No official specs are available yet for the Zune, but it’s already fairly clear that the digital media player may be less unique for its capabilities than Microsoft’s plan to lose money on the Zune for up to five years in order to win market share. This is the same strategy Microsoft has used to muscle the XBox into gamers’ mindshare.According to Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft‚Äôs entertainment and devices group, the company‚Äôs Zune product line will require an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars and will not pay off immediately.

‚ÄúIt‚Äôs important for us to have a play in the portable entertainment space,’‚Äô Bach said.