Now we're sure you gadget folks out there have been informed of the "supposed" teaming up of Microsoft with Apple for a pilot player sporting Microsoft's Windows Media software. But since the release of the Zune music player (not without some hiccups as we can recall), some of us had to find out the hard way that it just wasn't meant to be.

The folks from Redmond could have changed history by going down the path less traveled on, because it would have made all the difference - for once. Now that Apple and Microsoft are head-to-head once more, Apple is out for the early win. In fact, 21.1 million iPods (and that's just last quarter's sales) is pretty much a win already when compared to an unimpressive "hundreds of thousands" of Zune players, despite Zune's shove into the iPod market.

E-mail evidences, presented at a private anti-trust class action against Microsoft in Iowa, confirmed the idea of a team-up. According to the e-mails from Windows chief Jim Allchin, there are suggestions that he talk to Apple CEO Steve Jobs to get the iPod to work with Microsoft's media software for fear that the iPod would "drive people away from the Windows Media Player."

Also interesting to note is Jim Allchin's e-mail regarding the statement that he "would buy a Mac" if he "was not working at Microsoft." The funny part is that the e-mail was sent to two people, one being Bill Gates himself (ouch!). We remember another time that Microsoft employees felt kinder to Apple than usual.

But as noted earlier, Microsoft decided to go its own way. You can admire their courage, but up against the iPod? That's just suicide.