As an owner of each rendition of the Zune (30, 4, HD), the ZuneHD is a great progression of both the hardware and software. The device itself is very sleek and fits nicely in your hand. I would like to think that this is the game-changer for Microsoft to compete with iPod. It definitely has the head to head feature set with the Touch (Touchscreen, Browser, Apps), a new software interface with an improved suggestion algorithm, and of course ZunePass (This is nothing new, but it's a great concept for $15/month. Unlimited music and 10 songs/month).

HD radio is a nice addition and gives what I would consider a struggling technology some more exposure. The radio allows for pauses and tagging/purchase directly from the Marketplace. For those stations that do broadcast in HD, the interface is easy to identify the substations, however it does take a few seconds to recognize the HD station. As HD radio grows, hopefully I will find more of a use for the radio.

The touchscreen is very responsive and the device seems to have a great accelerometer. Transitions are slick between menu items and respond quickly. As part of the ZuneHD, a browser has been added via the wifi connection. It provides very basic web browsing and not much beyond that. There is no support for downloads of podcasts through the browser for example. This would be a great feature to add given podcasts are not available through the device Marketplace. The keyboard is comparable with most touch screen keyboards, however it does have a nice fish-eye effect as you touch the keys. The multi-touch is seamless and has a nice effect to smooth out pages as you zoom in or out. Switching from portrait to landscape can be done by flipping the device in either direction.

Maybe the most compelling thing about the device is the OLED screen. It's very clear and crisp, the music art really jumps out at you. I should note that it does not output in HD natively and is only available with the dock via HDMI. However, it's very hard to tell that it isn't HD natively mostly in part to the screen and Nvidia Tegra chip. To support the HD quality videos the Marketplace has been updated to include this content (TV shows, webcasts, movies, etc).

Overall, I'm very impressed with the ZuneHD after a day of use. There are many features that I've yet to discover, especially in the new software. If you are in the market for a new mp3 player, I recommend you check out ZuneHD.

I have unboxed my new ZUNE HD 16GB. I am shooting a video review as I go. I will post it soon.
I have updated my Zune as prompted upon connecting it.
I am noticing that in the new Zune Marketplace, some apps are already available - hey, all of those cool apps for the touch and iPhone didn't show up instantaneously you know!
I will be upfront and tell you I simply don't have time to review every facet of this device's offerings, nor do I have time to do the same for the new Zune software.
I want to do this so that you get an honest experience versus a factless rant.
I prefer products that are alternatives to Apple but I don't specifically avoid apple. If IBM was making the Zune HD, I would have wanted one just the same.

I will do bullets here and if you have questions, post them, I'll try to answer them.

* - packaged nicely. It was like opening a secret treasure chest
* - includes ear buds (nothing fancy, actually they are same as what came with my Zune 8GB)
* - includes sync/charge cable. Same connectors as my Zune 8GB cable. Which means I likely will be able to use my existing Zune dock
* - Downloaded the Zune 4.0 software this morning.
* - Connected Zune to computer. Asked me to confirm software update. Message on screen said device was at 4.0 and it would update it to 4.1. It did and it did it with no issues.
* - APPS. Yes, APPS. Not many, only a few for now, like Weather, some Games, calendar.
* - Device is charging so I can't play with it yet. The protective sticker on the Zune HD said, "Charge for 30 minutes before using". That is what I am doing.
* - Zune 4.0 Marketplace and software are very nice. Not insanely different from the 3.0 marketplace but obvious are the apps. Also the nifty little mini player feature.
* - Mini player - as stated, its nifty. Click the little icon in the Zune software, and the music player mode comes up. Watch my video when it is ready.

Let me start off this review by saying I'm pretty non-biased when it comes to technology products, unlike some people who have already reviewed this product in a completely idiotic and non-informal way. I own an iPhone (comparable to the iPod Touch) and a previous-gen Zune 80GB. So let's start off the review by discussing why I think this product is far superior to the iPod Touch:

-OLED Screen
The screen allows for crisper colors than the iPod Touch can handle (deeper blacks for instance). This is going to be fantastic for watching movies and playing games.

-Slickest UI on the market
Have you seen videos of this device in action? It's drop dead beautiful. The UI is extremely slick and very visual. Unlike the iPod Touch, Microsoft has focused on working with high end typography and insanely modern visual techniques to create a really rich experience. The iPod Touch's interface is very static in comparison. The Zune HD offers information about artists, pictures of artists, and other small but rich details when you listen to a song all in a very graphical way (without even having to connect to Wifi).

-Internet browser
The browser on the Zune is just as good as Mobile Safair on the iPod Touch/iPhone. It's nothing revolutionary but it's a nice feature. It features everything you'd expect in a browser today, tap to zoom and a quick and easy multi-touch keyboard.

