Can Europe start dreaming about a brown (Zune) Christmas?

Although it didn't seem like our European readership was too broken up over reports that the Zune wouldn't hit their shores until as late as 2008 ("I didn't want to buy one of those crappy things anyway, the Americans can keep them," declared one disinterested commenter), we're sure there are at least a couple less vocal readers out there who will be stoked to learn that Microsoft may be inviting them to "the social" as early as the end of this year. According to Marketing Director Jason Reindorp, "The industry moves in this sort of Christmas to Christmas cycle [gee, really? - ed.]...[therefore] our next round of introductions will probably be in time for the holiday of this year." Speaking to attendees at the annual Midem Net music industry conference in France, Reindorp went on to say that Microsoft execs "feel really good about the first steps that we've taken," and that rather than target the iPod immediately, Zune is on a three-year plan to "firmly and solidly get on the radar." Foolish aspiration, you say? Maybe, but just remember how several years ago some people thought that it was silly for Microsoft to try and break into console gaming -- now we can barely pull enough Engadget editors away from multiplayer Gears of War to run the damn site.