Boy, oh, Boy. That *is* pretty underwhelming, especially at those MSRPs! Am I reading this right? The only way to move music onto these players is via in-car ripping from CD?

Sony seems bent on using half-baked Firewire for control functions only, not for data. My own imaginary "perfect" next-gen player would be Empeg software/function and visuals mated to a non-pull-out, Pioneerish-looking fascia connected to a Ph**Box-ish (but Firewire, with low profile, 2.5" drives and Empeg shock mounting) cartridge in the trunk. Neither of these units come withinn 10 miles of that.

Side note: Since these folks are showing units, they'd seem to be crossed off the potential Empeg OEM suspects list. Likewise , Kenwood with the Phatbox OEM deal. I ask myself who that leaves. Anybody want to knock some of these off my list (or add)?:

-Panasonic
-Alpine
-Clarion
-Blaupunkt
-JVC

Hugo, thanks for all that info.