Microsoft has launched its new Zune HD device, and with it plans for 3D games playable on the touch-screen portable media player, the most significant strides yet the company has made toward confronting Apple’s dominance of the mobile apps market.
The Zune 4.0 software update includes optimization for Windows 7, as well as new features like Quickplay and Smart DJ, Microsoft said in a Tuesday blog post.
Nine apps are available: calculator, weather, Texas hold ‘em, Sudoku, Space Battle 3, Shell Game… Of the Future, Hexic, Goo Splat, and Chess. They can be downloaded freely from the “Marketplace” menu on the device, and a new “Apps” menu item then appears on the main screen.
Games can be downloaded either connected to the Zune PC marketplace or via wireless connection. The Zune PC software has itself been upgraded, including the ability for users to purchase or rent both standard and hi-definition films for the device, plus a streaming music subscription service.
The most arresting part of using the Zune HD is its brilliant OLED screen. The NVIDIA Tegra processor inside cranks out crisp video on its small display, even though the 3.3-inch 16:9 OLED touchscreen is only capable of 480×272 resolution. But because the screen is so small, the video looks like HD.
The 16 G-byte Zune HD is available in black for $219.99 and the 32GB platinum device is on sale for $289.99 at major retailers. Exclusive colors – red, blue, and green – are also available directly from the Zune Store, as are customizable units.
