Zune falls in line with the portable media players that are manufactured by Microsoft. This also includes the Zune software and the Zune marketplace services that is sold by Microsoft which provides online music , online video, and pod cast that is downloadable. Zune’s main competitor is the Apple iPod / ITunes. These are famous in the Mac world. Just as Apple ipod / itune is famous in the Mac world so is Zune products in the Microsoft world. Zune players are available as two man products namely the hard drive based product and the flash memory based product. Both of these products are capable of playing music, videos, pod casts, they help to display images and also are capable of receiving FM radio. FM radio does include RBDS, which is capable of receiving an displaying digital information in the conventional FM radio broadcasts, like the Traffic announcements, station identification, artist being broadcast, song title so on. It also allows sharing files wirelessly across other Zune via USB with Xbox 360 and Window Pcs. It can be seen that Zune can also be synced with a windows PC.

The Zune software that manages the Zune is capable of running on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7. The Zune will not be compatible with the Mac OS, neither Linux nor a 64 bit Windows XP. It is also able to rip cds. It can manage music and also can be used to buy songs, music videos and tv shows on the Zune market place. You will be able to purchase items from the Zune market place if you have Microsoft points or have a Zune Pass. As long as you have the Zune Pass subscription you can download temporarily unlimited no. of songs.

Zune 4.0 was released o September 15, 2009. This is a significant update to the software that supports the Zune HD. It also provides several new features. These 4.0 products have been released simultaneously in the Zune Hardware, in the Zune Software and on online services. Microsoft has stated that this will bring the customers of Zune instant access to their favorite music and favorite videos anywhere through their mobile devices, PCs or through TV. The Zune Pass subscribers have the facility to now stream full albums and song or video tracks through the web. The Zune 4 has got generally positive reception amongst its customers. It is mainly praised for the Wi-Fi, for the user interface and excellent quality of sound.