Maintain that thought. It’s now a number of days after the present, and I’ve to name my pals and break the information to them. Music gamers died. They’re not simply on the threatened record – they’re downright endangered. A number of new devoted gamers confirmed up, most notably Neil Younger’s Pono high-resolution participant. However given its dimension, lack of Bluetooth connectivity, and appreciable worth, it’s not precisely what many individuals are searching for when looking for a down-and-dirty moveable music participant. Don’t get me unsuitable – I might love a world the place MP3s had been eradicated and solely CD-quality or increased existed, however I notice that ain’t gonna occur shortly. Apple continues to be holding on to the iPods, however a) Apple doesn’t exhibit at CES, and b) not everybody desires to be tied to Apple’s iTunes.
Plainly different firms have simply given up, assuming that everybody and their mom desires to make use of their telephones as their music gamers. The issue is that they’re unsuitable. My mom doesn’t even personal a smartphone. Not everybody desires to be continuously tied to their telephones. Oddly sufficient, telephones have been getting huge once more – not one thing I wish to attempt to take with me on a run. Plus, there are various occasions when individuals simply wish to be unconnected – our telephones are fixed reminders of what must be performed, who wants to speak to us, what’s on the information feeds, and many others. A music participant is simply that – it solely performs music. And that’s simply fantastic with me.
Certainly one of my inquiring pals works on an off-shore oil rig someplace off the coast of Singapore – he has no must preserve his smartphone tethered to his aspect always. The opposite pal desires one thing to connect with her outside speaker system whereas she’s working round her yard along with her cellphone – she desires to maneuver additional than Bluetooth’s 30-foot vary.
They’re not alone. Pals crusing within the Caribbean had been searching for a music participant to connect with their boat’s built-in audio system – turning on their telephones dangers incurring nasty worldwide roaming charges. A involved mum or dad who desires to get a music playback system for his or her teenager’s automotive so the children received’t be tempted to textual content whereas trying to find one other music observe. And let’s not neglect the thousands and thousands of people that (oh, the horror…) don’t have smartphones. They need a cellphone for phoning and a music participant for enjoying music. Is Apple the one one catering to those humble lots?
It makes me greater than a bit unhappy to report again to those of us that I’ve received nothing for them. Nada, zip, bupkis. Suck it up and preserve your cellphone by your aspect always, drink the Apple Kool-Assist, or simply begin singing to your self. Might you relaxation in peace, little MP3 participant, relaxation in quiet peace.
