The Microsoft Zune was first billed as an iPod Killer, but it seems to be going its own way instead of following in the footsteps of Apple. The Microsoft Zune could end up being the mp3 player for people who want something different instead of for people who want the newest gadget.

The latest rumor has the Microsoft Zune with a smart shuffle feature on the next generation release. The smart shuffle feature will allow each user to set the shuffle option based on meta data and tags to get shuffle options based on tempo, artist and genre.

Microsoft is working on the new smart shuffle feature because people carry hundreds of songs on their high capacity Zune devices. The new system can also recommend new songs based on past listening history and users can vote tracks up or down to make the new system more accurate.

Apple's shuffle feature proved so popular that the company released a small device taking advantage of the shuffle popularity, but until now, there has been no option to shuffle by artist or genre. Where Apple is known for technical innovation, the Microsoft Zune is taking the lead on smart shuffle technology.