The End of the Media Era as we know it

When you think back you will remember how the mp3 took the world by storm. You also have to edit your tags manually if you rip your CDs or even purchase an mp3 online. Sure there are programs that assist with the tagging but have not yet achieved that effective task of accuracy in this process. Some wonder if it makes a difference as maybe a new format looms around the corner. Why edit an mp3 tag? Wait. There may be an mp3 killer around the corner, at least, at the rate technology is going. But will that format be bigger and more audible? What will that music format be like? Will there even still be software programs for it or will be be separate on a flash or USB drive with a full trait within the file itself? Will there be the need to use WMP12, MC13, Winamp, Rhapsody? Will there be a platform where music files are played and may be broadcast via wireless connection? Won't it be a thing where music files need no software to tag as the next format will basically do it itself? How will this format top the mp3. Don't think there won't come a time soon. It will and it's coming fast. I think hardware like the ones used by Sirius Satellite radio will be used in conjunction with wireless devices. No more waiting for a new version of WMP or MC12. No need! We don't need that kind of stuff. All we need is a Sirius radio with storage that can store 100 times what an iPod can store with great quality and it will all be wireless. We control our media with buttons on that Sirius or Surius type radios. Playlists will be available with a physical interface to create or edit and for video clips, there can be a small screen that can be hook up to a TV all wireless a broadcast to your digital cable and/or flat screen. One can even synch their media player, audio and video player (mini) and everything they want. It's a wireless world. That's how I see it. Why have to use a PC to put things on your media player. Have some kind of mini disc or bluetooth technology to get your music like a ring tone somehow. Eliminate the middle man. Printers did it. Why can't digital media do the same?

this is all a bit sensationalist and unrealistic, to be honest.

first of all, there are plenty of alternatives to mp3s that offer better sound. of course, better sound means less compression, which in turn means larger filesize. so right away your scheme is starting to fail.

but moreover, mp3s are very well established. if a new format does start to take hold, it will be years before it becomes standard. think VHS/DVD. or imagine trying to replace formats like jpg, txt, or pdf. but mp3 is even more set in stone because of hardware players that other filetypes really don't use. you think millions of people are just going to dump their costly mp3 players, just because something ew came along?

as for mp3 "taking the world by storm", that's a major exxageration. while some people were grabbing files from napster and putting them on their mp3 players as early as 1998 (like me!), most people didn't jump on the mp3 bandwagon until many years later. in the mean time, minidisk (the "cd killer") made a big deut, then faded about a year later. i have one of the first models gathering dust in my closet someplace...

so yeah, it sounds nice and all, but really, nothing is going to change for a while...

well kudos to you garbanzo for actually reading that huge block post

TripOG said:

well kudos to you garbanzo for actually reading that huge block post

oh, i don't deserve kudos for that. i was at work, i would have read anything to procrastinate a little :)