There have not been very many posts the past two weeks from me. It’s been slow on Zune news and I try to steer clear of Zune rumors I know to be untrue. There have been lots of rumors thrown around since Zune first leaked and I have tried to pick through and discuss what I feel may be at least possible. Many of the articles and topics here deal with what Zune will actually do now that some details have been released.

The past two weeks have seen some really good Zune rumors come and hopefully soon go and I’ve not commented on them. I have become keenly aware of what has been labeled "web echo" which is when someone puts out bad data and people run with it and make bad stories and they become these giant monsters of misconception and bs all wrapped up in one. There is an older term for this. It’s called "GIGO", garbage in garbage out. Our bud Cesar has had many posts related to "rumor and speculation" at the Zune Insider blog and I’ve read so many bad bloggers write just plain garbage about what it can or can’t do that I personally have decided to steer away from that stuff for now. Maybe a rumor about a Zune phone release or something from a reliable source would be considered but there are some Zune rumors that are plain obvious as untrue.

Let’s have a look at the rumored 60GB Zune This one started here at ClicZune I think and although it was a great piece of linkbait it is most likely not true. The article reads as follows:

"According to Incipio Technologies, Microsoft should be coming with a 60Gb Zune mp3 player very soon. On the company’s website, Incipio announced the availability of a leather case for the 30Gb “and” the 60Gb Zune mp3 player. We can read "New! Microsoft Zune 30GB and 60GB Leather Belt Clip Custom Design Case".
If this comes out to be true, is it going to be available in November 14th? At what price? $399.99? What about dimensions and weight?"

But as you will see from my comments below the article there is a more probable reason for their announcing the 60GB leather Zune case in  red and it is that the webmaster copied the 60GB iPod case in red when he decided they would get a head start on the market and release their product. Smart move on his part as they now have a few more links to the site from all the hype surrounding it. They may have even sold a couple 60GB Zune cases. Who knows?

Recently we heard from Gizmodo that Microsoft would be paying us to share with the Zune. Now this one I still find interesting because the new Zune DRM proposed by Microsoft may possibly allow for this type of service to function but I do not think we will see it in the first generation of Zune players. The features of this new DRM are most likely to be found in a Microsoft designed hardware device for total control over security. I chose not to write about that one because I wanted to hear what Microsoft had to say first and when Cesar answered back so quickly to that rumor he confirmed it for me. I know this one to be true but they don’t want us to know about it yet. Future Zunes will facilitate user generated content sales and may offer affiliate relations with users promoting the Zune MarketPlace in return for Microsoft Points but Cesar isn’t in the know on it and can claim so later.

The best example of things gone bad were comments Cesar made on his blog about the current Zune DRM and how it would "wrap all songs up in DRM". Kirk Biglione at MediaLoper wrote a stinging article based on these erroneous statements and the web went absolutely nuts with it and thus was born the term "viral DRM". Cesar clarified his comments and Kirk cleared things up also but did that really stop the rumor from spreading and infecting more people?

I don’t think so and I don’t want to be party to spreading untruths of any sorts. So, now you know why things have been slow from me the past two weeks. I don’t have much to say about the rumors running around right now and there hasn’t been anything new that I can share with you yet. Well, I did get my first of three interviews back from the Zune Crew and I’ll be posting those soon. Some great information in the Zune Crew Interviews coming at you soon from ZuneMAX.com.

Alfred

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