MP3s are definitely the most practical management/storage system for music to date in terms of space used, durability, and access. I use MusicMatch Jukebox and love the convenience. As soon as I buy a CD, I rip it into my computer, save it to my 250GB hard drive, and put the CD on a shelf in the basement for last-resort back up. (My second 250GB external drive provides primary back up.)
While it's no problem for me to use my computer for this purpose, there are still a lot of folks who either can't or don't want to learn how to use computers. Sooo...
Why not make a device about the size of a compact boombox, with the usual boombox features but with a mini-motherboard, hard drive and network interface (WiFi or cable)? When you insert a CD, the device would obtain the IDE tag info from the Internet, if available, and offer you the option to store it on the hard drive. With HDs ranging in capacity to 500GB nowadays, you would be able to keep a HUGE collection of music at your fingertips. A well designed remote would make it possible to create playlists (M3U files) and otherwise notate your collection. Good DRM programming could prevent unauthorized copying (export) of files via the network interface.
I want one myself!
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I like this one. But you should be able to share it with other systems you own. You could establish a wireless connection that would send updates to another system in your car as you add music, it would have its own drive, thus expanding the range of your music and where you could play it.
If you could get the interface as simple and intuitive as the Ipod or TIVO (i.e. not as complex as programming a VCR) then I see a good sized market for this.
Why not add song purchase as well. If this has a large enough screen it could connect with online music stores.
You're both right on!
The box should be able to network with a home theater system, office stereo, whatever. And since it would have Internet access, there's no reason why it couldn't handle a subscription/membership in a download service.It should also be Internet radio enabled where you can receive not just 130 stations like satellite radio, but literally thousands of stations.
You're also correct that the input device should be simple and intuative.
If all of this were combined in a sigle unit, (leave out the cell phone and dishwasher please... this is an audio entertainment device,) I think it would be the ultimate boombox/shelf radio.
(an aside: Why would anyone want an mp3 player in their cellphone when the number one problem we all experience with those beasts is the short-lived battery? If I listen to music for two hours, how much time is left for talking?)