Microsoft confirms Zune HD coming this fall

by Ina Fried

Microsoft on Tuesday confirmed its plans to take on the iPod Touch with a new, touch-screen Zune that will be able to surf the Web, play high-definition movies, and tune in to digital radio.

The Zune HD, which will be available in the U.S. only starting this fall, features an HD Radio tuner as well as an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) touch screen, Microsoft said. It is based on Windows CE and will use a version of Internet Explorer customized for its touch screen, Microsoft said.

The software maker did not announce pricing or capacity, though it said the device will use flash memory and attempt to take on Apple’s high-end iPod models.

“This device is created to go head to head with the iPod Touch,” Chris Stephenson, general manager of global marketing for Microsoft Zune, said in a telephone interview on Tuesday. Zune buyers will also be able to play HD content on their TVs via a dock, Microsoft said.

The software maker also said that at next week’s E3 trade show in Los Angeles it will announce details on a new Zune-branded video service for the Xbox that will replace the current Xbox Live marketplace for TV and movies. The company didn’t announce details or specifically say that content will be playable on both Zunes and the Xbox.

Currently videos purchased via the Xbox can’t be played on a Zune, although both stores use a similar back-end infrastructure to serve up content. Over time, Stephenson said the goal is to move toward a world in which content purchased once can be played on a variety of devices.

Microsoft plans to offer the new Zune video service in a number of European markets, in addition to North America.

microsoft

Microsoft’s Zune HD will be released this fall in the U.S. The software maker has not announced pricing or capacity.

(Credit: Microsoft )

As for the Zune HD, Microsoft is doubling down on its bet on a radio tuner as a distinguishing feature. Stephenson noted that the current Zune’s FM radio is its second most popular selling point. Adding support for HD Radio, a free over-the-air digital radio technology, represents both a risk and opportunity.

“It’s really one of the first portable HD radio receivers out there,” Stephenson said. “It’s going to be important for us to communicate the value of HD Radio since it is a fairly nascent technology.”

One of the big unanswered questions is what sort of gaming abilities the Zune HD will have. There has been speculation on the topic, but Microsoft refused to comment ahead of E3 saying it had no details to share at this time.

Microsoft plans to continue selling its hard drive-based model, which will have a software QWERTY keyboard, but said it plans to eventually discontinue its other flash models in favor of the Zune HD.

“Expect to see the Zune HD…become the definitive Zune product going forward,” Stephenson said. “You will continue to see the hard drive product in the market. (The Zune HD) will take over from existing flash devices.”

Although Microsoft has said it isn’t building a ZunePhone, the company does want to be able to offer its Zune service on phones. However, Stephenson said that is a longer-term goal that will take at least until next year to fulfill.

“This is enough work for us this year,” he said. “Going forward, Zune will start to surface on multiple platforms across the ecosystem. Expect to see it pop up in many different places.”

source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10249364-56.html

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May 27, 2009 · Filed Under Microsoft

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What You Should Know About Computer Application Errors

There are three basic facts that every computer owner must understand. These are:

No matter what you do, you will encounter a computer error at some point in your life.
You can easily avoid a large number of these errors by performing regular preventive maintenance of your PC.
Many computer application errors can be solved without spending any money if you spend some time learning.

Most of the errors related to computer applications fall in the last category of errors that can be easily taken solved by you. Most computer applications owe their speed and user-friendliness to files known as EXE or executable files. These files are at the beck and call of computer applications and perform specified tasks in just one click. Basically, they are useful because EXE files have the capability to run codes on your PC. Any error related to these files can hinder the normal functioning of the application or even the PC itself.

Malware programs, such as viruses and spyware, are one of the most common causes of application errors. Many viruses are known to infect EXE files to prevent them from working normally and generate errors. Spyware program on the other hand may download several malicious programs on your PC and cause it to slow down dramatically and generate several undesired errors. To combat these files and eliminate them from your PC, you need to use reliable antivirus and antispyware tools. To ensure that this malware scan, detection, and removal process is more effective, you need to update these tools on regular basis. And, also for better protection you must keep real-time protection feature of these tools enabled and schedule periodic full system scans.

Many applications related problems occur when processes, such as wdfmgr.exe, sprtcmd.exe, and Windows Defender msmpeng.exe, eat up valuable system resources. You may perform one of the following to deal with such processes:

Most of these unwanted processes are loaded at system startup. So, you can use the System Configuration Utility or a reliable third-party startup programs manager to disable these processes.
If you want these processes to load only when you need them, then change the startup type from Automatic to Manual to ensure that they load only when they are required. If you don’t need them at all, you may change the startup type to Disabled.
If a process is not used at all, it is best that you use Add or Remove Program or a reliable third-party uninstaller tool completely remove the program that is associated with these unwanted processes.

