Can Microsoft turn around a brand with the Zune HD?

Microsoft launched the Zune line of mp3 players back a few years ago, touting the ability to "squirt" songs to other people via wi-fi and telling us all "welcome to the social."

Was owning a Zune a social experience? Not according to the one guy I knew who bought one.

Zune's aren't bad mp3 players, and are a solid alternative to the iPod now that the Zune software (and subscription Zune Pass) are more up to snuff. The problem is that the general user has no clue what a Zune is, and those that do laugh it off while they wipe the grease off their iPhones or iPod Touches.

Now in an attempt to fight back and reinvigorate the brand we are on the verge of the launch of the Zune HD. By all accounts of people who have held it, the thing has a good feel and a gorgeous screen. It's other touted feature is the video download service, which is tied to XBox Live. At first glance this seems plausible. The 360 is a fantastically popular peice of hardware and resides in millions of living rooms. Tying your new PMP to your super popular console.. genius! People will abandon their iPod Touches and make the Zune HD a success!

But the problem is that there are way more people with a computer that can run iTunes (and thus put videos from that service on their various and sundry iDevices) than there are 360's. I know the Zune HD can also sync with PC's to get those files, but I don't know anyone who is currently running the Zune software.

Plus, the iPod Touch has a huge lead, and I think is far too entrenched. It also has one thing over the Zune HD. The dreaded App Store. Bane of existence to everyone combating Apple in the phone space, and Achilles heel of the Zune HD! There is no reported App support on the Zune. If Microsoft doesn't make this thing developer friendly and get some games going then they are all but guaranteeing that the Zune HD will be a footnote in history, destined for a Gadget Warehouse Friday appearance on the Daily GizWiz in a few years. Allow me to write the epitaph "A solid device that had cool features, but ultimately people just didn't buy it."