Zune HD to be positioned against the iPod touch?
Microsoft might have big plans for Zune after all. Or it might not. Or it might
Admittedly, we're fascinated by Microsoft's plans for the Zune, but we're beginning to think Bill's Boys perhaps aren't the PR genii they first appeared to be, and are instead beginning to resemble a bag of snakes trying to get out of a beehive.
Rumours have been flying about the Zune being re-engineered to take on the iPhone and other smartphones, which actually makes perfect sense, except Microsoft avidly denies it has any interest in its own device - despite it not having to worry about distracting attention from any other handheld products, being as there aren't any.
Now whispers are apparently being heard from within Redmond that - while the Zune HD won't actually have a phone in it - it is going to be positioned to take on the iPod touch and other game playing multimedia devices (so, the PSP, then).
The report says it'll pack in the Xbox 360's NXE interface, allowing it to play Xbox Live games, and will feature close integration with the rest of the Xbox online service. Therefore, if you buy a song or a film over Xbox Live using your X360, it'll also be available on your Zune HD, and vice versa.
The notion of an iPod touch alternative is indeed very appealing, but we'll try not to get over excited just yet - not until we've got a cup of Horlicks standing by to calm us down.
