If you happen to be rocking a Zune HD, you’ll be happy to hear that firmware version 4.5 has been dished out to address a few quibbles and improve your overall experience. One of the more interesting additions in the new firmware update is something called Smart DJ Mix. This provides you with a “quick and dynamic way to launch instant mixes… based on any album, artist, or song in your collection.” Smart DJ automatically finds other songs in your collection to make a new mix. You’ll also find improved support for more video codecs.

To go through the update process on your Zune HD, what you’ll need to do is download and install the update using the desktop software that accompanies your Zune. Then, you’ll go through the usual sync process and your Zune should be updated accordingly. Naturally, the new firmware is free too.

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The Microsoft Zune HD went all official this week and the player itself already seems like a pretty exciting proposition. It comes with HD radio, a great touchscreen display, and a revamped user interface. However, that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Check out what happens when you connect it to your TV.

Sure, you may have seen some of those AV docks designed for the iPod and other similar devices, but they don’t really translate as well to be a portable home theatre device as the new Zune HD. With those iPod docks, you still have to look at the iPod to navigate the menu. Such is not the case here.

Instead, the entirety of the Zune HD user interface is perfectly adapted to the big screen when you slot the PMP into its media dock. You can then navigate your way through the menu using the provided remote, watching videos, listening to music, and even going to the radio stations from the comfort of your couch.

In this way, the Zune HD really has become a very versatile and multi-function device. You can carry it with you as a portable entertainment machine and then you can dock it at home as a powerful media player, not unlike the WDTV or even the Apple TV. Sort of. It’s not as zippy as a Windows Media Center HTPC, but it’s a heck of a lot more portable.

Check out the pair of videos below to get a better sense of what to expect. It looks like Microsoft could have a real winner here… until the guys in Cupertino attempt to one-up them in a few months.

Source: Gizmodo

The post Video Demos: Zune HD as Media Center on HDTV appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

It’s hard to say how well the touchscreen-equipped Zune HD will be able to compete against the hugely popular Apple iPod touch, but the pricing for the products is quite a bit less than the Cupertino-sourced equivalent.

According to both the Amazon and Best Buy leaks, the 16GB Zune HD will be sold for $219.99 when it launches later this year. It’s up for pre-order on Amazon for that price. The larger 32GB model is being listed for $289.99 and it is also available for pre-order.

For comparison’s sake, the 16GB iPod touch is $299 and the 32GB iPod touch is $399. This represents a $79 savings for the 16GB Zune HD and a $109 savings for the 32GB variant. That’s quite a bit cheaper, especially since spec-for-spec, feature-for-feature, the two devices will be very similar.

Based on this information, it sounds like Microsoft has the upper hand, but you also have to realize that Apple may be updating its iPod touch line this fall (possibly to include a camera). The price advantage may disappear at that point.

Source: PCWorld

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