Our best buds over at Zune Scene have come up with some information on Zune.com. Seems the domain might well be owned by Microsoft after all. They point out that the server is Windows and the page is built in Frontpage which is enough for me really. Has to be Microsoft. No one else uses Frontpage.

A domain whois gives us this information listed below for Zune.com. The registrant is in London and the hosting company is in Madrid. The DNS servers for Zune.com are in Spain and the home page has Pagina Neuva 2 as a page title which is of course New Page 2 in spanish.

If Microsoft is going to be using the Zune.com domain for the new service you gotta wonder what they paid for the domain. Although it is possible someone would not sell it I am certain an deal can be made for a domain that has never been used. Zune.com should be worth some bucks to someone.

Registrant:
Zune
GATE MARKET RESEARCH LIMITED
20-22 BEDFORD ROW
LONDON, LONDON WC16 4JS
UK

Domain Name: ZUNE.COM

Administrative Contact, Technical Contact:
Nogales, Antonio ang@zune.com
GATE MARKET RESEARCH LIMITED
20-22 BEDFORD ROW
LONDON, LONDON WC16 4JS
UK
+34 1 4350461 fax: +34 1 4350105

Domain Name: ZUNE.COM
Registrar: NETWORK SOLUTIONS, LLC.
Whois Server: whois.networksolutions.com
Referral URL: http://www.networksolutions.com
Name Server: DNS.SISTELCOM.COM
Name Server: NS2.BT.ES
Name Server: VIGIA.SISTELCOM.COM
Status: REGISTRAR-LOCK
Updated Date: 03-jul-2006
Creation Date: 22-jun-1998
Expiration Date: 21-jun-2009

Registrant:SISTELCOM.COM
Sistelcom Telemensaje S.A.
Bravo Murillo 297
Madrid, MADRID 28020
ES

Domain servers in listed order:

DNS.SISTELCOM.COM 195.82.150.100
NS2.BT.ES
VIGIA.SISTELCOM.COM 195.82.150.101

Related posts

• Zunerama to Co-Author Zune for Dummies Book (0)
• ZuneMAX.com Zunecast Episode #1 - Meet MAX (0)
• ZuneMAX Bloggers (0)
• ZuneIt (0)
• Zunegate Update - No Zune for Obama the iPod owner (0)

Click Zune pictures for larger image

Big news on Zune players today as MobileWhack reveals documentation on the FCC website for a new HDD portable audio player by Toshiba labeled Model 1089. As can be seen in the pictures above the Toshiba 1089 is no doubt the Microsoft Zune. The pictures Below even have the Zune logo on the back of the device.

There has been much speculation as to who would produce the hardware for the Zune and it is now obvious that Toshiba was the choice for Microsoft. Having Toshiba develop the hardware saves Microsoft the troubles of hurting one its PlaysForSure partners and allows full scale production on already developed assembly lines.

Some interesting tidbits from the FCC filings include the revelation of Pyxis through the "Sync your movies and pictures" features described in this PDF. Pyxis seems to be the name for the network which Zune devices will use to share content. In the "DJing Content" section of the filing it reads that "Pyxis allows you to stream music to up to 4 other Pyxis devices." Whether or not Pyxis is the same network used to link with the Xbox 360 remains to be seen. For now the Pyxis website leads to Pyxis Products " Pyxis products from Cardinal Health offer the latest advances in health care automation technology". We’re guessing Microsoft is going to change that some time before the official release date of Zune players.

The FCC filing also reveals some details on what’s going on inside the Zune player. We can see by these Zune photos that the player is compatible with WLAN 802.11 and will offer Zune users the capability to "DJ" music. With your new Zune player you can act as a DJ by using special modes available on the player. Friends with compatible devices can then tune in to what you are playing. Welcome to Zune casting folks. It’s a limited edition of what is sure to become a Zune podcasting feature. Zune Pods will allow you to broadcast your productions over the WiFi network and that’s awesome! Our friends over at Zune Luv are gonna be excited about this one. Although it’s probably not exactly what they are looking for it’s a big step forward to a true Zune podcast feature and the fact is the foundations are set for Zune casting.

Click Zune pics for larger image

Related posts

• Zunerama to Co-Author Zune for Dummies Book (0)
• ZuneMAX.com Zunecast Episode #1 - Meet MAX (0)
• ZuneMAX Bloggers (0)
• ZuneIt (0)
• Zunegate Update - No Zune for Obama the iPod owner (0)

Article discusses the Microsoft DRM and it’s use in Xbox XNA and the upcoming Zune music player.

read more | digg story

Related posts

• Zunerama to Co-Author Zune for Dummies Book (0)
• ZuneMAX.com Zunecast Episode #1 - Meet MAX (0)
• ZuneMAX Bloggers (0)
• ZuneIt (0)
• Zunegate Update - No Zune for Obama the iPod owner (0)

Last weeks announcement of the Microsoft XNA Game Studio Framework has confirmed for us our suspicions of the use of the new Microsoft DRM as reported on June 30th. When we posted about the new DRM being worked on by the research team at Microsoft we gave details of a possible relationship to the Zune. We posted how it could be used to facilitate user generated content sales and turn musicians into their own producers and marketing agents. A brilliant move by Microsoft as it would turn every struggling musician into the biggest Zune fan ever. We strongly believe that by courting the content producers Microsoft will take the lead on both Apple and Sony.

