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August 14, 2006

rivals

More details on Zune emerge

Posted Aug. 14, ’06, 1:49 PM PT by Scott Silverman
Category | Apple » Rivals

ZuneThis Week in Consumer Electronics has reported on more details about Microsoft’s iPod competitor, Zune. These details came from a select number of retailers who Microsoft has briefed regarding the new digital audio player. Zune will be sold only in one model and with one price point—$299. It will, however, come in three different colors (black, white, and gray, I’m guessing?). Only one hard drive size is available—30 GB—and the screen (while no size is specified) will be bigger than the one on the video iPod.

As far as DRM goes, Microsoft will be launching its own online media store complete with its own version of DRM technology. (See ya, PlayForSure.) However, one retailer reporting to TWICE claimed that MS plans to continue to support PlayForSure licensees.

Finally, in the true Microsoft spirit, one rumored feature (and perhaps the most significant rumored feature) will be left out: the ability to wirelessly purchase songs directly from the player. That’s right, although Zune will include Wi-Fi for sharing songs among players, there will be no access to the MS online music store. Why am I not surprised?


1 Comments

macnuke said:

shades of Vista
they are chopping out features already.
and introducing yet another DRM in the true spirit of Microsoft..

and they call THIS an iPod Killer?

August 14, 2006 2:35 PM

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