Now here's something that will give the Apple iPods a run for their money. and they may actually have a chance in hell of succeeding.

Microsoft has just unveiled the Zune brand media player. Microsoft claims that the Zune experience centers around connection - connection to your library, connection to friends, connection to community and connection to other devices.

With a suggested retail price of approximately $249.99, Zune will be available this holiday season in the United States in black, brown or white. Zune comes in a 30GB digital media player that features wireless technology, a built-in FM tuner and a 3-inch screen that allows users to play music, pictures and video.

The biggest hook for this device is its Zune-to-Zune sharing feature. Just by coming in close proximity to your Zune wearing friends, you will be able to wirelessly share full-length sample tracks of select songs, homemade recordings, playlists or pictures with one another. They can listen to them 3 times, or 3 days, whichever comes first. If they wish, they can flag the songs right on your device and easily purchase it from the Zune Marketplace. Initially though, Microsoft will only sell music, but no video.

As per CNN.Com Technology page, Microsoft announced that it will sell a subscription pass for $14.99 a month, allowing the user to listen to any songs in the Zune Martketplace. However, after the pass expires, the user will not be able to access those songs.

In order to own a song, Zune Marketplace will sell tracks for 79 Microsoft points. A user can buy 80 points for $1 and points will also be redeemable at its online video game store, Xbox Live Marketplace.

To get started with great music and videos out of the box, every Zune device is preloaded with content from record labels such as DTS, EMI Music's Astralwerks Records and Virgin Records, Ninja Tune, Playlouderecordings, Quango Music Group, Sub Pop Records, and V2/Artemis Records.


Posted by: Ryan    Source