According to Microsoft, 40% of all activity on the Xbox 360 is non-gaming activity. That means that users spend close to half the time on the console watching streaming video. The Netflix application, ESPN streaming, and newly introduced Hulu partnership make up a dominating trio when it comes to usage. Not to mention that users can stream movies and music through Zune.

Over 30 hours per month per Xbox is spent consuming video. That’s about an hour a day. When you think about the fact that there are over 53 million Xbox owners, 30 million of which are Xbox live members, that totals out to a lot of streaming video.

Sure, this means that 60% of use on the 360 is still gaming, but a substantial chunk has been replaced by other activities. This makes Microsoft’s console not just a video game system, but a real entertainment hub. While the PlayStation Network is doing everything but work for the last few weeks, Microsoft is reporting growth in their entertainment division that is simply astonishing.

In April, when Microsoft reported their Q3 earnings, the Xbox 360 and Kinect emerged as the stars of the report.

All of their divisions grew (Business 21% year-over-year, Server & Tools 11%, Online Services 14%). But their entertainment division grew 60%, fueled by Xbox console and Live subscription sales, as well as Kinect sales.

Frank Shaw, Microsoft’s VP of Corporate Communications says that “simply, Xbox = entertainment” in the blog post. And then he hints about the future of how Xbox will be marketed:

The vision for Xbox is straightforward: All of the entertainment you want. With the people you care about. Made easy. That is why you’ve seen us invest in partnerships with ESPN, Netflix and Hulu. That is why we’ve baked social directly into the experience with Xbox LIVE – connecting gamers, friends and families across the globe. That is why you’ll see Xbox marketed more as an entertainment brand this year.

Will the Xbox console, both the 360 and any future versions ever be less about gaming than other entertainment? It’s possible. Microsoft seems to know that it got into everyone’s homes with gaming on the Xbox, and that it can use that established position to develop a full on entertainment brand. Their recent acquisition of Skype may be further evidence of the changing landscape of the Xbox gaming console.

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According to Microsoft, 40% of all activity on the Xbox 360 is non-gaming activity. That means that users spend close to half the time on the console watching streaming video. The Netflix application, ESPN streaming, and newly introduced Hulu partnership make up a dominating trio when it comes to usage. Not to mention that users can stream movies and music through Zune.

Over 30 hours per month per Xbox is spent consuming video. That’s about an hour a day. When you think about the fact that there are over 53 million Xbox owners, 30 million of which are Xbox live members, that totals out to a lot of streaming video.

Sure, this means that 60% of use on the 360 is still gaming, but a substantial chunk has been replaced by other activities. This makes Microsoft’s console not just a video game system, but a real entertainment hub. While the PlayStation Network is doing everything but work for the last few weeks, Microsoft is reporting growth in their entertainment division that is simply astonishing.

In April, when Microsoft reported their Q3 earnings, the Xbox 360 and Kinect emerged as the stars of the report.

All of their divisions grew (Business 21% year-over-year, Server & Tools 11%, Online Services 14%). But their entertainment division grew 60%, fueled by Xbox console and Live subscription sales, as well as Kinect sales.

Frank Shaw, Microsoft’s VP of Corporate Communications says that “simply, Xbox = entertainment” in the blog post. And then he hints about the future of how Xbox will be marketed:

The vision for Xbox is straightforward: All of the entertainment you want. With the people you care about. Made easy. That is why you’ve seen us invest in partnerships with ESPN, Netflix and Hulu. That is why we’ve baked social directly into the experience with Xbox LIVE – connecting gamers, friends and families across the globe. That is why you’ll see Xbox marketed more as an entertainment brand this year.

Will the Xbox console, both the 360 and any future versions ever be less about gaming than other entertainment? It’s possible. Microsoft seems to know that it got into everyone’s homes with gaming on the Xbox, and that it can use that established position to develop a full on entertainment brand. Their recent acquisition of Skype may be further evidence of the changing landscape of the Xbox gaming console.

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The Digit Mp3 player, designed by Nuno Teixiera, is probably one of the world’s sexiest mp3 players. That shouldn’t come as a surprise since the brain behind it also created the highly acclaimed concept design iView Dual Monitor. The lines and slim shapes of the Digit Mp3 somewhat remind me of one of those really futuristic remote controls for some reason.  Maybe it’s even the remote control featured in the movie Click.

The coolest and most eye-catching feature of the Digit Mp3 is probably the ear buds. They are bluetooth enabled and their minimal design is among the fanciest to date. Wearing them is totally going to become a chic thing where they will almost become an accessory instead of a gadget. There is a sharp line between male and female in the way the colors are used, and you can pick the color that most compliments your clothes for the day. Geeks like sexy gadgets, and this is definitely one of them.

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The Digit Mp3 player, designed by Nuno Teixiera, is probably one of the world’s sexiest mp3 players. That shouldn’t come as a surprise since the brain behind it also created the highly acclaimed concept design iView Dual Monitor. The lines and slim shapes of the Digit Mp3 somewhat remind me of one of those really futuristic remote controls for some reason.  Maybe it’s even the remote control featured in the movie Click.

The coolest and most eye-catching feature of the Digit Mp3 is probably the ear buds. They are bluetooth enabled and their minimal design is among the fanciest to date. Wearing them is totally going to become a chic thing where they will almost become an accessory instead of a gadget. There is a sharp line between male and female in the way the colors are used, and you can pick the color that most compliments your clothes for the day. Geeks like sexy gadgets, and this is definitely one of them.

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You are welcome if you want to share more useful apps for mac that our readers/viewers may like. Do you want to be the first one to know the latest happenings at  SmashingApps.com just subscribe to our rss feed and you can follow us on twitter as well.

iConify

Are tired of exporting different sizes for different iOS devices? Fear not, iConify is a quick and easy app to generate assets for your iOS app. With iConify, you can generate all these images straight from your PSD files.

Backdrop

Backdrop is a simple utility to fill your screen with a giant blank window. Fill the window with a solid color or a custom image, your choice. Also, includes a Pixel Test mode to check for bad pixels on your displays.

Windows Phone 7 Connector

Windows Phone 7 Connector is a simple, easy-to-use application designed to sync your favorite media files from your Mac, with your Windows Phone 7 or Zune HD. You can also sync photos and videos you captured on your phone with your Mac, and when needed, update your Windows Phone 7 software.

Remind Me Later

Remind Me Later adds events to iCal in two clicks. Type “Buy groceries at 4pm tomorrow”, and it will add “Buy groceries” to iCal at 4pm tomorrow.

PixAM

With PixAM, you can clip a full screen, a window or a custom rectangle and share any image with your friends with one click.

GIFQuickMaker

With GIFQuickMaker, GIF, TIFF, BMP, PNG, JPEG and GIF image transmission combination and GIF animations can be created.

StoreSizer

StoreSizer is a Mac application that allows you to easily resize the AppStore 512×512 PNG icons into 57×57, 75×75, 29×29, … icons that can be used on iPhone and iPad applications.

Moxier Wallet

Moxier Wallet allows you to safely & conveniently store, organize, and retrieve your personal information. The latest version of Moxier Wallet offers multi-platform data synchronization for secure data access from your iPhone, iPod Touch, Windows PC, and Mac Computer.

MiniUsage

MiniUsage displays various data like CPU usage, amount of network flow, battery status and process names which uses much CPU time in a menubar. It takes little space and can display various data, so it’s suitable for notebook.

