Microsoft is making a second attempt to take a bite out of Apple's dominance in the digital music business with an overhaul of its MP3 player, the Zune.

The company releases its next generation of the portable music and video player today, amid considerable less fanfare than when it debuted last fall.

Microsoft sold just over a million units of the device its first year of availability - business in line with company forecasts, but largely disappointing in the eyes of the press and analysts.

Microsoft execs acknowledge that the original Zune suffered from its rush to market, but they are hoping a slimmer design, a sleeker interface, a new online store and more product choices will help the company this Christmas.

"We've rebuilt [the Zune experience] from the ground up," said Jason Reindorp, director of marketing for Zune.

350,000 Subscribers and 3 Million Tracks: eMusic Hits Critical Mass

As the holidays approach, eMusic hits a new level of critical mass: today, the world's largest retailer of independent music -- and the world's second-largest digital music service after iTunes -- announces that it has surpassed 350,000 paid subscribers and that its catalogue totals more than three million tracks. Since establishing the current subscription model in 2003, eMusic has sold more than 165 million music downloads and, in the last 50 days alone, approximately 25,000 digital audiobooks. The 350,000 subscriber benchmark comes only six months since eMusic reached 300,000 subscribers in April. And, with more than three million tracks from more than 20,000 labels, eMusic's offers the largest catalogue of independent music ever assembled.

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Holiday shopping for tech gear is as perplexing as ever. Even I find it overwhelming. But I've done some sorting, and here are my recommendations of this year's best buys. You'll find items for a range of budgets, ages and activities.

1. Nintendo Wii

Nintendo's Wii has been in short supply since it launched last year because it has inspired non-gaming audiences to dish out $250 to try the console with the innovative motion-sensitive game controller. From bundling the intuitive Wii Sports game with the console to toning down the photo-realistic violence, the company did everything right to create a console that appeals to everyone from ages 3 to 93.

Celebrate the season with gift, food, travel, decoration ideas and more .

What my vote costs

To me, just standing in line at the Apple Store in Briarwood Mall on the day after Thanksgiving is a pretty big sacrifice for an iPod touch. To 20 percent of New York University students, though, the even right to vote in the next presidential election is a reasonable sacrifice for the coveted innovation.

According to a recent survey conducted by a NYU journalism class, that's exactly the price for which many students would sell their right to vote. The same study found that half of those polled would forfeit that right forever for $1 million. Perhaps the most telling statistic, though, is the two-thirds of students who would give up their "somewhat important" to "very important" right to vote in next year's landmark election for a free ride to NYU - a prestigious school that charges about $35,000 a year in tuition.

Ubergizmo Announces 'Uber 10' Coolest Affordable Gadgets

Ubergizmo, one of the leading gadget blog websites, has announced the winners of its first "Uber 10: Ten Gadgets You Can Actually Afford" awards. The gadgets, selected by Ubergizmo co-founders Hubert Nguyen and Eliane Fiolet, are all priced at $400 and under, making them accessible to many gadget lovers.

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