-HD Radio
This is some very cool new technology. Apple just finally offered FM radio in the iPod Nano (something the original Zune 30gb had). HD radio is being more widely adopted in many markets. It's a great way to hear new types of music as the stations are a lot more vast and focused on new markets where FM radio has become very static and predictable. There is also an FM radio for your enjoyment as well.

-Zune 4.0 Software is EXCELLENT
Are you a music lover? Drop iTunes. The Zune 4.0 software is for people who love music. It includes some of the best ways to organize your albums and also is very ahead in terms of design. iTunes 9.0 attempted to catch up with the Zune software but still falls flat. The Zune software has tons of very rich gradients and free flowing animations that make it a very breathtaking experience. With the Zune software you can also get a Zune pass and stream millions of songs for a low monthly rate.

-Dedicated Apps/Game
As already confirmed, the Zune has dedicated applications and games. Unlike the iPod/iPhone's app store though, Microsoft has decided to focus on working hand in hand with 3rd party developers instead of releasing a SDK kit for users to create their own games/apps. Some people may look at this as very negative, but I see a far more positive side to this. On my iPhone I have several games and apps, all of which usually fall flat to what they could be. Too many apps being released are ridiculously retarded like "fart apps". A game already confirmed is a Project Gotham Racing game, which will probably be similar to the experience on the Xbox/Xbox 360. Microsoft will also be releasing a Twitter app, Facebook, and others by the end of the year. More information: "Later this year, Zune plans to release free applications such as Twitter for Zune and Facebook for Zune, in addition to fun 3-D games such as "Project Gotham Racing: Ferrari Edition," "Vans Sk8: Pool Service" and "Audiosurf(TM) Tilt." Games can be added to Zune HD via Zune Marketplace over the Wi-Fi connection or when connected to the Zune PC software."

All I can seriously suggest is be open-minded to the Zune experience. Just because all your friends/family have an iPod/iPod Touch doesn't make it the best on the market right now. The Zune HD's technology is superior in the marketplace right now. The entire experience on the Zune is also really well thought out and gives music lovers (myself and hopefully you if you're reading this!) a great way to see information on your favorite artists/songs. Overall, the Zune HD is an amazing product. Buy it now if you're a fan of music and want a great overall ecosystem being constantly updated by Microsoft.

Here is a updated information probably you guys haven't seen yet. They will be releasing 3-d games and new apps. Funny how people still diss the zune and want the new apple itouch 3gen when clearly its exactly the same as 2nd gen. Only difference is, is that its a bit faster and has 64gb version? (don't see how it's a best seller on amazon) Society cracks me up.

The promotional video and leaked shots already made it clear but now it's official: the Zune HD will be a gaming and application platform. In addition to a few casual games, calculator and MSN Weather apps pre-loaded onto the Zune HD, the official Microsoft press release touting the launch contains this little nugget of gaming gold:

"Later this year, Zune plans to release free applications such as Twitter for Zune and Facebook for Zune, in addition to fun 3-D games such as "Project Gotham Racing: Ferrari Edition," "Vans Sk8: Pool Service" and "Audiosurf(TM) Tilt." Games can be added to Zune HD via Zune Marketplace over the Wi-Fi connection or when connected to the Zune PC software."

Hear that Nintendo, Sony, and Apple? There's a new handheld gaming platform in town. All that remains to be seen is how it will integrate with the Xbox 360.

Update: A bit more is revealed in a Seattle Times Q&A with Brian Seitz, Microsoft's Zune marketing manager. At the moment, the strategy is to keep all the apps and games free and developed in-house or in close collaboration with third parties -- no third-party SDK for devs to freely crank out apps just yet. Seitz is clear that games will be the primary focus of the "sometimes-connected" Zune HD and the Windows Marketplace is Microsoft's priority for handheld app development:

"So what we didn't want to do was build two parallel app store experiences that didn't work together. Right now our product roadmaps didn't line up perfectly for us to snap to what they're doing or vice versa... Down the road if there's a way we can work with Windows Mobile or another group inside the company that's building an app store and take advantage of that, that's something we'll look into."

Man, Windows Mobile 7 and the rumored OneApp app store can't get here soon enough.

Microsoft has decided that its new Zune player does not need much storage. Even the old Zune was available in a 120 GB hard drive model. The Zune HD is available only with flash drives. The largest capacity Zune HD is 32 GB. If you have more than 32 GB of music or video, the Zune HD will not work for you.

Apple offers a 160 Gb iPod for those like me with large music and video collections. Will Microsoft never learn how to make a decent portable music player?

For me, this device is worth the purchase price for the OLED and HD Radio capability alone, however, continued lack of Flash capability will limit its "iPod-killer" hopes. Also, my experience with Zune support has been very poor (support number rings in the Philippines, and Microsoft has given the CSRs there very limited capabilities to fix problems (CSRs can't for example, credit back Microsoft Points).

I bought it anyway.