Microsoft has announced an updated HD version of it’s Zune portable media player. Set to feature at next week’s E3 Expo, the Zune HD will support 720p video that can be output to an HDTV via a separate docking station with built-in HDMI port. The device also features a widescreen 16:9 OLED touchscreen with a resolution of 480×272, and will enable users to browse the internet over WiFi, stream songs from the Zune store. Microsoft are also promising to demonstrate how Zune will integrate with Xbox LIVE which could take the form of video or game downloads - will Apple be able to offer more when their expected iPhone revision comes out? Stay tuned. Or should that be zuned?

Yesterday, Samsung launched the i8910 HD (formerly known as the Omnia HD) - and as previously mentioned it’s capable of capturing 720p video. Available exclusively through Orange, the handset features a 3,7 inch, 16:9 AMOLED touchscreen, 8 megapixel camera, and 8GB of storage space, expandable up to 32 GB when couple with the appropriate MicroSD card. The phone can also decode DivX/Xvid, H.264, WMV, Mpeg4 and Real Video formats, act as an MP3 player, radio and more.

Check it out at the Orange shop.

Sony has unveiled a new entry-level Blu-ray player, the BDP-S360. With all the usual features you’d expect from a modern high definition disc player, such as 7.1 channel HD audio decoding for DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD, BD-Live functionality and a USB port, the S360 also trades in the ill-advised Blu(e) bezel of predecessor the S350 for a nice sleek black finish. Pricing and availability to be confirmed.

Analysts at Futursource Consulting have projected global shipments of almost 12 million Blu-ray players for 2009. Futuresource Research Consultant Jack Wetherill, said: “Sales of HD-capable LCD and plasma TVs, and continued dramatic reductions in BD player prices also continue to fuel interest. In the last quarter of 2008, average retail prices for standalone Blu-ray players fell by 15% in most major markets and we’re going to see them fall by another 25% during the course of this year. Add to that the raft of movie titles being issued on Blu-ray – over 1,100 at the end of last year, on track to more than double this year – coupled with the increase in promotional activity and the continued benefit of growing PS3 ownership, and we’ll see Blu-ray continue to gather momentum in all major markets across the globe.”

The specs for Acer’s brilliant-sounding combination of a netbook with a Wii-style remote have been leaked online. The Nvidia Ion-powered nettop will run on an Intel Atom N230 processor and support 1080p video playback over HDMI, meaning it will have no trouble running full HD content.

Users will be able to mount the small nettop on the back of a standard flatscreen, while at 26dB the Hornet will be hardly noticeable in your living room.

Rumoured for release this month, although only confirmed for America at the moment, the $150-$300 price range for the three available models should translate to £100-£200 when the Hornet makes its way over to our shores, if we’re lucky.