Microsoft's media player ZUNE
By Diane Littlejohn

iPod has a new enemy in town. Microsoft is set to open up a can of whoop-ass to its rival, the Apple iPod with the November 14th launch of its own MP3 player, the Zune. Opening up a new market of “social” music connectivity, the Zune plans to stomp iPod by offering features such as Wi-Fi connectivity, which will allow Zune users to share songs with other users, XBOX streaming and its own dedicated download site, Zune Marketplace. Microsoft also will offer a Zune Pass subscription service, which will let users “rent” any of about 2 million songs for $14.99 per month. The Zune also features a 30-gigabyte hard drive, a 3-inch screen, a built-in FM tuner, and will come loaded with about 25 songs and other content. Unlike the iPod, the Zune only comes in three colors: white, black and brown. The rectangular device has a simple look and feel similar to the iPod and retails for $249.

For more information http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/zune/default.mspx