The Zune 4 and 8: Boasting Flash Based Memory and Zune Pad

The hard disk drive-based orignial Zune player is bulky, quick to run out of battery power, and its Wi-Fi sharing turned out to be a bit useless. This adds an extra burden to the first flash-based Zunes: they not only have to compete against the iPod nano and other fierce competitors but also represent a genuine improvement to the Zune line as a whole. As it turns out, both the Zune 4 and Zune 8 come close enough to the iPod's design that Apple may feel pressure for the first time.



The Zune 4 and 8 has the same plastic front as the original, metal back philosophy of the original iPod nano and are only slightly thicker at almost exactly a third of an inch. The whole design feels sturdy without becoming heavy, and is easy to use. The tall but narrow design is genuinely comfortable and is easy to use without directly looking at it.

The Zune 4, 8, and 80 also boasts its Zune Pad. The surface essentially works as a hybrid directional pad and touchpad. Clicking an edge advances it one step at a time, making it perfect for small lists and menus; but in large lists, it responds to gliding or swiping motions that let you reach a particular point in a list far more quickly. In combination with the menus, it makes using the Zune 4/8 almost very easy to use: it can move as quickly or as slowly as you like.

Microsoft also boasts that FM radio as one of the Zune's advantages, but the usefulness of this addition is mixed: it can be convenient when an album finishes before you reach home, but like any portable radio, the reception is not very impressive on this smallest Zune. Microsoft has added Wi-Fi sync to the player, though it too has its limits: for the feature to work, users have to both plug the Zune into a power source (such as the official dock) and manually start the sync process.

There are clear areas where Microsoft could have improved the design: a better screen, better battery life, stronger wireless features, and a few minor interface changes would have helped the device fare better against the newest iPod generation. With these in mind, however, the new flash Zunes (and to some extent, the Zune 80) have made giant strides compared to the Zune 30 and are certainly more capable than many of the players that sit nearby on store shelves.

The Touch Screen Sony Cyber-Shot

The Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-T200 is packed with a stunning 8.0 Megapixels and 5x Carl Zeiss® optical zoom lens. Taking up pretty much the whole of the camera's rear is a 3.5" touch screen. Sony also has an interesting twist on this now-common feature - smile detection! This model is available in silver, black and red.


With the T200, you can view digital photos the same way you watch your favorite TV shows – in full 1080 high-definition resolution. The camera can be connected to an HDTV set via HD component cable or an HD cradle (both sold separately). It is equipped with a built-in slide show function so you can view photos, complete with dynamic transitions choreographed to your choice of programmed music clips or by adding your own. Further, when the camera is connected to a new Sony BRAVIA® HD television, photos are optimized for television viewing with Sony’s new “Photo TV HD” mode. This mode brings the look of actual printed photography to the television, reproducing high-quality digital photos by fine-tuning image parameters like sharpness, gradation and color specifically for photographs.

The DSC-T200 has a new “smile shutter” function, which automatically detects and captures a person smiling so you’ll never miss a smile due to shutter lag or distractions. The function is turned on or off by pressing the shutter while in smile shutter scene mode. Combined with such other Sony innovations as face detection, image stabilization and a high sensitivity (ISO 3200) the T200 is nearly foolproof.

PSP Phone - A Gadget Worth Waiting For

It's a dream come true for me to use my PSP as my phone. That's why I was overwhelmed to hear that Sony Ericsson is coming up with something to integrate a mobile phone into a PlayStationPortable! In a deal with BT, the PSP is about to become a phone, Net browser and video comms device.


Sony has designed very good game controls on PSP, and they are trying to overcome the difficulty of gaming using a numeric keypad that comes with a mobile phone. Of course they came up with a solution and made a few keys on numeric keypad into a game controls and the problem was solved. The other issue was that most of the good games are played holding the PSP with both hands and using two thumbs to control game characters while the phone is operated usually with a single hand and thumb. A rotating screen solved this issue. When the device is in a phone mode, all you have is a simple mobile phone with numeric keypad , menu and function keys. Turn the screen around 180 degrees, your menu/functional keys are transformed into game controls and you have a perfectly good portable gaming device.

I would definitely buy this PSP Phone as soon as it's out in the market. Move over, iPhone!

Laser-Engraved Design for Zune Players

Microsoft announced it will engrave designs by contemporary artists on the back of its Zune media players free of charge starting Tuesday, November 20 when the new line goes on sale. Zune media players have 4 gigabytes or 8 gigabytes of storage, and a larger model has an 80 GB hard drive. This is part of their efforts to match Apple.


Microsoft Zune Originals include work from 18 artists, including illustrators Catalina Estrada of Spain, Skwak of France and Nobumasa Takahashi of Japan. The intricate designs take up most of the metallic back surface of the players. Many of the artists have collaborated with sneaker companies or snowboard manufacturers on limited-edition products.

The company will also offer 20 smaller graphic designs inspired by classic tattoo art, leaving room for three lines of text chosen by the customer. Those who choose no design can have up to five lines of text engraved. Apple, on the other hand, only engraves a line or two of small text on the back of its iPods and iPhones.

Microsoft said the engraving service is free for a limited time, and is only available through its Zune site.

XBOX 360 Arcade Model: The Family Friendly Xbox

Parents need not to worry now about their kids spending too much time playing video games. Microsoft boasted a new Xbox feature that will allow parents to set the amount of time that kids can play games. This effort aims to target more families to get the Xbox 360. Recently, Microsoft introduced a lower-priced this Xbox 360 Arcade model that includes a wireless controller and casual games like Pac-Man, Luxor 2 and Uno. It doesn't include a hard drive but with 256 MB of storage. This is a really good way of hitting the markets this holiday season.



The new feature is designed to be really easy for parents who may not be as tech savvy as their game-playing kids. This is really a good way of making Xbox 360 attractive to a wider range of customers. I hope they find ways too to make the product cheaper and even more wallet-friendly.

Nintendo DS Lite: Another "lite" attempt?

Nintendo DS Lite revolutionizes the way games are played with ultra-bright dual screens and touch-screen technology. Connect wirelessly to Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and put your skills to the test against players across the room or across the world.

The good: The Nintendo DS Lite is slimmer and much sleeker that the original DS. The device employs innovative dual-screen and microphone-enabled gameplay as well as Wi-Fi multiplayer capabilities, allowing for a growing list of original and fun games that you can't play on any other system. In addition, the system is backward-compatible with almost every GBA title. All these additions come without increasing the price or decreasing the features of the original DS.

The bad: Playing online games via Wi-Fi can be a hassle. The darker models are just as susceptible to scratches and smudges as the Sony PSP and the iPod, and its multimedia potential remains exclusive to Japan.

The bottom line: With a slick new design, brighter screens, and a growing library of fun and innovative games, the Nintendo DS Lite is an impressive improvement over the original DS.