Apple announced the new pricing of its iPod roster a couple of weeks ago, which is I guess how long it takes for Microsoft to react to anything, since it's just now settled on the price of its upcoming rival music player, the Zune. Costing $250 — the same price as the 30-GB iPod — the Zune will be up for sale on Nov. 14th. It'll also have a 30-gig capacity (good for about 8,000 songs or so), though the LCD screen is larger (3 inches instead of 2.5), and the would-be iPod killer will feature Wi-Fi for sharing of music and pictures with other Zune owners (Zuners?). At the same time, the Windows maker revealed what kind of preloaded content you get, and fans of chart toppers The Thermals and Granddaddy are sure to be ecstatic. Accessories for connecting your Zune to your car or home system are priced at $80 and $100, respectively, and you'll be able to get an array of other extras like accessory cables and "premium" earphones for costs ranging from $20 to $40. Considering the recent Zune sightings in the wild, we're a little surprised the official release won't be sooner, but everything else is pretty by the numbers. Your Wi-Fi intrigues us, Zune, but we don't think Apple is quivering in its space boots just yet.
editor@dvice.com