I believe the iPod now really has a tough competitor in the new Zune. Yes Microsoft recently released the new 80GB version of the Zune. Its 80Gb capacity is more than enough to hold all of your favorite songs and then some. Those who are thinking of buying an iPod but are still having second thoughts about it will get even more confused with the unleashing of the 80GB Zune. Aside from the ample storage capacity, the 80GB Zune is stylishly designed with an almost same size as the apple’s iPod Nano. The 80GB Zune is 4.3 inches high, 2.4 inches wide and 0.5 inch thick. Aside from the size, another great improvement is the navigation control that is fondly referred to as Zune Pad.

You can play almost any type of file in this player since it supports MP3, WMA and PlaysForSure DRM-ed audio. If you get tired of the songs you’ve downloaded in it you have an option with the built-in FM tuner. It has a 3.2-inch 320 x 240 pixel screen for photo and video playback. Another great feature is the new h.264 and MPEG4 encoding.

The new Zune also comes with better accessories like the premium in-ear headphones. It has touch controls for a more manageable scrolling and searching of content. You can also share and play songs wirelessly.

With these new and improved features, the latest 80GB Zune can be said to be a worthy competitor to the iPod. It sounds good and its price of $250 is not that hard on the pocket.