Microsoft will be testing another potentially explosive tie-in for the Zune. The special edition Halo 3 Zune did really well for them and it’s time for Gears of War 2 to prove its popularity. If indeed GOW 2 could help the Zune 120 (120GB) sell, it’ll prove that Halo 3 is not the only game in town. I’m just wondering, however, why Microsoft would want to build up the Zune’s image as the PMP boys who likes guns and explosions would love to have. You may remember they gave 300 Halo 3 Zunes to soldiers and thought it was a good idea to sell the Zune in G.I. stores.

[via kotaku]

Microsoft came out with rather conservative new colors for the new Zunes. The Zune 120 will have a white and blue version and we’ve seen the blue flash Zune; added to the blue is a nice red shade and white. I think they are winners.

[via dapreview]

As the new Zunes become available, Microsoft has decided to give the Zune 80GB a $50 price cut. It’s a very significant downgrade as it places the HDD Zune below the $200 PMP bracket. Of course the Zune 80 will get the Zune 3.0 update as well, so the only difference between the new HDD Zune and the Zune 80 will be the capacity.

[via engadget]

It’s not only the iPods that are going to have their software updated, the Microsoft Zune will be enjoying the Zune 3.0 software soon. All Zunes will support the new firmware via the update feature. With the new firmware comes the capability to buy from FM and music updating via WiFi. In fact, we’ve already mentioned these new Zune 3.0 features when we posted news on the blue flash Zune availability. Included in the entire package of the update is audio book support. Wow. Find out more from the links below.

[microsoft via zuneinsider]

FRYS is now selling an 8GB Blue Microsoft Zune for $149.99. t’s cheaper than the black version, which sells for $179.99. Features of the Blue Zune include buy from FM (listen to radio stations and tag songs to buy), Device Cloud (hotspot updating and browsing of Zune Marketplace), Wireless Sync, Wireless Sharing and Zune Channels, among others.

[store via crunchgear]

The 120GB Zune player is priced at $249.95. That’s a virtual confirmation though we have to watch out for Microsoft’s official announcement. It’s good pricing. Even better is the $149.95 8GB flash Zune in blue. We don’t have a photo of the blue Zune yet but when it arrives you can count it as one of the few legitimate threats to the iPod’s dominace. I know at least six people who’d buy a blue gadget for the color alone, never mind the specs.

[via engadget]

The new flash Zune 16 (16GB) and HD Zune 120 (120GB) are almost official. We’ve heard of Zune 120 rumors but not the Zune 16 one. Still it makes sense to have a 16GB flash Zune, why not.

The source page of the photo comes from Zunited. They have a podcast and the photos were originally posted here. You can find actual Zune 120 photos out of its box in that link. Note: someone in the forum actually wet himself because of the new Zunes.

[via engadget]

[via istartedsomething]

Microsoft and Nokia is working on giving Nokia phones access to the Zune Marketplace. There is not going to be a Nokia-Zunephone, which would’ve already brought the tech-blogging world into a mad frenzy (I’m several hours late with the news) but a more sober content delivery integration. It’s interesting to note that Nokia phones support Real Player and not Windows Mobile. So expect WMP on Nokia phones in the future. Hm, but I wonder what happens to OVI?

[zunescene via gmp3]

‘Tis only a rumor but the implications are endlessly interesting. ZunePhone running Windows Mobile 7, said to be a real competitor to OS X. Also, Windows Live Services will be its focal feature. The ZunePhone will be a multi-touch phone, of course, but there’s no hint of possible screen size and connectivity. We can assume that since Zune has WiFi, ZunePhone will have WiFi, too. I’m not too sure MS Live Services on a phone is one feature that will get users lining up, but what the hey.

[via jkontherun, photo: hexun]