Microsoft Zune

Tech tools ease worker's boredom

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 06:59:58 -0500

Technology is everywhere, and it's sometimes even used to keep workers fully engaged while on the job. In the past, cell phones and personal music players were forbidden toys that could divert workers from their tasks. Now, more and more managers are seeing the positive impact of using these tools in the workplace. And more employees say it is an important part of their work day, especially for those who have repetitive jobs.

Giselle E. Ambursley, who works on a mail-sorting machine at the Postal Service's Morgan Processing and Distribution Center in Manhattan and uses her Microsoft Zune, said, "It helps most of us get through the day." While that's a positive use of tech tools, cell phones are usually totally prohibited unless a worker takes a call off the floor.

Technology tools help in other ways too. For instance, David White, a freelance truck driver from Amherst, Mass., said that his Treo 700--a phone with an Internet connection--made the many days he spends away from home more comfortable. Getting his email on his PDA makes "a world of difference" for White. He also uses his iPod to download audio books and listens to them through an adapter for the tape deck in his truck. We're interested in finding out from CIOs how their workers cope with repetitive tasks. Let us know what you have to say on the subject.

For more on the unorthodox uses of tech tools:
- See the New York Times article

ALSO NOTED: Greenpeace releases green tech ratings; Google planning online storage service;

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 06:59:51 -0500

> Dell inks first European retail deal. Article
> Google planning an online gDrive? Article
> German carrier Debitel offers to pay for iPhone unlocking. Article
> What's a Dell Zingspot? Article
> The BlackBerry heads to Russia. Article
> Save big on Mac software bundles of your own choosing. Article
> Did the OLPC project compromise its founding ideology? Article
> Verizon prepping another GSM/CDMA hybrid. Article
> Zune: the second most-bought device on Black Friday? Article
> Greenpeace releases latest green tech ratings. Website

And Finally... Dead hard drive? Try double-boiling it. Blog

ALSO NOTED: AT&T talking to Google and the OHA?; Vonage loses Verizon appeal;

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 06:59:51 -0500

> AMD sells an 8.1 percent stake to Abu Dhabi. Article
> AT&T talking to Google and the OHA? Article
> Vonage loses appeal; will have to pay full $117.5M to Verizon. Article
> Video: Palm OS Garnet running on Nokia N800. Article
> New Zune gets disassembled. Article

And Finally... A Thanksgiving cheat sheet, for those of us who are less than culinary geniuses. Article

ALSO NOTED: Google saving $4.6 billion for 700Mhz auction; More than half of computer users admit to stealing WiFi;

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 06:59:51 -0500

> LG/Philips develops "smudge-free" LCD display. Article
> WSJ: Google saving $4.6 billion for 700Mhz auction. Article
> iPods get unlocked for RealPlayer videos. Article
> Surprise: more than half of computer users admit to stealing WiFi. Article
> Nokia N82 gets unboxed. Video

And Finally... The Zune Original, Steve Ballmer edition. Article

Zunes hit retail, get all artsy on us

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:59:54 -0500

Welcome back to the social, kiddos. Today marks the official launch of Microsoft's second-generation Zunes, those colorful media players that are poised to take on Apple's iPods this holiday season (not to mention SanDisk's Sansas). As we've mentioned before, they're available in 4GB and 8GB flash-based flavors, in addition to an 80GB hard drive model. And as we've previously mentioned, these little guys match up with Apple's new iPod line up ounce-for-ounce in terms of storage and pricing but include a few cool features that the iPods don't have (namely WiFi--which is only available with Apple's more expensive iPod Touch--and the wireless syncing and sharing that comes with it).

Additionally, Microsoft has unveiled a cool program called "Zune Originals" that allows you to fully customize your Zune. Anyone who orders a Zune direct from the Zune Originals website will be allowed to customize their Zune with their choice of color, up to 4 lines of text, and one of 27 original illustrations from 18 international artists, which can be etched on the back of the unit. Best of all it's free, at least for the time being. A quick gander reveals that most, if not all, of the illustrations are pretty cool, so this could prove to be a successful promotion if Microsoft is able to get the word out.

