R.I.P. Zune

Hotmail is COOL

Kinect Body Scan

Steve Jobs, a legend

After you hit http://ScriptTD.CodePlex.com for the source code, this tutorial will walk you through each of the XML files that make up ScriptTD and how they should be tweaked to create your own TD game. You are free to submit your game to the Zune Marketplace and hopefully make a little lunch money. If you make a game from ScriptTD, please let me know so I can help get the word out.

To get started with ScriptTD, please check out the ScriptTD Coding4Fun project and download the code from Codeplex, and to try playing the game on your Windows Phone, visit the Zune Marketplace.

Fair Warning: You’re stepping in the undocumented land right now. Microsoft offers no support whatsoever for any of the endpoints mentioned below. Microsoft can also change any of these at any time without prior modification, so plan accordingly.

Introduction

I use Zune a lot, having started with the 4GB player, and now it’s available on Windows Phone 7. Though the WP7 player is labeled as Music Hub, it appears under the Zune icon and incorporates Zune's organization, providing many of the same capabilities as the desktop client.

Existing endpoints

For quite a while, two public Zune endpoints have given out some very basic data (profile information and recent plays):

• http://social.zune.net/zcard/usercardservice.ashx?zunetag=TAG
• http://origin-social.zune.net/zcard/usercardservice.ashx?zunetag=TAG

Both endpoints return plain XML-formatted data, and the information is pretty basic:

• User ID
• Name
• Status
• Big tile image
• Small tile image
• Location
• Large background image
• Small background image
• Number of plays
• Badges
• Card destinations (e.g. share)
• Playlists (with artist names and album art references)

It is worth mentioning that Zune play count isn’t updated automatically as songs are played on the phone — it needs to be connected to the desktop Zune client to update the count.

That’s pretty much it. Now let’s look at the default XML result returned by the endpoints I mentioned above.

(Click to enlarge image)

Notice that I highlighted the user ID. For some strange reason, the ID returned isn’t compatible with the API endpoints I am going to describe below, so obtaining it for future reference is not something to rely on.

The default endpoints don’t give much information about the songs that were played (metadata-wise) and there is no information at all about existing friends.

NOTE: If your Zune account is linked to Xbox Live, your Xbox Live friends will be placed in the Zune list.

Discovering new endpoints

After taking a close look with WireShark when Zune desktop client was downloading profile information, I noticed that Microsoft uses a set of additional endpoints and the Zune card that is created locally does not use either of the two public URLs to retrieve data.

What triggered my curiosity was the fact that a friend list downloaded:

(Click to enlarge image)

Note that there is also a GUID associated with the user. This identifier is a bit different from what is returned by the default calls. So, the structure for the profile info endpoint appears as this:

http://socialapi.zune.net/en-US/members/MEMBER_GUID

I am not entirely sure exactly where this ID comes from, but the returned XML is pretty similar to the initial one, though it is formatted as an Atom feed (which is unrecognizable by browsers as a native feed—developers have to actually download the text contents and parse it).

If the user GUID is not known, it is possible to pass the Zune Tag (as pointed out by RoguePlanetoid), but for some reason in several cases it will be problematic because of a random redirect to the authentication page.

Here is a snapshot of its contents:

(Click to enlarge image)

Here's the line that most interested me when I reviewed the code:

<a:link rel=”related” type=”application/atom+xml”
href=”http://socialapi.zune.net/en-US/members/509cd2cf-9400-4e4c-b3d8-07aa46ce464d/friends” title=”friends” />

Getting data from custom endpoints

There it was—the list of friends that is not available in the basic feeds. This feed is a valid Atom entity, and can therefore be opened in a browser. What surprised me is the fact that I don’t have to send any authentication data in order to view it, and it is nice to have it that way:

Going even further, the source of the page reveals some bonus details that are not displayed in the feed when it is rendered by a compatible web browser. Here is a snapshot:

This feed exposes the user GUIDs (and associated URLs) of my friends, so I can get profile information about them the same way I did it for me. Ultimately, you can search for friends of friends and so on to infinity (or, to be exact—to the extent of the Zune user base).

