Microsoft has followed in Apple’s wake and taken the Zune MP3 player deeper into video territory, just like the iPod and iTunes. Zune will expand its video store to include shows from Comedy Central, FUNimation, MTV, NBC Universal, Nickelodeon, Starz Media, Turner Broadcasting, Ultimate Fighting Championship. Content will be sideloaded onto the Zune device from a PC.
Microsoft said that 800 episodes of TV series are now downloadable including The Office, Heroes and SpongeBob SquarePants. Each TV show will cost 160 Microsoft Points (around $1.99) and the company says that its music service is now up to 3.5 million tracks, plus 4,800 music videos.
Microsoft has also added a Zune Card which captures musical lists, and offers them to friends either online or on the card. Microsoft said this was because in a recent study 54% of consumers said they were frustrated when trying to find new music, and would prefer to trust a friend with musical recommendations over a music critic. Consumers simply drag and drop Zune Cards from friends to a Zune device and get updates on what friends are listening to every time they sync. If the song is available with Zune Pass, subscribers automatically have the full tracks on their Zune while non-subscribers have full album information and artwork.