Try a Podcast

I definitely enjoy subscribing to a podcast, in fact I listen to three of them.  However, sometimes users just want to sample a podcast, and not commit to the weekly download.  Also, a user may want to be able to listen to a podcast via the internet via a streaming format, and not commit to a download.  This is particularly useful if they have a slower connection.

Today, the Zune team announced some new features.  The first is to be able to download a podcast directly from Zune.net without going through the marketplace.  The other is the ability to stream a podcast without downloading it.

Without reading too much into it, I think that Microsoft is trying to show us that the Zune is still a flexible platform that they are committed to.  While neither of these features will amount to sales, it's nice to feel that development is still going on.  Let's hope that this trend continues throughout the near future.