Is Microsoft Secretly Creating a Zune HD App Store?

Could the Zune HD have its very own App store? It appears so...

Microsoft just applied for a Trademark on the word “OneApp,” a software integrated with the Windows Mobile platform.

Here’s a description of OneApp from Microsoft...

"Online retail store services facilitating the download of computer software for use on mobile phones, media players and other portable electronic devices.

Allows mobile device users to send messages, make payments and access and play music, games and videos on mobile devices; computer software platforms for developing mobile applications; computer software, namely, software development tools for the creation of mobile applications; computer software for running retail store site for purchase and download of mobile applications over wireless networks."

Every application that is created to run on Windows Mobile could theoretically be available to purchase through OneApp. This means all Apps large and small.

Hopefully this announcement shows that Microsoft’s eyes are open to our desires...we want Apps for the Zune HD!

Zune HD Touchscreen Better Than the iPod Touch?

The Zune HD touchscreen supports Multi-touch, which frankly has become the must-have feature of touchscreen devices.

The name says it all - the screen will recognize and track multiple touch points.

This allows you to rotate images by twisting two fingers on the screen, or zoom in and out on a web browser by spreading and squeezing together your fingers.

If you've played with the iPod Touch or iPhone, you know what I am talking about. On portable devices, Multi-touch makes web-browsing and viewing images and even video much more feasible.

With the recent developments of project natal, it would be interesting to see Microsoft incorporate that type of technology with the Zune HD touchscreen. Stay tuned...

Zune HD Battery Life

The Zune HD is powered by Nvidia Tegra and Microsofts brand new Zune 4.0 operating system. These improvements not only speed up processing time, but supposedly it will increase the overall battery life by 1.5x to 2x when compared to the latest Zune mp3 player.


Nvidia has stated that the Tegra can play music continuously for 25 days!

"Now that's what I call battery life!"

The Tegra is also capable of playing high-definition video for over 10 hours! Compare that to portable DVD players which roughly last 3 to 4 hours when playing video.

One other promising note is that the Zune HD uses an OLED screen versus a TFT-LCD, which will help reduce overall battery consumption.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks for reading!

- Moose