A Halo 3 branded Zune

Halo 3, the third game in the best-selling Xbox game franchise Halo, is a highly anticipated first-person shooter video game under development by Bungie Studios for the Xbox 360 and is expected to "set a new high water mark" for next-generation games.[3] An official announcement on the developers' website states that Halo 3 will end the current story arc of the Halo trilogy. A public beta test of the multi-player component of the game began on May 16, 2007[4] and is scheduled to end on June 10, 2007. The final version of the game is due to be released on September 25, 2007[1] in the United States, and on September 26 in Europe.

Zune - Fact Sheet

Zune
Fact Sheet
September 2006

Name: Zune™

Manufacturer: Microsoft Corp.

Category: Digital media player

Colors: Three choices: black, white or brown

Product
Overview: Zune starts with a 30GB digital media player and adds a twist. You can wirelessly share selected full-length sample tracks, playlists, pictures or your home-grown tracks directly from Zune to Zune.1 You can listen to the full-length songs that you receive up to three times in three days, flag the ones you like and easily buy them the next time you sync up. You can discover new music in the Zune Marketplace, and show off your favorite pictures and videos on the big, bright screen. Zune has all that and a built in FM tuner, too. Let your inner DJ run wild.

Features: ● Wireless Zune-to-Zune sharing. Zune lets you spontaneously share selected full-length sample tracks of your favorite songs, homemade recordings, playlists or pictures with friends wirelessly, device to device.1 You can listen to any song you receive up to three times in three days. And if you like a song you hear and want to buy it, you can flag it right on your device to easily find it later.
· Your own personalized Zune. Zune is easy to use and easy to love. You can choose one of three base colors, each combined with a distinctive double-shot finish created by the overlay of one color on another. The player also can easily be customized with your favorite pictures.
· Large color screen. Zune comes with a bright 3-inch LCD video screen that works in portrait or landscape mode. Your music, video and pictures never looked better.
· 30GB player. Zune stores up to 7,500 songs, 25,000 pictures or 100 hours of video.2 You can make playlists on the go and watch a slide show while you’re listening. Watching video in landscape mode gets the most out of the vivid display.
· Zune Pass. Downloads or a subscription? It’s your choice. A Zune Pass subscription gives you “all you can eat” access to discover and explore the Zune Marketplace.
· Built-in FM tuner. With the built-in FM tuner you can listen to local FM radio stations or tune in to programming while you’re at your local health club, for example. Advanced tuning capabilities allow you to see the name of the song currently playing on selected frequencies.3

Accessories: ● You can choose from a full line of accessories to outfit your Zune. Three Zune Accessory Packs provide complete solutions for Zune in your car, in your home or while you travel. Individual accessories are also available.

Additional
Information: ● Online music store. You can browse the huge selection of music designed to work seamlessly with your Zune in the Zune Marketplace. When you find new music that you love, it’s simple to buy it and sync it on your player. The Zune Marketplace works with the Microsoft® Points program so you can purchase music online without a credit card.
· Import your music. Zune software can automatically import your existing music, pictures and videos from iTunes and Windows Media® Player in a variety of formats, including your existing playlists and song ratings, as permitted by the online service from which it was purchased.4
· It only gets better. As Zune evolves, your device can be easily updated. The Zune software on your PC5 will let you know when updates are available for download. And with built-in wireless capability in each player, the future is filled with possibilities.5


The information contained in this fact sheet relates to a pre-release product that may be substantially modified before its first commercial release. Accordingly, the information may not accurately describe or reflect the product when it is first commercially released. This fact sheet is provided for informational purposes only, and Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the fact sheet or the information contained in it. Dates are subject to change without notice.

1 The Zune-to-Zune sharing feature may not be available for all songs on your device, and works only between Zune devices within wireless range of each other. This feature allows recipients to play full-length sample tracks up to three times in three days. Recipients cannot resend music that they have received via the sharing feature.
2 Music estimates are based on 128KBps WMA files, with length of four minutes each. Pictures transferred to Zune will be optimized for Zune screen size. Video estimates are based on 500KBps WMV files with 128KBps WMA audio tracks.
3 To display station name and song information, stations must broadcast a Radio Broadcast Data Standards (RBDS) signal. Availability may vary.

4 Zune software can import audio files in unprotected WMA, MP3, AAC; photos in JPEG; and videos in WMV, MPEG-4, H.264.
5 Requires a PC running Windows® XP with Service Pack 2 and high-speed Internet connectivity.
6 Dates and functionality of updates are not specified at this time. Microsoft makes no guarantees, express or implied, about the features contained in future Zune updates.

