I like the solid-state/compact flash devices for many of the reasons you mention, but they are still over-priced, imo. For those on unlimited budgets, compact flash - or one of the competing formats - is a good way to go, but for the rest of us, and for the time being, I will stick with my recommendation of the mp3-capable CD players in the 8 or 12cm form factors for music on the go on the cheap. I also like Sony's mini-disc players, but there are hassles using (authoring) mp3's in that format because Sony would prefer that you use Atracs, among other issues.

Recently, Sony introduced 1GB Mini discs, called Hi-MD. As I mentioned above, I came close to buying one of these little gadgets, but some online griping about the authoring hassles with mp3 decided the issue in favor of the little pocket CD player by Phillips. On most of the mini disc recorders, you have audio jacks, so recording live on location is an extremely attractive feature. The units are about the size of a pack of cigarettes, or smaller.

Being a frugal pragmatist with a healthy measure of contrarian iconoclasm, I like simple, cheap solutions with high bang-for-the-buck ratios. Additionally, I'm also playing the waiting game before committing to a second solid state format. My older Sony digital camera uses its proprietary memory stick format, expensive by comparison with compact flash, but I already have a couple of them.

Getting back to your original point, I really don't see the logic behind storing music on DVD IF it must be encoded into such massive files. I've already spent too much money in my life on music, and although I can hear a very slight difference between, say, a $5000 music system and my c$800 set-up, I just can't justify all that additional expense for the tiny gain in audio quality, especially when there are so many other cool toys out there.

Right now, DVD makes sense primarily for video and for data back-up. If the price of solid state devices continues to fall, they are going to be increasingly attractive and hard to resist, even for tightwads like yours truly.

What mp3 players have you seen that would accept the new 2.2 GB cards?

S