I have been frequenting empeg.com for almost 2 years now. I think it is one of the coolest things. I really want one but I'm not sure if I should buy one and it is such an expensive decision. So I was hoping some people who have them (or at least people who are interested in them) can help me make up my mind, either for or against.

First of all, I don't own a car. When I'm home on break I use my step-dad's car. I doubt I would be able to actually install the bracket in that car, but I could still connect it (power w/ a DC adapter and audio through the line out and one of those fake tapes). Even when I'm home I don't drive every day because I usually get a ride to work. On weekends, though, I drive a bit because we moved last summer so it is a 50 min drive each way when I go to see my friends + wherever we go).

At school I don't have a car, and I don't usually drive anywhere. I mostly stay on campus. Sometimes I go with friend to denny's or something.

Right now at school when I am working I listen to MP3's on my computer. I have have 1.5Gb of MP3's but I haven't ripped my ~40 cd collection yet. I carry around my laptop at times just for the mp3's. At work this summer, I bring my laptop but I rarely do more with it than listen to mp3's (doing work of course on my work machine). In the car I mostly listen to the radio (helps me find new songs that I want to download).

Should I get an empeg even though I won't even really be able to use its intended use (mounted in a car) yet? Should I spend less money on a Rio, Nomad, or that new 4.8GB portable? Does it sound like my laptop is good enough for me, when the empeg costs just as much as it did?