$12 fake ipod

[dannyf]

On itunes: last time I used it for music, it was like 10 years ago. No compliant and really liked it. I still use it today for phones from time to time and have yet to run into issues there.

Most of my music is on phones now. Apple music works very well for me still - netease music is very nice and competitive but is crippled outside of China.

[dannyf]

Really? Sorry to hear that. I had a great time playing with it while in China but now use it to play local content - streaming isn't possible where I live.

[sony mavica]

i just use PodTrans i hate itunes

Thanks.   
I installed PodTrans and it seems pretty nice.

glad you like it

[dannyf]

I used a foreign sim to roam in china so the great wall was of no concern to me, unless I went to wifi or on a local sim.

I was in china through late December and netease music was just fine. No signs of any crack down, unless I roames on the foreign sim - then all was blocked.

[dannyf]

I forgot one more knock to the iphone, the inability to stop it from updating ios. It annoys me to no end.

[tooki]

Huh? It asks you. It does not install updates without your permission.

[crispy_tofu]

It doesn't install without your permission, but it automatically downloads (sometimes taking up gigabytes), which is quite annoying...

[sony mavica]

i have reviewed this mp3 player i got in the post the other day


sorry its not a great review

[dannyf]

Unlike you guys, I am too poor to buy cheap stuff.

[Richard Crowley]

Unlike you guys, I am too poor to buy cheap stuff.

But buying over-priced, super-hyped, trendy bling, makes no sense, either.

[sony mavica]

Unlike you guys, I am too poor to buy cheap stuff.

But buying over-priced, super-hyped, trendy bling, makes no sense, either.

 

[SeanB]

i have reviewed this mp3 player i got in the post the other day


sorry its not a great review

I actually have one. Nice voice recorder though, it is a really good voice recorder, and will last around 3 hours on a single AAA cell doing record. The AAA cell runs for around 2 days of use. I rarely use it though, I have one with a better UI, though my one is a lot older than the one there, sinlge display colour only.

[timb]

It doesn't install without your permission, but it automatically downloads (sometimes taking up gigabytes), which is quite annoying...

Yes, this is a problem that has started since iOS 8. Go to the Apple feedback page and voice your issue with it. It's the only way we'll get them to add an option.

It's such a simple thing, too. A lot of people have capped home internet plans, and a single 1.5GB update could blow through half or more of their monthly allotment. It's happened to me, in fact, when my home DSL was down and I was tethered from my iPad to my iPhone. The iPad said, "Hey, we're on WiFi and plugged in, let's be super smart and download this update in the background without asking!"

Cost me $10, so I bitched to Apple, kept escalating my complaint and they finally gave me three months of iTunes Music and a $10 App Store credit.

[sony mavica]

i have reviewed this mp3 player i got in the post the other day


sorry its not a great review

I actually have one. Nice voice recorder though, it is a really good voice recorder, and will last around 3 hours on a single AAA cell doing record. The AAA cell runs for around 2 days of use. I rarely use it though, I have one with a better UI, though my one is a lot older than the one there, sinlge display colour only.

any pics of your one im interested to see the UI

[Richard Crowley]

Yes, this is a problem that has started since iOS 8. Go to the Apple feedback page and voice your issue with it. It's the only way we'll get them to add an option.

But that is antithetical to their whole concept of making simple appliances that people can use without having to think.  If they made toasters, they probably wouldn't include the darkness control.

They regularly violate that rule attributed to Al Einstein:  "Things should be made as simple as possible, but no more so."  Quite a contrast to IBM's motto:  "Think"

[SeanB]

any pics of your one im interested to see the UI

Absolutely identical except the grey silvered polystyrene case it has. Identical UI icons and such, but I would have to find a AAA cell to power it up, seeing as I have not used it for around 5 years. Only thing I see new is using a multicolour LED display illumination IIRC my one is simply green.

I am looking for a cheap one that has a RDS display on FM radio. Anybody seen a cheap one?

