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Microsoft's effort to compete against Apple's dominant iPod will focus on the idea that people want to be able to easily share music with friends and family.

Microsoft says its portable 30-gigabyte Zune media player will include wireless technology to let people share some of their favorite songs, playlists or pictures with other Zune users who are close by. Those users can listen to the songs three times over three days before deciding whether to purchase it themselves.

The Zune is scheduled to go on sale in time for the holiday shopping season.

Brian Cooley with technology review site CNET says Microsoft's Zune Marketplace music service, designed to compete with Apple 's iTunes store, will let users buy songs individually or listen to unlimited tracks for a flat subscription fee.

Bonus: I've posted an extended version of my interview with Brian Cooley here. (MP3).

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A nonprofit group called the Sunlight Network says it will pay a $1,000 bounty to anyone who can persuade a U.S. Senator or Representative to publish their daily schedule, including meetings with constituents, lobbyists, and fundraisers, on the Internet.