A “final” release date (September 15th) and a couple of package photos for Microsoft’s upcoming Zune HD player have been posted over at Gizmodo. It’s pretty interesting because a preorder page for the porta-player has also sprung up on Amazon that gives out the preorder prices for the 16GB ($220) and 32GB ($290) models, so the leaks look like they’re likely to happen. If the reported prices hold, that makes the Zune HD significantly cheaper than Apple’s $300-400 iPod Touch, which is what the touchscreen-equipped Zune HD looks to be targeting.
As it is right now (that is, until Apple comes out with an update), both devices match up pretty well, although the Zune HD looks to have a better spec on paper. Both devices sport Wi-fi connections and HD-capable screens, but the Zune HD’s screen has a higher 720p resolution.
Tags: Microsoft, Portable Media Player, Zune HD
