This is obviously the buzz that has occupied most the bits on the wire and water-cooler conversations recently.

While there have been many opinions about it - for me, it is always functionality over form. The way I dress sums that statement up well.

The fact (right now) that is doest support 3G is not important to me (yet) BUT the biggest obstacle is that I cannot believe their batter if NOT removable. Every PDA/phone I buy, the first accessories I buy are the extra cells - and I always asked for the higher capacity ones. I do use my PDA well.

Having ONE cell only, since it is not removable, is a NO-NO for me.

However, I dont know if all is cast in stone yet. This is the era of Web 2.0 and you, as the Time Magazine Person of the Year 2006, are very powerful in casting your vote in earth-shattering decisions.

That said, I have always said I take my hats off to the marketing geniuses of the iPods. Now, I am hearing the flight captain over the airwaves: "Please turn off your iPods, mobile phones and personal computers..."

6 months down the road, what would it be ? "Please turn off your iPod, iPhone, iMac. Period" ? Nuff said.

Having said that, features and functionality aside, Microsoft seems to be latching on correctly as well. I remember coming across a video interview with Steve Ballmer back when Zune was released.  He mentioned that he would have tried to brand Xbox as the "Windows Game System". Now, let us all heave a sigh of relief it didnt happen and he is CEO and not CMO for a reason.

Like many big multinationals selling products, it is always been part marketing and another part management making these branding decisions.  Robbie has been instrumental in convincing others within Microsoft to step outside that comfort zone with names like Xbox and Zune.

According to this story, there is a Zune phone in the works. Now if there is, let us put some creative marketing algorithms around this:

Zune = Z + Tunes (-T or +Last 3) ? So, would

Zhone = Z + Phone (-P) OR Zone = Z + Phone (+Last 3)

Now, who wants to bet if this would happen: "Please turn off your Zune, Zone, Zile. Period" Now, wouldn't that be something ?