BULLETIN: Microsoft confirms Zune music player: will be iPod rival

The Wall Street Journal is reporting this, courtesy of a pickup from the next weekly issue of music industry bible Billboard magazine.

In an email statement sent to Billboard editors, Chris Stephenson, who is Microsoft's company's new general manager of marketing for MSN Entertainment Business,said the company sees the Zune-branded portable music player and  an associated online service as "great opportunity to bring together technology and community to allow consumers to explore and discover music together."

Stephenson said the said the first device, as well as a companion online service, will launch this year.