After weeks of rumors and speculation flying around the Internet, Microsoft has finally made official what we've assumed for a while: they're releasing a portable music player called Zune to take on the iPod. Not just a player, Zune is also the name of the music store and software that will work with it, much like iTunes and the iTunes Music Store. Microsoft confirmed that the new player will be hard drive based, like the iPod, and will feature Wi-Fi for wireless connections. The first Zune model should be out in time for the holiday shopping deathmarch, and more models (including a gaming portable, purportedly) will be out in 2007. That's just about all the info the tightlips at Microsoft were willing to squeeze out today, but expect more details to come sprinkling out of Redmond over the coming weeks. Whether or not the Zune will have what it takes to topple the iPod is yet to be seen, but look forward to a serious battle come year's end. — Adam Frucci

Microsoft Zune, via CNet