Tech you miss/ new tech trends you hate - ok boomers

[Hakase Shinonome]

I don't even stream music, I still play music on my phone like it's an MP3 player.

I travel often through places without good cell coverage. Thus all my music is downloaded.

And with microSD cards going into the terabytes, you'll never run out of space either.

I recommend you guys persue into iPods. You can still buy recent digital albums from iTunes, rip CDs easily using iTunes, use replaceable parts and even modify the thing to make it more to your taste. They've certainly gone up in price, but you'll get something you'll use for a long-ass time along with owning something permanently. I've been using them for years, yes I own multiple. Even its basic capacity can be up to 120GB, upgradable to SD cards up to 1TB or even more, if you enjoy misery. Check out Elite Obsolete if you want something pre-configured or specific parts.

 

[Merton J. Dingle]

Sirus data mines DMV registration records. When you do the plate transfer, they know the VIN of your car to send the unlock codes the trial subscription. It almost happens in real time. The trial expires after a few months and that's when they send the mail.

If your car is serviced by a major chain, they get the VIN again from the carfax report and you'll get a fresh round of junk mail.

Of course Sirus is completely dead tech that serves no purpose. The 2000's are over. For a similar price you can pay for a subscription music service on your phone and play it everywhere.

If you have an Android phone and therefore can use one of the custom versions of YouTube Music or Spotify to get a music streaming service for free, then Sirius does have a use: curated music. The app has a shit ton of content, and I have discovered a lot of music that I didn't know that I wanted to hear as the algorithm would never have presented it to me. It isn't perfect by any means (many channels repeat songs a lot), but the net result is that I can listen to whatever song I want whenever I want through RVX Music and can throw on music of a particular category through the Sirius app whenever I don't want to listen to a particular song or album. All while paying about the same if not less for music per month than the average Spotify user.

That's not to mention that a lot of people don't want to mess with their music too much while driving and therefore rely on traditional radio while doing so. In vast parts of the country the radio choices are utter garbage, with numerous "country" music stations and Christian contemporary.

But yeah, regardless of that, their data mining and annoying of people is pretty egregious.

I recommend you guys persue into iPods. You can still buy recent digital albums from iTunes, rip CDs easily using iTunes, use replaceable parts and even modify the thing to make it more to your taste. They've certainly gone up in price, but you'll get something you'll use for a long-ass time along with owning something permanently. I've been using them for years, yes I own multiple. Even its basic capacity can be up to 120GB, upgradable to SD cards up to 1TB or even more, if you enjoy misery. Check out Elite Obsolete if you want something pre-configured or specific parts.

Why not just use a modern DAP like one of the modern Walkmen? They probably sound a lot better. Regardless, I can't fault anyone for advocating for music ownership. I have enjoyed listening to music a lot more since I got some speakers that were good enough to discern the difference between mid and high bitrate MP3s (since the latter is basically where perceptible sound difference

 

[Aero the Alcoholic Bat]

I recommend you guys persue into iPods. You can still buy recent digital albums from iTunes, rip CDs easily using iTunes, use replaceable parts and even modify the thing to make it more to your taste. They've certainly gone up in price, but you'll get something you'll use for a long-ass time along with owning something permanently. I've been using them for years, yes I own multiple. Even its basic capacity can be up to 120GB, upgradable to SD cards up to 1TB or even more, if you enjoy misery. Check out Elite Obsolete if you want something pre-configured or specific parts.

Stupid question, but what do those have that Android devices with VLC don't?

 

[Hakase Shinonome]

Why not just use a modern DAP like one of the modern Walkmen? They probably sound a lot better. Regardless, I can't fault anyone for advocating for music ownership. I have enjoyed listening to music a lot more since I got some speakers that were good enough to discern the difference between mid and high bitrate MP3s (since the latter is basically where perceptible sound difference

Stupid question, but what do those have that Android devices with VLC don't?

