We all know that Zune 4.0 software is awesome, & I love how it runs on my Sony Vaio. But how would it run on a Atom powered netbook? Check out the video below for all the answers. Sorry about the quality, I had to use my Omnia to shoot that video.
As you can tell from the video, I was pretty shocked at just how smoothly it ran. It wasn’t blazing fast, but it got the job done
What about you? Have you gotten 4.0 to run on lower spec’ed PC’s?
Zune 4.0 is here people… and let me tell you… it was worth the wait..even if it meant staying up until 3AM EST.
There is just to many features to tell about in a simple review, so I thought it would be best to show you all of them in a screencast.
Sorry in advance for the clickly mouse sounds, it was a lot louder then I thought 
The Zune team has really created an awesome piece of software here, one that has style AND function. Out of all the features, “Smart DJ” is probably my favorite.
Alright enough of my blabbering, check out the video… and see what the Zune team has created.
Alright folks, the long awaited Zune upgrade is almost here. Tomorrow morning when you wake up (or stay up all night like me) you will be greeted by as Microsoft likes to put it “The Next Level of entertainment”.
The Zune HD & Zune 4.0 mark a milestone in the evolution of the Zune. After insistent pleading from fanboi’s such as myself & constant chiding from the blogosphere. Microsoft has finally seen fit to begin combining the Zune & Xbox service. The 1st of these baby steps is the rebranding and face-lifting of the video marketplace on the Xbox 360 with a Zune branded service. As far as I can tell, Video content purchased on any of the “three screens” (PC, Xbox & Portable) will play across all of them. So in practice, you could buy a HD movie with MS points on you Xbox 360 and then download it to your PC and sync it to your Zune HD.
Aside from that, not much is known about the actual software, as Microsoft has kept a VERY tight lid on what’s in store for tomorrow. Most likely because this was the 1st time Zune was ready to launch so early ( they normally launch in November). Another reason is because the update was so close to Apple’s annual iPod event. Which thankfully for Zune was a total snooze-fest.
As far as the Zune HD goes…Microsoft finally has its own “Halo” device ( no pun intended). There as been no shortage in praise for the next gen device. Judging from my constantly running twitter search for Zune. Even the most loyal iPod users, have found it hard not to admit that Microsoft has really outdone themselves this time.
Something’s to do while you wait for the update
Make sure you computer fully updated:
Zune likes an up-to-date computer so to increase your chances of a successful install run Windows update and make sure everything is in tip-top shape.
If your are a night owl, you can follow the guys over at www.zunited.net as they are planning a all-nighter to celebrate the release of Zune HD & Zune 4.0
So…after all this time, are you excited for the Zune update? Let us know in the comments
Earlier this year, when Microsoft announced they would be opening their own branded Retail stores.. I had no idea that I would be interviewing with them for a position in one of them. What I did know is that with some good ideas and a little luck, these stores could be super successful. So I wrote down some of my own ideas on my Windows Live spaces blog. I’ve decided to reprint them here, so that everyone can read them. Please enjoy them and let me know what you think.
Post #1
What Microsoft Should & Must Do To Be Successful In Retail
“A lot of things went through my head when the news broke late yesterday, that Microsoft would be opening its chain of branded stores.
The 1st was shock and disbelief. Up until now MS has shown no interest in venturing into that area. They have always been content to hand the retail to their many partners. Most of the time this works great, however the retail market has been in freefall of late. More and more people have moved to shopping online and lets face it. Shopping for electronics at brick and mortar has become a chore. Superstores such as Best Buy & Circuit City are sometimes painful to go into. Just last week I was in a local Best Buy, as I breezed by the computer section. I noticed an older lady, looking at laptops. She had that look of utter confusion on her face. Of course there was not an employee to be seen. So I did what any self respecting geek would do. Wandering over I asked if she was looking at laptops. Pointing to a way overspec’ed gateway, she said yes. To make a long story short, I ended up selling her a mid level Gateway, that did just what she needed it to.
You really can’t blame the employee’s, they are paid $8.50 an hour to unlock cases and stock shelves. Maybe 1-2 of them is a geek or likes computers. The blame lands squarely on the corporations shoulders. They refuse to pay or train the people needed to sell electronics to the public.
So what can MS take away from the above? Hire people who really like computers and electronics.
On to the next item… The Stores themselves.
About a month ago Microsoft let the world in one of its pet projects. A completely working (fake) store. Billed as the store of the future ( I guess it was little closer then we thought.). The store is very nice, but to be successful Microsoft must pull out all the stops. They need to make a “showcase” of all their products. Somewhere where consumers can come and touch, feel and experience all of the things Microsoft has to to offer.
