Microsoft Releases More Information

So what's the Microsoft Zune MP3 Player all about then?

Well it has a 30GB hard drive, FM radio, Wi-Fi connectivity, and a 3-inch screen and will come in black, brown and white versions.

But as mooted before, they want to create more of a music community than Apple has with their iPod:

"With Zune, we are not simply delivering a portable device, we are introducing a new platform that helps bring artists closer to their audiences and helps people find new music and develop new social connections," commented J Allard, vice president, design and development, at Microsoft.

This Zune to Zune sharing will allow owners to share music, playlists, images and other content with others that have the Zune.

The only issue is that you can only listen to music you've been sent from someone else for three days then you have to buy it, presumably from the Zune Marketplace if you want to listen to it any more.

The Zune Marketplace is a flexible way to buy music as you can either buy per track like iTunes or on a subscription basis like Napster.

There is also a range of accessories, and probably like the iPod, they'll increase ad infinitum. There's the Zune Car Pack, a Zune Car Pack, a Zume Home A/V pack, a Zune Travel Pack

Official Microsoft Zune Personal Media Player Information

Name: Zune™

Manufacturer: Microsoft Corp.

Category: Digital media player

Colors: Three choices: black, white or brown

Product Overview:

Zune starts with a 30GB digital media player and adds a twist. You can wirelessly share selected full-length sample tracks, playlists, pictures or your home-grown tracks directly from Zune to Zune.1 You can listen to the full-length songs that you receive up to three times in three days, flag the ones you like and easily buy them the next time you sync up. You can discover new music in the Zune Marketplace, and show off your favorite pictures and videos on the big, bright screen. Zune has all that and a built in FM tuner, too. Let your inner DJ run wild.

Zune Features:

• Wireless Zune-to-Zune sharing. Zune lets you spontaneously share selected full-length sample tracks of your favorite songs, homemade recordings, playlists or pictures with friends wirelessly, device to device.1 You can listen to any song you receive up to three times in three days. And if you like a song you hear and want to buy it, you can flag it right on your device to easily find it later.
• Your own personalized Zune. Zune is easy to use and easy to love. You can choose one of three base colors, each combined with a distinctive double-shot finish created by the overlay of one color on another. The player also can easily be customized with your favorite pictures.
• Large color screen. Zune comes with a bright 3-inch LCD video screen that works in portrait or landscape mode. Your music, video and pictures never looked better.
• 30GB player. Zune stores up to 7,500 songs, 25,000 pictures or 100 hours of video.2 You can make playlists on the go and watch a slide show while you’re listening. Watching video in landscape mode gets the most out of the vivid display.
• Zune Pass. Downloads or a subscription? It’s your choice. A Zune Pass subscription gives you “all you can eat” access to discover and explore the Zune Marketplace.
• Built-in FM tuner. With the built-in FM tuner you can listen to local FM radio stations or tune in to programming while you’re at your local health club, for example. Advanced tuning capabilities allow you to see the name of the song currently playing on selected frequencies.

Zune Accessories:

You can choose from a full line of accessories to outfit your Zune. Three Zune Accessory Packs provide complete solutions for Zune in your car, in your home or while you travel. Individual accessories are also available.

Additional Information:

• Online music store. You can browse the huge selection of music designed to work seamlessly with your Zune in the Zune Marketplace. When you find new music that you love, it’s simple to buy it and sync it on your player. The Zune Marketplace works with the Microsoft® Points program so you can purchase music online without a credit card.
• Import your music. Zune software can automatically import your existing music, pictures and videos from iTunes and Windows Media® Player in a variety of formats, including your existing playlists and song ratings, as permitted by the online service from which it was purchased.
• It only gets better. As Zune evolves, your device can be easily updated. The Zune software on your PC5 will let you know when updates are available for download. And with built-in wireless capability in each player, the future is filled with possibilities.5
  

#########

The information contained in this fact sheet relates to a pre-release product that may be substantially modified before its first commercial release. Accordingly, the information may not accurately describe or reflect the product when it is first commercially released. This fact sheet is provided for informational purposes only, and Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the fact sheet or the information contained in it. Dates are subject to change without notice.

1 The Zune-to-Zune sharing feature may not be available for all songs on your device, and works only between Zune devices within wireless range of each other. This feature allows recipients to play full-length sample tracks up to three times in three days. Recipients cannot resend music that they have received via the sharing feature.
2 Music estimates are based on 128KBps WMA files, with length of four minutes each. Pictures transferred to Zune will be optimized for Zune screen size. Video estimates are based on 500KBps WMV files with 128KBps WMA audio tracks.
3 To display station name and song information, stations must broadcast a Radio Broadcast Data Standards (RBDS) signal. Availability may vary.
4 Zune software can import audio files in unprotected WMA, MP3, AAC; photos in JPEG; and videos in WMV, MPEG-4, H.264.
5 Requires a PC running Windows® XP with Service Pack 2 and high-speed Internet connectivity.
6 Dates and functionality of updates are not specified at this time. Microsoft makes no guarantees, express or implied, about the features contained in future Zune updates.

Microsoft, Zune, Windows Media and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.