In my initial profile feed, there are links that represent recent songs. Though the basic feed only provides the names of tracks and the artist, by using the undocumented feed I can get some additional metadata associated with media content. Once again, the feed is viewable in a browser:

The necessary metadata is behind the curtain:

Additional available information includes play rank, disc number, track number, and an indicator that shows whether the song is explicit. Some songs, however, have more metadata than others.

Here is an example of an entity with more metadata associated with it:

(Click to enlarge image)

Notice that there are now song length details, the play rank is not empty, and there are actually disc and track numbers. Take a closer look at the rights tag—that’s where it’s possible to track current song offers on the Zune Marketplace, including the song encoding format (in this case 192kbps WMA), the type of purchase (Album), and the file size. For some offers also provide the price (which can be shown in both USD and Microsoft Points):

If a song is registered with enough additional metadata, the artist picture displays in the Zune window (if in play mode and not playlist) as the song plays.

Ultimately, this data significantly enhances my Zune experience on Windows Phone 7. I built a sample application that allows me to see my friends and generally keep up-to-date with my Zune stats.

(Click to enlarge an image)

To show a simple code snippet, here is how I am obtaining the data:

private void ParseXml(stringxmlDoc)
{
    XDocument doc = XDocument.Parse(xmlDoc);
            
    txtZuneName.Text = doc.Root.Element("{http://schemas.zune.net/profiles/2008/01}zunetag").Value.ToString();
    txtRealName.Text = doc.Root.Element("{http://schemas.zune.net/profiles/2008/01}displayname").Value.ToString();
    txtLocation.Text = doc.Root.Element("{http://schemas.zune.net/profiles/2008/01}location").Value.ToString();
    txtPlayCount.Text = doc.Root.Element("{http://schemas.zune.net/profiles/2008/01}playcount").Value.ToString();
    txtLastUpdate.Text = doc.Root.Element("{http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom}updated").Value.ToString();

    XElement images = doc.Root.Element("{http://schemas.zune.net/profiles/2008/01}images");

    profileLocation = (from c in images.Elements() where c.Attribute("title").Value == "usertile" select c).First().Attribute("href").Value.ToString();
    backgroundLocation = (from c in images.Elements() where c.Attribute("title").Value == "background" select c).First().Attribute("href").Value.ToString();

    XElement playlists = doc.Root.Element("{http://schemas.zune.net/profiles/2008/01}playlists");
    recentPlaylist = (from c in playlists.Elements() where c.Attribute("title").Value == "BuiltIn-RecentTracks" select c).First().Attribute("href").Value.ToString();
    mostPlayed = (from c in playlists.Elements() where c.Attribute("title").Value == "BuiltIn-MostPlayedArtists" select c).First().Attribute("href").Value.ToString();
}

Notice that I am directly passing the namespace. There is a way around this when using a regular Atom feed formatter, but I decided to go the simpler, XML way.

I’d love to see these features integrated with the mobile Zune client on Windows Phone 7. But for now, I have my own application that shows me the information.

Conclusion

I am pretty sure that this is just the surface of the actual Zune API – there is much more to it, like message exchange, badge assignment depending on the songs played and so on. Some of the more complex parts are less accessible due to existing protection mechanisms – for example, sending messages isn’t done directly through HTTP but rather through TCP in an encrypted manner. I am still looking into that.

In the meantime, the complete implementation of the project can be found on the Zune Data Viewer page on CodePlex.

The answer comes in the form of the all-new Windows Phone 7 Connector for Mac, which Microsoft have just released in beta. The connector supports Apple OSX 10.5 and above, and provides a familiar environment for users to sync content between the Mac and the handset.

The Connector for Mac doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles of the Zune software for Windows, but will allow you to sync all of your non-protected music and video, plus your photos and podcasts to the phone for enjoyment out on the road.

To see the new Connector in action, watch this video from Gear Live. Now there’s no excuse not to check out those Windows Phone 7 handsets, Mac guys.

We store all of our music, video and photos on Windows Home Server. You can buy a range of different servers off the shelf from Lenovo, HP, Acer and others, but I built our own 4-bay, 8TB server as a weekend project. It installs on the network with a quick wizard, and as well as providing a huge amount of network storage for our digital stuff, also backs up our home PCs every night using an image-based backup feature which can subsequently restore an entire PC in 15 mins. It’s very cool.

