When my daughter started asking for an iPod, I bought her a Zune instead.
That probably says quite a bit about how committed I have been to Microsoft over the years.
The funny thing is, I actually liked the Zune. The hardware was good, the software was good, and I thought Microsoft had put together a pretty solid music experience.
Now Microsoft is introducing Xbox Music, and it looks like the Zune name is basically being replaced as they try to tie music into Xbox, Windows 8, and eventually Windows Phone.
I am not sure how I feel about losing the Zune name.
On one hand, Zune never really caught on the way the iPod did. On the other hand, the people who actually used it generally seemed to like it.
Maybe moving everything under the Xbox brand makes more sense.
If Microsoft can make music work well across the Xbox, Windows 8, and Windows Phone, the bigger ecosystem may end up mattering more than the name on the player.
Still, I am going to miss Zune.