Aging and compressing multimedia content

1. A method for optimizing data storage in a storage device, the method comprising:

receiving a trigger event;

sorting a plurality of files in the storage device into a sorted list of candidate files according to metadata corresponding to each of the plurality files by applying a sorting algorithm to the candidate files;

selecting a subset of the one or more candidate files to be compressed based on a position of the candidate files in the sorted list of candidate files,

compressing files within the subset of candidate files to be compressed; and

adjusting the metadata corresponding to the candidate files compressed.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting a subset of the files to be compressed further comprises:

establishing a threshold for candidate files to qualify for compression; and

identifying a subset of the files in the arranged list that qualify for compression under the threshold established.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the file is a media file.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the file is a document file.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein reducing the size of files comprises a lossy compression of the file.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein reducing the size of the files comprises lowering a bitrate of the file.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein reducing the size of the file comprises changing a file type of the file.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein reducing the size of the file comprises applying a different codec to the file.

9. A method for sorting a plurality of files in a storage device as candidates for compression, the method comprising:

determining eligible files from the plurality of files in the storage device;

determining a respective impact of compression on the eligible files;

distributing the eligible files in one or more groups according to the respective impact of compression determined; and

sorting the files within each group according to a specified heuristic.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining a respective impact of compression for each file comprises determining a number of subsequent compressions that may be performed on the file.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining a respective impact of compression for each file comprises determining a number of compressions already performed on the file.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the specified heuristic comprises consideration of meta-data of the files.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein meta-data of a file includes data regarding a history of file usage for the file.

14. A computer system having a memory storing a plurality of files and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor executing computer readable code which implements:

a file sorter for sorting one or more files into a sorted list of eligible files in response to a received trigger event;

a file selector for selecting a subset of the sorted list of eligible files to be compressed; and

a storage optimizer for compressing files in the subset of the sorted list of eligible files.

15. The computer system according to claim 14 , wherein the computer system is a wireless communications device.

16. The computer system according to claim 14 , wherein the computer system is a hand-held computing device.

17. The computer system according to claim 16 , wherein the computer system is a digital camera.

18. The computer system according to claim 16 , wherein the computer system is a portable media player.