> The current devices only have about 12MB of DRAM

You sound like you are describing PalmOS devices.  Calling a Palm a PDA is
like calling DOS an operating system: the former is only a half-step up from
an organizer, and the latter is just a program loader.  On the other hand,
the iPAQ started with 32MB RAM and has a 64MB unit.  HP just announced a
64MB device.  Intel announced that units within a few years will have
massive amounts of RAM.  Toshiba has a PDA with a built-in microdrive.

With respect to your MP3 example, drive-based MP3 players hold so much
because they are significantly larger and heavier than a PDA, with enough
room for a 2.5" notebook drive.  Most have relatively little RAM, but it is
sufficient to buffer the stream coming off the HD, which helps extend
battery life.

All things considered, I'd just as soon have a wireless connection from my
PDA to network storage.

	--- Noel