[sony mavica]

any pics of your one im interested to see the UI

Absolutely identical except the grey silvered polystyrene case it has. Identical UI icons and such, but I would have to find a AAA cell to power it up, seeing as I have not used it for around 5 years. Only thing I see new is using a multicolour LED display illumination IIRC my one is simply green.

I am looking for a cheap one that has a RDS display on FM radio. Anybody seen a cheap one?

cheapest i could see was 19.27usd fm radio with RDS but that was a mobile phone

[Brumby]

Yes, this is a problem that has started since iOS 8. Go to the Apple feedback page and voice your issue with it. It's the only way we'll get them to add an option.

But that is antithetical to their whole concept of making simple appliances that people can use without having to think.

So very true.  It is blind trust - in the most absolute sense I could express.

If they made toasters, they probably wouldn't include the darkness control.

I like this analogy.  Apple will tell you what kind of toast is best for you.

Yep.  I like it a lot.

They regularly violate that rule attributed to Al Einstein:  "Things should be made as simple as possible, but no more so."  Quite a contrast to IBM's motto:  "Think"

I see this violation appearing more and more - and it is degrading our ability (as a society) to maintain an understanding of the world around us.

The automotive world is a classic example.  The developments that gave us more reliable vehicles, better fuel economy, lower emissions and the like are to be applauded.  However, driving a vehicle requires an understanding of not just the mechanical operations, but of the physics (in a dynamic, real-world setting, not a mathematical one) and the road rules.

However, the most important one (IMO) is one of observation - keeping your eyes open and your brain in gear.  Yet we are now seeing technology that is actively encouraging negligence in this area.  Cars that will brake if you get too close to the one in front, plus lane departure warnings and lane change warnings, just to name a few.  Good grief people ... just look!


I can see it now.  The Apple car will be the pinnacle of automotive technology.  Self piloting,  Self maintaining.  You might be late for work, but because the fuel level is below a quarter, it will stop off and fill up - even though a quarter tank is good enough for 3 days' travel.  It does this because it knows it will give you a superior 'experience' because a full tank is better for you.

I shudder to think what might happen if you tell it your destination is 'Work'.  It might even decide you would be better off working somewhere else - which you will find out when you get there.

[sony mavica]

 

[dannyf]

"
I don't think they have staying power."

There is an article in the journal about xiaomi under pressure from investors to prove value/valuation.

Looks like they want to be more focused on the core business and to figure out a way to make money off of its ecosystem - aka be more Apple-ish.

Good luck.

[mikerj]

For my perspective, iPhones are almost perfect: the first worldphone and practically only game in town; good battery life (particularly standby); great screen; fabulous camera experience; and overall well thought-out and great user experience (with some caveats).

Its downside? no back button; home key; maybe a tad too big. and the killer #1 issue for me: no dual sim support. For people who travel a lot, that's just a killer.

Android phones offers a lot of variety (almost too much). But most don't even come close to iphones in terms of band supports (gsm/cdma + lte), battery life, camera performance, and overall user experience. The newer Nexuses are closest in terms of being a worldphone.

After a couple of iPhones and a few Android phones I went with a Windows phone and have stuck with it.  Well made phones, great battery life, the best quality camera available at the time (Lumia 925) and one of the smoothest performing interfaces ever.  Not so great if you want access to every app ever made.

[dannyf]

I had two 520 and loved their cameras. Battery life was OK, screen sucked. Bluetooth horrendous.

Of all the phones I have used, two stood out as examples of superb engineering and product positioning: moto e and lg volt.

The moto e has phenominon battery life, near stock Android, good ergonomics, a superb audio section and fm radio. Sd micro card. Some versions of it are also world phones too.

All of that for a poultry sum of 10 USD.

My only complaints are single sim and a camera that's too sub par.

It is now my main phone.

Too bad that motorolla is going to kill it.

[MT]

When I was in high school, girls will flock to any guy with an iPod or iPhone

So in the west girls flock if you had a guitar in east they flock if you had an IPhone!
What do that tell us?