For those who have been highly rated HD Microsoft Zune portable media player, and I wanted it to be a phone, your prayers have been answered. Yesterday at the press conference of Microsoft for the MWC 2010, the full length of “Zune phone” has finally been pushed into the center of attention and treat the approval of appointment for many participants. 

To be fair, the series of mobile Windows 7 is more than a hard drive with a Zune phone in finally achieved, we are looking at a portable device that combines some of the most successful Microsoft Windows Mobile, Zune, Xbox, and Microsoft Office. But make no mistake, there are a lot of Zune in the operating system for Windows Mobile phones.  Everything from the touch screen keyboard to the “twist” style user interface looks and behaves just like Microsoft’s latest Zune HD portable media player.

As a fan of the Zune player, software, and services, I have mixed feelings about the evolution of Microsoft’s flagship operating Smartphone Zune (I felt the same sting when the iPod gave way to the iPhone). The Independent Media Player Zune is no longer the center of the Zune’s story, but rather the prologue.

Mostly though, I’m relieved. I always thought that one of the greatest challenges Microsoft’s attempts to market a portable media player oriented social sharing and the music was the fact that there were many other Zune users to share there. If nothing else, the inclusion of Zune services on Microsoft’s latest smartphone software will mean an explosion in the population of registered Zune users. The Social may finally become, well, socialized.

Indeed, lost in the shuffle of all the Windows Phone 7 Series announcements is the fact (reported by ZDNet) that the Zune’s music and video services will suddenly be available internationally once the supported phones are available around the 2010 winter holidays. Currently, aside from some limited international exposure of the Zune Video Marketplace for the Xbox 360,  Microsoft Zune and music services are strictly limited to the United States. Microsoft McGee Casey would not reveal exactly which countries will receive services for the Zune, but said the Zune music and video service is available outside the United States “…in all countries where Windows 7 Phones will ship.”

It remains to be seen whether the international availability of the Zune software and services resulting from the sale of its Zune player from Microsoft HD multimedia phones abroad. Unlike the parallel tracks Apple has created with iPhone and iPod, always popular, Microsoft could choose to begin their participation in mobile media, acknowledging (perhaps correctly) that the future of portable entertainment is entirely in phones.

If Microsoft decides to continue selling and developing the Zune HD hardware, it will be interesting to see how it answers the inevitable pleas from Zune HD users to update the product with Windows Phone 7 Series features, such as Xbox Live integration and broader mobile app support.

In what’s probably a reaction to recent reports of missing music in the Zune Marketplace, Microsoft has hired an outside firm to help clear music for your Zune Pass subscription service.

In an announcement today, Music Reports Inc. announced an agreement with Microsoft to “administer the music publishing licensing and royalty accounting for the Zune Pass subscription service in the United States.”

The use of licensed music outdoors is a new step for Microsoft and its Zune music service. However, the change in firms points to shortcomings in the previous arrangement, evidenced perhaps by the disappearing music snafu. Microsoft did not comment on the new partnership officially.

International expansion of service to music via the Zune phone for the next round of Windows 7,  may also play a role Microsoft’s new hire. The statement from Music Reports specifically says its role is limited to the United States. Microsoft can work with multiple international partners to ramp up the Zune music service for its mobile operating system.

Barriers of licensing a music subscription service in several countries is a daunting task. Similar subscription services, such as Rhapsody and Slacker, have a limited scope outside the  United States , due to the expense and complexity of arranging the required licensing and publishing agreements. Only Napster has successfully tied up music subscription deals in both the United States and Europe.

Just ahead of its Windows Phone 7 (Series) unveiling on February 15 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Microsoft is making public information about some of the new bosses running things there.

First up is the newly minted Corporate Vice President of Windows Phone Engineering — Terry Myerson. According to new data released February 12, Myerson is the team leader to provide “software inside Windows Zune phones and devices, including user interface, applications, Web services support and the operating system ”

Windows Compact Edition already is “at the heart” of both Windows Mobile phones and Zune HD devices. However, the wording of Myerson’s bio leads me to believe there is greater synergy between these groups. Hello “Zune Phone” (also known as Windows Phone 7 offerings running Zune music/video services….?

According to my tipsters, services such as Windows Mobile and MyPhone Marketplace, both of which we should hear a lot about this week, are now under Myerson (Myerson most recently was head of the Exchange team, a position he held for eight years), as a result of Arbogast’s (Twenty-year Microsoft veteran Arbogast, from 2009, was the Microsoft Corporate Vice President of mobile services) alleged departure. Once again, the new official would confirm that one ….

Microsoft recently shared another Windows Phone exec’s new title and responsibilities. Joe Belfiore is Corporate Vice President in charge of Windows Phone Program Management. Belfiore’s responsibilities include “the definition of product design and software for next generation mobile devices, Windows and Zune.” Belfiore is going to be one of the keynoters at Microsoft’s Mix 2010 conference in mid March, the venue where the Softies are slated to unveil the development strategy and tools for Windows Phone 7.

In 2010 who needs a dedicated personal media player, when it is difficult to find a cell phone that will not play media than one that will? You do. In addition being smaller, easier to use and cheaper than a cell phone, a good PMP offers a bigger screen for video, longer battery life, and not disrupt your workout with a call from the boss.

The battle between the iPod Touch and Microsoft Zune HD rages on. Ignoring the claims and focus only on the two devices as media players, we believe that HD Zune wins. In addition to a more limited factor, from mild, the Zune uses an extremely sharp HD OLED screen offers better battery life, and cheaper to store them, too. That said, stay away if you’re looking anything like the pocket computer functionality of Apple’s amazingly versatile Touch.