New Zune exec not planning to shave head

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Todd Bishop's Microsoft Blog

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New Zune exec not planning to shave head

Thompson

Almost lost amid Friday's Bungie hubbub was another interesting piece of news out of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division: The company named corporate vice president Rick Thompson to oversee its Zune business operations.

Thompson, a Microsoft veteran, worked most recently in the Windows Live advertising business, but his experience also has included stints in Microsoft Hardware and the Xbox unit. Thompson worked in the latter with J Allard, the corporate vice president who oversees Zune design and development.

Allard

Allard's role had expanded to include Zune business operations upon the departure of Bryan Lee last year. The announcement of Thompson's appointment comes as Microsoft prepares to release its second generation of Zune music and video players. The new position gives Thompson a key role as Microsoft tries to make Zune No. 2 overall to the iPod -- a goal that analysts say will be difficult to achieve.

BusinessWeek's Jay Greene, who broke the story, quotes Thompson explaining how his role will differ from Allard's: "The vision and cool will continue to come from J," Thompson says. "No one would ever confuse me with being cool."

Also see coverage by Bloomberg News.

Posted by at October 8, 2007 1:14 p.m.
Category: Zune

Comments

#56546

Posted by cedobie at 10/8/07 2:48 p.m.

this has next to nothing to do with the title, other than the inclusion of some stupid MS provided photos.

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#56562

Posted by 8bitjoystick at 10/8/07 3:31 p.m.

Will Rick Thompson br making his music playlist public on his Zune?

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#56567

Posted by unregistered user at 10/8/07 3:46 p.m.

Is he obliged to start calling himself "R"?

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#56614

Posted by unregistered user at 10/8/07 8:46 p.m.

R Thompson, thank you for continuing to support whatever hairstylist biz did your bod E good!
Trying to make zune number 2 to the ipod is an attempt at underachievement isn't it?

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#56661

Posted by unregistered user at 10/9/07 8:06 a.m.

Microsoft will sell 4 million Zune units in the next quarter I believe. They have a great product.

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#56671

Posted by unregistered user at 10/9/07 8:35 a.m.

Microsoft will sell 4 million Zune units in the next quarter I believe. They have a great product.

I see they're beta-testing Shill Vista on this site as well. It's much like Shill XP except it's slower and less reliable. Hence the Zune comment...

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#56717

Posted by 8bitjoystick at 10/9/07 12:14 p.m.

Also I would just like to point out again that I can't get a Zune because I use Mac OSX and while Apple can make a cross platform music client and DRM, Microsoft has not.

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#57073

Posted by Steve Ballmer at 10/10/07 7:49 p.m.

I love the new zunes! Our friends at ZuneScene (yeah baby) are doing a great grassroots job of promoting them too. The iPud has nothing close to ZS, you see, nobody feels passionately about their iPud. The Zoonies have zune body art, Zune haircuts, they name their children Zune, Zunette, Zunisha, Zubert, ... The Zune is a lifestyle, a mindset. They even name their trailers after the Zune. I got my Z-tat last week, I can't post a picture of it because of it's location, but let me just say it's beautiful!
My favorite new Z-colors are the Military Avacodo and the ManPink (pink for real men)! What's yours?

http://fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com

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#57528

Posted by unregistered user at 10/13/07 1:59 a.m.

@8bitjoystick Guess we are only left with BootCamp or other Windows-on-a-Mac software programs for using Zune on Mac.

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#57674

Posted by unregistered user at 10/14/07 12:48 a.m.

Zune soon Zune dunes moons lunes loons tunes noons racoons baffoons too many rhyming algore rithums zooming in on zunes, put those ipuds, lol, back in your pants, liners, Microsoft made more than a great product, like so many other Microsoft products they are a perpetual work in progress as well as a sell of a pleasure to be.

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