EasyFind

Think Mac OS X’s Spotlight could use some help, especially when searching for text files? Download EasyFind, an alternative to (or supplement of) Spotlight and find files, folders, or contents in any file without indexing. EasyFind is especially useful for those tired of slow or impossible indexing, outdated or corrupted indices, or those just looking for features missing in the Finder or Spotlight.

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3D Text in Cinema 4D

Create a Detailed Zune HD MP3 in Cinema 4D Day 1 and Day 2

Metaball Tutorial in Cinema 4D

Seamlessly Blend 3D Typography with a Photo Using Cinema 4D and Photoshop

iPod Video Tutorial

Exploding Font

Create HDRI in Cinema 4D

Create an Abstract Armored Sphere Scene in Cinema 4D

An Introduction to Xpresso in Cinema 4D

Create Amazingly Realistic Renders Using Advanced Render in Cinema 4D

Create a Jumping Lamp Animation in C4D Day 1 and Day 2

Using Depth of Field with VRay in Cinema 4D

Create an Abstract Disco Ball Scene with Cinema 4D

Modelling and Rendering a Pillow in C4D

Stylish Lighting in Cinema 4D and Photoshop

Incredibly Realistic Water Text in Cinema 4D and Photoshop

Creepy Ghost in Photoshop and Cinema 4D

Bulb Modeling Tutorial

Door Type Effect

Planet Tutorial

Modeling a 3D Zebra

Creating a Car Tire

Apple Pro Speaker Cinema 4D Tutorial

Ironman 2 Texturing Titles

Transformers Titles in Cinema 4D

How to Export Your Scene from Cinema 4D to After Effects

How to Make the Infinite Floor Look in Cinema 4D

How to Use Sub Polygon Displacement in Cinema 4D

How to Make a Simple Spin Logo Animation with Cinema 4D

Modeling a Car Using Blueprints

3D Abstract Tentacle Tutorial

How to Create Explosive Typographic Effects in Cinema 4D

How to Make a 3D Graffiti Piece

Adding Bounce with Mograph

Using Xrefs

Cloth and Hair in Cinema 4D

Making a Glass and a Wine Bottle with CD4

Painting a Crate

Making an Hourglass

Making of Portrait of a Silent Man

For more educational resources please see:

• Learn Photoshop
• Learn Illustrator
• Learn Web Design
• Learn Photo Editing

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There are some conditions for this deal. You have to buy a Windows Phone 7 device from an A1 retail store on the Windows Phone 7 launch day – October 21st. They’ll be giving out Xbox 360s (the new Slim models) until they run out of them. If you’re picky about the new Xbox, it’s the cheaper Arcade 4GB model, not the 250GB model, but you can’t complain about free.

If you’re Austrian (or want an A1 phone) and can’t make it to an A1 retail store on October 21st, you can pre-order a phone online, where your name will be dropped into a drawing for the Xbox 360. Definitely sounds like you’ll have a better chance showing up at the store.

A1 is offering three Windows Phone 7 devices on launch day. The HTC 7 Trophy, the HTC HD7 and the Samsung Omnia 7. A nice little selection. Definately worth waiting in line to snag a new phone and a Xbox 360, if you’re interested in living the full Microsoft lifestyle.

Remember that Windows Phone 7 is launching in Europe and Asia on October 21st and in early November in the United States. Are you jealous of the Austrians? Is the free Xbox 360 the best thing ever? Tell us your take in the comments section.

Related posts on TFTS:

1. AT&T Offers Free Zune To Windows Phone 7 Buyers [Pre-Order A Windows Phone 7 Gets You A Month of Free Zune Pass With AT&T, But When It Comes To Free Stuff, They're Not Alone]
2. Xbox.com Getting Overhauled Tomorrow [New Xbox Website Will Allow Avatar Editing, Along With Windows Phone 7 Support]
3. Xbox Live on Windows Phone 7 Announced & Demoed Officially [Microsoft Cares About Mobile Gaming, Ups the Ante at gamescom 2010 with Xbox Live Integration in Windows Phone 7]
4. AT&T Looking To Be The “Premier Carrier” In Terms Of Windows Phone 7 [AT&T Making Commitments To Windows Phone 7, Lets Just Hope It Proves To Be Better Than What They Have Done With Android]
5. Windows Phone Live Will Bring MobileMe-like Features To Windows Phone 7 For Free [Windows Phone Live Will Feature Remote Wipe, Find My Phone, Data Sync, 25GB Of SkyDrive Storage & More]

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The odd part about this is that it’s only part of the pre-order package for those interested in laying hands on a Windows Phone 7. You already know about Microsoft’s massive billion dollar ad blitz to hawk the phone, but what’s coming out is a panoply of free offers aimed at driving demand to the late-coming competitor to the iPhone and Android.

Here’s the rundown on freebies going on with the release of the Windows Phone 7, because as it turns out, they’re different based on where you go. Based on some reports, AT&T’s not just giving away a free month of Zune Pass, as well as ilomilo, and a free month of U-verse Mobile besides.

Buying through Microsoft somewhat stunts AT&T’s offering, as they’ll offer you a whopping three months of free Zune Pass if you buy direct from them. So whether to go with Microsoft or AT&T somewhat depends on your usage patterns. If you’re big on music, go Microsoft. Variety buffs should go AT&T.

Oh, and in one final bizarre move, if you’re out in Austria, and you find yourself wanting an HTC Trophy phone, buying one will get you a free Xbox 360 complete with four gig storage. Yes, an entire game system, free of charge for buying a cell phone! It may be outlandish, but man, does it ever get attention!

There are a lot of deals out there if you’re looking to get hands on a Windows Phone 7, so shop with some care and don’t be afraid to negotiate, and chances are you’ll walk away with a whole lot more than you were expecting going in.

Related posts on TFTS:

1. Zune Pass Coming To England, Large Portion of Europe Besides [UK, France, Spain, Italy All On List For Zune Pass]
2. Windows Phone Live Will Bring MobileMe-like Features To Windows Phone 7 For Free [Windows Phone Live Will Feature Remote Wipe, Find My Phone, Data Sync, 25GB Of SkyDrive Storage & More]
3. Zune HD2 with Windows Phone 7 OS Coming from Microsoft? [Zune Phone in the Making Without Actual Phone Capabilities: Zune HD2 Running Windows Phone 7 Version]
4. Zune Phone to be Unveiled at the MWC? [Rumors Point to a MWC 2010 Zune Phone Debut; Nvidia Tegra on Board]
5. Zune Phone to be Announced at MWC 2010? [Microsoft Could Launch Windows Mobile 7-based Zune Phone in the Near Future]

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Bing may not have a large share of the search market, but Microsoft’s search engine has been quietly picking up useful features in small verticals to pick up new users. Starting this week, the engine has new features that make it easier for users to find entertainment information online.

The “Entertainment” section on Bing now provides additional gaming, video streaming and film information. These are smart little tricks that could help create repeat visitors to Bing. And don’t be surprised if you see Google taking notice.

Google still retains a majority of the search market, but Bing has been adding extra features to its search engine in efforts to build its niche searching capabilities.

And the company is making this move after noticing that entertainment queries are a huge draw for web surfers. As Microsoft points out, 76% of people use search to help
find and navigate entertainment options online. But there’s lots of room for improvement — and for Bing to make entertainment its niche. Only 10% say they have a trusted place to go to find entertainment answers.

As Microsoft Senior Vice President Yusuf Mehdi told CNET:

“Entertainment has turned out to be a very high-volume, high-query
scenario. About 10 percent of all queries are
entertainment-related, so that’s a big opportunity.”

