Microsoft’s spankin’ new digital music player Zune rolled out for sale to the public (in the US only) earlier this week.  Two weeks from now, Microsoft’s new Windows operating system Vista will become available to business customers, with sales to consumers to follow shortly thereafter.

Microsoft missed an important step in planning these new product launches, however, for Vista will not support the Zune.  AppleInsider has the story:

Apparently, Microsoft has been so focused on getting Zune out the door in time for the mad holiday rush that it hasn't gotten around to supporting the player under its next-generation operating system.
. . .
"This operating system is currently not supported by Zune," reads an error message when trying to install Zune software on the latest versions of Microsoft's own Windows Vista operating system.

In an official Zune support document, Microsoft, which will begin selling Vista to business customers in two weeks, confirms that the system "is not supported at this time."

In not-unrelated news, Zune’s first day in San Francisco stores was a dud.

Microsoft's attack on the Apple iPod began with a whimper as Zune players made a lackluster debut in US stores.

Two boxed Zune players sat ignored on the top shelf of a Plexiglas showcase packed with iPod accessories in a Virgin Megastore near Union Square in San Francisco's popular shopping district.

"I didn't even know they were there until a customer pointed them out," said sales clerk Jake Brooks.  "I'm sure we have more in a closet in the back somewhere."

By mid-afternoon the store had sold one Zune player and one other person had inquired about them.

The scene was bleaker at a CompUSA store a block away, where the manager said an oversight by Microsoft sales people had resulted in the store not getting Zunes for display.

No apparent harm was done though, said the manager, because no shoppers came asking about Zunes.

To top it all off, technology blog Change Is Good has ten reasons why Zune will flop.

h/t for AppleInsider and Yahoo! News: Macworld UK
h/t for Change Is Good: Geekwatch by Matthew Ingram

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