madshutterbug (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
madshutterbug) wrote2008-07-11 10:18 am
madshutterbug) wrote2008-07-11 10:18 am
Entry tags:
Philosophical Phriday
Nothing of consequence. Truly, the Ramblings of a Mad Shutterbug...
This morning on the walk in to Hospital from Garage I discovered that the iShuffle feels the battery charge is too weak to work. Thus, no music on the walk, alas. Since earlier this week (perhaps a couple days) I perused alternate MP3 players while obtaining a new surge surpressor block for Herself, I find this humourous. Primarily I view this as another example of Murphy's Law. There is no indicator, at least for myself, that the iShuffle charge is in need of replenishing until it simply won't play music. This caused a refresher summation of what I like, and don't like, about the iShuffle
I like how it came into my possession. Winning it as a raffle from a company which provides equipment to perioperative RN's is a nice manner to acquire most anything, much less a MP3 player.
I like the availability of music on a portable basis. Further, despite earlier concerns regarding potential loss of music quality in the 'compressed' file format, my hearing is such currently that, frankly, I can't tell the difference.
I like the fact that the 'random' play shuffle feature often provides musical selections which compliment what is going on about me very nicely; I like that when they do not, the advance feature is easily employed.
What I do not like are some things quite specific to the device itself.
Not being much of a supporter in any guise of either monopoly or proprietary design, I'm not terribly fond of the fact that Apple requires a specific format for the music. Yes, it takes care of converting when importing. Yes, it says on the menu that it will convert when exporting. It is still proprietary, and one still goes to Apple.
I do not see the colour changes which the manual describes will indicate when the device needs charging, and when the charge is complete. This is no doubt due to the fact that I see colours in my own unique manner. It still reflects a design philosophy which ignores a significant portion of the population that also sees colours in their own unique manner, and which does not correspond to a defined 'normal'. Mostly, I think it is a sequelae of the size, and perhaps quality of LED used to indicate this. However, it remains, I do not see the colour change.
A minor point, but one I've enjoyed when listening to music on the PC, is the lack of play-list variety. With the iShuffle, there are two choices: the one playlist downloaded from the PC either as random shuffle or in sequence added to the list. It has not been worth the extra expense to pursue a different device simply for this capability.
I doubt I'll make a move any time soon. It is an expense I do not need to outlay. I do find it humourous as mentioned that I'd just been looking at MP3 players. One of the thoughts running through my head at that time focused on the proprietary aspects rule out Microshaft as well as Apple. Not to mention showing support for a friend regarding Apple.
So what does this have to do with Murphy? Well, the fact that I can't tell when the bloody thing is exhausted its battery charge. If a thing can go wrong, it will.
Thinking about Murphys Law always leads me to Schwartz's Corollary: Murphy was an optimist.
Since achieving Treo Synchronisation I've been fairly happy with the device. It functions very well as a phone. It is convenient that a camera is at hand, even if not a high-resolution camera. Since I rambled above about MP3 players, this is another function which the Treo could fulfill, most probably using Microshaft Media Player software since it is a Windows Mobile device. Most probably, because there are other applications available.
This will require the use of another mini-SD card, for sure. I'm already using one, and trying to store photographs on that rather than the internal memory. However, this is an easy objective to meet. Even the means of carrying multiple SD cards about, if necessary, isn't an issue.
Anyone else using their PDA or cell phone as their music box as well?
That is all. We now return you to your normal Friday.
This morning on the walk in to Hospital from Garage I discovered that the iShuffle feels the battery charge is too weak to work. Thus, no music on the walk, alas. Since earlier this week (perhaps a couple days) I perused alternate MP3 players while obtaining a new surge surpressor block for Herself, I find this humourous. Primarily I view this as another example of Murphy's Law. There is no indicator, at least for myself, that the iShuffle charge is in need of replenishing until it simply won't play music. This caused a refresher summation of what I like, and don't like, about the iShuffle
I like how it came into my possession. Winning it as a raffle from a company which provides equipment to perioperative RN's is a nice manner to acquire most anything, much less a MP3 player.
I like the availability of music on a portable basis. Further, despite earlier concerns regarding potential loss of music quality in the 'compressed' file format, my hearing is such currently that, frankly, I can't tell the difference.
I like the fact that the 'random' play shuffle feature often provides musical selections which compliment what is going on about me very nicely; I like that when they do not, the advance feature is easily employed.
What I do not like are some things quite specific to the device itself.
Not being much of a supporter in any guise of either monopoly or proprietary design, I'm not terribly fond of the fact that Apple requires a specific format for the music. Yes, it takes care of converting when importing. Yes, it says on the menu that it will convert when exporting. It is still proprietary, and one still goes to Apple.
I do not see the colour changes which the manual describes will indicate when the device needs charging, and when the charge is complete. This is no doubt due to the fact that I see colours in my own unique manner. It still reflects a design philosophy which ignores a significant portion of the population that also sees colours in their own unique manner, and which does not correspond to a defined 'normal'. Mostly, I think it is a sequelae of the size, and perhaps quality of LED used to indicate this. However, it remains, I do not see the colour change.
A minor point, but one I've enjoyed when listening to music on the PC, is the lack of play-list variety. With the iShuffle, there are two choices: the one playlist downloaded from the PC either as random shuffle or in sequence added to the list. It has not been worth the extra expense to pursue a different device simply for this capability.
I doubt I'll make a move any time soon. It is an expense I do not need to outlay. I do find it humourous as mentioned that I'd just been looking at MP3 players. One of the thoughts running through my head at that time focused on the proprietary aspects rule out Microshaft as well as Apple. Not to mention showing support for a friend regarding Apple.
So what does this have to do with Murphy? Well, the fact that I can't tell when the bloody thing is exhausted its battery charge. If a thing can go wrong, it will.
Thinking about Murphys Law always leads me to Schwartz's Corollary: Murphy was an optimist.
Since achieving Treo Synchronisation I've been fairly happy with the device. It functions very well as a phone. It is convenient that a camera is at hand, even if not a high-resolution camera. Since I rambled above about MP3 players, this is another function which the Treo could fulfill, most probably using Microshaft Media Player software since it is a Windows Mobile device. Most probably, because there are other applications available.
This will require the use of another mini-SD card, for sure. I'm already using one, and trying to store photographs on that rather than the internal memory. However, this is an easy objective to meet. Even the means of carrying multiple SD cards about, if necessary, isn't an issue.
Anyone else using their PDA or cell phone as their music box as well?
That is all. We now return you to your normal Friday.
no subject
no subject
I am confused by this. What format do they require? And what format do you want your music in?
I have all my music in mp3 format which goes to all platforms except the stuff I have bought from iTunes which comes in their proprietary format.
I may not understand what you're saying though.
no subject
So it may be that it's not required, per se, but the software does default to that proprietary format.
What MP3 player are you using? Curiosity, eh?
no subject
(Anonymous) 2008-07-12 12:56 am (UTC)(link)If you go to the iTunes Edit -> Advanced tab and then click on the Importing tab, you can import using mp3 encoder. I hope this helps! I confess I have not properly evaluated other digital music storage/playing devices but I have tried using Windows Media player to keep track of all my music and it has niggling things that frustrate me.
no subject