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.