Hasta La Gadget!

Not only Steve Ballmer has smashed again the stupid Zune cellphone rumors, but talking with the Financial Times he has pointed out at the possibility of the Zune hardware doom:

Asked if Microsoft would counter with a “Zune Phone”, Mr Ballmer said: “You should not anticipate that.” He added that the company would stick to its strategy of developing software to support a range of mobile devices. That suggests that, if there is a future for Zune, it lies in planting the software and online service linked to the player in other devices.

Ballmer believes that software is what Microsoft does best, so they need to put that software in as many third-party devices as possible, rather than focusing on their own dedicated music device, a market that he believes is declining. [Financial Times via Alley Insider]

Following the introduction of their passPORT iPod and iPhone car integration kit last month, Scosche has announced several new products this week ahead of CES 2009. The first three are stereo earphones: the IDR400M features noise canceling, a hands-free cell microphone, 10mm drivers, and single and dual flanged soft silicone inserts. The IDR600 has slightly larger 11mm drivers, a sliding magnetic cable management system, and a 24K gold-plated 3.5mm audio jack. The HZ5 tuneSTREAM Bluetooth Headphones give iPhone and iPod owners up to 30ft of wireless range (though probably less in real-life), the ability to answer hands-free phone calls, and up to eight hours of continuous battery life.

The company has also announced the passPORT Home Dock, which will charge the iPhone 3G, the 2G iPod touch, and the 4G iPod nano; it can snap into existing docking stations. In addition, there’s the reCOIL retractable car charger for the iPod and iPhone; it features a four foot cord and a magnetically locking dock connector. Finally, the company has announced new Protect and kickBACK (pictured) polycarbonate cases for new iPod and iPhone models, as well as the showTIME six-foot A/V output cable. Release dates vary, but most will be available either this month or by Spring 2009.

pspan class=”mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image” style=”display: inline;”img alt=”dead cd.jpg” src=”http://uk.gizmodo.com/dead%20cd.jpg” width=”350″ height=”279″ class=”mt-image-right” style=”float: right; margin: 0 0 20px 20px;” //spanCrystal ball gazers at Gartner have sounded the death knell for the good old CD, saying this Christmas will be its last as a dominant retail audio format./p pWe all know that sales of CDs are falling, compared to digital downloads, but Gartner is calling on the music industry to fully embrace the online distribution ‘opportunities’ instead of propping up our favourite audio Frisbees. Here come the figures./p pIn 2007, online distribution represented about 23%t of revenue [in the US] and about 15% worldwide, while CD sales are now dropping rapidly in major markets worldwide and are em”unlikely to regain market share”/em. Percentage-wise, total revenues from physical media (CDs, LPs, DVD-A etc.) have fallen from 91% of revenue in 2005 to 77% in 2007, while retailers are cutting back on the floor space given over to CDs. /pimg width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’http://feeds.uk.gizmodo.com/c/552/f/9581/s/29e523e/mf.gif’ border=’0’/div class=’mf-viral’table border=’0’trtd valign=’middle’a href=”http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/sendemail2.html?title=The CD Is Dead [Or Seriously Wounded]link=http://uk.gizmodo.com/2008/12/23/the_cd_is_dead_or_seriously_wo.html” target=”_blank”img src=”http://rss.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif” border=”0″ //a/tdtd valign=’middle’a href=”http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=The CD Is Dead [Or Seriously Wounded]link=http://uk.gizmodo.com/2008/12/23/the_cd_is_dead_or_seriously_wo.html” target=”_blank”img src=”http://rss.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif” border=”0″ //a/td/tr/table/divbr/br/a href=”http://da.feedsportal.com/r/27588480777/u/0/f/9581/c/552/s/43930174/a2.htm”img src=”http://da.feedsportal.com/r/27588480777/u/0/f/9581/c/552/s/43930174/a2.img” border=”0″//a

pspan class=”mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image” style=”display: inline;”img alt=”airjax titanium2.jpg” src=”http://uk.gizmodo.com/airjax%20titanium2.jpg” width=”518″ height=”435″ class=”mt-image-none” style=”” //spanbr clear=”all”br / We covered a href=”http://uk.gizmodo.com/2008/11/26/atomic_floyd_brings_luxury_ear.html”the launch/a of the stunningly pretty AirJax Titanium2 earphones a few weeks ago and for the past week or so we’ve had a pair to play with. Created by UK start-up, Atomic Floyd [a collection of designers and audio heads from the likes of Nike, Philips and Adidas], they promise the pinnacle of earphone audio performance and, like the name of the company suggests, they will also nuke your wallet./p pWhile other earphone makers bottom-feed with cheaper and cheaper sets, Atomic Floyd is aiming for those people for whom the word ‘recession’ means the best time to buy stately homes and Bentleys at rock bottom prices. /p pThey cost £120, which certainly puts them near the very top of the earphone price list and therefore, well out of the reach of most mere mortals like us. /p pTo start, everything about the Titanium2 cans scream style and quality, from the ‘angel-wings’ design to the packaging and literature. These really are the coolest looking earphones we have tested. /pimg width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’http://feeds.uk.gizmodo.com/c/552/f/9581/s/29cb413/mf.gif’ border=’0’/div class=’mf-viral’table border=’0’trtd valign=’middle’a href=”http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/sendemail2.html?title=HANDS-ON: Atomic Floyd AirJax Titanium2 Earphoneslink=http://uk.gizmodo.com/2008/12/20/handson_atomic_floyd_airjax_ti.html” target=”_blank”img src=”http://rss.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif” border=”0″ //a/tdtd valign=’middle’a href=”http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=HANDS-ON: Atomic Floyd AirJax Titanium2 Earphoneslink=http://uk.gizmodo.com/2008/12/20/handson_atomic_floyd_airjax_ti.html” target=”_blank”img src=”http://rss.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif” border=”0″ //a/td/tr/table/div