According to Mehdi, consumers
conduct about 1.5 billion entertainment related queries on Bing every month. Now, when they search on the site, they can easily find song lyrics and over 5
million full-length songs through a license agreement between the music
labels and Zune. Bing provides links to purchase the song, and most impressively (especially for Microsoft), users don’t have to install a player, register or download anything to do so.

In addition to music content, now people who come to Bing can watch television shows, easily find movie times, play games
and listen to music all within the Bing browser. The move has two benefits for Microsoft’s search engine. Users who find entertainment information more easily on Bing than other search engines will likely come back to do more searches. Additionally, by keeping all of this information in the Bing browser, Microsoft is making Bing a more integral part of the things people like to do online.

Ardent Bejeweled addict? Now you can play right in the Bing browser.

Microsoft notes that people spend 60 hours watching online
video every single month. They found that over 30% of
people watch all of their TV episodes online, and over 60% of people
have used a search engine to look for full-length TV shows online. Making that content easier to find will help make Bing more indispensable.

As Mehdi told CNET:

“There are a lot of people that can provide “hey, here’s a link to this,
here’s a link to that.” The people who can do the end-to-end killer
experience, make it simple, make it easy, have it work. That’s what can
help you transcend. I think we saw an opportunity to maybe do that.”

The one problem with the current state of search, of course, is that should Bing’s new features resonate with users, we can expect to see them in other places shortly. Like Google.

Microsoft’s search engine just got a whole lot more media-focused with the launch of Bing Entertainment, a new vertical centering on music, movies, TV and games. The goal behind the new destination at bing.com/entertainment is to make it easier to find what movie to watch, what music to listen to, what casual games to play: “Spend less time searching for entertainment and more time doing the stuff you love.”

New features within each content section aim to connect searchers with answers more quickly. In Bing Music, users will now be able to preview entire songs from the 5+ million song library, plus get lyrics, artist profiles, upcoming concerts and events, and purchase tracks with one click from iTunes, Zune or Amazon. Bing Movies brings together visual search results with customer reviews, showtimes, in-line movie trailers, one-click purchasing, related Facebook and Twitter updates, plus Bing Maps integration for planning an evening out.

Bing TV collates more than 1,500 shows and 20,000 full TV episodes from partners including Hulu, CBS, Viacom and others. Along with access to episodes and reviews, users can also socialize search results and episodes via Facebook, Twitter, instant messenger or e-mail. Bing Games aggregates reviews, cheats and walkthroughs for console and PC titles as well as providing 100 playable casual games right in-line.

The new vertical represents a significant push into entertainment territory and furthers Bing’s efforts to actually compete with Google in the search arena. It’s essentially welcome competition for consumers, some of whom will undoubtedly find Bing’s search vertical approach a refreshing way to find information by context.

What do you think of Bing’s new Entertainment vertical? If you get a chance to try it out, be sure to let us know your impressions in the comments.

Tags: bing, entertainment, games, microsoft, Movies, music, Search, tv

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Bloomberg BusinessWeek wrote a very damning piece against Microsoft in which they quote several analysts who believe that Microsoft should get out of the consumer technology space. They accuse Microsoft’s whole Entertainment division (Xbox, Zune, Bing, Windows Phone) of dragging the company down and hurting the bottom line and growth of the American tech giant.

Microsoft (similar to Google in this regard), makes a large portion of their income from Windows and Microsoft Office, which allows them the freedom to lose income on “side projects” like the Xbox 360, Windows Phone, Bing, etc. etc. Microsoft would tell you that they’re attempting to expand the markets they’re involved in (like Apple, who has successfully pushed out from computers into phones and music players).

Some of the investors quoted by the BusinessWeek article want IBM to (as mentioned early) “pull an IBM”. In the early 1990’s, IBM reorganized themselves into an enterprise services and infrastructure company, mostly leaving the consumer space, save for the ThinkPad notebooks (which were generally pushed as enterprise models – and were made by Lenovo all those years anyway).

Do you think Microsoft should give up on the Xbox and Natal? Are you excited for Natal? How much would you pay for the Natal add-on?

Looking to get up to speed concerning the iPhone 4? See iPhone 4 – All You Need to Know about the Next Gen Apple iPhone.

Related Reading on TFTS:

1. Microsoft Confirms Project Natal Release Date for Holiday 2010 [Project Natal Motion Control Gaming Coming to Xbox 360 by the End of the Year]
2. Project Natal Release Date Revealed for October 2010 [Microsoft to Launch Xbox 360 Project Natal Motion Control Gaming Peripheral in October]
3. Microsoft Project Natal Release Date Leaked? [MS Project Natal for Xbox 360 Set to Hit November 2010]
4. Project Natal to Arrive on June 13 at E3 [Microsoft Confirms Project Natal for June 13 Release; PlayStation Move Not Invited to the Event]
5. Project Natal to Cost $200, Double What We Thought It Would? [Some Stores in Sweden to Charge $200 for Project Natal, Microsoft’s Motion Controlled Gaming Solution]

Not reading this in a feedreader? If so this has been taken from the original post as seen here: Project Natal to Cost $200, Double What We Thought It Would? [Some Stores in Sweden to Charge $200 for Project Natal, Microsoft’s Motion Controlled Gaming Solution].

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Related posts on TFTS:

1. Windows Mobile 6.5 Becomes Official Today [Microsoft Unveils Marketplace and My Phone Service]
2. Windows Mobile 7 Gets Confirmed by Microsoft [Official Announcement Expected for March 2010]
3. Zune Phone to be Announced at MWC 2010? [Microsoft Could Launch Windows Mobile 7-based Zune Phone in the Near Future]
4. Windows Phone 7 Confirmed for the MWC [Microsoft to Unveil Windows Mobile 7 at MWC 2010; so Says the WSJ]
5. Microsoft Phone 7 Series Phone to be Released by Asus & Microsoft in 2011? [Microsoft Making Its Own Windows Mobile 7 Phone After All? Asus to Help Too]
6. Windows Phone 7 Technical Specs & Features Detailed [Microsoft to Reveal Windows Phone 7 Plans at Microsoft MIX Conference Next Week]

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Related posts on TFTS:

1. Zune Phones Hinted by Microsoft’s Software [Zune Software Update Reveals Future Zune Phones]
2. Mobile Data Traffic Passes Voice Traffic [Telcoms Report That Mobile Data Traffic Overtook Voice Traffic in 2009, Smartphones Are Officially Mainstream]
3. Skype & Skype Lite Not Available Anymore for Windows Mobile Phones; Upgrade in the Works [Skype Pulls Skype & Skype Lite for Windows Mobile; Working on Better VoIP Client for WinMo Phones]
4. Sprint Reveals 2010 Smartphone Lineup [Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, WiMAX Phones Mentioned; App Store in the Works]
5. Evernote Coming to Future Samsung Android Phones [Evernote Note-Taking App to be Preloaded on Samsung Android Smartphones]
6. Windows Marketplace Opens Doors to Ancient Phones [Support for Windows Mobile 6 & 6.1 Now Available]

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Related posts on TFTS:

1. Windows Phone 7 Technical Specs & Features Detailed [Microsoft to Reveal Windows Phone 7 Plans at Microsoft MIX Conference Next Week]
2. Microsoft KIN ONE & TWO Pricing Details & Release Dates Now Available [Verizon to Sell the KIN ONE & TWO on May 6; Windows Phones Available in Stores on May 13]
3. Verizon Wireless to Change Phone and Data Plans Pricing in 2010 [New Verizon Phone and Data Plans Prices Available from January 18]
4. Zune Phone to be Announced at MWC 2010? [Microsoft Could Launch Windows Mobile 7-based Zune Phone in the Near Future]
5. Windows Phone 7 Gets Unveiled Again at Microsoft MIX 10 [This Time Around Microsoft Shows Us Apps for Windows Phone 7, the Marketplace & More]
6. Microsoft Phone 7 Series Phone to be Released by Asus & Microsoft in 2011? [Microsoft Making Its Own Windows Mobile 7 Phone After All? Asus to Help Too]

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Last month, Microsoft unveiled its Kin smartphone series; today the company announced details regarding its availability and pricing on the Verizon network.

