Microsoft: Leap year behind Zune problems

REDMOND, Wash., Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Thousands of Zune MP3 players have stopped working across the United States due to the way the device handles leap years, Microsoft Corp. says.

The technological giant confirmed on the product's Web site that scores of older 30 GB Zune players simultaneously froze up this week due to the internal problem, CNN said Wednesday.

"A bug in the internal clock driver related to the way the device handles a leap year," causing the problem, Zune Product Team official Matt Akers said.

Owners of the malfunctioning Zune devices have been urged to allow the devices to fully drain battery power to resolve the freezing issue, which began late Tuesday, CNN said.

Starting New Year's Day, users can charge the device using AC power or a computer.

The New York Times said the delay in recharging the device should allow the Zune player to reset its internal clock and overcome the operational issue.