The Microsoft Zune dropped in 2006 as Microsoft’s answer to the iPod, and while it never hit mainstream glory, it built a cult following among early tech fans. The first Zune had a 30GB hard drive, a 3-inch screen, and that wild “squircle” D-pad, and by 2007–2009, the lineup expanded with flash-based Zune 4, 8, and 16GB models plus the sleeker Zune 80 and 120GB. The Zune HD in 2009 was the peak—OLED touchscreen, HD Radio, and smooth UI—but by 2011 the hardware was done, and the brand slowly got folded into Microsoft’s music services. For a short window, though, it was that underdog MP3 player you secretly rooted for.