Can the Zune HD Trump the iPod Touch?
Get ready for Zune HD versus iPod Touch in a battle set for this fall when Microsoft will take the wraps off of its first touchscreen portable media player (PMP), the Zune HD. Microsoft says this is the first PMP to combine a built-in HD Radio receiver, high-def video output, an OLED (organic light-emitting diode) display, and Wi-Fi. But will it be good enough to steal the glory from Apple’s iPod Touch? ZuneHD’s multitouch display is the centrepiece of Microsoft’s new PMP. The OLED display sports a 16:9 aspect ratio (perfect for those widescreen movies) and supports a resolution of 480 by 272 pixels. Indeed, this resolution is not enough to play HD movies on the device itself, but the ZuneHD will be able to play back HD video externally via an HDMI-based docking station (sold separately) at 720p HD quality. OLED screens are something new to the mobile handset market still, and they have significant benefits over the more traditional LCD displays. OLEDs are thinner and do not require a