The two different Kin phones, Kin One and Kin Two, will be available online beginning tomorrow, May 6, and will be in stores on May 13. The Kin One will be available for $49.99 and the Kin Two for $99.99, both after a $100 mail-in rebate.

With Kin, Microsoft hopes to attract younger audiences with a product that is squarely focused on utilizing and connecting to social networks for sharing text messages, photos and videos. While elements of the initial ad campaign had to be edited to quell an anti-sexting backlash, Kin has strongly positioned itself as a central repository for users of digital social graphs.

After the Kin announcement, we discussed its potential as a phone that is less about apps and more about connecting to existing networks. This is an idea that has a lot of promise, but much of that promise is precipitated on the price of the device and corresponding data plans.

Now that the pricing and plan info has been released, let’s break it down and see what it might mean for the future success of the Kin platform.

Phones Priced Right — Data Plans, Not So Much

At $49.99 and $99.99 after mail-in rebate (the rebate comes in the form of a debit card, which is a pretty cool way to do that) respectively, we think the pricing of the phones is actually on point. Granted, the phones still cost more than the Palm Pre Plus, but let’s face it, Verizon’s trying to give those things away.

The prices are low enough put both phones in the entry level category, especially considering that these things essentially have the same guts as a Zune HD.

However, what concerns us is the pricing on the data plans. “To get the most from KIN, Verizon Wireless customers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan and an Email and Web for Smartphone plan,” Microsoft explained. “Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 monthly access. Email and Web for Smartphone plans start at $29.99 for unlimited monthly access.”

OK, so we understand that the nationwide talk plans are likely going to be set in stone — that’s just how it works. But what’s up with the $29.99 smartphone data plan? I mean, we realize that the whole point of the phone is to be able to use it to send and receive tons of data, but is it really a smartphone?

Furthermore — and this likely won’t be clear until the phone goes live on Verizon’s website tomorrow — is the voice plan a requirement? The Kin phones — much like the Sidekick — de-emphasize the actual “phone” functionality of the device in favor of its digital capabilities. Now, if the Kin could be obtained without a voice plan, then maybe $29.99 wouldn’t be so bad.

However, at a minimum of $69.99 a month for voice and data for this phone ($89.99 if you want to add unlimited text messaging to that), the value proposition quickly dwindles. Whatever you save on the phone ends up irrelevant if you still have to spend $70 a month. If I’m 15 or 16, I’d rather just push mom and dad for the Droid Incredible or save up for a few more weeks to pay the difference myself.

The only silver lining in this entire predicament is for Family Plan subscribers. That helps negate the voice plan pricing though it still leaves an additional $29.99 for a new data plan if the phone it is replacing didn’t have that data plan.

In an ideal world, we would have liked to have seen a combination voice/data plan that was more affordable. The Kin would be much more compelling if there was a way to get unlimited email/data/text plus 100 anytime minutes in the range of $39.99 a month.

Competition Looming

Since the Kin was announced, other phone manufacturers have come out with their own social networking phones. Samsung introduced the Reality, also available on the Verizon network. Reality costs $79.99 and is eligible for the data plan that starts at $9.99.

The Droid Incredible has also launched with rave reviews and impressive sales, setting it up as the “Android phone to own” on the Verizon network — at least for now. It might not have the centralized social network focus of the Kin, but the Android Marketplace is getting bigger all of the time.

We still think that the Kin is a really interesting concept — and we think that its cloud-based approach to storage as well as its focus on actions rather than apps distinguishes it nicely. Having said that, Verizon’s pricing scheme might end up deterring potential customers, or at least their calculator-crunching parents.

What do you think of the Kin’s pricing and plan structure? Let us know.

Tags: Kin, Microsoft Kin, verizon

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Welcome once again to our long-running Faceoff Series, wherein we pit two web services, apps or gadgets against each other in a knock-down, drag-out fight to win the hearts and minds of Mashable readers. We’ve had some heated matchups here lately, from the not-even-out-yet next-gen iPhone beating out the Droid Incredible to Apple iBooks besting the Amazon Kindle.

This week it’s all about yet another mobile device head-to-head, and this time we turn our attention to music players. Here too, Apple has enjoyed a certain mindshare dominance with the iPod/iPhone and iTunes ecosystem. Still, Microsoft arguably has its own very strong contender in the MP3 player space with the Zune HD. Paired with the Zune Pass service — a subscription offering that Apple thus far lacks — the Zune HD is some tasty hardware that makes a great portable all-you-can-eat buffet for music lovers.

So let’s put the Zune HD up against its arch-nemesis the iPod touch to see what Mashable readers think is the best portable music player of the two. Cast your vote in the poll between now and Friday 3 p.m. PST to play your part in this Faceoff, and be sure to let us know in the comments why you backed your player of choice. You can also check out past Faceoff winners and results at the end of this post. Happy voting!

Who would win in a fight: the Zune HD or iPod touch?survey software

Faceoff Series: Overall Results

Week 1:
– Mozilla Firefox vs. Google Chrome
– WINNER: Firefox, 4600 votes (Chrome: 3310 votes, Tie: 911 votes)

Week 2:
– Tumblr vs. Posterous
– WINNER: Tumblr, 1809 votes (Posterous: 1496 votes, Tie: 256 votes)

Week 3:
– Pandora vs. Last.fm
– WINNER: Last.fm, 1187 votes (Pandora: 1156 votes, Tie: 122 votes)

Week 4:
– Twitter vs. Facebook
– WINNER: Facebook, 2484 votes (Twitter: 2061 votes, Tie: 588 votes)

Week 5:
– WordPress vs. Typepad
– WINNER: WordPress, 2714 votes (Typepad: 267 votes, Tie: 357 votes)

Week 6:
– Windows 7 vs. Snow Leopard
– WINNER: Windows 7, 3632 votes (Snow Leopard: 3278 votes, Tie: 121 votes)

Week 7:
– TweetDeck vs. Seesmic Desktop
– WINNER: TweetDeck, 3294 votes (Seesmic Desktop: 1055 votes, Tie: 260 votes)

Week 8:
– Microsoft Office vs. Google Docs
– WINNER: Microsoft Office, 1365 votes (Google Docs: 994 votes, Tie: 315 votes)

Week 9:
– Apple iPhone vs. Google Android
– WINNER: Google Android, 3323 votes (Apple iPhone: 1494 votes, Tie: 228 votes)

Week 10:
– AT&T vs. Verizon
– WINNER: Verizon, 1161 votes (AT&T: 538 votes, Tie: 118 votes)

Week 11:
– Google vs. Bing
– WINNER: Google, 2180 votes (Bing: 519 votes, Tie: 97 votes)

