Microsoft tweaks Zune players

Microsoft is updating its Zune media players

Microsoft has announced a series of changes to its Zune media players just as Apple is revamping its iPod line.

Zune users will now be able to mark music that they hear on the player's FM radio and buy it later when they reach a wireless hotspot. The service will start on 16 September.

"Digital music services really come alive when they help people find not only the music they know they like, but the music they didn't know they would love," said Chris Stephenson, general manager of global marketing for Zune at Microsoft.

"With the combination of subscription, wireless access to millions of tracks, and powerful discovery features like personal recommendations and the ability to buy music from FM radio, Zune is taking the digital music experience to the next level."

The company is also expanding the Zune range with new 16GB and 120GB versions. The 120GB Zune will be at $249.99 and the 16GB model costs $199.00.

The software has also been updated with new features. These include the creation of music channels by third parties, like the Billboard 100, and recommendations of other music the listener might like.

However, Microsoft has a long way to go before it threatens Apple's domination of the music player market.

At Apple's press conference today the company quoted NPD data that gave it 73.4 per cent of the market compared to Microsoft's 2.6 per cent.