Microsoft is releasing the Zune, a device meant to compete with the iPod. The hilarity started when bloggers in Israel mentioned that if you pronounce "Zune" as if it rhymes with "dune", it's very close to the Hebrew word meaning "get laid or fuck".

Israeli bloggers finding a Hebrew near-homophone.

 

Yeah, hilarious.

Hilarity being a relative term, I guess.

Regardless, it's still a really crappy name.

This sounds like one of those stories like when Coca Cola tried to get the proper Chinese pictograph for their product.

 

The legend goes that it translated as "Bite the wax tadpole", which makes its own jokes.

Between this and Nintendo naming their new system "Wii", it's like companies aren't even trying anymore when it comes to product naming.

Well, I think in the case of the Wii, Nintendo actually had some legitimate reasons for pursuing that name (i.e. it wasn't language specific, signified "we" that the console was for everybody). Of course, that doesn't stop it from inducing giggles in the teenage crowd.

 

But it's still better than the Zune.