Steve Ballmer downplays Zune phone

There's been much ado about the possibility of a Microsoft Zune cell phone lately, and Crave has joined the chorus of musings with several posts of our own. While a Microsoft exec said last year that such a device is a possibility, CEO Steve Ballmer wasn't so optimistic when he was asked that very question last week. "It's not a concept you'll ever get from us," Ballmer said while speaking at the University of Washington. "We're in the Windows Mobile business." While such comments obviously are open to interpretation, Ballmer went on to speculate (and may I say rather perceptively) what most people want from their cell phone. "A phone is really a general-purpose device," he said. "You want it to make telephone calls. You want to get and receive messages--text, e-mail, whatever your preference is." So is Ballmer pulling our leg?