Microsoft Pushes For New Players To Rival iPod

Bloomberg: Microsoft is pushing for new music players for the end-of-year shopping season. It is working with electronics makers such as Philips, Samsung and Creative to design and test music players that rival iPod, said Erik Huggers, the head of Microsoft's Digital Media Division.
Microsoft said in June that its Xbox game console chief, Robbie Bach, has also been tasked with overseeing Microsoft's digital music efforts in a bid to better coordinate the work of several different Microsoft units in this area. The software giant has opened laboratories to make sure that new devices are easy to use and fast enough to attract new consumers, Huggers said.