Oligopoly Watch ¹ has an interesting article on CD prices. ² Basically it describes how one publisher is lowering prices for CDs, but it actually lowers them more for big retailers if these retailers push the CDs the publisher wants to push, and if the retailer guarantee the publisher a certain amount of space in their shops, etc. Therefore, small independent shops and used CD shops will see their margins drop significantly.
I wonder if anybody used the Sound Bug ³ from Think Geek? It looks like a cool thing – instead of lugging those little speakers into your new office, just attach the bug to any surface and there you go. I wonder about the sound quality...