In private we discussed the possible uses of this technology with John Porcaro of the Xbox team. In an email sent to John the day after our first post on the DRM we explained to him how cool it would be to allow gamers the chance to design and develop their own games. We also discussed how integrating the Photosynth software Microsoft is working on with the game development would create the ability for user generated virtual reality games.

John was rather silent and we found that odd. With last weeks announcement we understand why he never replied to our suggestions for the Xbox. We had predicted it just 2 weeks before it’s actual release. XNA Game Studio Pro will offer exactly what we said. Xbox users will be able to produce games for the Xbox and Windows for commercial release. That’s absolutely huge for the gaming industry and creates a serious threat to other game companies. Sony had better be very concerned with this. Their strength has always been in their selection of games and by opening up the doors to millions of potential developers Microsoft has changed the game on them.

Check out the Photosynth software demo and then think how cool a tool like this would be for developing games. Users could work with Photosynth to create virtual recreations of real world scenarios and then using the XNA Framework they can develop games to play in them. XNA Game Studio Pro will allow them to make this game available for commercial release under the new DRM. Microsoft has turned every game fan with $100 a year into a prospective video game developer and producer.

In the future the Microsoft DRM will manage sales of user generated games for the Xbox and music for the Zune. It will be possible for one person to develop a video game for play on the Xbox using the XNA Framework and Photosynth software. Another person can use the Zune XNA Framework to produce audio and video content. Or will that be the Zune ZNA Framework and Zune ZNA Music Studio Pro? The two of them could form a partnership and license their content together as an Xbox user developed video game with Zune user developed audio and video content.

Whatever happens it seems certain that Microsoft is serious about building a user driven community behind the Xbox and Zune and the XNA tools and the new DRM are sure to be an important part of things. No doubt it’s more than Apple and Sony that need to look out for this combination of tools and services. What need for a record label when you can create, produce and market your own music? Why get a job at a game company when you can just build your own games?

Related posts

• Zunerama to Co-Author Zune for Dummies Book (0)
• ZuneMAX.com Zunecast Episode #1 - Meet MAX (0)
• ZuneMAX Bloggers (0)
• ZuneIt (0)
• Zunegate Update - No Zune for Obama the iPod owner (0)

Yes we’re a day or two behind on this one but so reports that the Zune Music Video Player will come pre loaded with content from EMI Group. Microsoft has reportedly signed a deal under which EMI music videos will be available on Zune with a scheduled release date of November 14th.

Consumers will be offered videos of American actor, Jared Leto’s alternative rock band, "30 Seconds To Mars," as also those of English electro-pop band, "Hot Chip". Incidentally, EMI also provides content to Apple’s popular iTunes online music service.

The fact that EMI and Microsoft are already talking about video clips confirms a feature that many thought would lack from the first generation of Zune players and that is that Zune will have the capability of playing video files.

Related posts

• Zunerama to Co-Author Zune for Dummies Book (0)
• ZuneMAX.com Zunecast Episode #1 - Meet MAX (0)
• ZuneMAX Bloggers (0)
• ZuneIt (0)
• Zunegate Update - No Zune for Obama the iPod owner (0)

A Zune has finally been spotted on the loose and as usual the guys at Gizmodo have the scoop. Seems they have a real tipster on the inside willing to take a risk. The new Microsoft Zune pictures are black and white picture because Microsoft is using a special color code for each player in testing to determine where the slip comes from.

The picture shows what many are calling the center scroll wheel. It is in fact just four buttons shaped round. The up and down buttons will scroll through the menu faster the longer you hold it down. Whatever it’s not a copy of the iPod wheel mouse as many claimed it would be.

The ear bud headsets offer a cool new feature to the Zune with magnets that help keep them together. It seems there may be magnet on the case to help hold them against it as well. The magnet may also aid in mounting a skin or plastic case. Some seem concerned about the magnets interfering with the hard drives but we’re certain this has been tested and accounted for. The magnets don’t need to be very strong to work.

The Zune will be a video and music player and offer FM support by way of an FM transmitter and tuner. The transmitter feeds up Song and Artist information and also ties in with auto systems such as those found in GM cars.

Big news is the Zune video screen working in landscape mode for better movie playback. This could work well for future downloading of widescreen formatted movies from your DVD collection for some cool mobile video play. The Zune features Album Art playback in full screen mode with a trackbar at the bottom that shows a battery level indicator. The Zune features a simple User Interface (UI) and is very similar to the Apple except the colors are reveres ed. The Zune UI sports a black background with white text. While scrolling through your music catalog the screen superimposes the current alphabet letter over the right side of the song list to let you know quickly how far you’ve moved.

It looks like you can use the Zune Wi-fi feature to share music with other Zune owners for a day, giving them the opportunity to buy the tracks themselves from the Zune music store. You should also be able to play Zune music on a Wi-Fi enabled Xbox 360, but this requires a $100 wireless adapter and the $300-400 Xbox console which many of us already have anyway. The Zune is said to be a little larger than a standard iPod and of course it offers a much larger video screen suitable for quality movie playback. We think things are looking good for the Zune and we’re happy with the latest leaked features.

