With the iPod Touch trouncing sales of Microsoft’s Zune HD media player, is Microsoft just in a holding pattern until it releases the mythical ZunePhone?

iTWire has had a chance to play with the soon-to-be-released LIVE update for Xbox 360.  Featuring optimised Facebook and Twitter along with insta-play Zune Marketplace based HD Movie rental, with party invite mode.  iTWire also spoke to the Australian/New Zealand Xbox product manager Andrew Jenkins about the update.

Analyst firm Ovum describes Microsoft's results as "dismal" but suggests the worst might be over for the software giant.

Microsoft Australia are building the hype for the release of Lips – the new Xbox 360 Karaoke game – by hooking up a series of musical acts utilising iconic Australian locations as backdrops.  First under the spotlight are the Pussycat Dolls strutting their girrrl power in front of the Sydney Opera House.  Hopefully Australian musical acts will also get a look in.

With less than two hours to go before the Let's Rock Apple Event in San Francisco kicks off, does anyone really give a toss about an update to the Microsoft Zune? 

Announced at the Australian launch of Windows Vista on January 30, 2007, and due to launch in April 2007, Australian music store “Sanity” has finally launched Australia’s first music subscription service on the 14th of August 2008. Is it worth it?

File under ‘r’ for rumour for now, but it seems sources close to Microsoft are hinting at a desire to follow Apple’s lead by having retail stores pushing Microsoft branded stuff onto the public.

One million Nintendo DS units sold in a country of around 22 million people, the figures are impressive for Nintendo, at it is hard to imagine the bubble bursting any time soon.  Sony with their sophisticated PlayStation Portable (PSP) have made in-roads, perhaps, despite the overwhelming odds against it, there is room for other players in the hand-held gaming arena.  Could Microsoft be that player?

Bill Gates has given his 11th and last CES keynote as Microsoft head-honcho, looking at the future, touch and talk interfaces, the Beijing Olympics, Zune, new TV shows and movies for Xbox Live, Xbox 360 sales and IPTV - but the rumoured Xbox 360 Ultimate didn’t make an appearance.

Microsoft's PlaysForSure logo program is dead and buried. Designed to assure consumers of compatibility between music players using the company's DRM scheme and tracks purchases or rented from online stores, PlaysForSure has been moved into the Certified for Windows Vista program.