Early indicators from Microsoft's keynote at CES look to be underwhelmed. I, myself, thought that the presentation was safe and basically was there to set the table for what announcements lie in the rest of 2011. Of course when you're talking about something as prestigious and hyped-up as the CES, people can only expect you to come out and announce that you've fully re-created life as the Jetsons. Apparently, techies accept nothing less than that. Anything else is still living in Bedrock.

What most seemed to expect from the keynote was plenty of Zune-related news. As anyone knows Zune remains under the radar for a majority of any given year, only to pop up their head every now and then to announce something like Smart DJ or inclusion into the XBOX 360 system. People were hoping that this would be the keynote that showcased some sort of new Zune device or at least some new enhancements to the current Zune ecosystem.

Which led me to wonder if CES is really the place for such announcements? I see CES as a place to highlight your overall vision and what you plan to reach for in 2011. Microsoft did that by focusing on their 3 screens vision and how Windows (in various forms) will help connect everyone's entertainment. Events like E3 is where XBOX 360 can show off everything it plans to do, but what's a music-related event where Zune can announce what's up their sleeves?

Many have suggested that Zune/Microsoft hold its own event, much like Apple does, but if that's going to succeed then you have to announce a new device, some major upgrades to the software, social, etc and you have to really make that worthwhile for people to tune in or even fly to your event. Spending all of this time to announce that you're simply bringing Smart DJ to Windows Phone 7 will illicit groans and loud chuckles out of Cupertino.

When Microsoft was promoting all of this SoC stuff, it did make me wonder, out loud actually, what this could mean for any potential future Zune device. The current Zune HD is running on a Tegra chip that was touted as having a system/computer on a chip. With the kind of stuff that the new technology is able to do, how would that bode for a new Zune HD2?

Of course this all hinders on if even there is a new Zune HD 2 to speak of. While everyone, and I mean EVERYONE clamors for a Windows Phone 7 device that has no phone to speak of, most of the focus (even if you look at Zune's website) is about Zune as a software platform, more in the vein of Netflix or Kindle. However, as most people rightfully noted, if you're going to go that route, then you should make your app available on as many platforms as possible. That's the key to the success of Netflix and Kindle. They make their stuff not only available practically everywhere, but they have it so that it seamlessly keeps your account connected no matter where you are. If Zune wants to see itself as a platform, get on other platforms.

So many came away disappointed from the keynote and scratching their heads as to when Zune (if at any time) will let out of the bag what they're working on. No one in their right minds think that the Zune team is just sitting at desks all day pressing Smart DJ buttons on every artist in the Marketplace (anyone willing to try that, though?) so conventional wisdom says that they have to be working on ways to refine, re-define and re-energize Zune.

The big question now is, when will the rest of the world be let in on what's brewing in the Zune laboratory?

It surely wasn't at the CES keynote.