OK. I promise. Unless something really, really sensational happens between now and the first of the year, this is the last time I’ll mention Microsoft’s Zune in 2006. Scout’s honor. And, yes, I was a Boy Scout, attaining the rank of Life Scout, just a few merit badges shy of Eagle, before girls and football got inexorably in the way. But, I digress.

For all their stumbling around trying to mimic the iPod’s appeal, Microsoft actually came very close to giving the Zune a wireless capability that would have Apple’s iPod division quaking in their collective Doc Martens. Wireless connectivity is certainly a killer feature needed in any prospective “iPod killer”, but Microsoft only got it one-third right.

To really challenge the iPod, the Zune needed to not only connect with other Zunes, but also to connect wirelessly with the home’s main computer. That would be cool - no docking cables, and the ability to walk around the house and listen to music stored not just on the Zune but on the computer.

The third piece of the pie, the “home run ball” that the Zune wiffed, was wireless connectivity to an online music store accessible from any WiFi “hot zone”.

That’s not to say these abilities won’t be included in future generations of Zunes (or iPods, for that matter). It’s not that the technology isn’t available. Rather, keeping all the players happy and the integration of the technology to provide a simple solution for consumers is the key.

Although iPods can’t yet connect wirelessly, Apple’s iTunes software loves to be sociable, whether its installed on a Mac or a PC.

I recently had some time to kill at the airport. I turned on my PowerBook’s wireless card to try to access the internet. Alas, the airport charged for the service. However, even though I wasn’t logged into the internet, I was still on the wireless network. Sure enough, when I opened iTunes to listen to some music, I discovered not one but three other iTunes users on the network as well.

As they had iTunes’ “music library sharing” enabled (Preferences > Sharing), I was able to peruse and listen to the iTunes Library on their laptops. It was very interesting to see other people’s musical tastes and sample music from artists I might otherwise never hear. It sure helped to pass the time. Heck, who needs satellite radio!

© 2006 Peter F. Zimowski