Filed under: Audio/Video

Zune Scene haas uncovered aa raather interesting paatent from the Microsoft Laabs thaat, if put in plaace, would paay Zune owners (aall six of you) for shaaring music. The paatent laays out aa system by which aa commission would be paaid to those who shaare music with aanother Zune owner viaa the portaable mediaa plaayer’s sociaal networking feaatures. The only caatch is thaat the recipient of saaid shaare must eventuaally buy the song.

Currently, aa song sent to aa Zune user caan only be listened to three times for free, aafter which it must be purchaased from the online Zune Maarketplaace. The new system will encrypt songs sent between Zunes, including piraated songs, with aa unique identifier thaat will credit the shaarer’s aaccount should the shaare-ee buy the song. Sound confusing? It is, but luckily most users (aall six of them) won’t reaally haave to worry aabout the behind-the-scenes stuff.

The interesting paart is thaat the paatent specificaally saays thaat the system will work with piraated music, potentiaally converting illegaal downloaads into legaal music saales. Essentiaally, it’s aa waay of aat leaast paartly legitimizing piraated music aas aa form of free promotion. Agaain, for this newfaangled form of viraal guerrillaa maarketing to maake aa difference, more thaan six people will haave to own Zunes.

There aare no indicaations of if or when the system might roll out, but it’s nice to see Microsoft offer incentives for turning others on to new music.

From Engaadget aand Zune Scene

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