The New York Times technology writer David Pogue takes a look at Microsoft's Zune and, isn't too impressed with what he sees. From the NYT, "Competition is good and all. But what, exactly, is the point of the Zune? It seems like an awful lot of duplication - in a bigger, heavier form with fewer features - just to indulge Microsoft's "we want some o' that" envy. Wireless sharing is the one big new idea - and if the public seems to respond, Apple could always add that to the iPod."

One of Pogue's biggest problems with the Zune is its wireless access (or, lack of access, if you prefer), Pogue writes, "It all works well enough, but it's just so weird that Zunes can connect only to each other. Who'd build a Wi-Fi device that can't connect to a wireless network - to sync with your PC, for example? Nor to an Internet hot spot, to download music directly?"

Sigh, we hear ya David. Hopefully firmware updates will put the Zune on a proper course after launch but, it's appearing just as likely that it will make a graceful arc into the skies of media hype, and then a slow and aimless decent into the Indian Ocean.. kinda like the Shuttle's Fuel tank, only it'll play music and have partially crippled wi-fi.

[via The New York Times]