A proper user experience. VLC on Android is absolute ass. The battery won't drain like absolute ass. Nor will this affect your phone's battery if you also use it for different things. It doesn't bloat your phone out, and if you lost your phone, you'd still have your music with you. If something's broken or lacking in your iPod, you can just replace it, like your battery, you can't do the same with modern phones. I just recommend iPods because they just-werk, at least, if you have an older MacBook or a Windows computer. All iPods are still completely supported with 'modern' iTunes, you can sync, rip and listen without any hassle as if it's 2010. The music quality isn't bad, if you enjoy listening to CD-quality tracks, it will basically be on-par. Hook up IEMs to your li'l music device and you have a perfectly portable music device. -- Also, the clickwheel is fun.

I'm just a bit of a naught'ies fanatic and enjoy most-if-not-all stuff from the 2000's, so I'm a bit biased. Do NOT get the shuffles, they suck, get classics, nano's or mini.

 

[DavidS877]

I recommend you guys persue into iPods. You can still buy recent digital albums from iTunes, rip CDs easily using iTunes, use replaceable parts and even modify the thing to make it more to your taste. They've certainly gone up in price, but you'll get something you'll use for a long-ass time along with owning something permanently. I've been using them for years, yes I own multiple. Even its basic capacity can be up to 120GB, upgradable to SD cards up to 1TB or even more, if you enjoy misery. Check out Elite Obsolete if you want something pre-configured or specific parts.

If I cared that much I'd just make a Pi Zero and hard wire it in the car.
Usually I have to have my phone with me anyway when I go for a walk or work in the yard so it's silly to have a second device.
I am a little annoyed I had to downsample my flac to fit it on my phone, but not annoyed enough for a second device.

 

[Merton J. Dingle]

A proper user experience. VLC on Android is absolute ass. The battery won't drain like absolute ass. Nor will this affect your phone's battery if you also use it for different things. It doesn't bloat your phone out, and if you lost your phone, you'd still have your music with you. If something's broken or lacking in your iPod, you can just replace it, like your battery, you can't do the same with modern phones. I just recommend iPods because they just-werk, at least, if you have an older MacBook or a Windows computer. All iPods are still completely supported with 'modern' iTunes, you can sync, rip and listen without any hassle as if it's 2010. The music quality isn't bad, if you enjoy listening to CD-quality tracks, it will basically be on-par. Hook up IEMs to your li'l music device and you have a perfectly portable music device. -- Also, the clickwheel is fun.

I'm just a bit of a naught'ies fanatic and enjoy most-if-not-all stuff from the 2000's, so I'm a bit biased. Do NOT get the shuffles, they suck, get classics, nano's or mini.

I should have clarified... I didn't mean attaching a dongle to an Android phone for better audio quality, as pretty much everything you mentioned is a good reason not to. I meant something like this:

https://electronics.sony.com/audio/walkman-digital-recorders/walkman-mp3-players/p/nwa306-b

The user experience with the built-in Walkman app is pretty seamless. Battery life is fairly decent, especially if you do some things to extend the battery life out on the device, like using power saving mode and disabling built in Google apps. Great build quality too.

But yeah, I think you gave some pretty good justifications for one to at least consider an iPod. There's definitely a certain appeal to something that powers on fast and has simplicity to it.

 

[Hakase Shinonome]

The user experience with the built-in Walkman app is pretty seamless. Battery life is fairly decent, especially if you do some things to extend the battery life out on the device, like using power saving mode and disabling built in Google apps. Great build quality too.

I mean, the price alone. But there's nothing wrong with a nice DAC-phone, just having two separate devices is good. I mostly like them for their repairability and their ease of use. Android can be a pain in the ass, to me, at least. Also, HEADPHONE JACK! -- But if you like Bluetooth, you can mod an iPod to have it.

 

[Critical Raxx Theory]

you are over thinking it, 2005 single DIN head unit and a CD changer in the trunk

 

[Banquet Meal]

This might shake you to your core but I still own purely mechanical kitchenware. I still cook with gas and my microwave has a dial and has the loudest fucking bell imaginable. I don’t own a blender and do everything by hand. My fridge and freezer, (un)fortunately, don’t work on the essence of continually filling it with ice from the store, if only!

im glad im not the only one! i dont even use a microwave. i do have a kitchenaid mixer because i use the dough hook a lot, because we bake bread almost every other day here.
on that note, one thing i do love that is kind of new?
AIRPODS. they cancel out noise, i can listen to my music while cleaning/cooking, and its awesome. im still getting used to my phone, although i rarely use it...i mainly use it for reading books and calling people, but i have it switched off most of the time, because im old and gay i guess.

