Zune HD gets handled, loved

Sure, the Zune has been the butt of a lot of jokes since its first debut, but in all seriousness, we believe the Zune device is better than the iPod classic, and that the Zune software beats iTunes, hands down. Now, the Zune HD is preparing to make an impact, and it’s nothing to sneeze at. We’ve told you about it before, but to refresh your memory a bit, CNET got to spend a little time with the device that boasts the ability to view rented Zune Marketplace Xbox content, “lightning fast” browser, and OLED screen goodness. Oh, and don’t forget about that whole 720p output for HDTV thing.

One thing that stands out, though, is the unbranded browser: 

...the Zune’s new Web browser smokes. Not since first using the iPhone have I been this impressed with a mobile web browser. There’s no branding on the browser, but I was told it was cooked up by Microsoft’s Internet Explorer team (makes sense). Page load was snappy, and pinching and reorienting pages work just like the iPhone and iPod Touch.

So it would appear that Zune has some clout to brag about, and it’s aiming for the iPod touch.  Of course, this is all second-hand information until we get our hands on the device ourselves, which should happen sometime in the next week. The Zune HD is still on track for a fall release, but no pricing details have been announced just yet.

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