Microsoft Zune official pricing ($249.99) and availability (November 14)

The Zune really is coming soon. After some wild speculation that had the Zune priced anywhere from $99 to $300, the Microsoft Wi-Fi MP3 player's price has officially been set at $249.99. No doubt affected by the iPod's $249 price tag, the Zune will hit stores in the United States on November 14 (a huge week for holiday tech toy announcements).

Other details include an odd Microsoft "point" system where users pay $1 for 80 points--79 points will buy you a song at the Zune music store (points can also be used in the Xbox Live Marketplace). And $14.99 per month will get you a Zune Pass, an all-you-can-eat subscription. Out of the gate, the Zune will have several accessories, including the $100 Zune Home A/V Pack (includes a dock, a remote, cables, a sync cable, and an extra battery), the $80 Car Pack (a car charger and an FM transmitter), and the $100 Zune Travel Pack. Since the Zune will not ship with a wall power adapter (only USB), we recommend getting one of the kits or the adapter ($30) itself. All accessory components will be available individually as well.

Get more details here.

Source: Reuters