I’ve read a number of posts and some Podcasts that are talking about  Zune squirting. So what is this phenomenon and why could they not come up with a better name for it than squirting? It just doesn’t sound right!

 I found this Newsweek article that spells it all out for you.

According to Newsweek:

What’s a song-squirt? It’s the first, and currently the only, application of the wireless connectivity built into every Zune. (In other respects, the Zune is a decent, if not compelling, alternative to the hard-disk-drive iPod.) Squirting is a tune-sharing feature that works like this: With its built-in Wi-Fi, your Zune can alert you to the presence of every other Zune within 30 feet; you can then choose to send a song (or even a podcast or a photo) to any of the neighboring devices. The potential recipient gets a message asking if he or she wants to accept the tune. If so, you start squirting, and in 10 or 15 seconds the other Zune has the song, and its owner can play it.

The problem with this that the song has no staying power so what good is this? The article goes on to say.

The catch is that the squirt is fast-drying—in three days it goes away. Or, if the recipient plays it three times within that period, it evaporates after the third spin. This is because Microsoft cut a lousy deal with the record labels, which still regard innovative digital schemes as potential piracy threats, as opposed to potential sales boosters. My guess is that people will be turned off that the songs expire so quickly.

I think I’ll stick with my tried and true iPod. It might not squirt but it can last a good long time.

Read the complete Newsweek article here