Microsoft confirms "Zune"

Here's a link to an article in the Wall Street Journal saying "The Redmond,
Wash., company, confirming for the first time numerous news reports about a
Microsoft device in recent weeks, said it plans to introduce a "family of
hardware and software products" under the name Zune, starting before the
end of the year."

For more (including info from Microsoft Marketing GM Chris Stephenson), go here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115351059864913890.html?mod=technology_main_what
s_news

Here's a similar (I think) article at a free site, 

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyID06
-07-22T174806Z_01_N22174819_RTRUKOC_0_US-MICROSOFT.xml

This sounds pretty good.  Hopefully this will make Jobs & Co. realize that
they either need to lower prices or come out with better products.  I've got a
5G 60GB iPod, but honestly, although I do listen to some music on it, you can
find me playing Doom or Bejeweled on it more often, thanks to Rockbox.  I just
hope that Microsoft keeps the Zune brand "open" so to speak so that
there will be the ability to share, a custom EQ, and maybe some better games
than what iPod has.

As far as computer software, I detest iTunes.  It can hardly convert videos and
it really slows down my Athlon 64 3400+ laptop.  I hope that Microsoft uses Urge
and WMP 11 with Zune.  In my eyes it would then be a much better player than the
iPod.

There are two new blogs devoted to the Zune: The Zune Insider by Cesar Menendez,
and Madison & Pine, by Richard Winn, both of them Microserfs.

My biggest worry is the price point, if the rumours are true and a 30GB Zune is
$399 then it won't sell against a 60GB iPod Video at the same price.