Windows Home Server works neatly with Windows 7 PCs, automatically configuring your Music, Video and Photo libraries with content from your home server’s shared folders. Open up Windows Media Center, and it’ll spot you have a home server on the network. That opens up a few more cool features – of course, all of your music, video and photos are waiting for you to play in Media Center, but there’s more. TV recorded by Media Center will be automatically copied to a Recorded TV share on your home server, where it’s accessible to any PC on the network, and ensures your Media Center doesn’t get glooped up with hours of video. Want to play back a programme? Go to Recorded TV and Media Center, and all of your TV is presented, as if it’s on the Media Center itself. But in truth, it’s tucked away safely on your home server and will stream with a button press.

You can check out how much storage is available on your home server at any time through a natty pie chart in Media Center, and manage which programmes to keep or delete in the usual way. But if you’re on the move a lot, you’ll really love the combo’s final trick – record TV on Media Center in high or standard definition, and as well as syncing the recording with your home server, you can automatically create compressed copies of your TV programmes at lower resolution for use on a Zune HD or other mobile device. So you’ll have two copies of your TV programmes on the home server – one for watching back on the big screen, and a second that’ll look great on your mobile device.

Check out this walkthrough on the Windows Home Server team blog to find out how it all works, and if you’re looking for a cool project for the weekend, setting up the almighty Windows Media Center + Windows Home Server + Zune combo is one to try.

According to Brandon over at the Windows Experience blog  the app provides full integration with Windows Live Messenger, including shared photos from Flickr, Facebook and MySpace as well as the usual instant messaging fun. The new app also supports Facebook Chat, so you have your choice of platforms depending where your friends hang out.

Bear in mind that Messenger for Zune HD can publish what your listening to, so be careful when you get all nostalgic for Ace of Base and drop a revival hour on the Zune. No-one will hear, but they’ll all know.

Whilst you’re at the Marketplace, also check out three new games for Zune HD which were released yesterday -  WordMonger, Castles and Cannons and Dr. Optics Light Lab.

Windows 7 Idle Cycles turned useful

Windows Phone 7...where they'll hit first

Seesmic 2 built in Silverlight

Bing it on your printer

Zune marketplace expands

The programs are accessed by plugging in compatible headsets into the jacks in the armrest and selecting the station of your choosing (the full list is in the airline’s in-flight magazine, Hemispheres).

The new playlists will arrive on all flights this summer, both domestic and international, and each channel will include 3 straight hours of unique programming.

KIN Media Sync for Mac lets owners sync music, including playlists built in iTunes, photos like those stored in iPhoto, and videos, too between Mac and KIN.  This is not a Mac version of the Zune software, though, it’s specially designed to move music from iTunes to the KIN phone. It won’t work with copy-protected music, but iTunes has a lot of unprotected content as do other music shops like Amazon (and Zune itself, of course).

Mac users have to be running OS X 10.5.6 or higher in order to use this software and will need iPhone, QuickTime and iTunes in order to sync their media. 

To install the update now, connect your Zune to your PC and launch the Zune Software. Under Settings –> Device –> Player Update, click “check for updates” or “update.”

The other Zune devices (the 16 and 32 GB models) will each get a price cut too, starting immediately. Now the Zune 16GB device is $199.99 and the Zune HD 32GB device is $269.99.

Other features of the new Zune HD include an OLED multi-touch screen, built-in HD radio, HD video out capabilities and an Internet browser. A later firmware update will add more options like Smart DJ auto-playlists, the ability to browse, stream and acquire music from Zune Marketplace on your TV and expanded codec support.

You can see a video of the app in action here.

Recently posted to LifeHacker, this tip is worth sharing:

1. Open the registry. Scroll down toComputer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\HidIr\Remotes\745a17a0-74d3-11d0-b6fe-00a0c90f57da
2. Find the REG_DWORD named CodeSetNum0 and change the value to Zero.
3. Reboot the PC and enjoy.

