from everything that empeg has said, the player will not be seeing any significant changes (hardware wise) or new models anytime soon, so the problem of buying one and watching it be replaced with a nicer model is pretty much a moot point.

as has been demonstrated many many times before, and stated by empeg as well, they will continue to fully support both the mark 1 and mark 2 models. there is no problem with rio dropping support, as the empeg guys will continue to handle that job (just under a different name).

i find the empeg to be very well suited to those of us who drive on the right (by right, i mean the correct side being the left one of course :) side of the car. i would rather have the buttons closest to me as opposed to the dial. either way though, i really use the remote for about 90% of empeg control anyway.

regarding the stady price of the empeg in light of falling storage prices, rather than getting the same thing for less money, you really get more for the same amount of money. when drive prices fall, smaller models are dropped and replaced by larger capacity models for about the same price. instead of prices falling, you just get a bigger drive for the same price. all this to say that you will not see any significant price changes to the empeg due to the fluctuation of drive prices.

i got a 12 gig and have been completely happy with it. recalling the question about buying just before a storage increase, you can always pop in a second drive when the 12 gig fills up. i have ~1800 songs on my 12 gig with about 1 gig free still. even if empeg releases a higher capacity model in the future, you can always pick up a drive and install it yourself, or send it back to empeg and have them do it.

now for the empeg plug. buy one. it will continue to be supported. it will not drop in price. it will not be replaced by a newer model next month. it is just a really great car stereo, but i am guessing you already knew that. just go ahead and buy it. i know i speak for myself, and probably every other member of the bbs when i say that you will not regret it.

jeremy (wondering if he delete all the christmas music to free up space, or keep listening to it)

12 gig, green...