A year after releasing the new Zune player to the market, and a month after Apple released its new iPod players, Microsoft is announcing on the second generation of the Zune.
The new Zunes have two main configurations – Hard Drive and Flash Drive players.
Hard drive Zunes – The Zune 80 – comes with 80GB of storage. Screen size has increased to 3.2″, thats 2 inch more than the first generation. It is much thinner than the first one, and it will be available in black color.
price – 250$
Flash Zunes – Zune 4 and Zune 8 – comes with 2 capacity storage: 4GB and 8GB respectively. This flash players, remind Apple’s first nano players, come with 1.8″ and will be available in red, black, pink and green colors.
prices – 150$ (4GB) , 200$ (8GB)
All players have a new 4 way touch pad, built in FM radio and WiFi capability (like the first generation), which allows users to synchronize the Zune with other Zunes. In addition, Microsoft has opened the option to sync the Zune with other computers in the same network.
Microsoft also announced on re-launching its online music store, the Zune Marketplace, desperately trying to compete with iTunes from Apple. The good news are that Microsoft will make over 1 million songs, available in DRM-Free format.
In addition, the company will launch a new social Zune network with the option for every Zune owner to present his/her songs list and share songs with other members.
Launch is set to November.
