First, regarding the sound, until you've heard the thing in action, don't judge it. Numbers never tell the whole story with sound systems. Oh, and for all of you who say 128k AAC files are hideous? What kind of speakers are you using? If its a 15K audiophile setup, more power to you. If its the latest computer speakers from Klipsch or Logitech, I've got news: Chances are, any difference you hear is all in your head. You know, a placebo effect. AAC isn't lossless, true. But its darn good quality. Personally, yeah, I think it would be nice if iTunes went to 160k. But the fact is, on most of the $100 - $500 speakers normal people use, you AREN'T going to be able to tell much if any difference.
As for the look - its subjective. Personally, I like it - it doesn't stand out. It just seems to blend in nicely wherever you put it, be it on a bookshelf or a home theater. It could be that the sound requirements dictated the form of the thing. If that's the case, I'd be happy - I know a lot of things that sacrifice audio quality so they can fit in a "sleek, sexy" package. Its a bad tradeoff. Personally, I'd reserve judgment until I hear the thing. If it produces clean, room filling sound, it may well be worth the price, especially for people who don't already have some kind of stereo setup. Even then, with its conservative non-"look at me" styling, it looks like it could be at home in a home gym or in the kitchen or even the office, so it may end up being a better product than people expect.
