Microsoft lets Zune Music Subscribers Keep 10 tunes a month

Microsoft announced that they are allowing customers who pay for the "all you can listen" access to keep 10 songs each month. This is now included in the $14.99 per month fee.

Microsoft also announced deals with Sony and BMG, allowing Zune users to buy MP3-formatted songs, not just ones protected with digital rights management software.

It looks like Microsoft is really trying to gain some ground on iTunes and others.

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LG and Microsoft partner to build a mobile lifestyle - LG

LG and Microsoft announced the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to form strategic collaboration in Mobile Convergence.. With this partnership LG and Microsoft are hoping to make mobile computing an everyday reality. LG and Microsoft want to be at the forefront of it.This mobile computing lifestyle revolve around smartphones.

Here's a list of LG Mobile Phones.

Full Press Release from lpe.com

Netflix Roll-Out of Microsoft Silverlight (2nd Gen)

Netflix announced it has begun the deployment of Microsoft Silverlight to enhance the instant watching component of the Netflix service. The Microsoft Silverlight also allows subscribers to watch movies and TV episodes instantly on their Intel-based Apple Macintosh computers. This is the first step in an anticipated roll-out of the new platform to all Netflix subscribers by the end of the year.

See full Netflix Release

More US Retailers Drop the Microsoft Zune

Here's an update to my other post: Zune vs. Ipod which mentions that Gamestop had stopped carrying the Microsoft Zune. I just read that Brookstone and CarToys won't be buying any more inventory of the devices.

The major players like Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Circuit City, and Target will continue to carry the Zune players, but the fall off from the retailers mentioned above isn't a good sign. I guess in the US Apple's iPods are still winning the battle.

Even with this news, it is rumored that Microsoft is still moviing ahead with a new Version. Maybe they have big hopes in the Canadian Market.

Zune vs iPod - Better vs. Cooler?

So, the big MP3 News in Canada is that the Zune is set to arrive there on June 13th. In the US the big news is that GameStop has stopped selling the Zune because of poor performance.

I haven't used a Zune, but the features sound pretty good (FM Radio, Ability to wirelessly synchronize and share songs and playlists, and more).

Is the iPod really that much better, or is it just "cooler" in the US to have an iPod? Chances are, if it's just the "coolness factor", then Canadians may have the same feeling. Maybe that's why in Canada Microsoft has lined up a string of Coming Zune Parties/Concerts to raise it on the cool scale (remaining cities: Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal & Halifax).

It may be a tough up hill battle for Microsoft to gain market share from Apple. Microsoft Zune sales are around the 2 million sold mark, vs Apple iPods 11 million.

I'd be interested to hear from Zune enthusiasts to see how the Zune has been working out. I'd also like to figure out what makes the iPod so much cooler (the commercials, the apple logo)? Help me out here.