Ok, that title was a bit far-fetched I know, but you're reading the post now so let me get right to it. Everyone's now trying to read tea leaves on a wall. Recently folks have been fixated on some comments by Robbie Bach about the potential of Zune as a media service and where it could possibly end up stamping it's name. It's nice that people are talking about Zune in this fashion, but I can't understand why people still act like it's something entirely new or earth shattering every time folks like Robbie Bach open their mouth.

Remember, Microsoft is talking about a "3 screens and a cloud" strategy. Zune is already on 2 of these three screens. The PC (through the Zune software) and the TV (through the XBOX 360). But wait, you say, isn't it on 3 screens because of the portable Zune HD? Yes, you would be correct, but I don't see Zune HD as the penultimate portable device. Granted, the Zune HD is a great product, which -- quite frankly -- I wish was the 2nd Gen device, but Microsoft, remember, has a much larger imprint on the mobile space.

Zune as a software+services solution has been talked about for a while now. The Zune HD, in my opinion, serves as a way to show mobile device makers the kind of potential things you can do when you make Zune your media conduit for consumers.

Yet, where would you find the largest concentration of on-the-go people who want access to their media? Folks with a mobile phone!

What's the benefit? Zune HD is something that's great, but you have to be in a WiFi hotspot (or connected to your PC) to really benefit from some of the features. Phones, on the other hand, are "always on". They are always connected to the internet (albeit through data plans) and, as such, would be able to consistently access to the Wi-Fi Zune Marketplace and all of its content offerings.

Imagine being able to turn on your mobile phone and saying that you wanted to check out the latest Jay-Z album (The Blueprint X, maybe!?). You wouldn't have to wait to get to a Starbucks. Just fire up the Zune mobile software on your phone (let's say) and check out the new album. Will that be done by streaming? Don't see why not. Will that have downloading capabilities? With the way the mobile devices are consistently upping the amount of storage available, maybe you could nab yourself a few albums to try.

Then you think about something like Smart DJ, which has been announced will be part of the firmware within the Zune HD device. Now you'll be able to have the Zune HD go out into your synced collection and the Zune Wi-Fi Marketplace and create on-the-go playlists based around music that you like. Again, when you're in Starbucks that Wi-Fi connection is all well and good. But you know we're such an ADD society, we would want that instant gratification. What if you wanted your content while riding the bus? What if you wanted it while in the car on the 15 Freeway headed to Vegas?

Now, I myself am just reading tea leaves and trying to piece together what could possibly happen given what's been going on in the past and as of late. Will any of this pan out and materialize only time will tell, but sometimes you just have to really look at the dots on the sheet of paper and try to figure out where they best connect.

All of this, also, lends itself to plenty of questions: What about video? podcasts? Will devices be designed to handle things in the same fashion as the Zune HD does (with having the Tegra chip at its core)? Will Zune Social play any larger role in these scenarios (meaning will it update the plays that I do from other mobile devices). How will those mobile devices that I would like to use work with the Zune software?