Week 12:
– iPod Touch/iPhone vs. Nintendo DS vs. Sony PSP
– WINNER: iPod Touch/iPhone, 704 votes (Sony PSP: 639 votes, Nintendo DS: 482 votes, Tie: 108 votes)

Week 13:
– Digg vs. Reddit vs. StumbleUpon
– WINNER: Digg, 14,762 votes (Reddit: 11,466 votes, StumbleUpon: 2507 votes, Tie: 1032 votes)

Week 14:
– Old versus new Twitter retweets
– WINNER: Old style retweets, 1625 votes (New style retweets: 699 votes, Tie: 227 votes)

Week 15:
– Gmail vs. Outlook
– WINNER: Gmail, 3684 votes (Outlook: 980 votes, Tie: 590 votes)

Week 16:
– Boxee vs. Hulu
– WINNER: Hulu, 626 votes (Boxee: 591 votes, Tie: 106 votes)

Week 17:
– Nexus One vs. iPhone 3GS
– WINNER: Nexus One, 6743 votes (iPhone 3GS: 2818 votes, Tie: 592 votes)

Week 18:
– Foursquare vs. Yelp vs. Gowalla
– WINNER: Foursquare, 1182 votes, (Yelp: 661 votes, Gowalla: 509 votes, Tie: 143 votes)

Week 19:
– AIM vs. GTalk vs. FbChat
– WINNER: GTalk, 2189 votes, (AIM: 1257 votes, FbChat: 511 votes, Tie: 203 votes)

Week 20:
– Music Ownership vs. Music Subscription
– WINNER: Ownership, 533 votes (Subscription: 299 votes, Tie: 237)

Week 21:
– Match.com vs. PlentyofFish
– WINNER: Plenty of Fish, 430 votes (Match.com: 334 votes, Tie: 187 votes)

Week 21:
– Google Buzz vs. Facebook Vs. Twitter
– WINNER: Facebook, 3353 votes (Twitter: 1828 votes, Google Buzz: 1298 votes, Tie: 651 votes)

Week 22:
– HTML5 vs. Adobe Flash
– WINNER: HTML5, 3892 votes (Adobe Flash: 1779 votes, Tie: 660 votes)

Week 23:
– Project Natal vs. PlayStation Move
– WINNER: Project Natal, 1268 votes (PlayStation Move: 668 votes, None: I don’t like motion controllers: 170 votes, None: I prefer the Wii: 150 votes)

Week 24:
– Chatroulette vs. Hot or Not
– WINNER: Chatroulette, 742 votes (Hot or Not: 281 votes, Tie: 99 votes)

Week 25:
– iPad vs. Netbooks
– WINNER: iPad, 3098 votes (Netbook: 1969 votes, Tie: 605 votes)

Week 26:
– Amazon Kindle vs. Apple iBooks
– WINNER: Apple iBooks, 1227 votes (Amazon Kindle: 928 votes, Tie: 118 votes, Neither: 276 votes)

Tags: apple, iPod Touch, microsoft, MP3 player, music, music players, PMP, web faceoff, zune hd

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Windows Guides’ Rating	User Rating	Compatible with
5 out of 5	Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.

PROGRAM: WinX DVDRipper Platinum For Windows and MAC PROS: Very easy to use. Fast and reliable. Supports most file-formats and gadgets. 5 Minute Copy ! CONS: Haven’t found any…as of yet VERDICT: If you ever should consider buying a DVD Copy/Backup program, it’s this one. You can make backups of your DVD collection with a few clicks – even the newest ones. And you get free lifetime updates. PRICE: $35,99 VERSION REVIEWED: 5.10 Download Link in the Article

Have you ever tried a program and immediately just loved it ?

Earlier, I’ve written about Freeware programs to help you make backups of your DVD’s in order to rescue them from your kids, lover(s), dog, neighbor and what not. This time I’ve got a Commercial solution for you.

I tend to prefer freeware – because I often find the Free Products to be better or simpler to use.This time, however, I have found a commercial product that I want to show you. WinX DVDRipper Platinum is one of those rare occasions where you actually get what you pay for.

Simplicity yet powerful

The first thing I noticed when I first booted WinX, was that everything I need, is there right in front of you. It’s obvious that the developers had usability in mind – all the way from the drawing board up to the finished product. Just insert a DVD, Choose your desired output format, and click the Start button.

You can choose to do a  Full DVD copy without conversion OR you can choose to save the backup as AVI, MP4, MPEG,WMV, FLV, MOV and Zune even. If you choose AVI, you get to choose your preferred playback device. You will not only find the usual iPhone, PSP, 3GP and iPod formats – but also (watch and behold) the new iPad !

If you are a techy like me, you can tweak every setting to maximum or minimum (whatever you prefer) or you may simply, trust the custom settings. Which is always a good idea, first time around.

Copy Protection

I know – The people behind Copy Protection for DVD’s won’t be happy for this, but… WinX support the latest copy protection algorithms -  which means that you may create backups of your newest investments as well.

So they say, anyways.

I decided to try, and inserted my newest DVD (I’m not going to disclose which one – but it’s about mammoths, a saber tooth tiger and a wacky guy with big teeth and strange eyes, who one day find themselves amongst dinosaurs). Keep in mind that I do this solely to test the program – nothing else.

I chose the custom AVI format with AC3 sound (6ch), 1800 kbs Video Quality, DivX format. Pressed Start. And to my big surprise, about 2 hours later a perfectly playable AVI file was stored on my Drive. For the poor owner of an expensive DVD, who wants to protect his DVD collection (which of course is paid for with hard-earned money), this is really good news.

Within 5 minutes ?!

If the commercial promise something that just sounds too good to be true, I generally believe it to be. When WinX promises to create a FULL copy of my DVD movie (movie only, not menus, extras etc) within 5 minutes – I don’t believe them. That is, until I tried it for myself.

I inserted (yet again) my newest DVD, Chose Copy, and clicked Start.
4 minutes, 57 seconds later… a full copy of the movie in  MPEG format with AC3 6ch sound and 3,39 GB was finished. Once again, I am in awe.

Other features

Other features worth mentioning: Sync Fixer, which can fix audio sync problems on the fly, Safe Mode, which will finish encoding the movie even if non-critical problems occur, Multi-Core CPU support, and change interlaced scanning DVD movie to progressive scanning, make converted video with clearer image.

Overall, Cons and Pros

If you have read my previous reviews, you know that I always look for something that should be improved or fixed or is missing. Sorry to disappoint you – but this time, I’m at loss The program is simply great.

With your bought license you get lifetime upgrade (which is what you would expect from your freeware)
You also get to fully backup your DVD movie (without conversion) within 5 minutes !

Is it worth the prize-tag ? Definitively.
Want to know more ? Read about it here

Try it Free Now !

Download !!

PS!

I wouldn’t be surprised if I saw a big giveaway contest very very soon – so be on the lookout. Here, on mintywhite.

Further Reading

• Acer Gridvista Enables Aero Snap Features [Vista and XP]
• DnsJumper (v1.0.3), Changing your DNS – How and why?
• [CLOSED] 10 Licenses for Predator ($29 Value)
• Protect your Computer with a USB Flash Drive [Freeware]
• Nitro PDF Professional: An Affordable PDF Suite Packed with Features ($99)

Microsoft MIX has started today and we’re virtually there. Watching these presentations is definitely interesting but before we get overexcited we’ll be waiting for actual products to hit stores particularly when it comes to Windows Phone 7.

