The president-elect has been spotted listening to the least cool MP3 player on the market. Millions of Americans now want their votes back

Gone are the days when politicians established their "cool" by bragging about their record collections or inviting Oasis round for tea. Music fans have different concerns now – not whether Barack Obama listens to MIA or Julio Iglesias, but whether he uses an iPod or a Zune.

And we can finally answer this nagging question: Obama uses a Microsoft Zune. Many of his fans have been shocked at the report in Philadelphia's City Paper that the president-elect uses the least cool MP3 player on the market.

"He walked majestically across the gym floor in his track pants and sweat shirt," Neal Santos's article explains. "He hopped on the machine next to me and broke a mean sweat while reading a copy of USA Today and listening to his Zune."

USA Today!? A Zune!? Surely it should be the Guardian and a shiny steel-and-glass iPod Touch!? Surely the future Leader of the Free World, the coolest man in politics, the saviour of the world's sceptical youth, wouldn't be using the lame Microsoft alternative.

Internet commenters went ballistic. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO," cried one user at the popular blog Engadget. "I want my vote back!"

During the campaign, Obama and his running mate Joe Biden both claimed to use Apple computers. This was music to young peoples' ears – a MacBook-toting Obama and Biden stood in stark, hip contrast to Republican candidate John McCain, who reportedly does not use email.

But alas, Zunes are generally not compatible with Apple machines. And though the City Paper has speculated that Obama was borrowing someone else's Zune – his wife's? his daughter's? – Zunegate continues unabated. After all, if Obama's Apple claim is false, which other parts of his manifesto may turn out to be lies? Does the senator from Illinois hate change? Does he spurn hope? Does he play Pokémon?