Microsoft’s Zune Delivers Connected Music and Entertainment Experience

REDMOND, Wash. — Sept. 14, 2006 — Marking the next big milestone for its Connected Entertainment vision, Microsoft Corp. today unveiled details of the first products to be released under its Zune™ brand. Designed around the principles of sharing, discovery and community, Zune will create new ways for consumers to connect and share entertainment experiences. The Zune experience centers around connection — connection to your library, connection to friends, connection to community and connection to other devices. “The digital music entertainment revolution is just beginning,” said J Allard, vice president, design and development, at Microsoft, who is leading the charge for building the family of Zune products. “With Zune, we are not simply delivering a portable device, we are introducing a new platform that helps bring artists closer to their audiences and helps people find new music and develop new social connections.” The Zune ExperienceAvailable this holiday season in the United States, Zune includes a 30GB digital media player, the Zune Marketplace music service and a foundation for an online community that will enable music fans to discover new music. The Zune device features wireless technology, a built-in FM tuner and a bright, 3-inch screen that allows users to not only show off music, pictures and video, but also to customize the experience with personal pictures or themes to truly make the device their own. Zune comes in three colors: black, brown and white. Every Zune device creates an opportunity for connection. Wireless Zune-to-Zune sharing lets consumers spontaneously share full-length sample tracks of select songs, homemade recordings, playlists or pictures with friends between Zune devices. Listen to the full track of any song you receive up to three times over three days. If you like a song you hear and want to buy it, you can flag it right on your device and easily purchase it from the Zune Marketplace. Zune makes it easy to find music you love — whether it’s songs in your existing library or new music from the Zune Marketplace. Easily import your existing music, pictures and videos in many popular formats and browse millions of songs on Zune Marketplace, where you can choose to purchase tracks individually or to buy a Zune Pass subscription to download as many songs as you want for a flat fee. To get started with great music and videos out of the box, every Zune device is preloaded with content from record labels such as DTS, EMI Music’s Astralwerks Records and Virgin Records, Ninja Tune, Playlouderecordings, Quango Music Group, Sub Pop Records, and V2/Artemis Records.Zune AccessoriesTo enhance the Zune experience, three accessory packs help Zune users enjoy their music where they want to, at home or on the road. The packs and the individual accessories, all designed exclusively for Zune, will be available at launch: • The Zune Car Pack includes everything needed to hit the road with a Zune device, such as the built-in FM tuner with AutoSeek and the Zune Car Charger.• The Zune Home A/V Pack enhances your experience in the home through five products that integrate Zune with the TV and music speakers: Zune AV Output Cable, Zune Dock, Zune Sync Cable, Zune AC Adapter and the Zune Wireless Remote for Zune Dock. • Zune Travel Pack is a set of five products designed to keep friends and family entertained on the road: Zune Premium Earphones, Zune Dual Connect Remote, Zune Gear Bag, Zune Sync Cable and the Zune AC Adapter.Providing consumers with additional options to customize and personalize their Zune experience, Microsoft is also working with leading accessory manufacturers Altec Lansing, Belkin Corp., Digital Lifestyle Outfitters (DLO), Dual Electronics, Griffin Technology, Harman Kardon and JBL, Integrated Mobile Electronics, Jamo International, Klipsch Audio Technologies, Logitech, Monster Cable Products Inc., Speck, Targus Group International Inc. and VAF Research The Future is BrightIn addition to the features available at launch, built-in wireless technology and powerful software provide a strong foundation to continue to build new shared experiences around music and video. As Zune evolves, the device can be easily updated. The Zune software on your PC will let you know when these updates are available for download.About ZuneZune is Microsoft’s music and entertainment platform that provides an end-to-end solution for Connected Entertainment. The Zune experience includes a 30GB digital media player, the Zune Marketplace music service, and a foundation for an online community that will enable music fans to discover new music. Inspired by the vast and varied community of music fans, Zune focuses on helping emerging artists shape the digital canvas. Zune is part of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices division and supports the company’s software-based services vision to help drive innovation in the digital entertainment space. More information can be found online at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/zune.About MicrosoftFounded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft® Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.

Garmin Mobile 20: info loaded mobile navigation for your car

“Not wanting to get left out of the voice-activated, turn-by-turn navigation update game, Garmin is back with an improvement on existing technology. The Garmin Mobile 20 is a system that is designed for auto navigation via smartphones running Bluetooth.You can get that pleasant-sounding voice to give you street-by-street directions to millions of points of interest, using a moving 3D map and featuring a route recalculator in case you make a wrong turn.Garmin Mobile 20 can connect to Web-based data, such as real-time traffic and construction info or weather forecasts or even gas prices in your area. The filling station information seems a bit excessive for my tastes, but here you go: You get access to the station’s name, fuel price, types of fuel offered, and distance to that station.One other new feature worth noting is PeerPoints, an SMS feature that you can use to send your position (or any information, for that matter, such as information about a point of interest) to another phone. Nothing like telling your friends and family that you’re stuck in gridlock or suggesting a fun place to meet for dinner.You can get your hands on the Garmin Mobile 20 beginning in November. Price is expected to be US$299.” via mobilemag.com

Cingular 3125 Slim Smartphone Available

” Cingular Wireless has launched the much-acclaimed Cingular 3125 (HTC Star Trek) smartphone on its EDGE network.Powered by Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone Edition (with MSFP), the clamshell provides quad-band (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) GSM/GPRS/EDGE cellular connectivity. It comes with a 195 MHz TI OMAP 850 processor, 64 MB RAM and 64 MB ROM.The main screen is a 2.2-inch color QVGA (240 x 320 pixels) TFT panel, while the secondary display is 1.2-inch with color and 128 x 128 pixels. Other features include a micro-SD card slot, integrated Bluetooth 1.2, and a 1.3-megapixel camera. For business users, there is also a version without a camera (Cingular 3100).However, the main kicker of the novelty is its ultra-thin and stylish design. It is likely to be the first Windows Mobile handset consumers will consider buying just for its looks.The Cingular 3125 measures 98.5 x 51.4 x 15.8 mm, and weighs 99 g.The smartphone will be yours for $149.99. Additional details can be found at the Cingular website.” This report is from pdalive.com