Updated: Zune HD Prices Leak, Heavily Undercut iPod touch Comments

And in the UK?

Ha!

It's crackalacking! ;))

The Zune HD will be the first Zune to be sold outside of the US and Canada as far as I know. Size is - 2.07"x4.08"x.35", so a bit smaller than the iPod Touch. I'm not sure if prices of the Zune HD will still compare so favorably to the iPod's once Apple is done with their usual autumn iPod update. The Zune HD won't have a camera, but it does have a Tegra chip (http://www.engadget.com/photos/zune-hd-hits-fcc-in-prolific-photo-shoot/2196711/). The most notable omission from all the known specs so far is the battery life it will have, the battery isn't particularly big though. As for codec support, it's pretty much as limited in that respect as an iPod and it does not support simple drag and drop (you have to use the Zune software).

I'm still excited about this device though. I just don't really know why. Must be the slick interface they made for it, just check this video for example: http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/11/zune-hd-video-hands-on-chock-full-of-media-edition/#continued

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2009/may/27/microsoft-zune-marketplace
It looks like only a zune service will be released in the uk not the device itself.
As for undercutting the ipod touch expect that to be mere weeks as the apple ipod keynote is in september and we will have the inevitable price drop as most likely a 64gb touch moves the lower capacity models prices down. Also expect these touches to have the processor of the 3GS.
I think microsoft should bring this to market as a phone aswell, that interface is far and away better than windows mobile.

i thought tegra was confirmed? anyway thats what im excited about, just want to see real world performance of tegra. Its been talked about for so long now that i'd imagine a die shrink is close, further improving it.
seen a blurry video of the UI on the Zune HD and its really slick. if only they would release it in software for Windows Mobile

The devices are shipping (select countries including the uk) worldwide in the same timeframe read: not sept 15th but probably this year. Somerthing I think you missed OLED screen. Definately has tegra chip.

I've never been a big fan of touch screens but I love Zune. I'm still using the original 30GB model (which works incredibly well), but I feel compelled to buy the new one now. Its just so nice looking.

microsoft have been showing of the finished article for a while now.nobody anywhere ever mentioned a camera i don't know where the reporter got that from.

as for price mr gates likes pound=dollar.

The big problem I can see for the Zune is they only undercut the CURRENT iPod range. Apple will be launching a revamped Touch right around the time this comes out and if they double the storage capacity at each price point (which would seem sensible considering the Touch uses 2 memory chips to the iPhone's 1 and the latest iPhone goes up to 32Gb) then the new Zune is pretty much on the same price point as the new Touch. That pretty much makes it a no-brainer for the vast majority of users considering the massive ecosystem of both accessories and apps for the Touch not to mention the weight the Apple brand carries these days.

Colour me excited.

Never been a big fan of the apple/itunes.

that may be true bofh but if the zune syncs as mass storage and has full codec support and marketplace takes of then ill swap one for my ipod touch

@BOFH_UK: Yeah totally true. They should've priced it to match the iPod range of 2080 to be competitive. The only no brainer here...

The ipod touch is kind of a gaming platform now as well.. plus has a web browser and basic mapping and all that other stuff. The Zune HD still seems to be just a media player, therefore it feels a bit dated. Personally if I was going to buy "just a media player" I'd get a much smaller device.

The zune has support for a few xbox arcarde games and don't forget it does have a tegra chip in it which means there is a real possiblity of some fairly decent games. It does have a browser that in all due fairness is looking very nice and smooth from what the guys at cnet were saying. Don't forget the real value of the zunes is not in the oringinal price but in the zune pass which for just $15 a month allows you access to the zune marketplace to theoretically download about 7 million songs, whilst getting to keep 10 drm free mp3s forever every month. So to summarise the reason I will get one is because I enjoy music, a lot, and I would love to have 'all you can eat' music for just $15 (probably) £10 a month that I can put on a device whilst keeping 10.

@Andrew: That supposes that Zune Pass will be available in the UK, which depends on MS getting the necessary licensing deals...