fatinfo.com

Microsoft will soon release the highly anticipated Zune MP3 player to compete with Apple’s iPod head on. Some specs worthy of mention is the three inch screen, built-in FM radio tuner, and wireless transfer capabilities between other Zune players. Other rich features include the ability to view movies sideways - similar to a letterbox with the wider screen, Wi-Fi connection capability, and music service with a community approach offering a flat-rate unlimited music download subscription. When you need a tune, think of Zune.

Are the difficult days of transferring MP3 to iPods numbered? Will Zune be well integrated into the Microsoft operating system? Will the cool factor of owning a Zune catch up to the cool factor of owning an iPod? A lot of these questions will be answered in the next few weeks as music enthusiast start receiving their deliveries.

Regardless of how Zune fairs on its debut, its introduction to the portable music player landscape means more competition for iPods meaning better deals for customers.

Update 09/26/2006: From Microsoft’s official site, the Zune release date is slated for November 14th with retail price of $249.99 for a 30GB and some preloaded content (9 audio tracks, 12 music videos, and 3 short films).