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Release Date: August 05, 2009
Genre: Games
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iTunes New Music Releases

Release Date: September 29, 2009
Genre: Rock
Release Date: September 20, 2009
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Genre: Rock
Release Date: August 25, 2009

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Release Date: April 22, 2009
StickWars $0.99
Release Date: March 31, 2009
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Bloons $0.99
Release Date: April 05, 2009
Genre: Games

Discover New Music

  • Pressure Chief

    • 6 out of 10
    • Cake
    • Pressure Chief, Cake's latest album, didn't immediately grab me. In fact, it took perhaps half a dozen listens before I started truly enjoying it. Any

  • Mezzanine

    • 6 out of 10
    • Massive Attack
    • "Black Milk" knocks me off my feet in this collection of moody and eclectic songs. Massive Attack uses samples and keyboards in a very unique way, but not all the songs pack the same punch.

  • Life's Rich Pageant

    • 8 out of 10
    • R.E.M.
    • In the long series of R.E.M.'s evolution, this album (finally?) showcases their ability to capture on tape what had been happening in the live for years: heartfelt, sweat-filled performances that just
  • Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

    • 8 out of 10
    • Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
    • When I first got hooked to Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, the only place I could get their debut album, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, was through the band's Web site. I listened to the two tracks a

  • Is This It

    • 10 out of 10
    • The Strokes
    • The Strokes set the music world on fire with this 2001 album, with headlines declaring that the New York band was here to save Rock and Roll. While the band hasn't made as much of a splash since t

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News

Microsoft Zune Hits Shelves on Nov 14

Microsoft announced on Thursday that its Zune media player and Zune Marketplace music download service will launch on November 14. The 30GB Zune player, which Microsoft hopes will hold its own against Apple's iPod, will be priced at US$249.99.

The lower than expected price puts the Zune player in line with Apple's 30GB video capable iPod. Both devices feature a 30GB hard drive, play music and videos, and display pictures. Microsoft is betting that the Zune's FM radio receiver and limited ability to share music with other Zune players will give it an advantage over Apple.

Also like the iPod, the Zune will rely on its own music download service that isn't compatible with competitor's portable music players. Users can purchase a monthly subscription for US$14.99, or individual songs for 79 "Microsoft Points" each. 80 points will cost you $1, so individual song track pricing is in line with the iTunes Store.

In an effort to sweeten the pot a little more, Microsoft is pre-loading the Zune player with nine songs, 12 music videos, and three short films.

Apple's market dominance will be difficult for Microsoft to overcome, and the most likely victims in this round of MP3 player battles will be the companies that Microsoft partnered with for its PlaysForSure technology. Companies like Creative, SanDisk, and Samsung that are using Microsoft technologies in their players have not been able to make a dent in the iPod's marketshare, and will likely see some market erosion to Microsoft once the Zune player hits store shelves.

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