and rent any song you want for the month, as many songs as you can download onto your Zune Nobody shoot the messenger here, I have one child who loves her iPod and another that loves his Zune. Of course I get to love providing them money to fill them with music.

05-27-2009, 07:29 PM	#10
fugazied Wizard Posts: 1,305 Karma: 1958 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: iPod Touch	Looks like a step forward for the Zune, but I'm not sure why the design is so angular. It already looks dated, and it hasn't been released yet! I wonder how the pricing will be? To steal ipod touch market share they'd probably need to be 35%+ cheaper, because the ipod still has the cool factor and the app store. They need to target those too broke to get an ipod.

05-27-2009, 07:43 PM	#11
bhartman36 Wizard Posts: 1,316 Karma: 1515835 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 3 Wi-Fi, Craig CMP738a Android Tablet	I bought the Zune 8GB for my gf for Christmas. Maybe my timing was just bad (although I don't imagine I'd be able to afford the new version, when it comes out). I do have to wonder, though, what the benefit of OLED would be in this situation, besides an increase in battery life. I doubt OLEDs will make better reading devices than LCD devices. The OLED displays emit light the same way LCDs do. The only difference is that there's no backlighting. OLEDs are similar to e-ink in that they don't use light to produce black, but an OLED uses light to produce everything but black. In fact, because OLEDs are brighter, such a display might cause more eye strain for reading than your typical LCD screen. On the other hand, the fact that OLEDs can be printed on flexible surfaces means that they might come in handy for foldable e-books. I suppose that's a good thing.

05-28-2009, 02:04 AM	#13
Lilly Guru Posts: 688 Karma: 2090 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Sony PRS-505, PRS-900 & PRS-950, Amazon Kindle2	It seems that they might have already a built-in consumer from XBOX owners! Here's a bit of the article below; you can read the rest at http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/p...une-hd/1317951 Confirming weeks of speculation, Microsoft has officially announced the Zune HD. The specs -- a 3.3 inch OLED touchscreen, the ability to output in HD, an HD Radio receiver, a full-screen web browser and built-in Wi-Fi -- are pretty impressive, but perhaps the most exciting tidbit is that the Zune marketplace will be fully integrated into Xbox and Xbox Live as a replacement for the current Live video service. Zune That's a huge step for Microsoft, who until now have oddly kept the Zune and Xbox brands on opposite side of the room. With one move, they'll be exposing the Zune to about 17 million customers who are already using a piece of Microsoft hardware. Moreover, those 17 million are also gamers, and the Zune HD's combination of touchscreen capability, Wi-Fi access and robust marketplace seems the perfect recipe for a move into the handheld gaming space.

05-28-2009, 02:56 AM	#14
Mr. Dalliard Zealot Posts: 143 Karma: 35 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Osaka, Japan Device: Kindle 3	I have been waiting eagerly for this, ever since details first leaked. Now MS have confirmed the specs, I must say that I am rather disappointed - the screen resolution is much lower than I expected.

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