 

[Hakase Shinonome]

AIRPODS

Just wait until you lose them because there isn't a cord.

 

[Banquet Meal]

Just wait until you lose them because there isn't a cord.

im on my 2nd pair, i already lost them once
that is definitely the downside. my new phone at least has a jack for earbuds..kind of. its not like a round one, but its for a cord, i cant remember what its called though.
on that note, im still getting used to having a cell phone...so far, ive only used it for reading books and taking pictures.

 

[Hakase Shinonome]

im still getting used to having a cell phone...

Out of what time are you from exactly?

 

[Quandale Octavius Dingle]

I miss when control mechanisms were large with a dedicated button for every function. I fucking hate having to use a scroll wheel to go to a submenu of a submenu to something instead of just pressing a single clearly defined button. Doesn't matter what it is. TV remotes are the worst and most obvious example. But also our new microwave/oven/air fryer, car dashboards, etc.
vs
vs
vs
It doesn't even save space, they're still the same size but the former is much quicker and easier to use than the later.

 

[Hakase Shinonome]

I miss when control mechanisms were large with a dedicated button for every function. I fucking hate having to use a scroll wheel to go to a submenu of a submenu to something instead of just pressing a single clearly defined button. Doesn't matter what it is. TV remotes are the worst and most obvious example. But also our new microwave/oven/air fryer, car dashboards, etc.
View attachment 8323350 vs View attachment 8323351View attachment 8323352

I don't have a gigantic problem with the simplification of controls, I do get annoyed by it, but I do have a hatred for the dedicated streaming button ads. My fucking God how dystopian every single time I look at that remote. They cut so many buttons yet they added on those pieces of shit streaming buttons. "Yes you will now consume the new Netflix show with the Netflix button", "Please stand up and say McDonalds to skip the ad".

 

[Zeftax]

dedicated streaming button ads

I thought that the streaming companies had to pay the TV manufacturer a bajilion dollars to get that included, but then WTF is this?

If they are bootlegging the logos, does that mean they do it for free? Do consoomers actually want this? If Netlix is not bribing the manufacturer to do this, then who the fuck asked for it??

 

[Merton J. Dingle]

But there's nothing wrong with a nice DAC-phone, just having two separate devices is good

Wait, you know that what I linked to is not a phone, right? It is an MP3 player running Android (just like retro handhelds run Android but aren't phones), with a headphone jack, Bluetooth, and a MicroSD card slot. a DAC-phone would be something like the Sony Xperia which has some design elements from these modern Walkmen integrated, like a headphones jack.

 

[Hakase Shinonome]

Wait, you know that what I linked to is not a phone, right?

It runs android, it’s a mobile brick, it’s a phone.

 

[The ATF Disliked That]

Just wait until you lose them because there isn't a cord.

 

[GeorgeFloydFentanylStash]

Of course Sirus is completely dead tech that serves no purpose. The 2000's are over. For a similar price you can pay for a subscription music service on your phone and play it everywhere.

Now this is a company that can’t die soon enough. We got a new car back in September and the junk mail will continue to roll in for the next few years.

I had to call Sirius to tell them to stop mailing me shit, and the guy on the line was trying to pretend to play along and get my credit card "to cancel." He was like, "alright sir if I can just get your card information we can get this canceled." It was already canceled, it was the free trial. I was just telling them to stop mailing me unsolicited shit

I’ll try this instead. At least I get to yell at someone over the phone.

And with microSD cards going into the terabytes, you'll never run out of space either.

Too bad manufacturers have removed this feature from most of their phones.

 

[Aero the Alcoholic Bat]

Now this is a company that can’t die soon enough. We got a new car back in September and the junk mail will continue to roll in for the next few years.



I’ll try this instead. At least I get to yell at someone over the phone.



Too bad manufacturers have removed this feature from most of their phones.

Huh, that too?

Took me a good long while to find a phone that still had a headphone jack, they're really trying to get rid of microsd card slots too?