Lost in the meda frenzy over the passing of Steve Jobs was Microsoft killing off the Zune HD. No, that was a mistake its alive. Yes, it is dead. Nope, that was another error. Apparently, at least as of this writing, the Zune HD is in fact discontinued.

“We recently announced that, going forward, Windows Phone will be the focus of our mobile music and video strategy, and that we will no longer be producing Zune players.”

Bear in mind that this is found on the Microsoft’s Zune support page. You can find a big  BUY NOW button at the entry for the Zune HD. Following that link takes one to the American retailer Wal-Mart. The Zune UK web site has nothing on offer, nor does Amazon. Further complicating matters is that whoever runs the Twitter account for Zune support seems to have missed the memo as well.

The story here is not so much that the Zune HD has been discontinued, its not surprising as sales have been lackluster at best and Microsoft wants to steer users to Windows Phones as their all in one media consumption device, but that the announcement was so badly handled. It is quite obvious that the left hand did not know what the right hand was doing here. The timing was also interesting in that the original announcement was made the same day that Apple announced the iPhone 4S.  That was a good move on Microsoft’s part as the ending of the Zune HD was pretty much lost in the iPhone coverage.  However, the “red light, green light” of the days after not only ruined that, but given that journalists were looking for something to move on from the death of Mr. Jobs, Microsoft’s indecision has become more newsworthy with each change in direction.

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“Its dead Steve”

Microsoft gave users and developers many things to think about at the BUILD conference in California this last week.  One that is getting a lot of traction is the idea that Microsoft will be developing a Metro style, touch friendly version of Microsoft Office that will run on tablets. Metro is the name of the user interface language used for Windows Phone 7, and after BUILD, seems to be the direction that Microsoft Windows UI is heading going forward. A lot of analyses are saying that if Microsoft can follow through on the promises made to developers at BUILD, then they will have an OS ecosystem at least on par with Apple.

In fact, Microsoft better be working on a tablet friendly version of Microsoft Office. Office is probably the second largest source of revenue after Windows itself and played a large part in establishing Microsoft’s global dominance.  Microsoft Office has become the default bundled business productivity suite for concerns from mom and pop stores to FedEx and JP Morgan.

However, as tablets become more popular, Microsoft is going to have to rely on a “Metro Office” if it expects to have a chance at blunting the hold Apple has on the tablet market. Apple has a self contained ecosystem of products and apps and right now is so far out in front it is rumored that Apple is delaying the introduction of the iPad 3, because in essence it’s lapping the competition.  Microsoft seems to be adopting a similar approach through its co opting of Nokia to [produce Windows Phone based handsets and the direction being taken with Windows 8 and Metro.

Microsoft has made a lot of exciting promises with Windows 8 and Metro.  Microsoft also has a bit of reputation for talking about new things that never see retail shelves.  However, the last time Microsoft had the kind of competition it is facing now from Apple and Google for operating system market share Bill Gates was writing code for the company and IBM was selling PCs.  In order to succeed, Microsoft needs its star business tools ready for the tablet generation.

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Rumors of Microsoft Office on Metro Tablets? It better be a fact

Microsoft has been demonstrating Windows 8 at the Build 2011 Developer Conference, and it is shaping up to be quite an impressing OS.

Without a doubt the main feature on offer is the fact that Windows 8 is developed for both traditional PCs, Laptops, Netbooks and most importantly Tablets. This is a very different approach to the hugely popular iPad which runs a mobile operating system that lacks many features of their fuller grown OS X Lion.

While laptops and tablets will use the same OS Microsoft have integrated 2 user interfaces to make the most of the form factor. User will be greeted with the Windows Phone like Metro Interface which includes live application tiles and replaces the Start menu, being triggered by the Start button or Windows key, and is also the first screen shown on start-up. Though users can easily go into a more Windows 7 style interface by choosing the desktop tile. The metro interface is also written into the core of the OS so this is not an overlay.

The beauty of this is that user have an OS that is fully optimised for a tablet but can still carry out fully blown PC applications such as outlook, excel, Dreamweaver, Photoshop and FTP programs. Presumably it will also be able to run normal PC games, though how well tablets will run these is another question.

It is also reported that Windows 8 has less system requirements than Windows 7 and can run on a Lenovo S10 which ahs just a first gen Atom CPU and 1GB of Ram.

