Microsoft Zune is finally officially announced! Will it really become the iPod-killer that some have wished for? Well, let’s take a look at the features it offers.

• Wireless Zune-to-Zune file-sharing (the star feature!)
• 30GB of storage
• 3-inch display
• Built-in FM
• Music, video and photo playback
• Audio supported: MP3, AAC and WMA
• Video supported: h.264, MPEG-4, WMV
• Photo supported: JPEG
• 12 hours of music playback or 3.5 hours of video playback

If you are a storage freak, you might find Zune’s 30GB limiting, in contrast to the new iPod’s 80GB. But of course, we can be sure that Microsoft will come out with higher capacity ones later.

And what really sets the Zune apart from the rest, is its wireless Zune-to-Zune file-sharing feature. This is done by simply selecting the media and then selecting your buddy’s Zune from a list of nearby Zunes. The file will be playable by your buddy for up to three times over three days. After the trial period, he may choose to purchase the song off the Microsoft’s iTune’ish Zune Marketplace.

Microsoft’s lip is still sealed on Zune’s pricing and availability. And meanwhile, it may not be surprising to see Microsoft up Zune’s specifications, judging from how the new iPod managed to trump it in several areas.

Here are two videos to feed your eyes. One featuring Zune’s interface and the other showing the Zune-to-Zune transfer in action.

Tampon jokes aside, these new Walkman music players from Sony looks pretty innovative. It comes in two versions, the black-colored NW-S205F and the silver-colored NW-S203F. Both are flash-based and sport numerous features such as pedometer, “collar knob” for music navigation, calorie counter, stopwatch, FM tuner and a one-line organic EL display.

The best part is it takes only 3 minutes to charge up the batteries for a 3-hours playback. Very handy for times when you realized you forgot to charge the player just before you leave home. And on a full charge, it runs for up to 18-hours.

The players have yet to be announced by Sony. But the 1GB versions are expected to be priced at $120 and the 2GB versions $150.

It’s that time of the year again for the Creative Warehouse Sale here in Singapore. From June 23-25, our typical bargain-hunting Singaporeans would spend hours queuing up at the entrance just so they could snap up some great deals.

And from this picture shown at Creative Singapore’s website, it looks like Creative is giving a go at the iPod Nano. It says “Mystery MP3 Player to be unveiled! Tiny with a price to match!“. Sounds good, but it best be nice-looking.

Other offers include:
SG$235 ZEN AURVANA In-Ear Earphones
SG$369 DiVi CAM 525D

Early bird offers for Day 1:
SG$1 Refurbished MuVo TX FM 128MB (30 units)
SG$399 GigaWorks G550W (5 units)
SG$249 DiVi CAM 525D (20 units)
SG$89 MuVo S200 1GB (50 units)

Early bird offers for Day 2:
SG$1 Refurbished Rhomba 128MB (30 units)
SG$399 ZEN Vision 30GB (5 units)
SG$189 ZEN Neeon 6GB (20 units)
SG$89 GigaWorks T20 (50 units)

Early bird offers for Day 3:
SG$1 Refurbished MuVo USB 2.0 128MB (30 units)
SG$299 ZEN Vision:M 30GB (5 units)
SG$199 ZEN MicroPhoto 8GB (20 units)
SG$99 Wireless Headphones SL3100 (50 units)

Look forward to some live pictures of this mystery MP3 player from us this weekend!

You’ve always thought you were great at Tetris? Perhaps you haven’t seen this video of the champion at the Tetris Japan Finals 2001. Can you do that?

Mix an iPod Nano with a LG KG800 and this is what you’ll get. The M-Cody M-20.

Together with its nice looks are white OLED display, 256MB/512MB/1GB/2GB options, MP3/WMA/WAV/OGG support, 12-hours playtime, FM radio with 20 preset channels, voice and line-in recording, multi-language ID3 tag and SRS/WOW/TruBass support.

Measuring 80.7 x 33.5 x 7.5mm, it is only 0.7mm thicker than the iPod Nano. No biggies, as the true deal breaker isn’t that, but rather the USB 1.1 Full Speed support. Why oh why? USB 2.0 is the norm these days.

No details on its pricing right now.

Last month, Evergreen amazed everyone with their 999 Yen (~US$10) that uses external SD memory cards as its song storage method. Now the MP3 player is back in shades of dark blue and pastel blue. Other than the color change, the player remains at the same tiny size of 58 x 60 x 13mm and weighs just 30g.

The player also doubles as a SD card reader, but it runs at pathetic USB 1.1 speeds. And perhaps the biggest downside of this player is that the largest supported SD card size is a mere 1GB. So tough luck, for those who thought they could put their camera’s 4GB SD cards to good use while not photographing. But hey, what’s 10 bucks?

Order the 999 Yen MP3 Player here.