Microsoft Zune 30 (2006-2012)

✅ Microsoft Zune 30

The Microsoft Zune 30, launched in November 2006 for $249, was a bold, brown-hued challenger to the iPod's dominance, featuring a rugged plastic casing and a relatively large 3-inch screen. While its directional controller felt familiar, the device differentiated itself with built-in Wi-Fi capabilities, allowing users to wirelessly "squirt" songs to nearby Zune owners for a limited three-day trial—a social feature years ahead of its time. It debuted with a marketplace subscription service that pioneered the "all-you-can-eat" streaming model for a flat monthly fee, a stark contrast to the pay-per-song structure of the iTunes Store. Despite its durable build and a dedicated FM radio tuner, the Zune 30 struggled to overcome its bulky reputation, though the original "Brown Zune" remains a beloved cult icon of mid-2000s tech.

Fun Fact: On December 31, 2008, at midnight, all Zune 30 models froze. It turned out that this was due to 2008 being a leap year, and the third-party driver for the included microprocessor. Luckily, all Zune 30 models were back up and running 24 hours later. The incident is often called "Z2K" and "Zunepocalypse". 

Source: eBay.com