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Microsoft's Zune HD For its third hardware redesign, Microsoft has given up on the value segment of the market altogether. Instead, the company is rolling out a single flash-based model in 16GB ($220) and 32GB ($290) varieties and loading it up with a few premium features: a 3.3 inch OLED 480x272 screen, support for HD radio, the NVIDIA Tegra HD video playback engine, a touch screen, real metal on the front and back, downloadable apps, and a Web browser. While updated firmware is available for older Zunes as well, the decision to focus on a single model and end-of-life the other Zunes is a chance for Microsoft to reset the Zune line, focus on a single well-made machine with some new capabilities, and see if there is any traction to be had in the market.Can it succeed? Read on to find out. Apple's iPod nano 5G with video If it weren’t already plainly obvious, the major new feature of the fifth nano is the addition of a video camera. That alone could have probably justified the new device, but Apple went a few steps further, leveraging existing (but latent) capabilities already on the nano to add several other features. These include a full-featured FM tuner application, a pedometer, a Nike+ receiver, VoiceOver support, and a voice notes application. Read on for our take on the nano's video quality compared to similar pocket cameras and an exploration of the media player's new features.
Top stories: Sep 11 - 18, 2009
 Gear & Gadgets
Third time's a charm: Ars reviews the Zune HD
by Nate Anderson
Microsoft's new media player won't appeal to everyone, but for those with an interest in new music and subscription services, the Zune HD has become the device to beat. Our full review inside. Read More
|  Infinite Loop
Apple's fifth take: Ars reviews the iPod nano with video
by Jacqui Cheng, Clint Ecker
Once again, we have taken a look at the new iPod nano to see if its new features are cool enough to keep it at the top of Apple's bestseller list. And, since video is one of the nano's major new features, we compared its video quality to other pocket video cameras. Read More
|  Infinite Loop
Hands on: iTunes 9 refinements cool, but hard to find
by Chris Foresman
iTunes 9 ushers in several changes to Apple's media app—some obvious, some far more subtle. We took a look around to see what we could find, and we bring you our impressions of what Apple has done with the latest version. Read More
|  Open Ended
Hands-on: Haiku, the future of BeOS, is pure poetry
by Ryan Paul
The Haiku project, which aims to build a binary-compatible open source reimplementation of BeOS, has announced the availability of its first alpha release. Ars puts it to the test to see how it compares with the authentic BeOS experience. Read More | Forward this message to a friend |
