zunehdAfter months of rumors increasingly wild, we obtained well yesterday Official: Microsoft releases Zune indeed HD this fall. The device has a OLED touch screen, a video output to high definition (with an optional addition), a version of Internet Explorer (it looks similar to the version for Windows Mobile 6.5, which uses the core engine of IE6 but adds support snapshot, as well as some technology to improve IE8 Javascript support), and HD radio.

I talked to the sales team Zune this morning, and they didn ‘t have much to say beyond these points. In fact, they weren ‘t originally say on anything until later this summer, but felt they had to place hopes for Zune customers in light of all the rumors.

Here ’s why: Zune HD isn ‘ t gonna be the super-device which some experts had hoped. It will play games – just as today ’s Zunes, which carry with simple games of a couple – but it won ‘ t be a real game device as Portable or Nintendo DS Sony PlayStation. He won ‘t have its own application store, although Microsoft has hinted it could be connected to the next market for Windows Mobile, which could allow third party apps like Facebook and Pandora find a home on the device. He won ‘WiMax connectivity device t, although this could be scheduled for a future touchscreen phone with a similar form factor.

In other words, Zune 3.0, a music-focused with a touch screen interesting. It support video and apps, sure, but the team focuses on improving the experience of music-playback – think the art of album pages more detailed artist with images, perhaps texts or visual content.

These devices will be enough to compel users to choose a Zune HD instead of an iPod touch? The main difference seems to be HD radio. I believe Microsoft when they say FM radio is important selling point for Zune le ’s second, but users of Zune is a very small part of the overall MP3 player – the tens of millions of users who bought an iPod didn le ‘t care about the radio. There may be some other killer that we ‘t know yet, and there ‘ s always the transition from Zune to consider – much to $ 14.99 per month for unlimited projects and 10 permanent downloads – but I think that the battle against Apple will continue upward.

Insofar as the other half of the new disappears, it ’s been clear for some time that Microsoft was ready to integrate the Zune into Xbox live. The company will have more to show off next week at E3, so I save further comment until I saw what they got le ‘VE.

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