Microsoft Enters the Convergence Game
The device in question is called Zune and it's Microsoft's attempt at an iPod killer, which Microsoft hopes will grab a 20% market share after its rumored launch in time for the holiday season. Featuring a Windows Mobile platform on a 400MHz DSP processor, with a 30GB hard drive and built-in WiFi, the Zune will be able to play music, share music (with DRM restrictions in place) and play games via WiFi, making it more like a combination of iPod and PSP. There's even a Microsoft equivalent of the iTunes Music Store: it's called URGE and it's a partnership between Microsoft and MTV that launched back in May and comes integrated in the newest version of Windows Media Player.
The extra features do jack up the price – the MSRP is expected to be $399, the price of the largest video iPod, which has double the storage capacity. Still, having that kind of capacity and the ability to share what you're carrying will definitely make the Zune stand out above all of the other PlaysForSure devices. We'll see if standing out is enough to make an impact on the market.