Above all, Microsoft must must must (can’t say it enough) make the stores cool. If it takes a gimmick such as a bunch of surface tables, so be it. They must be hip, up-to-date and be able to change with the ever fickle market.
Working in retail, is my day job. So I know a little bit about how this works. Day after day at work, I think to myself… there must be a better way to do this. Take for example, how video games are sold at retail. At most stores, they are located in huge space wasting cases. When a guest would like a game, a employee must unlock the case and walk the guest to the counter. Sometimes they just want to see the back of the game case. Which is more wasted time.
Now here is my idea, Instead of having the cases out on the floor. Have two or so Surface tables, each with some sort of custom UI. Have the entire game index, at the guests fingertips… Literally! The guest would be able to see a ton of info\videos about whatever game they chose. When they made a selection, they could select to pick up the game on the way out.
That is just one of the many many ways MS could improve the retail experience. Will they? only time and the market will tell. Me, I am optimistic about how they will do. What do you think? What would you like the Microsoft store to be? Let your voice be heard in the comments.”
Post #2 My Continued Thoughts On Microsoft And Retail February 18 2009
“My mind has been somewhere else this week, ever since MS announced they that would be opening their own branded stores. My brain has been in overdrive. You may say I’m some kind of MS fanatic, and to a point you may be right. The reason I”m so kung-ho about all of this, is quite simple. I believe that given the right Ideas and practices, these stores could be uber-successful.
Customers will flock to a store that is “different” from all of the big box stores. A smaller more intimate setting, where people can shop and buy computers and etc..
I was reading another community members post about MS’s foray in to retail.. which you can read here. He has some really great ideas, which I would like to expand on.
One of my favorite ideas was to make the stores more lounge-like. And in this way induce a much more relaxing shopping experience. I’m thinking, don’t have any boxes or such out on the floor (most of MS’s stuff is digital anyways.). Have couches and Surface’s scattered throughout the store, along with plenty of display computers as well,
It would also be awesome to have some Xbox 360’s and Media Center extenders set up on big screen TVs. This would allow for real world demos of features such as Photo, Music and Video streaming. This is a bit better then a small sign on an Xbox 360 case… don’t you think?
Microsoft is all about the “Live” experience, so their stores must reflect this. It needs to be much more then just a store. It must be an experience… Somewhere where people want to go even if they are not going to be buying anything.
Like I said in my previous post…… The most important part of any store is its staff. The staff must be well trained, like technology and Microsoft in general and last but not least, be people persons! If you think about it, finding these people will not be that hard. Microsoft has leagues of Fanboi’s (and girls) who would die to work at a MS store. If MS does some major web outreach, during its hiring phase. They will find the right people.
So if Microsoft does this right, they will have a runaway hit on their hands. Fingers crossed, that they can pull it off.”
Windows Mobile, the redheaded stepchild… well more like grandfather of Mobile OS’s. The iPhone may have jumpstarted the “App Revolution”, but that doesn’t mean its get to have all the good apps to itself. I’ve tried most of the twitter apps for Windows Mobile and most of them aren’t up to snuff. Some are clumsy, others look nice but are dog slow. Up until recently I had been using Pocketwit, which was nice but had some annoying bugs
All that aside, I’m very glad to have found MoTweet’s by Panoramic Software.
As far as Windows Mobile UI’s go, moTweets is beautiful, with a fluid, finger friendly UI. According to its website, the app works on just about any screen res you can throw at it, including my Omnia with its fairly low res (240X400) screen.
Where moTweet’s really shines is ease of use. The icon in the upper right hand corner, when pressed brings up a navigation menu with one press access to mentions, DM’s and the public timeline.
Motweets also has advanced tweet posting options, with twit-pic, tiny-url and GPS integration. The latter I am unable to use as Verizon crippled and then half heartedly un-crippled the Omnia’s GPS features.
As you can see from the above screenshots, I am using the free ad-supported version of moTweets, the ads are so un-obtrusive that I see little need for the paid version. Which is available for $3.99
Overall I give moTweets a solid 4.0 out of 5, with deductions only for not having “ in timeline” Twitpic support and the lack of a twitter search option. Other then that, if you need a solid Twitter App for Windows Mobile…. give moTweets a shot
Tried it out? leave a comment below and let us know your experiences.
