zune posts (Subscribe to this feed)

Though the Zune HD-owning community (whose names are Michael, Alan and Michelle) are now able to play the entrancing Audiosurf: Tilt on their beloved media device, iPhone and iPod Touch owners are still forced to go without. Many were hopeful that the iPhone Firmware Update 3.0, which opened up the device's music library to third-party developers, would allow the game's creator, Dylan Fitterer, to bring the game to the popular media player. Unfortunately, in a brief interview with gaming news site Charge Shot, Fitterer explained that the update "didn't bring enough access."

We contacted Fitterer to find out exactly what he meant by this -- he explained, "Apps can play songs, but they can't get at a song's bits (needed to analyze it and build a matching rollercoaster + traffic pattern)." He added that there were workarounds -- for instance, a player could upload a song to the App or through a central server, which would create a level for them. However, he said that system felt inconvenient, and that he doesn't "want to put Audiosurf on iPhone until it can really let you ride your music - all of it."

There's still a chance the game could end up on an Apple product -- though Fitterer negotiated directly with Microsoft to get his game on the Zune HD platform, the two parties came to no form of exclusivity agreement. "I'm ready for Apple to call," Fitterer joked.

Okay, so the Zune HD didn't get off to the greatest start as a portable gaming platform, but we're willing to let bygones be bygones should the device's most recent patch be as amazing as it sounds on paper. A recent press release has announced that firmware update 4.3 adds six free games to the Zune Marketplace: PGR: Ferrari Edition, Lucky Lane Bowling, Vans Sk8: Pool Service, Piano, Checkers and Audiosurf: Tilt.

The press release does explain that, yes, you'll have to watch a short ad when you start these free games up. So what? It's Audiosurf on a mobile device, and it lets you make rollercoaster tracks out of your own songs. If we had to watch The Adventures of Pluto Nash start-to-finish every time we loaded the game, we'd still be thrilled.

As it has done in the past, Microsoft is offering early access to its next Xbox 360 Dashboard update (which integrates Twitter, Facebook, Last.fm and Zune Marketplace) to those who sign up -- and are then selected -- to preview it. Major Nelson has just updated his blog with word that the signup process has begun for the program, mentioning that Microsoft is looking for "multiple thousands" of users to test out the update. So, sounds like chances of getting in are good.

Those wishing to put their names in the hat for preview access can do so by hitting the Microsoft Connect site and filling out a survey. The preview program is being offered in all territories where Xbox Live is available, but keep in mind you'll need a Windows Live ID in order to apply. The Major says those who've been picked will receive an email in about a week; after which the update will be pushed out to their consoles, and they can start bragging about their early access via Twitter and Facebook right from their 360s.

If past Dashboard preview programs are anything to go by, everyone who signs up will eventually gain access just prior to the update's release -- which may happen on November 17.

When questioned about the possibility of a dedicated gaming handheld vs a phone with multimedia functionality, Microsoft's Robbie Bach expressed his hesitation to enter either market to attendees of yesterday's.First Annual Microsoft Open House. The Entertainment and Devices division prez said, "The portable market's an interesting market ... you have to decide which direction the market is going." Rather than pursue the phone with gaming/media functionality route that Apple has taken, Bach thinks current technology simply isn't good enough yet.

"You have to decide if the dedicated devices in the portable market are going to continue to grow, or whether the phone that you get is going to get powerful enough and battery power management is going to get good enough that people are going to look at it and say 'No, I just want one device that's going to have some games on it, some music on it, some video on it.' I'm probably more biased to think that's the direction where the market is going."

Though he didn't mention an iPhone competitor or a dedicated gaming device, Bach hinted at the possibility, saying the Xbox and Zune are integrating at "a steady drumbeat." That steady drumbeat likely won't lead to much in the coming months though, as he noted, "There is a CES two years from now where people will look back and say 'Wow! Look at everything they did.'" At that point we'll only be four years from flying cars and hoverboards, so let's hope that Microsoft has some serious future stuff up its sleeves.

"Xbox comes from a gaming heritage, and is expanding into a broader entertainment brand," Microsoft's Robbie Bach told us earlier today at its first Open House event in New York. Powering Xbox's expansion into "broader entertainment" is the upcoming Dashboard update, scheduled for beta release later this month. Four services included in the update will expand the 360's social networking and multimedia capabilities: Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm and Zune Marketplace.

While each individual service may not offer the same value that Netflix did when it debuted with the NXE last year, it's hard to ignore the breadth of added functionality offered by this new Dashboard refresh. Yes, it's true that the Xbox isn't the most ideal platform to tweet from. And yes, it's unlikely that you'll spend hours sitting in front of your TV listening to online radio. However, each service adds new reason to stay connected to the Xbox ... and adds more purported "value" to that Xbox Live Gold membership.