Microsoft, Zune, Windows Media and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Microsoft Zune Update

This is the update of Microsoft Zune! Photo update!
Please post whatever you found related to Microsoft Zune please! :)

Zune - Pyxis - Argo

In addition to the name "Zune," the device also is referred to as "Pyxis" in Toshiba's filing. A collaborative service for Zune users, something akin to Apple's iTunes software and service, is called "Argo."

PDF document of the Zune

The FCC filing contains photos of what Toshiba's Zune player will look like. Here is a PDF of a document that shows photos of the front and back of the device, which looks similar to Apple's original iPod, but bigger.

Zune Logo

Photos of Zune

A photo is better than thousands of words..

Here come the new Zune.....

Zune Review

How do you like your Zune?
Comparing the Zune and iPod, which one you like the most?
Once I test this Microsoft Zune, I will write a complete report. If I can find a detail Zune Review I will update ASAP. Will update this zune review daily.

Zune revealed by FCC as "Toshiba 1089"

Well, here's a bit of a surprise: a wireless PMP just showed up on the FCC, featuring a 30GB HDD, FM tuner and a strangely familiar 3-inch screen. And it ain't being manufactured by Microsoft. Instead it looks like Microsoft got their good pal Toshiba to produce the Zune, which not only saves Microsoft the job of gearing up some production lines for the thing, but seems to keep them from stepping on at least one PlayForSure licensee's toes. Things get more interesting from there, since the documentation refers to those other heavily bandied code names: "Pyxis" and "Argo." From the looks of things, Pyxis seems to be the name for the network which Zune devices will use to share content, since in the "DJing Content" section it states that "Pyxis allows you to stream music to up to 4 other Pyxis devices." A bit more confusing, however, is that "You can invite other Argo members that you meet to be your friends wirelessly." Of course, it's always likely that they hadn't gotten all the codenames smoothed out by the time they wrote that up, but it's clear that the Zune player as we know it is only a small part of the overall "Zune" plan. It's also clear that Toshiba is part of the party, so we'll be keeping our eyes peeled for any other manufacturers who might be hanging on to Microsoft's coat tails here. Keep reading to see the Zune cracked open, tested, and completely dissected...

Here come the new Zune by Microsoft

Rumored Specs & Features

● might have a 400MHz DSP processor
● might have Xbox Live Anywhere integration.
● Microsoft will try to buy your way out of iTunes
● might be like a..."A Microsoft portable gaming system"
● run a program called "Windows Mobile" <● has the ability to download movies
● be able to Wireless connect to the Xbox for exporting music.
● have reduced battery life (6 hours max, and a little less than a hour when WiFi is turned on)
● User-Customizable Wallpaper skins
● probably feature a accessory such as a mini keyboard
● be used Vertically, except for widescreen movies.
● allows you to stream music to up to 4 other Zune devices.
● MIGHT (slim chance) have XM or Sirius satellite services built in.
● might have VoIP capabilities<<● might be available in 2 additional colors at launch
● might feature anti-shock hard drives and software << See below for def.
● release date might be as early as October
● Microsoft to ship 3,000,000 units in 2006
● Future Zune products may compete with Shuffle, Gameboy, PSP and tablet PC’s

Confirmed Specs & Features

● Li-Ion battery
● Preloaded audio and video content
● Toshiba will manufacture first gen Zune hardware
● Zune will be launched in '06, most likely Nov. 14
● WiFi (802.11 b/g) connectivity
● 30 Giga-Byte Hard Drive
● available in 3 different colors, black, brown (chocolate), and white
● magnetic headphones.
● LCD high resolution screen, the screen is 3.75 inches diagonal
● built-in FM radio tuner
● TV output connectivity
● dedicated song download site
● DJ Mode (broadcast what you are listening to)
● wheel is NOT a wheel it is simply 4 button (up, down, left right)
● Zune brand will eventually include multiple entertainment devices

Definitions

VoIP: Also know as Voice over Internet Protocol is the routing of voice conversations over the Internet or through any other IP-based network in such case of WiFi.

Windows Mobile: Windows Mobile is a compact operating system combined with a suite of basic applications for mobile devices based on the Microsoft Win32 API. Devices which run Windows Mobile include Pocket PCs, Smartphones, and Portable Media Centers. It is designed to be somewhat similar to desktop versions of Windows.

Anti-Shock: A common software and integrated into the hard drive to help prevent the crash of your hard drive. By detecting sudden movements (similar to dropping the Zune) the software will automatically kick in and help “cushion” the fall by placing the hard drive into a low battery use state, so if it is to have bad effects they wont be as bad cause its as if it's almost off.