However, the Big M has apparently changed its tune. "We've been saying for a while that we are aware that consumers want to have unprotected content," Zune marketing director Jason Reindorp told CNET. Reindorp said he did not have a timeframe for when unprotected songs will be added to the store, though he's speculating that the move could help Microsoft's effort, loosening the tight bonds between the iTunes store and the iPod.

Microsoft is planning a second wave of advertising for the Zune, which has grabbed the No. 2 spot among hard drive-based music players but has seen its share slip slightly in recent weeks, notes CNET. The company had an 8.8 percent retail share of the hard drive-based market in February, according to NPD, down from 9.9 percent a month earlier.