Digital Music News has four posts (read one, two, three and four) that take from talks with inside sources and present a rather comprehensive picture on Microsoft's plans to battle Apple for market share in the hardware and music download markets.

What really stands out is Microsoft's alleged format, which calls for a closed system, a la iTunes/iPod, that will not be compatible with Microsoft's PlaysForSure DRM system. Also, the company plans on a multi-faceted pricing structure that will have "bundling, variable pricing, and subscription," though the subscription aspect will take a backseat to paid downloads.

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