Viable CD replacement

[krwdir]

Hi all, just wanted to throw out there a subject that's been in my head for a while. CDs are a dying format, for a while now. Looks like the internet just killed it. But in its own limitations, physical and technological, I think secured its doom. In recent months, I see more and more albums offered in USB Flash Drives or pen drivers or thumb drives as others call it. What's you feeling the USB drive as the "new" media platform to deliver music, apart from the internet of course. I would guess it to be an very attractive substitute to the CD. In a 1GB drive, you can fit 500 MP3s easily? That's 50 CDs in a device the size of a finger. I'm wondering why the record companies haven't fully embraced it yet. Any opinions, comments, observations? Thought I'd open something interesting to discuss.

Cheers.

krwdir

[dang]

I think it's possible, but the down side is that they are easy to lose. Plus, CDs are nice in the terms that you can store them in a shelf and browse them physically. The only way to do that with a thumb drive is by uploading the contents to your computer. Can you imagine having a bin full of thumb drives? Which one has what on it?

[ECA]

1GB drive will only hold 1 album, UNLESS you want them in MP3 format..

The CD is dead, and the DVD is right behind it, in the next 5-7 years.

Its the 16 gig Drives that will take over, for size..
But...
Where are the devices that will LET you use them??

I have a DVD player that has a USB on it..its cool and works with my IPOD Shuffle, as well are transferring movies...WHEN will you be able to do that IN YOUR CAR??

[jtfields]

I think at some point, whether it be in the near future or a decade or two away, all music will be on-demand through some sort of wireless network that are subscription services.

I'm not sure if there will be a new packaged medium that really takes off in the meantime to replace the physical CD. Everything is moving to digital delivery. Before my wireless network comes to fruition things will move to services like iTunes where you download your content and then transfer it to your listening devices. Album art and liner notes will be a thing of the past. Heck, albums may even become a thing of the past. Artists will just issue individual tunes as they are ready and you pick and chose what you want. Eventually the pricing will get there with unlimited subscription services. They will need to come up with a good lossless format as well that isn't 50MB for one tune or bandwidth will have to dramatically improve to deliver good lossless content (fiber.)

This is the iPod generation. No one wants a USB drive of one album or even a few albums from one artist. Everyone wants a hard drive loaded with thousands of their favorite songs from multiple artists.

[ECA]

ANd still the 80 year old copyrights will be enforced..

Myself i would Love a Unit that sets in a store that has 1000's of albums to be copied direct to CD/DVD or thumb drive, AS YOU WISHED...