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.”
