Well, today things got a little uglier in Redmond. One of the Executives that launched the Zune project is "leaving" Microsoft.
From Seattlepi.com:
The Microsoft Corp. executive who oversaw the launch of the Zune music player, its challenger to Apple's dominant iPod, plans to leave the company.
Microsoft described the expected departure of Bryan Lee, 43, as a personal decision not related to the performance of the product. Before the Nov. 14 launch, the company acknowledged that it faced an uphill climb against the iPod, and it reiterated Wednesday that Zune has so far met its expectations.
Some analysts were skeptical of Microsoft's explanation. Lee was one of the two top executives leading the Zune project.
"This is clearly a sign of trouble in Zune-land," said Van Baker, industry analyst at Gartner Inc., citing sales results for the Zune device. "It had an acceptable launch week, but then it immediately slowed down."
How does this bode for the little brown Zunes that float like so much Microsoft debris in the toilet of technology? Not so well, one would imagine. Particularly in light of the iPhone, the inevitable widescreen iPod, and all of Uncle Steve's other little secrets he's got stashed up his be-turtlenecked sleeves.
Microsoft's official word is that the guy is "retiring."
He's 43 years old.
I totally buy it. Don't you?
2007 is going to be an interesting year in portable electronics.
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