Everyone likes free stuff right? I know I do! So to help launch this blog in style, I’m going to be giving away a Verizon HTC Ozone. Which just happens to be a Windows Mobile Powered, global smart phone (CDMA, GSM). This means the contest is open globally to anyone who wants to enter. This phone will be shipped ready to activate on Verizon. If you want to unlock it and use it on another carrier.. that’s up to you 
Want to enter? its super easy.. all you need is an Twitter account. To enter just retweet the “contest tweet” that I make on my twitter account… www.twitter.com/volvshine . After that just use the twitter hashtag #werwireless as many times as you want, for more chances to win. That’s right you can enter as many times as you want!
The contest will run from September 8th to October 8th, at which time I will randomly choose a tweet with the above hashtag in it, as the winner.
If you live in the USA, we will even cover shipping. If outside the US, you’ll just have to cover shipping.
To find out more about the Ozone, go here
To find out more about We R Wireless go here
Any questions or comments? leave them below.. You can sign into our comment system using twitter, facebook and a ton of other sites
Why would someone think Microsoft? is that even proper grammar? questionable grammar aside, thank you for stopping by and checking out my new blog! I’ve created this blog so that I have a centralized place to put my random experiences with Microsoft and the Tech industry in general, in perspective. Many of you reading this know me from Twitter or one of my other social media ventures. However I want to go back farther and tell you just how my personal & technological background made me who I am today.. a Microsoft\Technology geek that is
You could say that I was predestined for geekness, growing up in a creative and non-traditional family. My dad is a designer\architect who for most of my childhood and teen years, created and built exhibits for children’s museums. My mother is a stay at home mom who homeschooled me and my siblings. No matter what you think of homeschooling, it allowed for some interesting experiences that normal kids would not be able to do. I was able to accompany my dad to work & sometimes even have free reign in the museum after hours (little kids DREAM).
You may not be able to tell it today, but my very 1st encounter with a computer… was a Macintosh.. one with a black and white monitor at that. From the moment my fingers 1st hit the keys, I was hooked. It wasn’t long after that that we upgraded to a PC (thank goodness) . I believe it had windows 3.1 loaded on it, what I do remember about it was that I got my 1st taste of PC gaming. Microsoft Flight Simulator was bundled with computer on huge “real” floppy discs.. and I do mean floppy discs. My mom had to physically pull me away from the screen, (should have been a clear warning) after hours and hours of playing.
For my next computer, I switched sides again after a rich aunt donated her “old” (= 8 months old) Apple PowerBook. I used and abused this computer for a few years before moving on the greener pastures of the PC. Around the time I was 12, me and my dad built our 1st computer, an 800Mhz AMD Athlon monster costing about $900 running Windows ME for good measure. I must have crashed and rebuilt that computer dozens of times. By now my family firmly understood the risks of me getting a hold of a computer. If all went well the computer would be a speed demon, however If I crashed it.. it crashed…hard. To this day, if there is ever a computer problem.. its instantly my fault, whether or not I caused it.
I had always enjoyed using Microsoft’s products, but the obsession didn’t really start until around the time Vista\Longhorn was in beta. Managing to get a hold of a beta version, I promptly tried to install it on my underpowered Toshiba laptop. It quickly threw up the white flag of surrender, then rolled over and died. Undeterred, I upgraded an old Pentium 4 PC to Vista capable specs. From there on out, its had been a trail of Franken-PC’s all the way to the computer I’m writing this on, An overclocked quad-core machine.
My obsession with all things Microsoft goes beyond PC’s and the like….
Back in 2007, I was on the hunt for an MP3 player & like most people the only thing I could think of was an iPod. This all changed when I took a position at my local Targets electronics dept. While I was admiring the iPod’s display case, something caught my eye. At the opposite end of the aisle was a small but tasteful display for something new. The Zune from Microsoft, the original Zune was a brick to be sure.. but it was different and exciting looking. That night I went home and bought online a 30 GB Zune from Woot.com for $99.99.. The rest as they say.. is history. I’ve had a Zune & accompanying Zune Pass in some form ever since. My family has also joined in the fun, with just about every member of my close family owning a Zune.
Even in my so far short Microsoft fanboy career, I’ve seen a lot… from the public and press backlash following the launch of Windows Vista to the Praise heaped on their newest OS, Windows 7. From almost being fired from my retail job for recommending a Zune over an iPod (true story) to being instrumental in bringing news of the upcoming Zune HD to the web. It has been very random, exciting and at sometimes completely terrifying , but I have enjoyed every moment of it. Mostly because of social interaction with people just like you, and its for the same reason that I want this blog to be fun & social place where you can catch up on what’s going on in the world of Microsoft & Tech. Remember, if you ever need to contact me.. I’m just an Tweet or Email away.. You can find me on twitter at www.twitter.com/volvoshine and you can email me at volvoshine at live dot com
Ryan RC Rea
PS,
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