Microsoft’s Zune to go on sale in US

Microsoft is set to begin sales of its Zune digital media player in the US next month, in a bid to rival Apple Computer’s iPod and iTunes products. The 30GB music and video player will cost $250 (£134), though a date and price for UK distribution have yet to be announced. It is understood to have been designed in-house by Microsoft in Redmond, Washington and comes in brown, black or white, with a three-inch LCD screen that can be swung into landscape or portrait positions.