As if announcing the red 80 GB edition of the Zune the same day that Steve Jobs dropped the MacBook Air wasn't enough, Microsoft is giving Zune lovers who preordered their sweethearts red Zuneage for Valentine's Day a very special gift: a disappointed Valentine (and potentially a free Zune).

Ars Technica reported on Friday that several of its readers, who are in the gray area of maybe/maybe not getting their Zunes delivered by Thursday, February 14, received e-mails (full text). from Microsoft saying that their orders may not be delivered on time. Even people who ordered theirs the very day the new color was announced (ahem, January 15) may still not have their players by Thursday. On the upside, for customers receive their (then outdated) Zune after the 14th, it will be free.

All told it's simple enough: eat some crow on V-Day, get a free media player.