Zune Thoughts: Microsoft Australia Warns Against Early Adoption of Zune

"Microsoft has strongly advised Australians to avoid buying its Zune music player from local retailers. The software giant is yet to announce plans to distribute the device in Australia, but that did not stop one Australian retailer from obtaining stock. Mwave.com.au, an online store based in Sydney, sells the Zune for $389. It appears to be the first and only retailer in Australia to stock the player, although some second-hand units have been sold through eBay. An Mwave spokesman said "about 100 units" had been sold since it began stocking the Zune in late December last year."

Unsurprisingly, Microsoft Australia has warned against the purchasing of the Zune in Australia for all the reasons that one would expect: no local support, lack of accessories, and an out-of-reach Zune Marketplace. Of course, that hasn't stopped me (and a few Australian MVPs that I know) from adopting one. Yes, it's understandable that Microsoft Australia does not want to be inundated with support requests, but I feel this is moot when (a) the reseller (Mwave) has stated that Microsoft will not support the Zune locally, and (b) courtesy of the non-existent local advertising, most who purchase the Zune in Australia know that it's a US-only release. What would eliminate these uncertainties is an official release of the Zune in Australia and other countries, but hey, that doesn't appear to be happening anytime soon. :(