Microsoft's Zune: Vulgar Anyway You Say It

I know some of my readers get irritated when I write about Microsoft’s ill-starred Zune, but I do it for the same reaosn I’ll occasionally post something about Windows — one of the best ways to know Apple’s doing the right thing is by looking at what other companies are trying to do to compete. […]
Image may contain Human Person and Electronics

Frontzune2

I know some of my readers get irritated when I write about Microsoft's ill-starred Zune, but I do it for the same reaosn I'll occasionally post something about Windows – one of the best ways to know Apple's doing the right thing is by looking at what other companies are trying to do to compete.

One of Microsoft's less-publicized strategies is swearing in Hebrew, apparently.

"Zune" is pronounced very similarly to the Hebrew equivalent ofEnglish's beloved F-word, Zi-Yun. Read that again. ITWorld does amarvellous job covering the issue, speaking with two Hebrew scholars toprove they're not just making this up. I mean, look at the guy whothinks the name doesn't need to change:

Hebrewlinguists are divided over Zune. Tsila Ratner, the head of Hebrewcourses in the Department of Hebrew and Jewish Studies at UniversityCollege London, says Zune is an unsuitable name for a product. However,
Haggit Inbar-Littas, a 30-year veteran Hebrew teacher with the LondonJewish Cultural Center, says while the name is "ridiculous" and closeto the bad word, it's unlikely to be mistaken.

Doomed products are funny. Doomed products with vulgar names? Priceless.

Image via ZuneScene. Story via .