Music Wishlist

Attention, Christmas shoppers with too much money to spend: here are some digital music doodads that I currently lust after (in no particular order):

Apple iPod
Photo SlimDevices
Squeezebox [M-Audio O2 Portable Keyboard](http://www.m idiman.com/products/en_us/MAudioO2-main.html) [PMI Grandioso Bosendorfer Sta
ndalone](http://www.postpiano.com/produc ts/prod_iteminfo.php?id=132&subCat=Bosendorfer+290)

  • Apple’s iPod. It’s the ultimate walkman. With 60GB, I could carry almost 600 CDs worth of music in my pocket. (The 40GB might be doable, too, but I own a lot of music.) The Photo model would allow me to continue harassing family with my digital photographs.
  • Slim Device’s SqueezeBox. This is like a CD player, only instead of playing CDs it plays music files sitting on a hard drive somewhere on your network. It does wireless, so you can store your music files on a server in the basement and listen to them upstairs where the stereo resides. Plus it’s a fun toy for computer programmers.
  • Portable MIDI keyboards like the ultra-compact Midiman O2 and the more sophisticated (but bulkier) MK-449C. Combined with a laptop and Ableton Live (which I already own,) you’ve got an unstoppable setup for performing live electronic music.
  • Acoustic piano software from Post Musical Instruments, specifically the Grandioso Bosendorfer 290 virtual instrument. This is one of the most impressive piano emulations I’ve heard; install the software and you’ve got a brand new grand piano that handles jazz beautifully.