400 CDs in a Box

PC makers continue to reinvent themselves in the 21st Century marketplace. The latest example is Compaq's new iPaq Music Center that stores up to 400 CDs on an internal hard drive.
The box features a single disc CD tray just like a standard player. Users simply load a CD and the unit automatically copies it to the 20GB hard drive. The player not only copies the CD, but it displays the data on your TV screen for categorizing your collection. The machine also has an Internet connection for downloading MP3 files and real time Internet radio.

What we did not see--make that hear, was audio playback from the device. Obviously, compression takes place on its hard drive. So depending on the quality of your home audio system, the ultra-convenience of 400 CDs in one box may be overshadowed by its sound reproduction. $800.