Microsoft Zune Available for Pre-Order

Filed in archive Announcements on October 9, 2006

Quebec still giggling that Microsoft picked a name that is a euphemism for male or female genitalia

Well, Microsoft revealed its Zune digital media player; pricing it to compete with the Apple iPod - just under $250. It will be available in mid-November.



The 30GB device stores up to 7,500 songs, 25,000 pictures or 100 hours of video. It would be a mistake to think about the Zune simply in terms of music. Rightly or wrongly, Microsoft intends it to be a portable media player that has the potential to redefine the market.

The Zune has a three-inch 320x240 pixel video screen that automatically works in portrait or landscape mode, making it superior to current iPods for viewing video. I read that the user interface is more like a miniature media center which is a good thing.

I reported earlier that it also comes with a built-in FM tuner and the ability to transmit wirelessly to other Zune players. Microsoft has learned about the power of social networks, building in features like personalization and peer-to-peer wireless file sharing.

And lest we forget that the Apple iPod has its corresponding iTunes. So the Zune has an online subscription music site providing access to millions of tracks for $14.99 a month, and individual songs can be purchased using pre-paid Microsoft points.

InformiTV has more technical details for those who may be interested.