Zune--the interpersonal music player

There's lots of excitement out there over news that Microsoft's Zune player--pitched as a rival to Apple Computer's iPod--can turn its owner into a DJ of sorts by streaming music content via a wireless network to up to four other devices.

Bloggers, many of whom were surprised to hear the just-revealed device will be made by Toshiba, are having fun imagining themselves hanging out and sharing music with Zune-equipped friends.

Maybe we'll start calling them interpersonal music players.

Blog community response:

"You're jamming away to some Beatles or Rolling Stones and your buddy says, 'Hey, what are you listening to?' Now, with your ultra cool spiffy as heck Zune, you can send a 'preview' wirelessly to his Zune and let him hear your chosen jam. That's pretty cool." Which presents this issue. I'm sure that at some point in time some intrepid 14-year-old is going to come up with a hack that allows you to do more than just send a preview. I can see it now, RIAA agents on every street corner monitoring wireless signals, looking for pirated music transmitted from Zune to Zune."
--PikeMall Tech

"I don't care how cool new music players are??if they don??t have easy to use software (e.g. iTunes), they will never??and I repeat??never??succeed. I will be sure to follow this one closely as it sounds like it includes some pretty neat new features."
--For The Common Folk

"Instead (of making it themselves) it looks like Microsoft got their good pal Toshiba to produce the Zune, which not only saves Microsoft the job of gearing up some production lines for the thing, but seems to keep them from stepping on at least one PlayForSure licensee's toes."
--Engadget