Even though Microsoft won't have a new Xbox to combat with the PS3 and the Wii, the Zune is looking like it will still reserve a spot for Microsoft on the public's 2006 holiday wish list, with speculation and anticipation for the device rivaling the next-gen gaming consoles. So any new details are of extreme interest to us, and we got those in spades yesterday.

First off, it seems that that iPod-esque scrolling wheel adorning the front of the device is actually not a wheel at all, but rather four cleverly arranged buttons with a plastic ring around them to make it look like a scroller wheel. Gizmodo likens the function of the player to Windows Media Center in terms of scrolling -- the speed dynamically increases while showing the first letter of the songs you're currently scrolling through. In terms of physical details, Gizmodo unveils the following:

"On the back, there's a grip so you can hold the player when you're watching video in landscape mode. There's also some kind of magnetic feature on the back so you can attach the headphones to it. The magnets could be used for some sort of docking or case design—they're still working on that. The bottom has that iPod-like dock connector, while the case itself is plastic and semi-transparent."

There are also some new details about the interface of the Zune. There's a black background with the bulk of the text and menu options in white, kind of like the iPod color scheme, but in reverse. You can also download your own wallpaper, which is a feature that's becoming more and more demanded by users. Also, when you're listening to a song, on the screen will be album art, a ticker at the bottom that shows the song details, and an icon showing the current battery status.

By the way, that picture, also from Gizmodo, is in black and white because apparently the guy who leaked it didn't want to get caught. According to Gizmodo, all 150 beta units that are out right now have unique color schemes that trace them to the employee to whom it was issued.

More at Gizmodo and iLounge

Report Published by: Mark Raby