iPod Hi Fi is not the iPod boombox we were waiting for

What a disappointment! The $349 iPod Hi Fi is just a high-priced speaker, albeit a heavy and ugly one. I have tested one in the local Apple store. I cannot tell the sound quality of it being any better than the Bose and JBL speakers to justify the higher price. The "menu" button on the remote did not work. The sale rep immediately reported the malfunction to Apple hierarchy.

What I was looking for is a true boombox to replace my cassette/CD boombox. I want to be able to record and play back immediately. The digital recorders out there do not have high quality external speaker. I don't want to use the magnetic tape to record any more. It is about time we get rid of the cassette players and replace it with something that can record and play digital music. The iPod Hi Fi did not have an FM radio, nor a recorder, nor a slot for CD, all of which I think should be included. The ideal iPod boombox should have a dock for iPod, a harddisk, Airport express for syncing with iTunes of the PC, a built-in mic for recording, an iPod size screen for programming the RF radio and play back music and recordings, and an audio input to allow it to serve as a speaker for PC. A CD slot should be optional. I think this kind of product should sell somewhere around $349.

Apple is just being too greedy to set such a high price for merely a speaker that has very limited functionality. And the $99 leather case for iPod? How about a $1000-bag for MacBook Por?