Look for Yamaha/Zero-G's Vocaloid singing synthesis VST program to be released at NAMM. I hope Yamaha is ready to show their mLan interface for the Motif ES also - word is that it will finally ship in March.

In general I expect to see a lot of new softsynths and hence a new batch of MIDI controllers to use with them, especially controllers with audio interfaces built-in because the laptop-based DAW/softsynth workstation concept is hot. Most new keyboards will likely have some kind of feature that allows them to be used as softsynth/DAW controllers, ala the Motif ES. This could be the year that new softsynth releases outpace hardsynths.

Eko? Nah... Open Labs seems more interested in producing keyboard-less audio workstations now and I haven't heard of anyone anywhere who actually bought one of those original overpriced eKos anyway. After the shock of the eKo debut wore off I think most people realized that a laptop was more useful than a dedicated Windows or Linux-based keyboard instrument, so that reinforces my belief that the market for MIDI controllers will be hot for 2004. The eKo sure shook things up for a while though... hope we see other innovations equally impressive.