Zune R.I.P.

HOW NOW IS ZUNE? The Zune, Microsoft's attempt to compete with the iPod, has gone the way of the Edsel and New Coke. The music player, which hardly anybody has seen up close, let alone owned, was introduced in 2006. At the time, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer boldly predicted that "we can beat them, but it’s not going to be easy." According Bloomberg, Microsoft will stop making any new Zune models and shift its focus toward incorporating its music store and subscription software into mobile phones. (3/16a)