[redshifter]

where do you think portable audio will go in the next 20 years?

personally i think there will be a pda like device that stores your digitally encoded music in ram instead of a hard drive. i know, that's a lot of ram, but we'll be well into the gigs in a few decades. this pda device will also be a digicam, cell-phone, portable computer, etc., all in one.

also i think this pda device will be able to recieve broadband music broadcasts, much like digital radio broadcasts over the inet and into homes now.

i don't know what amp technology might hold, but perhaps something like the 1-bit digital amp aiwa is putting in its new md recorders will be used.

perhaps some kind of wireless technology will free the user from headphone cords. something of course better than the current wireless headphones.

what else is in store for us?

 

[Watchdog]

20 years is a really long time in terms of consumer electronics.

I think the Walkman was introduced in the late 70's wasn't it?

I bet in the early 70's no one thought that 20 years later you could walk around with a portable CD player that had pretty good battery life compared to the original tape Walkmans.

Ok, since this is a wild shot in the dark, I'll predict that in 20 years it will all be satellite based radios we walk around with. We won't actually carry any music with us. We'll select it from stations and pay per song listened.

 

[tigger]

Actually you probably won't need a player as we know it today. The chip implanted in your brain at birth will be able to access all known music with just a thought!! Oh yeah and movies too!!

 

[krayzie]

Maybe holographic projectors that can show a 3D MTV or something... but something more feasible could be earphones that are truly wireless, like two separate bodies one for each ear...

I can't imagine 20 years from now, MD would be the modern vinyl...

 

[linnem]

20 years from now the ultimate portable audio device will be a stick and a hollowed out tree trunk. we will all be living in caves and most americans well spend their time wondering why on earth they voted for bush.

 

[erikzen]

I envision convergence similar to what redshifter suggests. However, I think there will be goggles that will project an image like a screen. This will be like a HUD so it won't completely interfere with our field of vision. The screen can be turned off and for those of us with perfect vision or wear contacts it will be a UV filter to protect our eyes, similar to sunglasses but with adjustable tint. For those of us who need glasses the goggles will be prescription. Other options will be available, like binoculars and night vision.

Headphones will be built into the goggles, as well. Headphones will be little wireless plugs, and will be an accessory. The units will come with the "stock plugs" that we'll all hate. Sennheiser, Beyer, AT, Koss, Sony and other manufacturers will make "audiophile grade" plugs, that we can all buy and debate over.

The screen will be both voice activated and sensitive to eye movements, like they have for quadriplegics. From the screen we can choose the various options: camera, music player, video player, address book, telephone or watch movies.

Music will be stored in memory and will be available via download, either wireless or when we are attached to our home networks, and we will also subscribe to digital satellite radio.

 

[Onix]

Quote:

Originally posted by linnem 20 years from now the ultimate portable audio device will be a stick and a hollowed out tree trunk. we will all be living in caves and most americans well spend their time wondering why on earth they voted for bush.

Sounds possible to me.