For $15 a month, a Zune Pass subscription is a pretty great deal. The only catch, seemingly, is that you also have to pony up a couple hundred bucks for a Zune. Except! Turns out you don't. PocketNow shows how:
The site makes the excellent point that the music you get on Zune Pass—unlimited song downloads, 10 of which you get to keep every month—is protected under the same DRM supported by Windows Media Player and Windows Media Center. The video above explains the process in detail, but the gist is that by using the Zune desktop software, you can sync your downloads to Windows Media Player and onto your phone. You may miss out on some features that the Zune HD carries, like the ability to stream music wirelessly and to email your content to friends, but that's a small price to pay for what you're saving yourself in hardware. [PocketNow via on10]
Man alive, even Japan's 
Armed with stacks of blank CDs and the original outlaw Napster, I spent my college years giving and receiving mixes. As a member of the post-mixtape pre-playlist generation, I'd like to say a word in defense of the mix CD.
During the last month, we've made, literally, hundreds of gift recommendations for every type of person you could possibly know. If you still can't figure out what to buy a loved one or a stranger, it's your fault. MEGA ROUNDUP:
