Zune Thoughts: Zune Cards: Only Fun for Americans?

With the release of the second generation Zune product, we've seen how, here and there, the Zune team has locked out people from outside the USA. I can't look at the Zune Originals Web site. I can't sign in with my Xbox Live Passport account, I have to create a fake Passport account without any billing information. The latest part of The Social that I can't join in on is the Zune card. Here's my Zune card:



Notice anything strange there? No plays. No content. I assure you, I've been using my Zune, and I've been signing in as AmericanToday first before docking my Zune. But none of my playlist content ever shows up - and without that, the Zune card concept is dead. I understand the reasons why the Zune Marketplace content can't be sold outside the USA (lawyers rule our world), but I can't think of a single reason why the Zune team would deny non-US users the fun of using and sharing music with the Zune card. Sure, we can't necessarily buy the songs directly from the Zune Marketplace, but there are other ways to legally purchase music in almost any country in the world.

Like Regan said to Gorbachev, I say to the Zune team (with a wink and a smile): tear down this [IP filter] wall!