Zune Software Coming to TVs?

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/162660.asp' target='_blank'>http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/...ives/162660.asp</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"As for entertainment and television, Ballmer said there was a "real opportunity" for Microsoft to have or to provide software for a device that sits next to or in every television set. Specifically, he said that the company's Zune music software, which is already available on the PC and on the company's Zune music players, would be coming to the phone as well as the television."</em></p><p>It's a shame that no one bothered to ask Steve Ballmer exactly what he meant by this statement - we've heard rumours about the Zune software interface coming to Windows Mobile, but coming to television? That's the first I've heard of it. My guess, based on nothing more than a gut feeling, is that this is in reference to an Xbox 360 interface - a version of the Zune desktop software that's optimized for use on the Xbox. And I think it will be a welcome addition if they create it, because the "directory dump" method of displaying music that the Xbox 360 uses today is certainly quite simplistic.</p>

[~Johnny]

I wrote a post about this earlier this year when Microsoft posted those job listings (more specifically this one (http://members.microsoft.com/careers/search/details.aspx?JobID=A8FE9C2F-F4ED-4F4E-A44A-0EA99D28657D&start=11&interval=10&SortCol=DatePosted&SortOrder=Desc))
"The Zune Design team seeks a visual designer who is passionate about software design, software innovation and consumer entertainment experiences. We are looking for a strong, collaborative designer to work closely with the creative directors to propose innovative designs and content solutions for the Zune Device UI, Zune Xbox and Zune PC Application"

Says there Zune Xbox Application... kinda confirmed it for me a while back :D

[Soundtweaker]

Its gonna be nice having the mixview on the xbox.

[USArcher]

There are some minor ui elements incorporated in Media Center (Win7), XBox NXE and WM6.5 ui. But what I think is about to finally happen...is a unified marketplace. I get the feeling that "XBox Live Video Marketplace" will be incorporated into and renamed to "Zune". That would be a welcome change in branding. But I also think they are re-engineering this unified marketplace to be based on Silverlight/Live Mesh App so it can be offered via web portal, tv (via extenders & media center & xbox), phones, etc. Hopefully this will support both streaming and download options.

Further, I would be pleasantly surprised if we saw a Zune branded Media Center Extender this year. I've argued in the past that Zune's AV dock should be a low-cost/non-gaming Media Center Extender. We'll have to see what happens on this front.

[Adam Krebs]

Totally called it (http://www.zunethoughts.com/news/show/92196/zune-s-not-dead-so-stop-asking.html). We'll wait and see until this actually comes out. I've learned to not trust rumor and speculation from the Zune team. They continually disappoint on that front.