Payton H. Wilmott, Tech Writer

You don't often find a device that you can compare with Apple's market giant iPod, but when Microsoft's Zune MP3 player first debuted in late 2006, many thought that this would be the device that would give the iPod a run for its money.

They were right.

But now it's time for a new Microsoft Zune to arise and that is the second-generation 8GB Microsoft Zune. Let's find out if the Zune newbie has what it takes to stand up to its competitors.

Design

The Zune is a slick device that weighs only 1.7 ounces and comes with a scratch-resistant glass that covers the 1.8-inch LCD colour display. It's available in four different colours - black, pink, green and red.

On screen, the Zune has large modern fonts, which are rarely found on other players in the market today. Users can navigate menus by sliding or applying little pressure in the four directions and select items by pressing down on the middle pad.

Features

The Zune packs in a lot of neat features like tuning in to your favourite FM radio stations on the go. What is really cool is that the FM tuner even displays the name of the artiste and song.

Where the Zune truly shines is in its ability to share music, videos, and pictures with other Zune users wirelessly with little effort.

What I found most interesting is that the Zune seamlessly integrates with your Xbox 360. You can stream music, pictures and videos from the Zune software on your PC to your console via your home wireless network or just plug it into your console.

Software

The Zune software is fast, clean and crisp. Navigating through its menus and finding out how to store music on the Zune was a breeze. The interface is extremely user-friendly and its icons are amusing. The Marketplace, which is the Zune's answer to Apple's iTunes, has been restocked and redesigned to make shopping fun and easy.

Microsoft's biggest problem with the Zune software is that it is only compatible with Windows and not Apple's Mac OS. This is a serious handicap, especially since consumers will want to use the product on whichever OS they have.

Final thoughts

After learning from the first Zune generation, the second generation looks to be a heavy contender with other comparable MP3 players on the market today. Fortunately, for the 8GB Zune, the bells and whistles of this model will attract those seeking more than the standard features found on the third-generation Apple iPod Nano.

Products courtesy of Royale Computers and Accessories; telephone 906-1067, 906-1068, 754-5048.