Most of the reviews of Microsoft's new portable media device, the Zune HD, have been positive -- though from a gaming perspective, one "feature" of the new hardware has drawn the ire of gadgeteers. When booting up one of the free game apps, potential players are forced to view interstitial advertisements of varying lengths. Ars Technica measured the time it took to boot up these games -- the "Goo Splat" game features a static advertisement for the Kia Soul, and takes 17 seconds to load. The Chess application includes a video ad for the vehicle, and takes an entire half-minute to boot up.

Though the Zune HD's multitouch screen and sleek visuals allow for responsive (and good-looking) gaming, we can't imagine these ads will be terribly popular. Still, the games are free, so we guess we can't look a gift horse in the lengthy, unskippable promotional material.

Microsoft's John Noonan, who is currently working on Crackdown 2 and is co-host of Microsoft Game Studios' Platform Biased podcast, got folks in a tizzy when he tweeted about the Crackdown 2 Zune HD. We got in touch with Noonan, who let us know that this laser-etched model -- along with many others sporting Xbox-exclusive brands -- are available as part of the Zune Original Program at the Zune Store.

The "Xbox Series" features Halo ODST, Gears of War 2 and Forza 3, along with a few others. There doesn't appear to be an extra charge for the advertising fan appreciation, so the only thing you'll pay for is the Zune -- which, we're told is like an iPod.

While it doesn't carry the same cachet as "Election Day" or "Chinese Leftovers Day," Zune HD Day is still very much a real thing. With today's launch of Microsoft's pretty-cool-but-still-not-a-phone media player comes final confirmation that the Zune HD will support games. Buried in the device's launch press release is the following line: "Later this year, Zune plans to release ... fun 3-D games such as Project Gotham Racing: Ferrari Edition, Vans Sk8: Pool Service and Audiosurf Tilt."

Of course, three games does not a platform make and, while Apple is busy touting the availability of 21,178 games in the iPhone App Store, Microsoft is launching the Zune HD with a far less ... robust marketplace. Even at the launch of Apple's App Store, over a third of the 500 programs available were games; today, it's closer to half.

Unfortunately, the Zune HD isn't competing with the pre-App Store iPhone or iPod Touch, so when Zune marketing manager Brian Seitz tells the Seattle Times that it's "hard to say right now" if the "sometimes connected" Zune HD will be opened up to third-party app development, it's difficult to hide our disappointment. Game development on the Zune HD is happening on a "case-by-case" and not a "come one, come all" basis, Seitz says.

So, what he's saying is you shouldn't expect to see anywhere near 21k games (regardless of quality) and you can also write off seeing the Zune HD popping up on the list of IGF Mobile nominees next year. As a gaming platform, even a casual gaming platform, will this be enough to compete against the iPod Touch or even the PSP Go? We'll find out "in November" when these games are finally available.

[Via Engadget]

Source – Press release

It seems that reports from way back in January of this year on the Zune HD were true -- the upcoming handheld from Microsoft will in fact feature some form of handheld gaming when it releases on September 15. At least that's what we can glean from a recent advertisement for the OLED-laden iPod Touch competitor, hinting at a gaming feature (and showing a tiny snippet of a racing game).

We've embedded the video after the break, originally found by Zunited, but will presumably have to wait until at least Monday to hear more about the Zune HD's gaming features (though we've asked Microsoft for comment either way). Considering the fact that the Zune Marketplace is coming to Xbox 360, we'll be holding fast hope for a Microsoft version of PSP's Minis at some point in the near future.

[Via Engadget]

Microsoft and MEAN Magazine premiered Cinemash last week, where Hollywood stars appear in seven short film reinterpretations of classic movies. The first episode featured Zoey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Sid and Nancy, and this week is Cheech and Chong in Tron, complete with some mind-bending graphics. It's probably the closest we'll ever get to an actual Cheech and Chong video game.

In a nutshell, they get baked, debate how the economy has affected the price of dime bags, and then race around on lightcycles in a Tron-off to see who wins the argument. There's definitely a lot of cue card inspired line delivery up front, but some of those graphics are brain melting enough to make you feel like you're tripping yourself. You can watch the video just beyond the break, or via the Zune Marketplace. With any luck, these will be available on Xbox Live later in the year.

Sounds like Xbox Live Video Marketplace is getting a major facelift as Zune Video Marketplace, with 1080p videos being instantly streamed. Look for the new feature coming to 18 countries this fall.

Goodbye Xbox Live Video Marketplace, we'll always have a special place in our heart for you.

The good news: Zune Video, the expanded version of the Zune Marketplace that combines the current Zune download shop and the Xbox Live Video Marketplace, is coming to Europe. The bad news: according to The Guardian, there won't be any Zune HDs on which to play the stuff bought with Zune Video. At least, there aren't any plans to release the device outside of the US yet.

The other bad news: In a correction at the top of the post, Keith Stuart clarifies that "the service coming to Xbox Live is Zune Video NOT Zune Marketplace. Music is not part of the Xbox Live offering." This is still wonderful for European Xbox 360 owners hoping for expanded video offerings -- but less great for those hoping for expanded music offerings, or those hoping for expanded Zune offerings.