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Microsoft Zune - $250 - October 5, 2006

In case you don’t already know, Microsoft’s stab at Apple’s iPod, the Zune, will be released on November 14, 2006 for a retail price of $249. The Microsoft Zune features 30GB of storage, WiFi for sharing music, photos, or videos, a FM Tuner, and a bright 3″ LCD display. The Zune supports playback of WMA, MP3, AAC, and music purchased from the “Zune Marketplace”. (also supports WMV, MP4, and H.264 video formats) As displayed in the image above, the Zune will initially be available in three colors: black, brown, or white. Unlike iPods the Zune will only be available in one storage capacity size, 30GB.

The Zune does in fact offer some better features than the iPod. These include WiFi for sharing media and a much larger and brighter screen for video playback. The Zune is reasonably priced at $250, which is the same as that of the 30GB iPod, making it a possible competitor to the Apple iPod. Even so, it is unlikely that Microsoft will win this market, since the Apple is already on their 5th generation iPod, while Microsoft is just pushing out a first generation device. (also need to explain what a “zune” is)

Links: Microsoft Zune $250 (white)
Related: Microsoft Zune PressRoom