“Microsoft’s Zune media players faced an extra setback Tuesday after Zune HD business development manager Dave McLauchlan said he was exiting the company,” Electronista reports. “The company veteran resigned last week and will finish Friday. His ultimate destination is Buddy, an early startup that will help make mobile apps ‘cheaper, faster & easier.'”
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“The shift comes after a string of senior-level exits from Microsoft. For McLauchlan, it also carries a degree of irony as he had promised half a year ago that the Zune HD will live on,” Electronista reports. “While the project isn’t known to be ending, his withdrawal will still cause some disarray at a time when many are questioning the survivability of an MP3 player that hasn’t been given a hardware revision since 2010.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: How do you end a high-profile failure whose name long ago became synonymous with fecal material and/or the act of expelling such material and whose end would trigger yet another PR nightmare? You let it wither on the vine and hope everyone forgets about it just like Microsoft is doing with their Zune players. Microsoft PR Think: If there is no definitive date of death, it never died, even though it’s dead.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
Related article:
Microsoft to finally pull plug on ill-fated Zune? – February 15, 2011
Wait…… Microsoft still has a Zune division?
My thoughts exactly.
Zune? What Zune? I have heard and read about this mythical Microsoft Zune player for about a decade. To this day, I have NEVER SEEN ANYONE WITH A Zune IN REAL LIFE! I once saw Zune accessories on a shelf in a store. That is it.
Has anyone ever seen a Zune? (If you got one as a gift, I am sorry about that but that also counts.)
In all the years it’s been out I’ve seen -one- in the real world.
Yeah, but that doesn’t even compare to how many MicroShat has sold in their own mind. You need to check other peoples’ delusions man before you spoutin’ reality at everyone, m’kay
Yes, it’s in a special room, in a porcelain chair. It’s brown.
MichaelT, you may know the answer to my biggest question about the Zune. Does it sink or float in the porcelain bowl?
… but does it blend?
Blending has yet to be tested.
However, it does NUKE:
Is It A Good Idea To Microwave A Zune?
…and it had a manager?
Poor bastard.
When you go Mac you will never go back.
Silicon valley talent used to aspire to working for MS. Now talent aspires to own an app start-up.
My, how things have changed.
Never saw one.
They still make those things?
I’ve heard a couple people say they own one, but I have yet to see one in the wild!
I sell Mercedes-Benz.
I was once showing a customer the built-in iPod support, and he asked, “Will it work with my Zune?”
My answer: “Zune? You’re one of those two guys, eh?”
After long years of not being able to use some products with my Macs (OS 7, 8, 9) the karma of that statement is just awesome!
In other news: Yugo CEO reluctantly steps down upon hearing of the Zune executive’s departure; yet continues to remain optimistic of the company’s direction.
Did he copy all 10 Zune users on his resignation letter also?
Yeah. With a message sent from his iPhone.
Zune had a manager?
“Quits For Sure”
Move along, MAC lemmings. Nothing to see here. Microsoft is simply clearing out the dead wood in management to bring I-Pod killing Zunes to market faster. The already nimble and efficient Microsoft will innovate and move even more quickly to complete their conquest of the personal media player market while MAC sits there flummoxed. Hey MAC, doesn’t it suck to be saddled with 10-year old media player technology while Microsoft blows past you? It won’t be the first time.
I thought you died.
Well, it was a nice thought.
Zune Tang, you’re gonna lose your cover one of these days. Why don’t you just come out of the closet and reveal to us that you’re Ballmer. It all makes sense now. MicroShit never goes anywhere because you spend your days pouting all the time on tech forums. I can smell you from here. Try water and vinegar next time Pune Tang.
are youfakedanlyons?
Awesome.
I hope you’re keeping your satirical skills honed on other subjects around here at MDN, you big lug of a troll tranny you.
<3 <3 <3 😉
HAMMER.
Hammer? I’m afraid that would be impossible. My beautiful Zune is presently out being engraved with “I-Pod Killer”.
Be honest, your beautiful zune is presently out being repaired isn’t it? You know, for it to be an iPod killer you can’t just physically throw your zune at an iPod right?
MS just talks BS and their mindless robots are set loose on the net regurgitating their BS. Then the clueless journalist or Apple haters jump on board and promote the crap from MS. Guess what…..you guys are the laughing stock of the industry. Hahahahahahaha…sucks to be you! Zune…LOL. What stupid POS from MS copy cat playbook.
The undead Zune.
[Zombie Unusable Noise Engine
11
“…hasn’t been given a hardware revision since 2010.”
Did this POS ever make it past the borders of the USA? WTF is Microsoft expecting this fly covered turd will do in the future besides feed hordes of hungry maggots?
Flush it already! It reeks!
So now that Zune is dead… it’s safe to quit? Are you sure you don’t wanna wait another 3 months to ensure it’s really dead? Well done, sir!
Love my 32GB Zune HD and 40GB, They were only replaced with Windows Phone 7, So yes Zune still lives on, on in XBox and WP7, Things I loved unlimited downloads, DRM free downloads, 192 bit mp3 (compared to the 128 bit iTunes) Easy to use software, and personalization. Not to mention the HD radio! And the Zune team helped build the Metro interface you will all be using soon enough on Windows 8 and surely Apple and Google will try to mime and call thier own. Side note; most major retailers decided to completely sell out to Apple and remove Zune, Like Target, Best Buy and Kmart, Leaving only Wal-mart, to really distribute the Zune… what keeps the ipod alive today is the things that helped it win over the Zune, Apps and Acessories. The iPod will soon be gone though as most people now have mobile phones…