Failure to update software may also result in PC errors. Starting from your Windows operating system to various PC maintenance tools, your applications and device drivers are updated on a regular basis. These updates help in patching up any bugs in the software and also help prevent malware that infiltrate your PC by exploiting these bugs. Almost all third-party products released today comprise options to enable you to update them. You can update your Microsoft products by ensuring that the Windows Automatic Update feature is always enabled. Lastly, you may use reliable driver scanner tool to ensure all your drivers are always up-to-date.

To prevent application errors, you must also regularly clean and defrag your registry. The most efficient and easiest method to do this is by using a good registry cleaner tool.

Popularity: 29% [?]

May 14, 2009 · Filed Under Troubleshooting

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Guidelines For Troubleshooting Common EXE Errors

The Internet has made information on most computer problems readily available. This information makes the computer user community more confident in gauging the seriousness of most errors and taking a shot at troubleshooting some of them. This article will help users tackle common EXE errors by enlisting some simple guidelines.

EXE errors, such as rundll32.exe problems may occur if the program you are trying to use has corrupt files. You can resolve such errors by replacing the corrupt files. If this does not work, it is best that you first uninstall and then reinstall the problem software. To be able to fix the problem, it is essential that you ensure complete removal of the software when you uninstall the software. This means that all registry entries related to the program and the program folder should be completely deleted from the PC. If you are unable to achieve this goal by using the Add or Remove Programs utility, you may opt to use an efficient third-party program uninstaller. It is also a good idea to clean up the registry with the help of a good registry cleaner to ensure that no orphaned program entries are left behind.

It is essential to update your software to ensure that your programs are free of bugs and have no outdated files. However, at times, you may encounter svchost.exe errors if the files of the Automatic Update utility on your computer are corrupt or some of the dependent services are unable to start. To resolve this issue, you may need to replace the bad Automatic Update files on your system with healthy files on your CD. You may also need to rename the current Software Distribution folder, so that a new folder is created to save the update files.

EXE errors due to virus and spyware infections are one of the most common occurrences on your Windows computer. The main reason behind them is the capability of EXE files to execute code on your computer, which is exploited by viruses to run malicious codes and cause problems with your PC. To combat virus and spyware problems, you need efficient virus and spyware scanner tools on your PC. You must keep these tools updated with the latest definitions to protect your PC against the latest threats.

Lastly, if you get an EXE error you cannot understand, as mentioned earlier, you can search the Internet. There are several EXE error directory Web sites that carry valuable data on how to fix various EXE errors.

Popularity: 28% [?]

May 13, 2009 · Filed Under Troubleshooting

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Samsung LED TV’s series 6 & 7 launched in india

The Television ads have told us a bit about the new series of TV’s launched by samsung in india, yes i am talking about the new LED tv’s launched by samsing in india. From what i have came across Samsung has come up with Series 6 & 7 here in india. With this information i was pretty comfirm that i have to buy myself one of this kind. As i went to the showroom to take a look at the new baby, the moment i saw it, i was sure that this is going straight to my room.

so i took the matter into my hands and got myself a 6 series 46″ LED TV. As i unboxed it i reveled that this has got to be the best & the most beautifull peice of equipment i had till now. The box comes up with the standard Desktop stand & also has a Wall mount bracket for those who would like to wall mount it. Being with the Series 6 it has all the features that a series 5 TV had but insted it doubles the no. of options to connect to and get connect with other media center applications. i tried to connect my media center to it & wow the most amazing clarity with the HD content without a single glitch.. Samsung really is the leader in innovation.

Talking about technical stuff, samsung has launched some specefic models in series 6 & 7, the models are 7 series 46” – UA46B7000 & 40” – UA40B7000 , 6 Series 46” – UA46B6000 & 40” – UA40B6000. with very elegant finish, amazing design & life like clarity, this new series of LED TV’s has Actual Width of 2.99 cm & has 100 Hz Motion plus, but instead of ” touch of color ” finish that is used in the US, this baby has a crystal finish. Another amazing feature that this LED TV has is the Samsung WS1* Sound Bar Surround System that gives you Crystal clear sound and amazing clarity.

As most of us beleive Samsung has always been at the forefront of TV technology and is known for its award winning innovations, the latest of which is: the LED TV.

for more info : http://http://www.samsung.com/in/consumer/subtype/

Popularity: 66% [?]

May 13, 2009 · Filed Under Hardware