Microsoft launches new invention

The neon pink and orange three dimensional "Z" located at the top left corner of zune.net is the new 30GB digital media player, Microsoft Zune, trademark. Microsoft's newest invention could be dubbed as another "wannabe iPod," but Zune has something the others don't. Zune can locate other Zune players and wirelessly exchange content music and pictures, for starters, according to nytimes.com. "It seems like a good idea but you can share songs with an iPod too but through iTunes," Stephanie Castrilli, a sophomore marketing major, said. Microsoft is including a few pre-loaded songs, music videos and film shorts which will allow the user to experience something different. In turn, the artists that are being installed on the Zune's will be given more exposure to fans. Users may purchase a plan for $14.99 a month which allows the consumer to access millions of songs per month. They may also purchase songs individually by using Microsoft Points. Microsoft Points is a stored value system that can be redeemed at a growing number of online stores. Each song will go for 79 points. "It's better to wait for the better cheaper version," Victoria Matkowski, a sophomore elementary education major, said. "Something better always comes out." Kayla Moran, a sophomore special education major, said, "I don't trust the iPod wannabe's because they are never as good as the original." Apple is overpowering the market by 90 percent with their iPods, but Microsoft says that the Zune "Was just a stepping stone."