Dell has agreed to cough up for music startup Zing, which makes software to connect personal music players to live streams and other online content.

Mountain View-based Zing was founded by iPod alumnus and Jobsian fashionista Tim Bucher and launched at the beginning of 2006.

Zing provides the software for Sandisk's Sansa Connect wireless player. Assuming Dell isn't planning on becoming a software licensing operation, it's reasonable to suggest that Dell is developing its own Zunetastic Wi-Fi music player. Its statement merely equivocates that Zing will help it "continue improving the entertainment experiences it provides its customers".

Funnily enough, Dell already resells Sandisk players among others. Its previous attempts at an own-brand iPod-beater were woefully uninspired and quietly euthanised last year.

The terse acquisition statement is here.®

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• Dell debuts iPods-for-cash trade-in (1 July 2004)
• MusicMatch issues official support curse for iPod users (4 November 2003)