Related posts

• Zunerama to Co-Author Zune for Dummies Book (0)
• ZuneMAX.com Zunecast Episode #1 - Meet MAX (0)
• ZuneMAX Bloggers (0)
• ZuneIt (0)
• Zunegate Update - No Zune for Obama the iPod owner (0)

Richard Winn the Zune Insider and the musical genius behind the Madison and Pine website offers us this today:”So one of the best parts of my gig over here at Zune is to gather some of the content that is going to be preloaded on the device While the complete list is still coming together I can tell you that there’s video and audio and included in the list will be Subpop’s CSS. Also slated will be an offering from Hot Chip who are on Astralwerks here in the US.”

So that is the second time in the past two weeks Richard has mentioned the Zune will come with some sort of video features. Just 10 days ago on August 10th Richard posted the following: “Here’s what I know. I have seen the device running great quality video, actually I was asked to do a check on some video that had been encoded for me for the device.”

So contrary to most published reports it appears the Zune may in fact have video capabilities. That would make for an interesting holiday sales season as the video ipod is expected to be huuge hit this season. Maybe a little competition in the market with be nice for a change. Lets hope that Zune launches this Novemeber with video capabilities and kicks Apple butt.

Related posts

• Zunerama to Co-Author Zune for Dummies Book (0)
• ZuneMAX.com Zunecast Episode #1 - Meet MAX (0)
• ZuneMAX Bloggers (0)
• ZuneIt (0)
• Zunegate Update - No Zune for Obama the iPod owner (0)

According to MP3.com a Silicon Valley chipmaker namedPortalPlayer claims to be working with Microsoft as manufacturer for Zune chips.PortalPlayer, which famously saw its stock plummet back in April when Apple chose not to use their chips for the next generation of  the iPod Nano, might find themselves in a rebound on the back of the would-be iPod killer from Microsoft. Michael Masdea of Credit Suisse First Boston wrote that PortalPlayer might deepen its relationship with Microsoft by supplying chips for the upcoming Zune music player. PortalPlayer has said that its new line of chips would have wireless connectivity, and of course wireless song transfers from PC to player have been one of the features with which the Zune players are hoping to one-up the iPod.

Related posts

• Zunerama to Co-Author Zune for Dummies Book (0)
• ZuneMAX.com Zunecast Episode #1 - Meet MAX (0)
• ZuneMAX Bloggers (0)
• ZuneIt (0)
• Zunegate Update - No Zune for Obama the iPod owner (0)

AMY GILROY in Redmond, Washington says "Microsoft is in the process of unveiling to select retailers the first of its line of Zune wearable digital audio players and informed retailers it will offer a single unit this fall, available in three colors at a suggested retail price of $299."

That’s of course not confirmed but seems to fall in line with what is being said by others. According to the article. Retailers who have been briefed by Microsoft said the player will offer Wi-Fi capability, but will require that the portable be connected to a PC for the actual purchase of songs. Retailers, who claimed Microsoft remained “fuzzy” on the Zune’s wireless capability, said only that Zune will allow users to bookmark songs that may be shared via Wi-Fi, but that users cannot purchase songs on the go from the Microsoft Zune Web site.

We’re sure that the first versions will be limited in features. It’s easier to get things right the first time if it has less to do. The capabilities to purchase songs from a Wi Fi device through the Microsoft Zune Live Music Store will be a great feature in some future version. The strength in the iPod is its simplicity and by not cramming to much into the Zune now Microsoft leaves way for future versions and also waits for technology to catch up so that improvements can be made in the hardware.

One drawback to the Zune seems to be a limitation in the hard drive space. With the availability of larger hard drives on the market we are stumped as to why Micr soft has chosen a 30GB hardrive but according to the report that is the case. Both retailers interviewed for the article said the player would incorporate a 30GB hard drive and one said the unit’s display screen would be larger than Apple’s iPod models. The retailers were pleased with Microsoft’s feature-per-price package.

Contrary to published reports according to one retailer Microsoft plans to continue to support its PlaysForSure licensees, even while it launches its own media Web site and sells its own digital media player, effectively competing with these same licensees. Not unlike them to do that but still a hard pill to swallow from these licensees. Well see how that works out after the Zune release date.

Related posts

• Zunerama to Co-Author Zune for Dummies Book (0)
• ZuneMAX.com Zunecast Episode #1 - Meet MAX (0)
• ZuneMAX Bloggers (0)
• ZuneIt (0)
• Zunegate Update - No Zune for Obama the iPod owner (0)

… at least according to this article from Next-gen.biz. Remember my earlier opinions on game journalism and sites worth watching? This article is a great example of what Next-gen.biz can deliver. Kudos to Colin Campbell and Joe Keiser for a nice, methodical, data-driven view at what they believe are the top 100 video games of all time.

I’m not quoting the article at their request, but I highly recommend taking a look. It’s a great read, and a fun trip through memory lane as well.

Related posts

• No related posts.