Microsoft's digital media player business will see two major changes this year. The first will be the addition of a Zune section to Xbox Live, their online network for the Xbox 360, a move the company says will allow the two devices two exchange video content, but also one that will expose and create better awareness to their large community of video game players. The update to Xbox Live to offer this connection will be available to all of the network's international markets. The same cannot be said for the Zune HD, an updated version of the digital media player that includes the ability to output HD video to a television and a built-in HD radio receiver. For now, the company plans to only offer the Zune HD in the United States, with plans for a fall release.

Zune on Xbox Live

No exact date has been announced as to when the update will be released, but it's likely to match the Fall release of the Zune HD in the US. Xbox Live users will find that the first slot of the Xbox Live Marketplace will be reserved for the Zune family of products and its video service. More details to come. 

Zune HD

Coming to the US this fall (no plans for a Canadian release yet), the Zune HD will include an HD radio receiver for both higher-quality playback and song/artist data from multicasting stations that offer it. 

The new Zune will include an OLED screen that supports 16:9 widescreen formats at a resolution of 480 x 272

A separate docking accessory will be sold that will allow the Zune HD to connect to an HDTV through HDMI for High Definition playback at 720p

The player's Wi-Fi connection will support audio streaming of music directly from the Zune online store

and a full-screen internet browser will be included for surfing the web. 

Price and a specific release date for the Zune HD will be announced later.