PopBucket writes: In a marketplace that's full with successful services offering you streaming, downloading and cloud storage, you may wonder why Microsoft is bothering after their ill-fated attempt with Zune. But in the midst of probably the biggest shake-up in Microsoft history, they may well have cracked it this time.
Xboxed: "You don’t need to pay a single dime for the overpriced Xbox Music pass (Groove pass) anymore because you can listen to your personal playlist directly on the Xbox One or Xbox 360 for free."
Maximum PC: If you're on the fence about which subscription-based streaming music service to cozy up with, Microsoft has an offer it hopes you'll find too good to refuse. That offer is a free Nokia Lumia 520 or 521 handset when you purchase a 12-month pass to Xbox Music. That's not a bad deal on a couple of levels, the first being that you're essentially receiving two months free by paying for a year in advance -- Xbox Music typically runs $9.99 per month.
The Verge:
While Microsoft is busy launching Xbox Video on Windows Phone 8, the software giant is also quietly releasing a separate Xbox Music app today. Although Xbox Music functionality is already built directly into Windows Phone 8, Microsoft is separating out the functionality ahead of its Windows Phone 8.1 update next year. The separate Xbox Music app includes new features that aren’t available with the built-in version: playlists are editable, alongside radio stations sync support.
anyone remember the zune?
Revive the Zune microsoft.