Who's Actually Buying iPods These Days? • Hacker News Board

Re: Who's Actually Buying iPods These Days?

#21

Post by lmm » Sat, Jul 18, 2015, 9:42 PM UTC

Kequc wrote: post #16

The best iPod was discontinued immediately. It's square with a screen on it, this one: http://www.zdnet.com/i/story/61/18/017591/zdnet-ipod-nano-si... Giant clip dominates the back, just large enough of a screen to choose or control music, and just enough space to store way more than I need. I travel a lot, it's great to have a separate music device. I can listen to music and not have to worry where my phone is. I ca…

Obv. if you've found something that works for you then great, but if you're wondering about popularity then honestly your position sounds pretty unusual.

> I can listen to music and not have to worry where my phone is.

If there's ever a time at which my phone isn't in my pocket, I'm worried already. Especially when travelling.

> The idea of that sounds needlessly awkward

Awkward how? My phone already has a bigger, nicer touchscreen than an affordable dedicated media player would. Honestly general-purpose computers are very good at these things - just like years ago when I first got Winamp and it was easier to use than a physical stereo.

> you'd fill your device's HD.

My phone has a 64gb microSD card. Half of that is 20 days' continuous listening. It's really not an issue.

Re: Who's Actually Buying iPods These Days?

#22

Post by SCdF » Sat, Jul 18, 2015, 9:42 PM UTC

Kequc wrote: post #16

The best iPod was discontinued immediately. It's square with a screen on it, this one: http://www.zdnet.com/i/story/61/18/017591/zdnet-ipod-nano-si... Giant clip dominates the back, just large enough of a screen to choose or control music, and just enough space to store way more than I need. I travel a lot, it's great to have a separate music device. I can listen to music and not have to worry where my phone is. I ca…

I had one of those, they were awesome. I still have it in a drawer somewhere, but unfortunately the connection to the screen broke (the screen is just white, all the time) and estimations to fix it cost more than buying a completely new device, so in the drawer it stays.

Re: Who's Actually Buying iPods These Days?

#23

Post by chrisbennet » Sat, Jul 18, 2015, 9:45 PM UTC

Am I the only one who's bugged that the favicon for a site called "birch tree" is an evergreen/spruce/fir tree?

Re: Who's Actually Buying iPods These Days?

#24

Post by mjrbrennan » Sat, Jul 18, 2015, 9:46 PM UTC

I love my iPod classic, I had my first one for six years before it died and I immediately went out and bought another. I really hope this one lasts. The main reason I don't like streaming is because a) I have to use my phone storage instead of a dedicated music device and b) we have really shitty data plans in Australia, with exhorbitant prices for minimal GBs. I don't want to use up my entire plan just from streaming music when I have a perfectly good music player that does one job and does it well.

Re: Who's Actually Buying iPods These Days?

#25

Post by Nullabillity » Sat, Jul 18, 2015, 9:46 PM UTC

Kequc wrote: post #16

The best iPod was discontinued immediately. It's square with a screen on it, this one: http://www.zdnet.com/i/story/61/18/017591/zdnet-ipod-nano-si... Giant clip dominates the back, just large enough of a screen to choose or control music, and just enough space to store way more than I need. I travel a lot, it's great to have a separate music device. I can listen to music and not have to worry where my phone is. I ca…

> I also don't understand why anyone wants to use their phone as a music player. The idea of that sounds needlessly awkward and they'll fill their device's HD up with largely useless music.

You can't run something like Spotify on it without a cell receiver, at which point you've pretty much got a phone.

Re: Who's Actually Buying iPods These Days?

#26

Post by ceejayoz » Sat, Jul 18, 2015, 9:46 PM UTC

jallmann wrote: post #10

I have a few iTouches here for testing, kept at various iOS versions. Much cheaper than buying iPhones. Will probably pick up a new 6G soon, since the 5Gs are getting a bit long in the tooth, and no telling what iOS 9 will do to it. I'm glad (and actually somewhat surprised) that Apple updated the line, rather than axing it. iPod Touch sales must be minuscule compared to iPhones.

> I'm glad (and actually somewhat surprised) that Apple updated the line, rather than axing it. iPod Touch sales must be minuscule compared to iPhones.

It's possible they're in part a way to use surplus parts from the older iPhone lines. They usually lag a generation behind in their look and specs.

Re: Who's Actually Buying iPods These Days?

#27

Post by ceejayoz » Sat, Jul 18, 2015, 9:48 PM UTC

ghaff wrote: post #9

executive wrote: post #5

Kids whose parents will not buy them an iPhone + data plan. Next.

I would have expected that there were so many old off-contract iPhones floating around these days that they would have pretty much have destroyed the market for new iPods for the kids. I personally have two of them (plus an ancient 40GB iPod pre-classic). One I actually use for various purposes but the other would be a fine kid's iPod. Still, I guess there is enough demand for the scenario you describe.

I bought two iPod touches for my kids. I don't want my kids having an old iPhone. For starters, a new device comes with a warranty and reasonable assurance it hasn't been beat to hell internally. I also don't want my kids inadvertently dialing 911 - they don't need a cell connection (even without a plan) as first graders.

Re: Who's Actually Buying iPods These Days?

#28

Post by emsy » Sat, Jul 18, 2015, 9:49 PM UTC

Kequc wrote: post #16

The best iPod was discontinued immediately. It's square with a screen on it, this one: http://www.zdnet.com/i/story/61/18/017591/zdnet-ipod-nano-si... Giant clip dominates the back, just large enough of a screen to choose or control music, and just enough space to store way more than I need. I travel a lot, it's great to have a separate music device. I can listen to music and not have to worry where my phone is. I ca…

You're wrong :) the best one was the nano iPod with the clickwheel https://www.apple.com/support/assets/images/products/iPodnan...

No weird wideescreen design and you could control it through your clothes.

Re: Who's Actually Buying iPods These Days?

#29

Post by wishinghand » Sat, Jul 18, 2015, 9:49 PM UTC

leoedin wrote: post #3

No mention of the iPod classic. I guess not many people bought them. I absolutely love my classic. It has every song instantly accessible wherever I am. I use it every single day. It's a shame there's no standout replacement. Sure, you need to spend longer curating your music collection, but the reward is a far more permanent collection of music and playlists which acts almost as a time capsule for your emotions. Plu…

FiiO X1. It plays FLAC as well as the standard MP3 and .wav files. $100.

Re: Who's Actually Buying iPods These Days?

#30

Post by ableal » Sat, Jul 18, 2015, 9:53 PM UTC

executive wrote: post #5

Kids whose parents will not buy them an iPhone + data plan. Next.

Correct answer, AFAIK. The 7-11 demographic, so to speak ...

And, yes, an iPad mini is the next step. Also, the elephant totally absent from the room because it starved to death due to having its breakfast, lunch and dinner eaten - pocket consoles.