Microsoft's Zune digital music/media player may soon receive its first content partner. EMI Music has agreed to preload some music onto the just-announced digital media player as Microsoft starts to throw hundreds of millions of dollars at Apple's iPod world domination. Can Microsoft even make a dent where *everyone* else has failed? It will be throwing more money at the problem than anyone else ever has, but it remains to be seen whether the world's largest software company can integrate an excellently-designed piece of hardware into a complete and immersive consumer ecosystem-based experience.

Let's say that again, all-ye-iPod-faithful: a complete and immersive consumer ecosystem-based experience. That rather obnoxious description precisely describes why Apple has been so incredibly successful with the iPod universe. No other manufacturer has even come close, although some hardware players have just as good as a design -- but the "experience" is just not there.

Microsoft, however, is partially abandoning the "PlaysForSure" mish-mash of hardware/software experiences and is developing an all-new integrative solution for use with the Zune -- which is knows was a top requirement if the iPod is to be attacked. EMI Music, then, is the first commercial music company to agree with Microsoft to pre-load protected and DRM-ed songs on the Zune once it ships to consumers. Will it be the last? Doubtful. But, with the Zune under pressure for a holiday-season launch -- meaning it was in conception in design way before its announcement, expect more content owners to start partnering with ole' softie soon.

[Disclosure: I own MSFT shares as of 8-18-06]

Brian White has worked in various executive positions in technology and telecommunications and now focuses on editing and writing.

Skype, long the darling of VOIP newbies like me, is nothing if not a bandwagon-jumper. The company, acquired by eBay last September, has never stayed true to its phone calling roots, dabbling in everything from instant messaging to voicemail to videocasting. And we know it: everybody's doing ring tones.

The latest bandwagon, straight from the playbooks of the rest of the phone calling world: music downloads. Today Skype signed agreements with a number of the music biggies, including Warner / Chappell Music, EMI Music Publishing, and Sony / ATV Music Publishing. These agreements will allow Skype to distribute many of its ringtones "lawfully" (was it unlawful before, I wonder?) from artists like Madonna, Depeche Mode, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

So I've got to know: how long before Skype launches a campaign where they play some hip-shaking song from the most commercially over-exposed group on television, the Black-eyed Peas? I predict it won't be long.