Zune broadcast, voyeurs rejoice

Well Zune, you could really shine.

When I heard the Zune had the ability to beam music, I was wondering how that would work. A limited license for 3 listens within 3 days is a pretty short license. I think I have to listen to a song a few more times than that before I wanted to buy it.

I was wondering why Microsoft didn't take it a step further and set up some kind of broadcast mode, where a user could set his Zune to some kind of open public setting so that any other Zune user around him could lock into his Zune and listen to what he's listening to.

Zune Broadcast.

It's a really good idea.

Well, it's not a built in feature of the Zune, and that's really disapointing, but it can potentially be done anyway.

Zune has a feature that allows other users to see what song you're listening to or what you're doing on the player. Zune also has a built in FM Radio.

If someone was smart enough to rig up an FM modulator to a Zune, you could broadcast your music to every other Zune user.

Now, I don't know what the FCC rules are for doing something like this, but you figure people have been voyeuring in on people's I-pod FM modulators for years on the highway.

With a little support from Microsoft, a small software update could allow the Zune to also display what FM band you're broadcasting on. Add in the ability to flag songs that you've heard over the broadcast, and presto, instant new trend.

So the lay it all out:

A zune user could find another zune user on a subway, look at his zune, find out what he's listening to and what FM band he's broadcasting on, and listen to his songs with him. If he enjoys the song, he can hit a button to flag the title, allowing him to download the song for himself later that day.


Microsoft, if you steal my idea, at least hire me to lead the project.