Some other key features include:

• All Windows 7 applications will run natively on Windows 8
• Security update notifications have been minimized to the lower right of the log-in screen
• Refreshed Windows Task Manager suspends apps when they’re not running on-screen
• New "Reset and Refresh PC" functions enable simplified system wipe and restore
• HyperV virtualization software comes pre-loaded on Windows 8
• Multi-monitor support now enables a single background across screens, as well as monitor-specific task bars
• Multi-touch support enabled for Internet Explorer 10
• Magnifier function enhanced for desktop manipulation
• Optional thumb-by-thumb input mode
• SkyDrive storage support integrated into all cloud-based apps
• Metro-style refresh for Mail, Photos, Calendar and People apps with Windows Live ID
• Settings roam allows for preferences to sync across a user’s Windows 8 devices
• Continued update support for Windows 8 Developer Preview Beta
• Both Metro-style and conventional Win32 apps will be sold in the Windows Store
• Windows 8 devices equipped with an NFC chip will be able to use a tap-to-share feature to either send content from one device to another, or simply receive content from something like an NFC-equipped card.
• Logins will use a photo-based system
• Apps will be able to natively connect and understand one another (if written as such)
• Built-in antivirus software will ship in Windows 8
• There will not be a different edition of Windows 8 for tablets, and presumably, not for Media Centers either
• It’s unclear how many "editions" (Home, Professional, Ultimate, etc.) of Windows 8 there will be
• ARM devices will be supported, but not in the developer preview

Personally we love the sound of cloud storage being built in and roaming profiles, as well as the tap to share features. All very interesting stuff.

One concern is the issues that will arise with the lack of compatibility between ARM and x86 microprocessors. If x86 developers can recompile to Arm then great but i doubt it would be as simple as that.

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Windows 8 Details and Features

Nokia, the top dog in mobile phones for so long, finally seeing it’s majority hold on the market slumping with the successes of Apple, BlackBerry and Android mobiles. Many have put this down to the fact it stuck with it’s Symbian mobile platform which didn’t improve as greatly as the other 3 companies operating systems. It took Intel on board to create the MeeGo operating system which hasn’t really surfaced despite being talked about some time ago. All this finally came into perspective a few days ago when figures showed how much Nokia’s market share had slumped. Still up there with the big boys in terms of numbers but the others about to overtake a senior exec within them sent a damning memo which got out around the internet saying Nokia staff were “standing on a burning platform,” and were falling away from it’s rivals

So what can Nokia do to sort it out. As said MeeGo was supposed to be the start. An OS for Nokias new smartphones and even Tablet PCs but we haven’t seen anything of it. Nokia have said they still plan to release a MeeGo smartphone by the end of this year but mainly aiming it at a certain market as Nokia have said that MeeGo will only be “an open source mobile operating system project. So swallow some pride Nokia, what about Symbian? Nokia says it will become, “…a franchise platform,” saying it wants to, “…retain and transition,” existing users. That sounds to me like the once popular OS will be dying out.

So from there what’s next? FINALLY they’re going to bite the bullet and have entered a strategic partnership with Microsoft so that their future phones can turn to the ever growing Windows Mobile operating system. Nokia have said “Nokia would adopt Windows Phone as its principal smartphone strategy.”, opting for Bing search options, Xbox Live compatibility and Zune media playback functions. However Nokia will be keeping it’s very successful and great Nokia Ovi Maps.

Soon as the first Windows Mobile phones by Nokia get announced, we’ll be sure to let you know

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Nokia and Windows 7 get friendly.

Well it is finally here, Microsoft have finally launched Windows Phone 7, the successor to the dreadful Windows Mobile.

In the UK phones will will be available from 21st October, while the US launch will be in early November.

The initial response to the OS is extremely positive and with Xbox 360 and Zune integration the phone could gain popularity very quickly. However it is being launched far later than competing mobile operating systems such as Apples iOS and Google’s Android. It also lacks multi tasking and copy and paste, 2 features many people previously slated the iPhone for not having.

The phones due for a UK launch include:

• HTC 7 Mozart
• HTC HD7
• HTC 7 Trophy
• LG Optimus 7
• Samsung Omnia 7

Phones that wont be launched in the UK (at least initially) include:

• HTC 7 Surround
• HTC 7 Pro
• LG Quantum / Optimus 7Q
• Dell Venue Pro
• Samsung Focus

Unfortunately it would seem that all the phones with a dedicated hardware keyboard are not coming to the UK!!!

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Windows Phone 7 launches on 21 October with 5 phones UK bound

Although the last incarnation of the Windows Mobile OS wasn’t a great success, HTC had a great phone in the HTC HD2. Now with Windows Mobile 7 just around the corner, HTC have officially announced the successor to the HD2 with the HD7. Windows Mobile 7 has a minimum requirement to what a phones specs have to be for it to have the OS, so what does the HD7 offer

On the large size of phones(but what smartphones aren’t these days ) 122 x 68 x 11.2mm, the HD7 will be rocking a fast 1GHz processor and 576MB RAM it’s certainly up there with the big boys for power. Screenwise a 4.3” 480×800(WVGA) Capacitive touchscreen. Other goodies include a 5MP camera with dual-LED flash, HSDPA, A-GPS, Bluetooth 2.1, N-standard WiFi and FM Radio. Disappointingly there’s only 512MB of onboard memory but you will get an 8GB microSD card bundled with the phone, which can be upgraded.

