Hands-On: Microsoft Zune v3 8GB Media Player

QUICK SPECS

Song Capacity 2,000 Picture Capacity 25,000 Video Capacity 25 hours Available Colors blue, black, red, pink MSRP $149.99

The Skinny: Big M retools its personal media player for the upcoming holiday season, throwing nearly everything but Bill Gates into the package.

The Good: It's Web 2.0 time, and in this worldwide web of wonderment, there's more to be done on the Internet than checking your plummeting stocks. The Zune v3 packs an FM tuner that not only allows you to magically listen to the greatest innovation of the 19th century, you can purchase whatever track is playing at the time wirelessly from your player. If you live in Futtbuck, TN, the tracks are added to a queue for download later. A simple rectangular design with slightly rounded corders, the Zune fits into your palm quite well, like a Hershey's Skor bar that never melts. Mmmmmm, delicious bars of Skor.

The Bad: There's no Mac support whatsoever. Microsoft doesn't want to give an inch to its iPod competition, and it shows when you plug it into a Mac and get nothing but the black screen of nothingness. We also wish the battery lasted longer—we forgot to turn the wireless option off and it sapped the battery in just a few of hours of inactivity.

Big Brother Zune: If you're in a space bind, there's also a 120GB Zune player available with a roomy 3.2-inch LCD screen, and support for games and audiobooks. Obviously, it's bulkier (think a deck of cards, minus the Jacks and Kings because they're bastards).

Verdict: With a new software update utilizing all of its new features, the Zune offers a wide variety of options for anyone seeking an iPod alternative. Intuitive controls won't have you fumbling for your favorite songs and it's new social capabilities allow you to easily discover new music on the fly.