zune

ALSO NOTED: Microsoft may be working on a Zune phone; Alvarion chosen for Russian WiMAX deployments; and much more...

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 06:59:51 -0400

> Champaign, Ill., is getting an outdoor WiFi solution using adaptive beam forming smart antennas from NextWave's Go Networks. Article

> Microsoft may be working on a Zune phone. Article

> Alvarion announced that its BreezeMAX WiMAX system was chosen for a deployment project intended to cover various cities in Russia. Release

> 3 Scandinavia and Nokia Siemens Networks have launched a commercial 3G Push-to-Talk and Presence service in Sweden. Release

And Finally... The Wall Street Journal's Walter Mossberg gives his assessment of T-Mobile's UMA service. Article (WSJ sub. req.)

ALSO NOTED: Time to upgrade your WiFi router?; virtual benchmarking of WLANs is the way to go; and much more...

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 19:01:31 -0500

> Is it the right time to upgrade your WiFi router? Analysts say wait.

> Farpoint's Craig Mathias loves benchmarking, ad he suggests that virtual benchmarking of WLANs is the way to go.

And finally... This is how USAToday puts it: "If Apple's iPod is the nicely tuned Porsche of portable media players and Microsoft's Zune is the Jetta, then a new WiFi-enabled unit from Archos is the Hummer, a brutish performer with all the tools to navigate the rugged terrain of technology needs on the go." The handheld Archos 604-WiFi, which retails at about $450, plays a variety of audio and video formats, and networks with the home PC. Review

ALSO NOTED: Cohda begins Adelaide trial; Samsung's plasma TV has built-in WiFi; and much more...

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 19:01:31 -0500

> Cohda Wireless has begun a trial wireless deployment of the company's mobile broadband wireless technology in Adelaide. Report

> Kansas may not be leading the nation in WiFi deployments, but it is not as far behind other states as you would be led to believe. Report

> Samsung is to release a plasma TV with a built-in hard drive and a WiFi receiver (HP-TS064) in the coming CES 2007 show. Report

> Beceem Communications has completed certification by Microsoft for its chipsets running on PCs and laptops with the Windows operating system. Unstrung report

> We have reported that BT was interested in bidding on WiMAX-suitable spectrum OFCOM will be auctioning off. The question for Peter Judge is whether BT will be allowed to do so.

And finally... The ALF (Acoustic Liberation Front) strikes again: Nutzipper, a Swedish clever hacker, claims to have successfully hacked not only the DRM scheme of the Zune, but also its WiFi-based music sharing aspects. The hacker's "Zukebox" allows a Zune owner to browse and download any songs from any other WiFi-enabled Zune's in a given area. It then strips the pilfered MP3s of their DRM restrictions. Report (By the way: There is no such thing as ALF; we have just invented it.)

SPOTLIGHT: Zune is here

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 19:01:32 -0500

Bryan Lee, corporate vice president for the entertainment business at Microsoft, said: "There were no walls and no barriers. That was the physical aspect and emotional aspect." He was referring to the intense collaboration between Toshiba and Microsoft in designing and manufacturing the Zune, Microsoft's response to the iPod. How intense was the collaboration? J. Allard, co-creator of the Xbox and Microsoft's corporate vice president for design and development, said: "We went from zero to 60 miles an hour in no time flat." Zune will allow songs, entire albums (with album art and other information) and whole playlists to be selected and wirelessly transmitted to any other Zune within range. Users are prompted to accept or deny the transfer; senders may also be blocked. Report

SPOTLIGHT: Zune-iPod battle commences

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 20:01:33 -0400

Last week, Microsoft officially unveiled its Zune portable media player. This response to Apple's iPod features 802.11 connectivity, a FM Tuner, a 30 GB hard drive (surprisingly modest, by the way: What if you are a fan of Bach's Goldberg Variations?), 3.0-inch screen, and more. It also comes in three colors--black, brown, and white. The company says that users who download songs will be allowed to share songs with fellow "Zuners" for a period of up to three days, but then these friends will be prompted to purchase the song or it will be deleted from their devices. See this rather lengthy and detailed report. The question now becomes: Need Apple fear Zune? Analysis