Microsoft have come out and announced that XNA developers can build games for second-gen Zunes. Finally a use for the Wifi in the Zune instead of the crappy ‘Social’ and wireless syncing.
Cesar at ZuneInsider adds some clarity:
Here’s an important point of clarification: The announcements at GDC
are about the new XNA Game Studio tools, which allow developers to
create games that run on Zune devices. These added XNA capabilities are
the first step toward offering developers the opportunity to design
games that could be played on Zune devices, but Zune is a
wireless music and video player first and foremost.
I own a first-gen Zune, so I’m outta luck. I never turn the Wifi on, because I’ve tried syncing several times but it seems impossible everywhere but within about 6 foot of my wireless access point. Same with the FM radio. The RF reception on the Zune is horrible at best, probably because they’ve shielded the buggery out of it so you don’t get any RF noise through the headphones.
Now bloody Apple needs to do the same for both their iPods and their iPhone lines.