What will Windows Phone 7 be like? Windows Phone 7 hubs, user interface and hidden details are all about to be unveiled! That’s what Microsoft will mostly try to address during the sessions and keynotes at MIX 10. And Microsoft has new OS features to show us like the Microsoft Location Service and the Push Notification Service aka Microsoft Notification Service. We’ll definitely be back with more clear details once we know ourselves what it all means to us.

Furthermore Microsoft’s special event will also show us what the new Marketplace is all about including the way developers will develop new apps for the new mobile platform. Besides lots and lots of good looking apps we can expect lots of games and, as we told you earlier, we will definitely have Xbox Live integration which is something a lot of users will love.

So far we have a short list of companies that are ready to offer apps for the new, revamped Marketplace and it all sounds very interesting:

AWS Convergence Technologies ? WeatherBug, Citrix Systems Inc., Clarity Consulting Inc., Cypress Consulting, EA Mobile, Fandango Inc., Foursquare Labs Inc., frog design inc., Glu Mobile Inc., Graphic.ly, Hudson Entertainment Inc., IdentityMine Inc., IMDb.com Inc., Larva Labs, Match.com LLC, Matchbox Mobile Ltd., Microsoft Game Studios, Namco Networks America Inc., Oberon Media Inc., Pageonce Inc., Pandora Media Inc., Photobucket Inc., PopCap Games Inc., Seesmic, Shazam Entertainment Ltd., Sling Media, SPB Software Inc., stimulant, TeleCommunications Systems Inc., Touchality LLC and Vertigo Software Inc.

So what do you say folks? Are you impressed already? Do you think Apple will sue Microsoft for any alleged patent infringement after it will see what Redmond is about to unveil in the following couple of days?

And by the way, would you like to watch Netflix movies on your Windows Phone 7 smartphone? I don’t want to spoil it all already but there’s definitely an app for that!

Original Post Link: Windows Phone 7 Gets Unveiled Again at Microsoft MIX 10 [This Time Around Microsoft Shows Us Apps for Windows Phone 7, the Marketplace & More] | Published by TFTS – Technology, Gadgets & Curiosities

Related posts on TFTS:

1. Windows Phone 7 Marketplace to be Completely Redesigned? [Windows Phone 7 Has Full Support for Marketplace Apps; Only Not the Ones Currently in It]
2. Windows Mobile 6.5 Becomes Official Today [Microsoft Unveils Marketplace and My Phone Service]
3. Windows Phone 7 Technical Specs & Features Detailed [Microsoft to Reveal Windows Phone 7 Plans at Microsoft MIX Conference Next Week]
4. Microsoft Phone 7 Series Phone to be Released by Asus & Microsoft in 2011? [Microsoft Making Its Own Windows Mobile 7 Phone After All? Asus to Help Too]
5. Windows Phone 7 Series Marketplace Interface in Images [Sleek & Tempting Marketplace for Windows Phone 7 Revealed]
6. Zune HD2 with Windows Phone 7 OS Coming from Microsoft? [Zune Phone in the Making Without Actual Phone Capabilities: Zune HD2 Running Windows Phone 7 Version]

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If you said Apple iPhone then you wouldn’t be wrong. But I’ll tell you that not only iPhones, or iPod touches for that matter, are great at playing games. In fact Android, webOS and Windows Phone 7 are, or will be just as good platforms to offer us all the games we could think about playing while on the go.

Sure your kids will probably want a Nintendo DSx or PSP before they’ll ask for a phone. But that’s where the iPod touch and the upcoming Zune HD2 come in so it will be really interesting to see if it’s really worth making portable gaming consoles anymore.

So what’s the deal with the DS2 you say? Well the device isn’t even official. We have the picture above to show you but that doesn’t necessarily mean the product is real. The DS2 will apparently offer two even bigger panels compared to the DSi XL and they will have an even bigger resolution. In fact they seem to be able to almost merge given their bigger size for certain games in which one could use a bigger screen for a better gaming experience.

The DS2 will also pack an accelerometer which is quite a popular feature these days. Furthermore it’s being said that the Nintendo DS2 will feature a NVIDIA Tegra chipset and that it should be arriving later this year. Should we assume that E3 will bring us the official D2 announcement?

Either way you could always go for the iPhone 4G this summer or wait for the first Windows Phone 7 handsets to hit stores this fall before you ask Santa for a brand new Nintendo DS2 this holiday season. What do you say?

Picture from philnolan3d.com

Original Post Link: Nintendo DS2 Gets Leaked Or You Could Always Buy an iPhone 4G Instead [Nintendo DS2 Bigger Than Predecessors, to Pack Accelerometer & Arrive in Time for Holiday Season] | Published by TFTS – Technology, Gadgets & Curiosities

Related posts on TFTS:

1. iPhone 4G Case Gets Leaked [Rumors Suggest Next-Gen iPhone to be Bigger than iPhone 3G & 3GS]
2. Nintendo DSi LL Gets Official [DSi LL (XL) to Sport Dual 4.2-IN Displays; Available Starting with November 21]
3. Nintendo Wii Drought Expected To Continue Through March [Nintendo Fighting To Refill Stock After Holiday Sales Surge]
4. Nintendo Wii SUPREME Is Made of Diamonds & Solid Gold [Golden Wii SUPREME Costs £299,995.00]
5. iPhone 4G to be Cheaper Than Its Predecessors? [Either That or Apple Will Sell Cheaper iPhone 3GS & 3G This June; iPhone 4G "Gesture-based Technology" Also Mentioned]
6. Nintendo DSi to Get Tegra 2 NVIDIA Processors [Nintendo DSi With Faster Internet & Better Graphics That Match the iPod & the iPhone]

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Microsoft has officially unveiled its new mobile OS and wiped its slate entirely clean of the oft derided Windows Mobile platform. New code, new name, and a new experience that builds on that of the Zune. It’s great to see Microsoft really do its own thing here and by the looks of it do it well. Looks like we may have three viable smartphone OSes now.

Microsoft’s new UI makes the iPhone‘s actually look out-of-date and it’s fantastic to see so much courage and innovation from them. I would actually be more excited about a tablet with this OS than the iPad. The official video:

Check out the official site, too.

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The rumor mill is churning today around a device that is not the Apple Tablet, for once. This time it’s Windows Mobile 7, Microsoft’s promised next-generation smartphone mobile operating system.

The idea of a “Microsoft Zune Phone Experience” has been floating for some time, and according to All Things Digital that rumor has been circulating anew. Microsoft is allegedly working on a mysterious project codenamed “Pink” that vaguely involves Windows Mobile and the Zune, MS’s portable music playing answer to the iPod.

To congeal all the rumors together, the analysis seems to suggest that Project Pink, a.k.a. the Zune Phone Experience, would theoretically be Microsoft’s answer to the Nexus One by Google: a phone developed with a heavy amount of direct input from its parent company. AllThingsD’s sources indicate that phone could debut as early as mid-February at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona or possibly one month later at the CTIA wireless trade show in Las Vegas.

Windows Mobile 7: Two Editions?

Meanwhile, WM Experts have compiled a number of Windows Mobile 7 (supposedly to be referred to officially as simply “Seven”) tidbits, perhaps most importantly the reported plan to offer at least two separate editions of the mobile operating system. A Business Edition (BE) would support cloud syncing with multiple devices, including your home or office PC.

A Seven Media Edition (ME) is rumored to include more Zune-like features, such as a similar media player, HD video, possibly streaming TV, Xbox Live integration, Facebook and Twitter interfaces (similar to what is already live on the Xbox 360), and support for Silverlight and Mediaroom. The support for Xbox Live dovetails nicely with some earlier job postings from Redmond looking for new hires to bring the XBLA experience to the Windows Mobile platform.

