As a guy who uses Gentoo Linux, shows up to meetings with a MacBook, is typing this post on a Powerbook G4 and uses Google pretty much across the board, I tend to stubbornly stick to what I feel are the best products despite what the Microsoft kool-aid would have me believe.

That said, there are a lot of exciting things coming down the pipe from Microsoft. I recently installed the latest IDW build of Windows Vista, and, provided that you spend a pretty penny on hardware, I think you'll be pretty happy with it. There's a heck of a lot more polish and fit and finish on this OS than any previous Microsoft operating system in history. I'm also impressed with Office 2007. For years they introduced update after update to the suite which seemed to just add more toolbar buttons that I never knew what they did and had no interest in learning. Dropping the toolbars and drop down menus in favour of ribbons has been the single most important advance in Office since spellcheck as you type.

But perhaps the most amazing thing are two switches that I've made recently. I love Internet Explorer 7. As a loyal Mozilla and later Firefox user, it would take a lot for me to switch over. It's faster, it has a great user experience and I quite like their implementations of tabs and RSS.

Most recently, the pocket space reserved for my iPod has been replaced by my Zune. I have never been more excited about music than I am at this moment. For a few weeks now, my trusty Zune has never left my side. It really has replaced my iPod for daily use, which is a pretty impressive thing. I have been using iPod + iTunes since 2003 and have been a huge fan of everything Apple. I am so proud and excited of what we have done here with Zune. Our VP, J Allard, always talks about this connected entertainment thing and how it will change the future. I really didn't know really the core of what that was until we started beta testing our Zune devices.

First, I feel much more connected to my device. The iPod feels precious and cold, almost surgical and medical. The cold metal on the back takes the heat from your hand, and I constantly feel the need to polish it, and buy protective cases for it. They focus on beauty and try to convince you to worship the shrine of the iPod. It's a brilliant brand image for the iPod and I marched beside it for a long time. However using the Zune feels so much more comfortable. It's a comfortably weighted device that uses some kind of fingerprint resistant plastic. I throw it into my pocket with my keys and it leaves nary a scratch. I feel like I could have it with me right in the mosh pit. iPod is like sitting on the Queen's couch. You never feel quite comfortable and you're worried your jeans will mark up the leather. Zune is like falling back into a beanbag. It's super comfortable and casual.

I didn't realize how much I would enjoy sharing music with my friends until we all had a Zune. It really does happen, where they'll say, "you have to hear this song, I know you'll love it!" They'll send a song over to me, and we'll trade up. I have begun to influence my friends, and they have definitely gotten me into some new stuff. OK Go, Lady Sovereign, Band of Horses, CSS, I feel like I'm very quickly expanding my musical horizons. My favourite Zune poster is one depicting a guy and a girl laughing, together, and the caption is, "this song reminds me of you."

When I look forward to the path we have for the next five to ten years, and see how we plan to change the landscape of digital music, I'm excited. Connected entertainment is going to happen, and it will change the way that we enjoy gaming, music, video, and how we take it with us. It's an exciting time, to be at the edge of a revolution.

Welcome to the social!