Sadly we have no price or official release date soon but with Windows Mobile 7 officially out on the 21st October, it can’t be too far after that.

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HTC HD7 is official : Windows Mobile 7

Lucky for us we won’t all have to change our consoles hopefully for another few years at least, but we’re going to have to change the way we play them and actually do some work…… Thanks Nintendo Wii. With Playstation’s Move controller due soon and rumours of the Microsoft answer turned into reality the Kinect all we were waiting on was the date and price.

We had the new 250GB revamped Xbox and then the announcement of a 4GB console. With that announcement Microsoft told us the Kinect will cost £129.99 on its own or bundled with the new console for £249.99 (4GB console will cost £149.99 on its own) so when bundled you’re making a saving.

Then we were waiting for the date. Well it didn’t come from Microsoft straight away, but HMV and Play.com leaked that it was due for release on the 19th November, just in time for Christmas. A lot of talk between fan-boys though was the sheer price of the Kinect, which yes when compared to the Move controller, it’s more expensive. BUT I’ll defend it here in saying that if you want to play more than one player on the PS3 multiple Move controllers would have to be bought bumping the price up. Plus with the Kinect out before Christmas, you can probably guess if there’s still plenty in stock after Chrimbo, the price will no doubt drop.

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Microsoft Kinect 19th November

At E3 earlier this year Microsoft did say after they announced the new Xbox 250GB Slim that an Arcade version would be in the pipeline, now the new look Xbox 360 250GB has been out less than a week and it appears Bill Gates’ boys are again going to give us the scaled down version for those a little less in the pocket or that don’t require a whole 250GB of memory just to save games. The leak has come courtesy of Amazon(Germany) where a listing appeared for the scaled down Xbox.

There’s no pictures unfortunately but rumours suggest it won’t be any different from the new 250GB model in looks, keeping that black gloss finish (ie no white console) just it’ll be packing a 4GB internal memory, more than adequate for game saves, SD videos and photos.

The release date is scheduled for 20th August, just in time for Germany’s annual “Gamescom” convention. Early indications suggest it will cost around £125.

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Xbox 360 Arcade coming August

So the rumours were true and to be fair it’s about time. The Xbox 360 slim console has been made official and will be available soon (July 16th). Playstation 3 hasn’t been out nearly as long as the Microsoft console yet they’ve followed the trend of their previous consoles and released smaller, more compact versions of their consoles. So what have Microsoft finally decided to do it?

In my opinion it’s mainly down to the fact they need to drum up some extra interest in its new Kinect(formerly Natal) motion controller that also became official this week. It’s obviously smaller than the current 360 but has a slight design tweak to it too. It is also supposedly a lot quieter, which in all honesty isn’t that hard. The image also makes it look “glossy” in comparison to the older “matte” consoles. What else is good and finally Microsoft have added it in is N-standard WiFi. You no longer have to buy the £60 wireless bridge.

Again the release date is the 16th July and will retail at £199

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Xbox 360 SLIM

We spoke a month or so ago and got a little bit excited about the prospect of a Microsoft Zune phone which I was hoping was going to be a true iPhone beater sporting the new Windows Mobile 7. Originally the rumours were flying about that the phone development was called project “Pink”. Well Microsoft has now announced that Project “Pink” will now be coming this Autumn to Vodafone but has been renamed as Kin but it doesn’t appear that the all singing all dancing Windows 7 Zune Phone is the Kin. Maybe it’s the start of things to come.

Both the Kin 1 and Kin 2 are touchscreen phones with slide out QWERTY keyboards. The main emphasis on these phones is social networking and although the phones aren’t sporting Microsoft’s new Windows Mobile 7 or even 6.5 Microsoft has developed another OS that the KIN can call its own, designed to complement it’s social networking abilities.

Full specs are a little thin but what we do know is the Kin 1 is the smaller of the two and has a 5MP camera whilst the Kin 2 is slightly bigger but has a better 8MP camera, larger storage capacity and the ability to take videos at HD quality. Both will also pack the Zune HD software, which is great and certainly more than capable of challenging the iPhone’s music abilities.

The software features of both phones sound clever to it can collate all your favourite people’s statuses, messages and pictures all into one place called the Kin Loop. Also if you want to share yours, there’s the Kin Spot. Drag photos, messages and your status updates into it and then choose who you want to distribute them to. Then there’s the Kin Studio. Anything and everything you create on the phone can be sent to the cloud. This can then be accessed in any web browser and shared again to whoever you like.

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Microsoft Kin : Project “Pink” incoming