The Million-Dollar Question: When?

It would make sense for Microsoft to finally integrate what are primarily three separate experiences and divisions: Windows Mobile, the Zune and the Xbox. That kind of synergy could be exactly what the company needs to steal back some of the thunder it’s slowly lost to new smartphone platforms like the iPhone, and now, increasingly, Android. Still, all signs point to a long wait until we see Seven running on any production device — perhaps as late as 2011.

With the Mobile World Congress and CTIA events just around the corner, though, we’ll hopefully get some more clarity on all the above, plus a better sense of the timeline we’ll be looking at for WinMo7. Are you a current or past Windows Mobile user? What should Microsoft do to come out swinging in the next version of its mobile OS?

[img credit: WM Power User (please note they are leaked screenshots and may not represent the final version of Windows Mobile 7)]

Tags: CTIA2010, microsoft, MWC2010, Project Pink, Seven, windows mobile, windows mobile 7, winmo7, xbla, xbox, Xbox 360, XBox live, zune, Zune Phone, zune phone experience

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Although it seemed like an obvious fit, for whatever reason Microsoft’s Xbox gaming division and its Windows Mobile division have heretofore been kept at arm’s length. Given competitor Apple’s roaring success with the iPhone as a portable gaming platform (recently winning our reader poll against Nintendo and Sony), and Microsoft’s comparative lack of a portable gaming strategy beyond a fledgling gaming focus for the Zune HD, this sector has been a hole waiting to be filled for some time.

Now that’s finally going to start happening, according to a recent job posting in Redmond, WA. The Principle Program Manager’s primary responsibility will be to further the following mission: “connecting players via the LIVE services on new devices beyond the console. We need a Principle Program Manager who can help drive the platform and bring Xbox LIVE enabled games to Windows Mobile.”

Another listing for a software test engineer focuses on mobile gaming as well. It seems clear Microsoft is finally making a push to get into the sector, certainly with the Windows Mobile platform and presumably with the Zune HD as well. The multi-device, multi-platform situation in the Microsoft camp will be a challenging one to simplify for consumers, and it will be interesting to see whether the company attempts to consolidate app marketplaces and content stores or whether devices will remain tethered to separate silos.

Will the Xbox Live Marketplace seamlessly integrate with the Windows Marketplace for Mobile, and will the Zune HD get a more proper app store or be able to tap into either of the other two marketplaces? It sounds like Microsoft is hiring some management whose task it may be to answer some of these questions. However it works out, Xbox LIVE gamers may look forward to seeing more of the XBLA console experience finally take root in Microsoft’s mobile division, at long last.

[via Engadget]

Tags: gadgets, gaming, microsoft, video games, windows mobile, xbla, xbox, XBox live, zune hd

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This week, we reported that the newly released Zune application for Twitter hates “naughty words”. Translation: It censors you when you use explicit language by adding the all-mighty asterisk in place of the identifying characters.

Yesterday, Engadget told us that Microsoft was all up in the issue, seeking to resolve the problem and let us get back to slowly decimating the English language. They even issued a statement.

“The recently released Twitter for Zune HD application has been abbreviating some explicit words in tweets when viewed on the device; however these explicit words do appear in their full text on the Twitter site or on any other Twitter client. We have identified the issue and are taking steps to update the application as soon as possible to ensure Twitter for Zune HD users are able to view tweets in their original state.”

And now, oh expletive enthusiasts, the curse has finally been lifted — or reinstated as it were. The Zune HD Twitter app, version 1.1, lets you swear with abandon. Too bad it’s still super buggy, according to Engadget.

Personally, I’m pretty much opposed to censorship, especially censorship of words that have become such a part of our vernacular so as to be positively benign. What do you think of the the Zune fiasco and the ensuing fix?

[img credit: Engadget]

Tags: Mobile 2.0, twitter, zune

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Originally posted at The Digital Home

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As we’ve announced yesterday, the Twitter application for Zune is now available in the Marketplace, but it holds a somewhat odd surprise for wannabe users.

Actually, according to the folks at Engadget, it’s two unpleasant surprises: first, the app seems to be quite slow in operation. Second, it censors tweets, turning naughty words into stars. While this behavior can be seen by some as a useful feature, it’s still not present anywhere at Twitter, so why force it upon users?

Other than that, the app is free and quite beautiful to look at, so if you have a Zune, and decide to take it for a spin, let us know what you think in the comments.

[image credit: Engadget]

Tags: twitter, zune

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The design of the MSI MT-V660 PMP might look a bit familiar.  Its angled corners, brushed aluminum rear, black base and vertically-justified screen look awfully similar to the Zune HD.  While imitation is a fine form of flattery, the MSI MT-V660 portable media player has the strengths to stand on its own regardless of the design similarities.

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One more reason for following Twitter: you can find out when the Twitter application for your favorite mobile gadget will be released.

Exhibit A is this tweet from the Zune team, claiming the Twitter app for Zune is coming really soon. Sayeth the tweet:

“Zune Nation! The Twitter App for Zune is coming tomorrow – more details in the morning! ^BJ”

Yes, that’s pretty much all we know at this point, so we’ll just have to wait patiently and see how the app works in practice.

Tags: twitter, zune

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The Zune has almost been an irrelevant laughing stock in the eyes of the internet tech blog-reading crowd ever since it was announced in 2006. The truth is that the Zune isn’t that bad, the recent models aren’t bad looking, and the Zune HD is packed with a ton of features, like a nice big touchscreen and web browsing capabilities. Well, now, that Zune HD is getting some new colors for this holiday season.

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How strong is the Zune brand? Outside of the US the Zune HD player simply isn’t available, which makes the Zune a very tiny blip on the radar.

Xbox, on the other hand, is pretty big. So for most customers outside of the US, the fact that Xbox 360 is getting instant on-demand movie streaming – the service is now rebranded as Zune – will mean a lot.

According to Financial Times, the service will be available in 18 markets: US, UK, France, Germany and Australia among others. Available titles will include some of the most popular films from MGM, Paramount and Universal.

Besides movies streaming, the service will also include access to services such as Twitter and Facebook, which makes this a very well-rounded package.

But what of the Zune HD itself? I’m afraid the news isn’t very good; at this time, there’s no word of the device becoming available internationally. Therefore, Microsoft’s “three screens” strategy (according to Microsoft’s Christine Heckart, the company wants Zune (the service) on three screens: mobile, PC and TV) will lack the mobile part, at least in countries other than the US.

Tags: microsoft, xbox, zune

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If you didn’t get into the Preview Program for Xbox LIVE’s forthcoming social networking integrations featuring Twitter, Facebook and last.fm support, don’t worry — you don’t have too much longer to wait.

According to Major Nelson, the new Dashboard Update will be going live to everyone next Tuesday, November 17. The update also includes a new Zune video area that picks up where the Xbox Video Marketplace left off, adding the ability to stream a number of purchases instantly instead of having to wait for them to download.

Keep in mind if you’re an Xbox Live user under age 18, you won’t be able to access the new features at launch because of a current lack of parental controls on the new services. But Microsoft is working on building out those controls, so Twitter, Facebook and last.fm should become available to teen Xbox 360 users within a few weeks.

Have you had a chance to check out the new features in the preview yet? What are your thoughts? And if not, are you looking forward to tweeting or Facebooking from your Xbox 360?

