Microsoft Corp. said late Monday it will now sell TV shows including popular NBC series on the Zune Marketplace a move that brings its selection of content for the digital media player a step closer to what Apple Inc. s iTunes offers for Apple s much more popular iPod. Redmond Wash. based Microsoft said it also planned to send out software updates overnight that add new features to the Zune devices and the PC software used to buy and manage digital content. Microsoft ventured into downloadable video sales for Zunes last October when it released its second generation players and software but the content was limited to music videos. Starting Tuesday Microsoft will sell episodes of TV shows including Comedy Central s South Park and Sci Fi Channel s Battlestar Galactica for . each. In a small victory over Apple Microsoft said the Zune Marketplace will also carry NBC shows including The Office and Heroes. NBC Universal has said it pulled its shows from iTunes over Apple s unwilli! ngness to set different prices for TV shows. Microsoft spokesman Jason Reindorp said flexible pricing is within the scope of its agreement with NBC but that there are no concrete plans. The software maker still has a lot of work to do to catch Apple. Since the first Zune went on sale in November the software maker has sold just north of million of the devices Reindorp said. Apple sold . million iPods in the first three months of alone. But the Zune offers some capabilities the iPod doesn t. One Microsoft is betting on is its Zune Pass subscription service which gives users access to every song in the catalog for . per month. Reindorp said TV shows aren t available as part of the subscription service yet but that Microsoft is looking this year at making Zune Pass less expensive or including more content in the monthly fee. Zunes can also synchronize wirelessly with PCs something iPods and Macs can t do. Users can plug a Zune into its charger anywhere in range of their home W! i Fi network and the device will update itself automatically. One of the software updates planned for Monday night will make it possible to synchronize several Zunes wirelessly and simultaneously with the same computer. Another lets users sitting at their PCs choose new content to send to a Zune next time it s in range. Before a Zune s user had to connect the device to a PC wirelessly or with a cable to tweak its contents. Microsoft s service also emphasizes the social aspect of music consumption and includes services to help users tap into their friends music discoveries. After the update Zune Pass subscribers will be able to easily send the contents of friends Zune Cards or mini profiles showing favorite tunes and recently played tracks to their own Zunes. Other new features include gapless music playback and playlists that automatically update themselves based on criteria set by the Zune user. Reindorp said the software update was widely tested among Microsoft employees. On the Net www.zune.net Printable Version Email This Article del.icio.! us Digg Technorati Reddit Facebook Slashdot Fark Newsvine Google Bookmarks Comments Characters left Get The Chronicle for up to off Man arrested for punching camel at Vallejo theme park Horse racing comes under fire after death of Eight Belles Deal x s collapse good news for Google S.F. grows ever more hostile to chain stores Web salary charts tell all and we love it Oakland suspect said to fear poisoning American Airlines to pull out of Oakland International Doctor finds higher calling when death knocks S.F. kids may have to leave treatment center Drunken row preceded student x s fatal stabbing Web salary charts tell all and we love it Supe has second thoughts on trash can law Stuff about stuff Berkeley art historian Jane Dillenberger on creativity prayer and the. Drunken row preceded student x s fatal stabbing Oakland suspect said to fear poisoning American Airlines to pull out of Oakland International Richmond DNA lab x s sample processing to double Year old girl who dro! wned in pool at her home is identified Supe has second thoughts on trash can law Bay Area gets a head start on Cinco de Mayo Getting the message cell phones x key change Full QWERTY keyboards once. Fixing the mess that is this TV season Police arrest suspected muggers who may be connected to other S.F. attacks From Pacific Union Richmond BR BA Oakland BR BA Richmond BR BA Orinda BR . BA Oakland BR BA Lafayette BR BA Richmond BR BA Oakland Piedmont BR BA Oakland Piedmont BR . BA Lafayette BR . BA Lafayette BR BA Dublin BR BA Lafayette BR . BA Lafayette BR . BA Walnut Creek BR BA See more from this broker About Top Homes Advertisers Return to top Home News Sports Business Entertainment Food Living Travel Blogs Classifieds Jobs Homes Cars Site Index Advertising Services Place a Classified Advertise in Print Advertise Online Media Kit Today s Print Ads Public Notices Reader Services Home Delivery Subscribers Today s Paper RSS Feeds Newsletters Join Community Feedback Buy Photos FAQ Corrections Company Info Contact Us Hearst Corp. Privacy Policy Te! rms and Conditions Work for Us Chronicle in Education Events Promotions Submissions Hearst Communications Inc. Be the first to share your thoughts on this story. Share your thoughts on this story. be the first to share your thoughts on this question. Sorry comments are closed for this story
Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/05/05/financial/f210122D89.DTL&feed=rss.business
Another site recomended to review: Car hire in Windhoek ( http://www.hpcarsales.com.na/car-hire-namibia.html )
I haven't gotten anything done lately. Today was a complete loss, but pfft. Not that it matters. Eh.
Feel free to read: Car sales in Namibia ( http://www.hpcarsales.com.na/car-hire-namibia.html )
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment