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The tech monoculture is finally breaking

jasonwillems.com

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Re: The tech monoculture is finally breaking

#261

Post by whilenot-dev »

xethos wrote: post #241
californical wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I looked pretty hard - I specifically don’t want an android OS called an mp3 player. I want a dedicated media player that has physical button controls (not touch screen), is very snappy, has a good UI, and has a purpose-built OS specific to only playing songs and podcasts, and maybe movies, which I can sync with my computer (maybe with rsync or whatever else). No apps. The only option that I could find was an iPod cl…

No promises, but a Tangera might actually be what you failed to find. Fair enough for that too, as they're not exactly mainstream https://www.crowdsupply.com/cool-tech-zone/tangara

"No Longer Available - 1,290 claimed", unfortunately.

Re: The tech monoculture is finally breaking

#262

Post by nehal3m »

RGamma wrote: post #141
californical wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I looked pretty hard - I specifically don’t want an android OS called an mp3 player. I want a dedicated media player that has physical button controls (not touch screen), is very snappy, has a good UI, and has a purpose-built OS specific to only playing songs and podcasts, and maybe movies, which I can sync with my computer (maybe with rsync or whatever else). No apps. The only option that I could find was an iPod cl…

Have you looked at Rockbox?

I have a Fiio M3K with Rockbox, it's great. My demands are not high though; I just want something light that I can put in my pocket, which shuffles a bunch of lofi music. It helps me tune my monkey brain out.

Re: The tech monoculture is finally breaking

#263

Post by whilenot-dev »

Onavo wrote: post #97
sylens wrote: post #29

I think the author is correct to a point but I don't believe the examples they've chosen provide the best support for their case. Gen Z buying iPods and people buying N64 games again is not evidence of the monoculture breaking apart - it's a retreat into the past for the enlightened few because their needs are not being met by modern goods and services. You cannot buy a dedicated MP3 player today with the software po…

Well, there's SV's favorite minimalist hardware (along with the overpriced woop band): https://bemighty.com/

"Playback Requirements: Spotify Premium or Amazon Music" -> hard no.

Re: The tech monoculture is finally breaking

#264

Post by c9lgPZqHNGdC1V1 »

californical wrote: post #95
Aurornis wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You cannot buy a dedicated MP3 player today with the software polish and quality of life that an iPod had in the early 2000s I could see how many people would assume this, but it’s actually false. There’s actually a big selection of dedicated audio players that do the job very well now. The battery life and audio quality are extremely good because there’s a niche market for them with a lot of competition. If you th…

I looked pretty hard - I specifically don’t want an android OS called an mp3 player. I want a dedicated media player that has physical button controls (not touch screen), is very snappy, has a good UI, and has a purpose-built OS specific to only playing songs and podcasts, and maybe movies, which I can sync with my computer (maybe with rsync or whatever else). No apps. The only option that I could find was an iPod cl…

This is my time to shine. I never stopped using dedicated mp3-players. After my trusty Philips Gogears died and became unavailable for purchase, I settled on Ruizu branded mp3-players. The Ruizu X02[1] is an absolute baller, cheap as hell, trustworthy and limited to the basic functionality you would expect from an mp3-player (music, movies, radio, pictures). You put stuff on it via USB + drag-and-drop just like the ol' days. Damn trustworthy too I had one soaked in water for 15 minutes - flinging it was like using a water pistol. Did it die? Pfft, this is a Ruizu we're talking about. Only thing that can destroy these are weights in the gym and even then they still play music: 'I have no light but I must play' style. No biggie, new one is 20-30 euro's it's like I'm robbing them

[1] https://www.amazon.com/RUIZU-X02-Recorder-Playback-Expandabl...

Re: The tech monoculture is finally breaking

#265

Post by mikkupikku »

direwolf20 wrote: post #93
dsego wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It can never be user-friendly enough if how windows does things is the yardstick. Windows users bemoan about how terrible Macs are all the time just because things are done differently, and they don't even try to figure it out. If it doesn't work like windows it's not good enough.

Why can't we make Linux work like Windows? Modifiability is supposed to be a benefit of open-source.

If Linux isn't uploading their FDE keys to Microsoft servers by default, Windows users will get scared and start crying. Needless to say, their tastes and desires should never be entertained.

Re: The tech monoculture is finally breaking

#266

Post by mikkupikku »

CrimsonCape wrote: post #138
mikkupikku wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hope Linux is never suitable for windows users, who's tolerance for abuse is matched in magnitude only by their lack of taste. You have no idea just how over I am with the very premise of Linux evangelism. I will go as far as find reasons or even just flimsy pretexts to oppose and criticize any change to Linux calculated to win over Windows users, because being co-users with such people is plainly against my own in…

I was ready to install Linux. I installed a new 1TB ssd in my laptop. I shrunk the windows volume using Windows' Disk Management. Then I started reading the Arch wiki on this task. It forced me to learn things like MBR vs GPT. Then it said Windows by default makes an EFI partition way too small so I have to re-create a new partition by temporarily mounting EFI, saving the files, deleting the EFI partition, and recrea…

After leaving that comment I had a moment of doubt that maybe I had gone too far, but no, you've reassured me. The windows user wants to stink up a power user distro to make it a fisher-price toy. Disgusting.

Re: The tech monoculture is finally breaking

#267

Post by Y-bar »

tass wrote: post #259
Y-bar wrote: post #255

Earlier quoted context omitted.

240 grams is twice as heavy as for example an average minidisc player ( https://www.minidisc.wiki/equipment/sony/portable/mz-g750 ) which could often weigh less than 100g. The very first cassette Walkman was about 40 grams light: https://www.soundandvision.com/content/flashback-1979-sony-s... The Rio MP3 player was 109 grams: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/10/diamond-rio-pmp300-m... The classic Creative Nomad w…

Almost certainly a typo, the first Walkman was 390g or 14 ounces (not 1.4oz)

Yes, it seems you are correct. For example this one is 180g including batteries: https://www.1001hifi.info/2025/01/sony-wm-20-1983-worlds-sma...

Though I stand by my implied argument that older devices were not as heavy as we might remember them to be. And it is okay to consider 240g a bit too heavy in the context of a digital music player with no need for cassettes or mechanical parts.

Re: The tech monoculture is finally breaking

#268

Post by Lapsa »

ghaff wrote: post #40
cj wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My strategy here is to default notifications off for everything other than calls and texts. And then manually open Gmail to check mail, manually open Instagram when I feel like checking notifications, etc. It’s such a better experience when you’re opening an app because you want to, and not because a notification is baiting you.

I actually have an Apple Watch that I mostly use for hiking. I just use a $30 Timex most of the time that I don't need to charge.

there's a big yellow clock up in the sky and if there isn't - you should be sleeping anyway

Re: The tech monoculture is finally breaking

#269

Post by pezezin »

lmz wrote: post #178
jasonfarnon wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Gen Z buying iPods and people buying N64 games again is not evidence of the monoculture breaking apart - it's a retreat into the past for the enlightened few because their needs are not being met by modern goods and services." That seems like a charitable interpretation to me. Maybe it's just a retro fashion trend that is even at its peak a tiny blip in the market, like back in the 90s when bell bottoms were "in". G…

The iPod and N64 are about 20 (or more, for the N64) years back from now, no? So about as far back as bell bottoms were from the 90s.

The Nintendo 64 will be 30 years old this summer.

Yes, 30, you can feel bad now :(

Re: The tech monoculture is finally breaking

#270

Post by pezezin »

diceduckmonk wrote: post #233
sylens wrote: post #29

I think the author is correct to a point but I don't believe the examples they've chosen provide the best support for their case. Gen Z buying iPods and people buying N64 games again is not evidence of the monoculture breaking apart - it's a retreat into the past for the enlightened few because their needs are not being met by modern goods and services. You cannot buy a dedicated MP3 player today with the software po…

> Gen Z buying iPods and people buying N64 games again And Pokémon cards because this generation has less ability to afford big purchases like a house or having a child

I have seen some rare Pokémon cards going for the price of a small car...
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