Zune and wireless socializing

I really like the potential of Zune's wireless feature as described by Mike Elgan in "Opinion: Why Microsoft's Zune scares Apple to the core" (computerworld). However, as others are pointing out, it's got a lot going against it.

Personally I love the idea of social networking taken to the next level with a portable device. Unlike cell phones and texting devices [like crackberry] or even portable gaming devices [with one-on-one or one-to-many-yet-specific connections], a wireless social networking based on physical closeness while at the same time internet connected to the whole wide world would open up a lot of possibilities. This device will need GPRS or similar always connected network access [UMTS, EDGE, EV-DO, etc], since Wifi isn't as widely available as cell phone based data network. I guess having access to Wifi, bluetooth, wibree, and even IR might help make the device into a network/social hub. But then not all devices need such connectivity: only one hub is needed per given group [and it won't be cheap not only the device price but also power consumption].

Anyway, what does this mean for the future, I'm not sure but could make interesting meeting with friends and even strangers [aka flash mob] with such devices and then interact live with the world wide net.

Copyright 2006, DannyHSDad, All Rights Reserved.