Finally, today also marks the day that all of the first generation Zunes get the second-generation firmware upgrade, so if you've got a brown Zune that's in need of some lovin', hit up Zune.net for the upgrade.

For more on the new Zunes:
- see Gizmodo's first impressions
- check out this Cool Hunting article on Zune Originals
- and see this article on the firmware upgrade

ALSO NOTED: 2-3 HTC Android phones in 2008; Nigeria opts for Linux on Classmate PCs;

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 06:59:51 -0500

> HTC: "Two to three" Android phones in 2008. Article
> PDA sales continue to plummet. Article
> iPhone firmware v1.1.2 jailbreak now available. Article
> Is WiMAX viable in the U.S.? Article
> Zune 80 gets preemptively pawed. Article
> OLPC "give one, get one" program kicks off. Article
> Nigeria opts for Linux--not Windows--on Classmate PCs. Article

And Finally... Sprint marketing error shows Motorola Q running Palm OS. Article

ALSO NOTED: Intel's 'Nehalem' roadmap gets leaked; The world's most powerful supercomputer?;

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 07:59:51 -0400

> Leopard drivers hint at Santa Rosa MacBooks. Article
> NEC's SX-9: the world's most powerful supercomputer? Article
> OS X Leopard gets hacked for use on commodity PCs. Article
> Zune gets hi-rez album art. Article
> Neonode N2 coming to the States. Article
> Durable UMPC gets unboxed. Article
> Intel's 'Nehalem' roadmap gets leaked. Article

And Finally... Just in time for Halloween: a corpse gets exhumed thanks to a missing SIM card. Article

More Zune networking features revealed

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 06:59:53 -0400

This will be welcome news to those of you who are counting down the days until the November 13th launch of those new Zunes: some more details have been revealed about the devices' social networking abilities that were previously unknown. Zune Scene somehow got their hands on a Microsoft training document that details how the new Zunes will interact with PCs and the Zune Marketplace. One of the cooler features is that you can attach notes to songs or albums that get sent along with the music, should you choose to share over WiFi. When your friend plugs their Zune into their PC, the notes appear in their inbox, so they'll instantly know that you think Black Sabbath "totally rips." Groovy.

For more on the new Zune features:
- check out the leaked support documents

Pink Zunes for charity

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 06:59:53 -0400

Earlier this month we saw Sony rolling out a handful of pink gizmos for Breast Cancer Awareness month. In addition to dolling up the gadgets in a coat of pink paint, Sony vowed to kick a few bucks over to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Looks like Microsoft and Ford are upping the ante: if you buy the limited-edition 30GB Zune pictured above, they'll donate "100-percent of the purchase price" of $250 to breast cancer foundation Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Sure, it's a first-gen Zune, but as you'll recall, it'll still get all of those Zune 2.0 goodies via a firmware update. If you're looking to buy a Zune and don't mind supporting a good cause while you're at it, this just might be the ticket.

For more on the charitable Zune:
- see the Ford Warriors in Pink website

ALSO NOTED: Leopard, OS 10.4.11 ready to go gold; Sprint gets its own BlackBerry Pearl 8130;

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 06:59:51 -0400

> Microsoft is still on track to ship Office 2008 for Mac on time. Article
> Sony's new Blu-ray burner burns at 4x. Article
> Apple tops PC Magazine's 20th annual reader satisfaction survey. Article
> Leopard and Mac OS 10.4.11 are nearly finalized. Article
> Sprint gets its own BlackBerry Pearl 8130. Press Release
> A Virginia woman hammers out her frustrations with Comcast. Article
> Let the cat and mouse game begin: iPhone 1.1.1 firmware gets cracked. Article

And Finally... A Sandisk spokesperson offers to shave her head if Microsoft's Zune is the #2 selling brand of music player this holiday season. Article