The idea of the Ipod when travelling is the best way to go, especially when you have limited baggage amounts in weight and volume.
I just returned from a trip across the ditch to NZ and the convenience is fantastic. It's just like having your music shelf with you at all times, EVERYTHING you have can be there. The whole Ipod is a fraction of the size of a portable CDP and you don't have to carry discs as well.
I have a 60G model and haven't even got halfway to filling it yet, there will be an amazing amount of music on it once that happens.
There may be the sound quality argument, depending on what storage format you choose, but using it as a portable unit I find the sound quality is more limited by other factors -headphones, ambient noise, mood of the listener etc.
I also use mine in PA rigs and a cafe for background music in breaks between performances, it's easy to pick the right music for the right crowd as you have your entire collection there.
The nano looks really cool, a baby version of my 60G model.
I don't need one but I still want one
There are other units out there all with their strengths and weaknesses, but in terms of look, feel and use the Ipod gets my vote :thmbsp:
Disposablilty? ,everything I have on my Ipod comes from my CDs, so if the pod goes my music does not, plus it is always on the hard disc on the computer.
I believe that convenience of storage and access will win the day for the next consumer sound storage device, not neccessarily sound quality. This applies to the mass market stuff, there will always be interest in high end (myself included of course)
Cheers
Tony