The Microsoft Zune has been in the news over the last several days. Here’s what you need to know about the latest Zune developments.

First off, Microsoft reduced the price of the flash-based Zune players. The 4GB Zune was reduced to $99; the 8GB down to  $139 and the 16GB down to $179. Hoping for a price cut for the hard drive Zune? Nada.

However if you are looking for some Zune accessories, Microsoft announced a couple of price cuts there too. The Zune Car Pack now goes for $69 dollars, the Home AV Pack priced at $59 dollars, and the Dock Pack is now $39 dollars.

On the software/music side of the biz, Microsoft released a new firmware and software update so make sure to get the latest updates if you have the Zune.

Finally, Microsoft enhanced the Zune Pass subscription model yesterday – announcing that effectively immediately, Zune Pass subscribers will be able to download and keep 10 songs a month. This means that if you cancel the Zune Pass, the 10 songs a month you downloaded will be yours to keep forever. The files will be in MP3 format which means you’re free to use it on any device you want. The company struck agreements with the major music studios as well as independent labels and also said that soon over 90 percent of the music on the Marketplace will be DRM-free.

[Check it out via ZuneSphere.com, PC Magazine]

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