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Microsoft Confirms New Music Player

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the it's-on dept.

Udo Schmitz writes "It's official now. Reuters confirms the rumors that Microsoft wants to take on Apple's iPod and iTunes. From the article: 'Microsoft Corp. said on Friday it plans to release a new music and entertainment player and accompanying software under the "Zune" brand this year, in a belated attempt to challenge the dominance of Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod player ... Microsoft sources said Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division, is working with J. Allard, vice president of its Xbox team, on the digital media player/software project.'"

4 of 415 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Zune? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    "That sounds like an awfully cheesy attempt to play off of Creative's Zen brand."

    Well seeing how this is likely a cheesy attempt to copy off of the iPod,
    and how Vista is an awful, cheesy attempt to copy of OS X,
    that's pretty well par for the course.

  2. Close, Amiga actually. by fuego451 · · Score: 5, Informative

    From these guys.

    And from their developement tool page:

    Zune is an object-oriented GUI toolkit. It is nearly a clone (at both API and Look&Feel level) of MUI, a well-known Amiga shareware product by Stefan Stuntz. So MUI developers will feel at home here; others will discover the concepts and qualities that Zune shares with MUI.

    I wonder how aros.org feels about this?

  3. Not the first Microsoft MP3 player ! by Daas · · Score: 5, Informative

    Microsoft have already done the software on the Toshiba Gigabeat S series... It can be syncronised with an Xbox 360, plays video, has FM support and sells for about the same price as an iPod. It uses a portable Media Center edition.

    See the CNET review : http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-11396_7-6550266-1.htm l

    Ah, and has DRM (yeah !)

    Daas

  4. Re:Tacospeak by snarlydwarf · · Score: 4, Informative

    Actually, you should RTFA.

    Music industry sources told Reuters earlier this month that Microsoft disclosed plans to be in the market before Christmas with a media player that will allow users to download videos and music wirelessly.

    That is the only place discussion of Wirelss capabilities is mentioned: it apparently is not mentioned in the release, instead Reuters says, "well last month, someone told us that Microsoft told them it had wireless..."

    Hardly confirmed: it is reported as a rumor.