BetaNews is reporting that Microsoft will get its iPod competitor to market some time in October, in plenty of time for the holiday shopping season, and probably before Apple makes any updates to the full-size iPod.

Since the rumor was first circulated, details and names have leaked out (or been made up). According to BetaNews the Zune will be a competitor to the iPod, the Pyxis will take on the Nano and the music service will be called Alexandria. While these names may seem less than inspiring, an aggressive push by Microsoft could make it an immediate player in the space. While the Xbox hasn't overtaken Sony's PlayStation in the gaming console space, it has carved out a good portion of the market. This move will be all about the execution, Apple has a stranglehold on the hardware and content aspects of digital music, competition should be a win for the consumer no matter how it shakes out for the companies. — Brian Ward

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