Tags: facebook, gaming, Last.FM, microsoft, twitter, Xbox 360, XBox live, zune video

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Hi Peter, welcome to DC! Can you give us some information about yourself, just who is Peter Sunna?

Thanks for having me! Well, I’m a 33-year-old Swede living in New York. I’ve been working as a designer for about ten years now. I’m married and have a cat called Burger.

How did you come to migrate to New York from Sweden? Did your initial success have anything to do with it?

It was nothing I had planned on really. After graduating from college in Stockholm I moved to London in early 2000 to pursue a career in design. I ended up staying for about two years before a friend of mine asked if I would be interested in working for JDK Design in Burlington, VT. This seemed like the most unexpected opportunity so I decided to go for it. Things worked out and next thing I know, I’m living in Vermont and learning how to snowboard. I spent about four years there before relocating to the company’s NYC office. That was in 2006 and I’ve been in NYC since.

So, it took six years to get from Sweden to New York! Hardly a straight shot. That also sounds like I’ve reached the end destination, which I’m pretty sure is not the case.

Storm – Visual identity and advertising for a club night

As a Swedish designer, do you think your design style differs from American design? If yes, how so?

I’m not your typical Swedish designer. Maybe that sounds a bit arrogant, haha, but what I mean is that although I’m schooled in Sweden I haven’t really worked there much. Swedish design is associated with functionality and simplicity and those are values that I learned to appreciate in college. But, I think I’m equally influenced by my experiences abroad. It’s hard to say what my style would’ve been had I stayed put in Stockholm, but I’d like to think I’m better of for having more diverse experiences.

Your work demonstrates a balance of strong graphics with white-space. How do you incorporate white-space without leaving your work looking bland?

Figuratively speaking, to use your analogy, if you fill the whole page with stuff nothing will stand out. Pretty obvious, but

in the end it’s about contrast and about what you’re trying to communicate. Less is more. Though sometimes less is less. That’s when you realize your working is looking bland and you have to start all over!

Snowboard design ’05 – 2003

You’ve worked at Wolff Olins among many other top agencies in New York. What can you tell us about agency life compared to that of freelancing?

I spent most of my career working at studios, including six years at JDK Design and some time at Wolff Olins until recently. So, the freelance life is still pretty new to me. As a freelancer, I think the first thing you realize (at least for me anyway) is that you need to wear multiple hats — one being a project manager, another as creative director, designer, and so on. Sounds doable enough but all of those details take time and it’s not something you’re necessarily aware of as a creative, going into it. It can be stressful scheduling multiple projects and on the flip side, making sure you have enough work. Luckily, I’ve kept pretty busy so far and I’m really enjoying where I’m at right now. It keeps me on my toes, I get to meet new people, and I’m learning new things.

Has working at agencies given you any techniques in marketing, project management or client relations that you now use in freelancing? What are some of these techniques?

I think you are bound to pick up techniques, procedures and how to go about certain things but you don’t always realize it as it happens. I have a tendency to take these things for granted and sometimes wonder “What have I really learned?” But then at other times you’re doing or presenting something and you surprise yourself with the stuff that comes out that you’ve picked up along the way.

It’s great if you’re picking up and learning news things but it’s equally important to know what not to absorb as well. Some things you experience you just wanna remember so you never repeat them yourself.

Microsoft Zune – Branding and art direction

We saw that you were responsible for branding and art direction for Microsoft Zune. The result is nothing less than stunning. Can you tell us about the thought process behind the logo and what inspired it? Feel free to elaborate.

Creating the visual identity for Zune was a project I did while working at JDK Design. The idea for the brand was that music is a shared experience and that Zune is a friendship amplifier. Meaning that it’s a social and living experience and Zune is the enabler. The identity had to reflect this in some way and part of the brief was also to create an icon that could work as a stand-alone. So the icon, or gem as it’s referred to, is a constellation of points that are all connected and is a visual metaphor for shared experiences and a social community. It’s of course also a somewhat abstract and dimensionalized ‘Z’. As for the wordmark we wanted something elegant and legible to compliment the icon but simple to not be tied a specific genre of content. Overall this was a great project to work on, the core creative team was pretty small which meant I got to touch many different aspects of the brand.

We’re sure it’s a great feeling seeing your work in print but how does it feel to see yours tattooed?

Haha, can I pass on this one?

If you want to but it’s a fun question

All I wanna say is that the tattoo artist did a nice job. He even seems to have nailed the 60° angle on the orange-to-magenta gradient!

You’ve worked on some amazing projects; some would be described as dream projects by many designers. Which of these was the best to work on? If it’s hard to nail 1 down, what are the top 3 and why?

Zune was definitely a great project because of how it came out but also because we got to help inform and create the brand from its inception. Having had the opportunity to design snowboards for Burton is another one. It was never something I dreamt about doing but it’s rewarding when you see the finished boards out on the slopes. I can’t talk about details, but the the project I’m currently working on could be amazing in the end. You never know. I think that is what keeps me going, the next project could be the best one.

Higher Ground Music – Screenprinted poster designs for Al Di Meola, Ratatat, Matisyahu, Cat Power, Damien Rice, and Andrew Bird

Did you ever have to defend a design you believe in to a client? How did you go about doing this?

Yes, more often than not. All clients are different but sometimes I find they need to be educated in the design process. I’m still working on my presentation skills overall but explaining why you did what you did, making sure it relates back to the brief, and also how it relates to their business seems like a good start. While with a previous employer, one client said how much he appreciated that we listened to what HE had to say. Apparently that wasn’t always the case for him. But it makes total sense. If I was a client and got run over by some designer going on about his fancy colors and tight kerning without getting a word in, I would take my business somewhere else.

Who are some designers that command your respect and why?

There are so many designers who’s work I admire and that I look up to, that I don’t want single out any specific ones. The ones I can safely say I respect are some of the people I’ve had the opportunity to work with throughout the years. People that are inspiring and great at what they do but that are also just decent in general. (Apart from some exceptions I’ve had good luck with that so far.)

Do you think that your style of design is a reflection of your personality?

What’s with all the tough questions? I guess so. Simply put, the creative process happens in my brain and that’s also where my personality resides so they have to be related, right? To get a bit pretentious I think all my work (at best) stems from some kind of aesthetic values or root philosophy but the output is always varied. And sometimes it’s completely off the map. I do have a soft spot for tight grids and clean and rational design which could be a reflection of me wanting to be an engineer in high-school and the fact that I’m the most relaxed at home when the place has been vacuumed and picked up!

New Era – Brand identity redesign

In closing what’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned as a designer that you think could be useful to our readers?

I heard something once that really stuck with me, and that was to never become assuming. You know, a brief containing a familiar problem lands on your desk and therefore you immediately think you know the answer and solution. That’s seems like a dangerous place, not to say boring. The cliche ‘stay curious and always keep learning’ is a cliche for a reason, but it’s difficult to keep at it.

I’ve also learned that although great design sometimes can have a positive impact on the world, often enough it’s just a “banal exercise in profiteering,” to quote Peter Saville. So I guess the point is to not take it too seriously, it’s just ink on paper in the end.

Great! Thanks for answering our questions Peter. It was a pleasure and I certainly enjoyed your answers. I hope our readers feel the same. I will wrap this up with some of your stunning work. You can check out more of Peter’s work at PeterSunna.com or follow on Twitter @petersunna

R.E.D. Protection – Art direction for helmet collections

Logos & Wordmarks

Interview Questions by Damian Madray
Edited by Khadija Benn

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