31st Dec 2008 will be remembered in the history as (one of my friends says ) "The day the Zune stood still". On Dec 31st, all Zune 30GB versions mysteriously stopped working. All Zunes got stuck at the loading page and stopped responding altogether. With widespread reports ranging from viruses to faulty software everyone, including the MS Zune development team were left their heads scratching at the sudden bricking of their beloved Zunes. Finally someone figured it out. Apparently the Zune team had not heard of the Y2K problem and not programmed the Zune to incorporate a leap year. So, as soon as the clocks stuck 12, the Zune which was not programmed to recognize the 366th day stopped. The Zune team told everyone to drain out their Zunes completely and revive it back in 2009. So, now all's well that ends well. But Zune users are not going to forget this scary incident soon :)

ASUS has released a new iPod dock known as the ASUS AIR3, which integrates the internet radio with and iPod speaker. A stylish design showcases the HDSS® (High Definition Sound Standard) certified speakers whereas the ETL™ (Embedded Transmission Line) module provides crystal clear sound quality. This dock is compatible with all iPods except the iPod shuffle and also charges the iPods when docked. Moreover, the images and videos can be displayed on a TV/LCD screen with the composite and S-Video outputs present in the AIR3. It can also stream Internet Radio and music from your computer by utlilizing any UPnP application such as the Windows Media Player. With the AUX input provided in the dock we can also connect other multimedia devices with the dock and use the high quality speakers of the dock! One device that satisfies all the needs of an audiophile, make sure you get one.

iPod Touch is going to be shaking in its boots after the release of this spanking new player by Samsung termed the YP-P3. After the spectacular success of iPod Touch, the market has seen more than its fair share of lookalikes but this beauty here promises to offer something more. For those into the finer details, it boasts of the following features: 3 inch TFT touch screen display (480 x 272 pixel resolution) Haptic touch feedback Improved UI Support for Flash files eBook reader Bluetooth 2.1 support (A2DP compatible) 30 hour battery life (according to the company) Samsung’s DNSe 3.0 sound engine FM radio, Voice recorder This product is released for the Korean market as of now, so no confirmation on the pricing and availability.

This coming as a great Christmas bonus to all those people who drooled over the iPhone for long but could not afford the hefty price tag and the expensive contracts. AT&T are releasing the refurbished versions of iPhone 3G for all who are interested. The iPhone is one of the most exciting devices in the market combining the functionality of a fully featured PMP along with all features expected out a good phone. Combine that with a super sleek body and we have a winner. There are 2 models on sale, i.e the iPod 8GB and the iPod 16GB versions. The 8GB version is available with a 2 year contract for 99$ whereas the 16GB version is available with a 2 year contract for 199$. So, all you folks waiting for a good deal on a second hand iPhone 3G, this is the one to go for! wireless.att.com

Along with Youtube, Verismo networks have come up with a solution for all Youtube lovers across the world. The VuNow pod allows you to watch Youtube directly on your TV without the need to connect it to a computer. All you need is this nifty little device and your existing broadband connection to bring the magic of Youtube to your living room. The features list : A Standard Definition and a High Definition model of the VuNow PoD that can connect to any TV Compact size and easy to install Support for wired or wireless connectivity Navigation using a TV-friendly and intuitive User Interface Watch YouTube™ videos on TV by categories Search for videos with the powerful built-in Video Search Engine Choose from a large selection of movies and download fromCinemaNow™ - Coming Soon! Download videos using BitTorrent™ protocol Watch videos directly from popular websites by categories Watch Live TV Channels from around the world Access to Personal Media such as video, music, and photos from the home network – stored on a PC, Networked Attached Storage device, or even on a connected USB storage device This is the only device currently in the market offering such a feature. The content is not only limited to Youtube, but also other live TV channels ...

Onkyo have introduced their new wireless headphones to the market, which comes will an iPod adapter. I’m not sure how useful these will be since the whole point of the iPod is portable music so I’m not sure how much benefit these headphones will bring. The MHP-UW2 wireless headphones transmit over the 2.4Ghz frequency to ensure crisp and high quality sound, and lasts for 8 hours of continues music before you need to charge the headphones via a USB connector or the AC adapter. The iPod adapter its self weighs 35 grams and looking at the above picture is about the same size as the iPod Touch. Nobody seems to know whether the headphones will be released outside of Japan but if you live there or are heading over there you can pick them up for ￥20,000 ($201).