Microsoft MP3 Players

The Zune

With the official announcement of the Zune  in mid-September, Microsoft jumped head first into the portable media player market. Hype surrounding the Zune built up months before Microsoft uttered a word, and the Zune's capabilities spread quickly around the Internet. Does the player live up to the hype? Can Microsoft produce an iPod-beating brand and succeed where Creative, Toshiba,  Sony  and Archos  failed? It sounds as though it may have a shot. Priced at around $250, Zune may give Apple a run for their money. The Zune's physical specs are nearly identical to Apple's iPod Video,  but it boasts a slightly larger screen. It also comes with some cool features not found on most MP3 players, like the ability to wirelessly share files directly from another Zune, a Napster-like all-you-can-download option and the ability to browse by album artwork. Now that's cool.

The Specs

The Zune  models are stylish and featured some exciting capabilities. Check our these specs:

Accessories

The Zune debuted with several cool accessories. Having waited until the market cooled down to jump in the game has given Microsoft some insight into what kind of add-ons consumers might actually want. That said, the initial accessories list is pretty basic. Look for this list to expand with third-party developments in the coming months.