Skip to Content

Submit your nominations for the Luxist Awards' Best in Decor
AOL Tech

Filed under: Audio, Hardware

Microsoft officially launches the Zune



Microsoft's long awaited entry in the DAP (that's digital audio player) market is here, and its name is the Zune. It has WiFi, a 30GB hard drive, built-in FM receiver, 3 inch screen, and it plays audio, video, and pictures. The Zune will play back h.264 (that surprised me), MP3, AAC (another surprise, but it won't play protected AAC's from the iTunes Store), and WMA. Sorry über-geeks, no ogg support.

What does the Zune use the built in WiFi for? Why, Zune to Zune sharing of music, of course. You can give your friend a song from your Zune and they can play it 3 times over 3 days, and then they get the option of purchasing the track (if it is available on the Zune Marketplace, which is the iTunes Store for Zunes). The Zune Marketplace will have both per pay tracks and a subscription service, which should make some people happy.

The Zune will be available in brown (pictured above), black, and white. Availability and price have not yet been announced, nor has support for the Mac but I'm thinking that isn't going to be a selling point. This holiday season could be a fight between the Zune and the iPod. I know where I'm putting my money.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Tip of the Day

Use Spotlight as a reference tool. Type any word in the Spotlight box and one of the top entries will be a definition. Click on it, and it will bring up the dictionary application to check the word in either the dictionary, thesaurus, Apple database, or Wikipedia.


Follow us on Twitter!
 TUAW [Cafepress]

Featured Galleries

DNC Macs
Macworld 2008 Keynote
Macworld 2008 Build-up
Google Earth for iPhone
Podcaster
Storyist 2.0
AT&T Navigator Road Test
Bento for iPhone 1.0
Scrabble for iPhone
Tom Bihn Checkpoint Flyer Briefcase
Apple Vanity Plates
Apple booth Macworld 07
WorldVoice Radio
Quickoffice for iPhone 1.1.1
Daylite 3.9 Review
DiscPainter
Mariner Calc for iPhone
2009CupertinoBus
Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D
MLB.com At Bat 2009
Macworld Expo 2007 show floor

 

More Apple Analysis

AOL Radio TUAW on Stitcher