By default, Windows listens to channel 1 and the Zune remote is channel 8. This hack works by setting the ID to 0 which allows Windows to listen to all the IR ID’s. It’s been tested in Windows 7 and not in other versions, but there’s no reason to believe that it wouldn’t work in those, too. Let us know if you try it!

While the Zune Insider blog notes that this update focuses on maintenance of the Zune service, commenters over on Engadget have discovered AVI files are now supported, too. Others are reporting the software seems snappier than before.

If you haven’t recently used the Zune software, do so now and you’ll be prompted to install the update. You’ll need to do this in order to continue to use the Zune service.

Joel Ivory Johnson created a rather functional program for his Zune HD.  Joel created a bubble level based on the accelerometer in the Zune HD to get the tilt of the device.  From that data and everyone's favorite theorem, he created a bubble level!

Joel also explains the math needed for doing this such as calculating the direction and the magnitude.

Vector3 accelReading = accelState.Acceleration;

tiltDirection = (float)Math.Atan2(accelReading.Y, accelReading.X);
tiltMagnitude = (float)Math.Sqrt(accelReading.X * accelReading.X + 
                 accelReading.Y * accelReading.Y );

Sadly, enthusiasts who reminisce about the brown Zunes of days past are still out of luck. Brown is not an option and there are no plans to bring it back.

The Facebook integration lets you update your status to share details about what movie you’re watching or game you’re playing. It also acts as a Facebook application, letting you see your friends’ status updates, the News Feed, and new photos your friends have posted. And best of all, you can now see which of your Facebook friends are on Xbox LIVE so you can friend them there, too.

With Twitter, you can post and reply to tweets, view profiles, watch trends, and do Twitter searches. Both Facebook and Twitter will appear in the new “My Community” channel on your Xbox dashboard.

Last.fm, which will be under the Music channel, lets you love, ban, or skip tracks. There’s also a “gamer stations” section which offer game-related music for the U.S. and U.K. gamer communities.

Zune video on Xbox LIVE provides access to HD videos you can rent or buy through the Xbox. The videos offer 1080p HD and 5.1 surround sound.  When you download a video from this section under the Video Channel, you can watch it on your Xbox and then watch it again later on your PC or on your Zune HD device.

To get the update, just turn on your console and log into Xbox LIVE with your Gold membership. If you only have a Silver membership, you can demo the new features for free from November 20th until the 23rd.

Note: The update is only available to members over the age of 18 for now. Here's why.

If you want to see the games in action, Crunchgear has posted a video demonstrating some of the more interesting titles on their Zune HD device. And on the Mobility Site, they’ve reviewed a few of the new games including PGR, Lucky Lanes, and Audiosurf Tilt.

In order to download the new games to your device, you’ll need to do the following:

1. Connect your Zune HD to your computer and sign into the Zune software.
2. Click on Marketplace, Apps.
3. Select the game or app you want, then click Download.
4. Go to Collection, Apps, and drag the games and apps that you want to the Zune player icon to sync them.

Finally, to access games and apps on your Zune HD, on the home screen tap Apps, then tap the game or app you want.

You can learn more about each individual game by reading the descriptions provided here.

One of the key features of the new firmware upgrade is an improvement to the included web browser – it’s now faster and offers controls that let you switch between the mobile and desktop version of the website you’re viewing.

Also new is an auto-suggest feature for text input and support for upcoming 3D games and applications. That’s right – apps and games. In case you missed the news during the Zune HD launch, there are plans to release free applications for the Zune sometime this year (soon, we now hope) such as Twitter for Zune and Facebook for Zune. In addition, the device will also support some 3D games including "Project Gotham Racing: Ferrari Edition," "Vans Sk8: Pool Service" and "Audiosurf(TM) Tilt." The games can be added to via the Zune Marketplace accessible over a Wi-Fi connection or when connected to a PC running Zune software.

Other new features in the Zune HD 4.3 firmware are as follows:

• Larger landscape keyboard
• Keyboard option has been added in the settings section
• New toggle between seek and presets for the radio
• Updated artist bios with embedded links to other artists
• Other bug fixes, minor updates and improvements

You can see these features in action in this YouTube video.