via Seattle Post-IntelligencerThey'll claim Bryan Lee just wants to spend more time with his family, or what have you, but when the co-chief of Zune development leaves, you know someone's unhappy. J Allard, who helped with Zune development and made Microsoft into a respectable video game player with the Xbox, will shift over to head up Zune duties.
Lee is reported as responsible for the $1 tax Microsoft pays to Universal for each player sold. Unfortunately this bit of corporate kowtowing didn't protect them from restrictions on Zune's much-touted sharing capabilities. When you sell out to a major label, and have little to show for it, clearly you've got problems on your hands.
Hmmm, it is interesting to note just how greedy some of these major labels are. It is actually sad really, because the Zune does show some promise. Anyhow with lawsuit after lawsuit, and restrictions being placed on anything even remotely resembling an mp3 format or a shared network (note: You tube), Major labels are grasping at straws. With the rise of My Space, independent labels, I-tunes, and self released media, in five years these behemoths will be obsolete. The consumer, upcoming or existing technology, and most importantly the bands are going to realize that major labels need them (us), not the other way around. This comment sort of relates to the above article. Anyhow, it would be nice to see Zune take off. Competition is a very healthy thing