No Joining The Social For You, Non-American Zune Lovers!

[Jason Dunn]

http://www.zune.net/en-US/social/notsignedin.htm

That's what you see if you live outside the USA and try to sign up to "Join the Social" and get your Zune Tag. I can understand (though not agree with) the reasons why Microsoft isn't yet selling the Zune outside the USA (music licensing issues), but come on: there's no reason why people outside the USA can't sign up for a Zune Tag and join in the fun. Microsoft is really being harsh about this while "only for Americans" thing.

Thankfully, there's a fairly easy way around this: go to Passport.com, create a new LiveID, and say that you live in the USA. That's all you need to do in order to get a Zune Tag (that's how I got my Zune Tag) - but, sadly, it won't be linked to your real LiveID so there will be some disconnect there.

[Jason Dunn]

http://www.zune.net/en-US/social/notsignedin.htm

That's what you see if you live outside the USA and try to sign up to "Join the Social" and get your Zune Tag. I can understand (though not agree with) the reasons why Microsoft isn't yet selling the Zune outside the USA (music licensing issues), but come on: there's no reason why people outside the USA can't sign up for a Zune Tag and join in the fun. Microsoft is really being harsh about this while "only for Americans" thing.

Thankfully, there's a fairly easy way around this: go to Passport.com, create a new LiveID, and say that you live in the USA. That's all you need to do in order to get a Zune Tag (that's how I got my Zune Tag) - but, sadly, it won't be linked to your real LiveID so there will be some disconnect there.

[lordabdul]

Long covered the topic quite well:
http://www.istartedsomething.com/200...to-the-social/

I think MS's reasons not to release the Zune worldwide are quite lame, frankly. Most people want a Zune because it looks nice, because you've got those Zune Originals, etc. Missing a Zune Marketplace is not always an issue.

The sad thing is that I'm pretty sure the zunetag I want has been taken by somebody else by now. I could have got mine from the start. Also, I moved from Europe to Canada and my Gamertag (on the Xbox360) is still anchored to Europe (according to techsupport, it's locked forever to the country you created it in), so I won't even be able to enjoy a seamless Xbox360/Zune experience, and instead will have to create a separate gamertag/zunetag.

And we thought globalization was upon us... MS really screwed on this.

[yslee]

I agree. Why must MS insist on fighting Apple like for like? In fact, it might have an edge in countries where there is no ITMS. Then it's down to just the software and the hardware... and there are many who would look at the Zune as an alternative but thanks to MS not releasing it worldwide, they can't.

MS really needs to be more big picture than this. There's a whole world out there, and limiting it to just US (however big it may be) is fighting a single-front war. It's not like they don't have the distribution channels in place already.

[ctgbkk]

Jason, I've got the Passport but I cannot go to the Sign-Up page. Tell me how can you get to that page?

[ctgbkk]

actually i'm not the same ctgbkk previous post, i just use his account since i am his friend.

anyway, i'm sitting in my home in Rowland Heights, and i cannot get my zunetag either. i did use Thai windows xp, but my net is earthlink, my computer is dell, my butt is in Rowland Heights. what region of my butt is wrong region???