Zune is an enigma wrapped in an MP3 player. At first, it looks like many other hunks of hardware meant to be "iPod killers" that instead die quiet deaths. If Zune were simply a me-too product emulating what the iPod already excels at, Apple wouldn't need to worry.
 
But this five-ounce device is just a tiny part of Microsoft's vision. If you failed to notice the company's grander strategy, don't blame yourself: Microsoft has done little more than hint at its existence. What it has done, however, is bank this great plan on the success of an attractive but not overwhelming product. The sales pitch seems to be, "Buy now, and someday it will be worth it."
 
"Zune is the brand under which all of our efforts around connecting customers and innovating around entertainment experiences will live," said Matt Jubelirer, product manager entertainment business, Zune. "And the first place you're seeing the brand is around a portable digital media player and also a music service and a piece of software on a PC."