Among the various failed ventures of Redmond company Microsoft, Zune has its own special place. The company had launched the service to capture a share of growing social entertainment pie, but despite all its features, the service failed to make its impact.
The one reason for such dismal performance may be that the company tied web based component to Zune hardware. However, since Zune hardware were not a great success either, the service also lagged behind its competitors. However, this has not dissuaded the company from taking another shot with its new service ostensibly called Ventura.
Long time Microsoft specialist with ZDNet, Mary Jo Foley, has discovered a job posting made by the company calling for software developers with music and video discovery experience. From what it looks, it seems like that Microsoft may be keeping this cloud based. It is also expected to go more social with its rating and users comments system.
It is not clear whether the new service will be limited to Zune PMP or would be extended to other products such as Windows Phone 7 handsets and Xbox Live. Keep watching this space for updates.