While iPhones may be the envy of school children everywhere, Bill and Melinda Gates' kids are stuck convincing their peers of the Zune's coolness.
In an interview with Vogue magazine, Melinda Gates said that iPhones and iPods are off-limits at the Gates mansion. "There are very few things that are on the banned list in our household. But iPods and iPhones are two things we don't get for our kids," she said.
Of course, the Vogue article doesn't linger on such petty things -- the story is mainly about the Gates' philanthropy efforts -- but we in the technology sphere can't help having some fun with it.
It is sort of a double-edged sword, though. A ban on Apple's products may seem oppressive for the Gates children, but it's no worse than the alternative; imagine the media firestorm that would occur if any of the Microsoft clan were spied with an iPhone or iPod.
The kicker? Melinda Gates is tempted. "Every now and then I look at my friends and say 'Ooh, I wouldn't mind having that iPhone,'" she said. Shouldn't have married the nerdy guy, then.
It's not clear whether Zunes and Xbox 360s are banned from Steve Jobs' household.
