OK, so here is my latest great idea that won't actually happen. But what the hell, maybe I'll get a good conversation out of it. 

One of the main problems as I see it with non-pc devices, smartphones and tablets, is file support for video and to a lesser extent music.

You have a file which is in Blah format but then you find out your device will only support Ahh format.

Currently you need to reformat your files on your PC and then transfer again and hope they work. Worse even when the device makers say that your format is supported sometimes it just doesn't work. No explanation no, no remedy; just tough luck buddy, try again tomorrow. 

So, what if there was a way to make file format irrelevant? 

What if there was an app that worked a bit like a combination of Drop Box, YouTube, PowerAmp and iCloud? 

Here is how I envisage SpinCycle working:

1) You download the app to all the devices you want to share music and video files across, PC, phone, tablet, whatever. 

2) You drag and drop the relevant music or video file into SpinCycle. This does two things; first it copies the file to the SpinCycle server so if your file is lost from local storage you can get it back, second it converts the file to a new format that all SpinCycle apps can play regardless of the device they are on.

3) You open the SpinCycle app on your non-PC device and it gives you a list of the video and audio dropped in to it. You have the option of either streaming the content or if you are planning to be off network, like on a plane, you can download and store. 

Now, the clever bit as I see it is that it doesn't matter what format the file was when it when in to SpinCycle. The conversion means that it will play, within the app on any device just the way YouTube does. 

You put in 'dirty' stuff and it comes out 'clean', like a spin cycle on a washing machine, get it? 

Part of the deal would be that some of the money made on SpinCycle would go to content creators or more likely the associations which claim to represent them. 

The basic version may only have streaming, the premium version may allow more cloud storage or HD high resolution support or no ads or whatever.

OK, I know from an industry point of view why this won't work. The record / movie companies would fight the app maker for a slice of the money too great to make it worthwhile for anybody

But what are the technical problems? Is it even possible to build such a thing?

Love to hear your thoughts.

CrackedbyCracku