Many of us think that smaller files are an infinitely better solution than higher bandwidth and bigger hard drives. Before broadband connections came into play, websites seemed to load just fine at 28.8. Nowadays, getting on the web without a DSL, cable, or T1 connection (go ahead, shop at work) is truly an exercise in patience. The same goes for hard drives. The bigger they get, the bigger the apps get. Well, whether or not it becomes the next big thing, Thomson's new mp3PRO format is moving in at least one favorable direction by pushing improved compression, which equates to faster downloads and more drive space for your favorite tunes. The new format is backward compatible with mp3, and creates files that are half or less the size of yesterday's mp3 files. You can download the new mp3PRO encoder/decoder demonstration software from Thomson's website , as well as from the guys who built the new software: Coding Technologies . This app is compatible with Windows 9X, 2000, NT, and Millennium, encodes .WAV files into mp3PRO files at 64 kbps and plays back all mp3 and mp3PRO files. With 128kbs performance at a 64kbs-encoding rate, Thomson says that mp3PRO doubles the digital music capacity of flash memory and compact discs. They say, for example, that while traditional audio CDs hold 15 songs, an mp3 CD can hold up to 150 songs and mp3PRO will let you to store over 300 songs on a single disc (must be short songs). Where was this app when Napster was still breathing? You'll soon probably have to pay for all of the 300 songs on that disc. While we're talking about music files, be sure to check out Wired's take on Microsoft's grand conspiracy to run the whole show.