Here's A List Of Apps I Want On Zune HD

[steinburger1109]

Originally Posted by musichound

In one of Dave_Mac's posts, he stated the SDK that is currently used for applications is geared mostly toward games, so writing apps other than games is not a straightforward process. I am wondering if there is a different SDK available so that apps can be better implimented. Dave didn't reply to my post yet so either there's no answer for this or he cannot elaborate.

He may just be busy, he does have a job you know. but I wouldn't doubt if his answer would be something like "implementing a different SDK would be a long and difficult task."

Originally Posted by eddie.exe

How bout an eBuddy app just to take down AIM, Yahoo, etc etc all in one blow.

Definitely! I used to use the mobile version in the browser, but now it stopped sending my messages since they last updated it...

[CrowdAds]

[DaveMac-MS]

Originally Posted by Olley

Email was apparently impossible too. Until April 1st that is. BTW, thanks for that! And I hate to be ungrateful, but could the programmer(s) fix it so AOL accounts work, and that emails can be read in landscape view? Then have them look at a way to open large emails.

I never said email was impossible. I informed people that email is very complex and not a simple problem to solve. It took some time to deliver that app, you'll notice.

We didn't support IMAP/POP for a good reason - we don't have the ability to communicate out from the device on the ports required to support those protocols. That's part of the problem we have with Netflix/YouTube too (the other problem is we don't have the ability to stream or display streamed video). Remember - again, this device was not designed to be an app platform.

And the large emails request. Again because it wasn't designed to support apps, the device doesn't have an internal database mechanism that apps can call to store data loaded in - such as emails, etc... Each app has to manually create that within the application - which is the reason why the Facebook app and email client are actually really, really complex apps. On WP7 this is MUCH easier to do.

Originally Posted by musichound

In one of Dave_Mac's posts, he stated the SDK that is currently used for applications is geared mostly toward games, so writing apps other than games is not a straightforward process. I am wondering if there is a different SDK available so that apps can be better implimented. Dave didn't reply to my post yet so either there's no answer for this or he cannot elaborate.

No, the SDK is the SDK. We have some private extensions to the SDK, but they simply add networking, keyboard and 3D. Effectively the device is a no-apps product that we've worked hard to make apps for, although our apps are technically speaking, "games".

The guys did a stellar job with apps like Facebook and the email client because they've effectively made games to look like Facebook and email apps.

Cheers, Dave.

[Master_Jackson]

Originally Posted by DaveMac-MS

No, the SDK is the SDK. We have some private extensions to the SDK, but they simply add networking, keyboard and 3D. Effectively the device is a no-apps product that we've worked hard to make apps for, although our apps are technically speaking, "games".

Cheers, Dave.

I'm sure you've said something like this before, but it's the first time I really realized.
Since the SDK is made for games, and now we have email (actually I was just about to buy an Ipod but this got me to stick with my Zune) Zune HD and is that much closer to other competition, if it's that hard to make apps, even though I know myself and many others have been begging for some apps here for ages, how about some top notch 3D games, something outside developers can't make without collaboration with MS. Zune is already a great media device; this would certainly make it better, I would love a good 3D 1st person shooter on my Zune.

BTW, I'm not a developer or at all good at coding in any way, so I can't grasp how much effort apps must take to make.

[unionjack37]

^3D shooter is never going to happen buddy. Sorry. And Dave would it be possible to download videos straight onto the device from the Zune marketplace like a song? I'm thinking maybe it could use the reserved space predefined in the software.

[eddie.exe]

Originally Posted by Master_Jackson

I'm sure you've said something like this before, but it's the first time I really realized.
Since the SDK is made for games, and now we have email (actually I was just about to buy an Ipod but this got me to stick with my Zune) Zune HD and is that much closer to other competition, if it's that hard to make apps, even though I know myself and many others have been begging for some apps here for ages, how about some top notch 3D games, something outside developers can't make without collaboration with MS. Zune is already a great media device; this would certainly make it better, I would love a good 3D 1st person shooter on my Zune.

BTW, I'm not a developer or at all good at coding in any way, so I can't grasp how much effort apps must take to make.

Yeah I was hoping to see more stuff along the lines of PGR and Audiosurf in terms of visuals.
A Mobile version of portal would be awesome. OH OH! Nevermind Portal! I want a mobile version of this game! http://store.steampowered.com/app/15500/

[Master_Jackson]

Originally Posted by unionjack37

^3D shooter is never going to happen buddy. Sorry. And Dave would it be possible to download videos straight onto the device from the Zune marketplace like a song? I'm thinking maybe it could use the reserved space predefined in the software.

Probably not, but it would be awesome, and PGR and the Doom port prove it's technically possible. Microsoft has always been good at games and they have some really powerful tools to make them. I'll keep dreaming; Iphone and Android both have some good free shooter games.

Video would be cool too, but not needed with wireless sync. Last week on Zune Insider they explained some of this, they actually said it was something that their 'competitors' don't have, but Ipods actually do have this, plus the ability to doenload videos straight from the device. If MS wants to compete in this market, they really should make another device, the current one is so crippled by the SDK that they're spending too much time and money on making this one better, when with a new device they could leave developing to 3rd party sources.
Here's to hoping that WP7 is liscensed to another pmp.

[unionjack37]

Exactly, why are they working so hard on apps with a crappy SDK for a device that's not designed for them at all and supposed to be media first. Either focus on a firmware update and put apps second or make a new device that's way more powerful than the iPod touch with wp7 apps ( and personally I think they should keep the ZuneHDs ui but with support for wp7 apps, looks much prettier). That's is what I think MS should do but that's just my humble uninformed opinion.

[Master_Jackson]

Yeah, MS needs to get their priorities straight at a higher level of management. They have great products in Xbox, Windows (phone and pc), and to a lesser extent, IE9. But at least from the outside, it looks like they're focusing on they wrong things; they clearly have the capability to make a WP7 Zune, they already have a great OS, but if they aren't willing to devote enough assets to this soon, then MS will lose completely to Apple. And, if anyone says this shouldn't be done because the Zune HD is good enough already or will lose a critical focus on music, first, if it was good enough then WP7 would be running a chalked up version of Windows CE with an under-capable SDK, and second, the Zune HD has already dropped some stunning $70 in the past year, it could still be maintained as a mid-range PMP focussed on music to combat walkmans and the like. Maybe I'll write to Steve Ballmer in hopes some junior assistant will read my letter.

[steinburger1109]

... I'd much rather see some form of Portal than some cheap knock off of Katamari...

Anyhoo, no one's gonna say that the Zune HD is perfect the way it is. Even the most gung-ho Zuners (and I'll admit I'm quite partial, myself) wouldn't go anywhere near there. So I'm not too sure you need to be worried about anyone calling you out on that

And I don't think a shooter's likely because the majority of those are intended for "mature" consumers, and I think Zune wants to stay applicable to everyone. I do much prefer the Zune interface to that of WP7, though, and I sincerely hope that they choose to build off of the HD's interface if they go the route of making new hardware.