“A filing that Microsoft Corp. submitted Monday to the Federal Communications Commission suggests the technology giant will likely add phone service to its line of hand-held media players, now known as Zunes,” John Letzing reports for MarketWatch.
“According to the filing, Microsoft and other firms will submit for the agency’s approval a prototype of a wireless device that could be used to talk over the Internet. Apple Inc. made a similar filing, although chose a different technology, in advance of announcing its iPhone in January,” Letzing reports.
Letzing reports, “Since Apple unveiled the iPhone last month, speculation about a competing device from Microsoft has been rampant. Just as the iPhone descends from Apple’s iPod, many think Microsoft’s phone would descend from the Zune.”
“In the filing, Microsoft describes a wireless device that utilizes OFDM, a technology that can be used to route digital TV and voice calls among devices,” Letzing reports. “A VoIP-enabled Zune would differ greatly from the iPhone, which is intended for use on cellular networks. AT&T Inc.’s Cingular Wireless network will be the first to carry the iPhone.”
Full article here.
Microsoft is doing an excellent job of creating a new catch-all synonym for the words “failure,” “fiasco,” and “debacle” among others too crass to mention here.
Related article:
Report: Microsoft working on Zune Phone – February 01, 2007
Oh, I may be the first? What a priviledge it would be…
Actually, a VOIP device would be admirable if would work. If…
I’m not sure the word is “rampant” when describing speculation about Zune.
Zune | vulgar slang
verb ( zuning ; past and past part. zuned or zune)
expel feces from the body.
• ( zune oneself) soil one’s clothes as a result of expelling feces accidentally.
• ( zune oneself) figurative be very frightened.
noun
feces.
• [in sing. ] an act of defecating.
• a contemptible or worthless person.
• something worthless; garbage; nonsense.
• unpleasant experiences or treatment.
Microsoft makes zune.
exclamation
an exclamation of disgust, anger, or annoyance.
Synonyms:
excrement, bodily waste, waste matter, ordure, dung, manure; excreta, stools, droppings; dirt, filth, muck, mess, night soil;
informal: poop, pooh, doo-doo, turds, poo, caca
Microsoft should just save themselves some development money and just sell zunes with a length of string so people can attach them together – it will be as good as anything else they can excrete.
You forgot shit. Just trying to help out!
Among the primary shortcomings of the OFDM transmission technology is inefficient power consumption (making it more appropriate for a wired device than a wireless device), generation of spurious out of band radiation (someone page the Swedes), and vulnerability to Doppler shift effects.
The author of the CBS MarketWatch piece, one John Letzing, was required to pimp MS shill Enderle for sound bytes prompting all of us to continue to wonder “does that guy have pictures of some media guys doing things at CES in Vegas that should stay in Vegas?”.
I think I’d rather use two plastic cups with a length of string between them to talk to someone, than use an iZune VOIP* device.
*That’s ‘Virus-Over-IP’, for the benefit of ZuneTang…
“many think Microsoft’s phone would descend from the Zune.”
Huh? How can ANYthing be lower than a Zune?!
On release day (Ballmer on stage):
“Microsoft is excited to announce 3 great revolutionary products today. A turd. A poo. And a crap. These are not individual products, we’ve rolled them all into one big smelly mess. And we’re calling it the ZunePhone”
Welcome to the sewer
Zune Phone…. Cancel or Allow? Cancel!
A Voip phone is what the iPhone should be… but Apple had to bend over and take it from AT&T to get their phone out.
Given how large and heavy the Zune is, I imagine a larger Zune with phone capabilities (Cell or VoIP) plus an extra suitable battery will be like holding an Origami up to your ear.
The market is begging for someone to do a VoIP phone properly. Something we use wirelessly only in our offices and transfers to our mobiles when we go out. Yet has the extensibility of a smart phone. I know – an iPhone with iChat mobile!
BTW I successfully tested that Skype can log in as one user on two or more different Macs at one time. When the user is called, both Macs reply. This is useful both for multiple work Macs and having multiple Skype cordless phones around the house logged to the one account.
Can I use Skype on it
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Zune phone? Gross!
It’d squirt and make your ear all poopy.
Just license the crappy Cisco iPhone and slap Microsoft media player on it, voila a zune phone.
The new Zune phone?
Zune prototype?
Microsoft – Always copied.
Microsoft – Inspired by Apple
yeah, like we’re worried about that phone doing anything even remotely interesting. If anything it will help them dig a bigger hole!!
Perhaps the Norwgian government will declare it illegal also, because I cannot wax my hamster with it?
But then, who knows what the Norwegian brain-freeze will produce next… (or is it the incest?)
A VOIP Zune seems like an interesting idea but much like the iPhone, I just don’t see the masses switching carriers use such a device.
I’d be very surprised if Apple’s plans did not include VOIP capabilities based on iChat. A pricey monthly cell contract is the one major reason parents do not buy cells for their kids. VOIP would circumvent that and Apple knows it.
It will come with built-in planned obsolesence and a security feature that makes the ‘Phune ‘ self-destruct. I’m talking about Internet Explorer, of course.
One big problem with Macheads is that they never made it past first grade, and thereby can’t read. So they all jump to wild conclusions, foam at the mouth and utter drivel.
Microsoft says that the intended use of the device is “consumer broadband access and networking.”
I don’t know, seems like a bold move for Microsoft.
I say they call it the zPhone. Or how about The Piece of Useless Crap.
“zPhone has located a wireless network.”
“Wireless connection failed.”
“zPhone has located a wireless network.”
“The person you are calling may not be secure, continue?”
“zPhone has located a wireless network.”
“zPhone has located a wireless network.”
“zPhone has located a wireless network.”
“zPhone has located a wireless network.”
“Connect? yes/no”
{yes}
“zPhone has found new hardware – ‘zPhone'”
“Wireless connection failed.”
“zPhone has located a wireless network.”
“Incoming call from 2065558765, accept? yes/no”
{yes}
“negotiating…………”
“Hello, Chrissy?”
“Caller has left your subscriber area.”
“zPhone has located a wireless network.”
“Wireless connection failed.”
“zPhone has located a wireless network.”
“Get a free ring-tone from Poorizon!”
“Connect now? yes/no”
{no}
“Connected.”
“Downloading ringtone.”
“Calculating transfer fee……….”
“Ringtone loaded.”
“Get free push email from MSN (limited time offer).”
“zPhone has located a wireless network.”
“Wireless connection failed.”
“zPhone has located a wireless network.”
“Shutdown zPhone? yes/no”
{yes}
“Goodb-“
{world’s first 3-inch BSOD}
-c
MW: ‘know’ (what you’re getting yourself into)