Zune to ship preloaded with music and videos

Rumors in the past have frequently suggested that Apple would preload special editions of its iPods with songs and videos. Those claims never bore fruit, but a developer for Microsoft's upcoming Zune player has confirmed that the device will, in fact, ship preloaded with both music and video as a way of spurring sales. Content will come from groups such as 30 Seconds to Mars, Cansei de Ser Sexy, and Hot Chip. In many cases, audio and video will both be available for a given artist. This also indicates that Microsoft's software will allow users to transfer music from the player to the computer, a feature music labels have historically refused on the grounds that it would encourage piracy.