iPod In Praise of...physical controls

[sracer]

I have a TON of portable media players (I stopped counting at 15), but I wanted to highlight 3 that don't have touchscreens and rely solely on physical controls to navigate and interact with the media stored on the devices.

From left to right,
iPod Nano 3rd gen ("Fatty"), Zune 30, iPod Classic 5.5 gen.

The sound on both the Zune 30 and Classic are outstanding and set themselves apart from the rest of my devices... even though I suffer from tinnitus I can discern their superiority in blind hearing tests. (I include my FiiO M7 in that quality tier, but it relies to a certain extent on a touchscreen so I didn't include it here)

Although my primary, daily devices are all touchscreens, whenever I take the time to pick up one of these gems, I'm reminded of just how interactive the listening/viewing experience is with devices that rely on physical controls. Part of the resurgence of vinyl has to do with the interactive nature of playing records. I predict that there will be a similar resurgence with portable media players that rely on physical controls for the same reason.

I really enjoy flipping through coverflow on the Nano and miss it on my newer Apple devices. Scrubbing through audio on the Nano and Classic is also something that I had forgotten can be useful.

I have a Zune HD in addition to the 30, but I like that the 30 (unlike other devices listed here) has only clickable buttons. The circular control on the Zune 30 isn't a scroll wheel, but just a 4 position click controller. I can navigate through the collection with confidence... which I can't always do with the Classic since it the clickwheel is very sensitive.

So...
who else still use portable players with physical controls? What do you enjoy about them? If you don't own one, are you interested in getting one?

 

[Slix]

I love using iPods for the physical controls as you mentioned too. I primarily use my iPod Classic 4th gen in the car so I can change songs while driving without looking at the iPod itself. I like using the 6th gen nano for the physical volume buttons on the side, paired with the clip, make it really convenient. I still use older iPod touches here and there too, but having to look at the screen to change songs (even just next track!) is a real big annoyance in general usage.

That said, some iPods have weird quirks related to their physical controls that make me like them less. The 7th gen nano's side buttons for volume/pause are too thin and not defined enough to feel by blind touch, so I tend not to use them at all and opt for the EarPods controls instead.

 

[GMShadow]

I've got some iPods still, but got into the Zune last year actually, first with a white 30 and then a red 120 I had to replace the battery and drive on. While I like the 120 well enough, the 30's overall solid feel and control pad are quite nice. I'm probably going to get another 30 (if I can get a deal on the Halo 3 model) and put an SSD and new battery in it.

 

[Traverse]

I finally let go of my iPod Classic use once I was able to replicate my linked smart playlist setup well-enough on iOS using 3rd party apps like Miximum with iCloud Music Library and Focus modes.

That said, I do miss the miss dedicated playback buttons. A touch screen is superior for navigating a large library, but once that playlist is going I miss easy access to controls. I've said this before, but I wished so bad that a higher-quality version of the iPod nano 7th generation's controls were brought to the iPhone.

 

[MBAir2010]

my 2007 iPod went through more headphones than batteries!

 

[ackmondual]

I've been just using Sirius XM for music, and play music from YouTube from my phone every now and then. But it'd be nice to go back to my iPod Classic. As you mentioned, the physical controls are much more usable in driving conditions.

 

[MultiFinder17]

I have two iPods that I regularly use. My main listening pod is a 4th gen black and white iPod that I have flash modded which holds all my music. I love just sitting back, relaxing, knowing that nothing is going to interrupt my listening. No notifications, calls, etc. My second main iPod is a 6th gen nano, the little square with a clip. This iPod is fantastic for walking and running with - clip it on, forget that it’s there, and it works with the clicker controls on the headphones.

I love dedicated music players for situations where I want to enjoy my music without distractions, whether those distractions be other people contacting me, myself browsing the web, etc.

 

[crobcary]

I've been just using Sirius XM for music, and play music from YouTube from my phone every now and then. But it'd be nice to go back to my iPod Classic. As you mentioned, the physical controls are much more usable in driving conditions.

I use SiriusXM for streaming (I really do prefer just pressing “play” on a certain vibe and letting the DJ take over) in the car/at home, and then my iPod for intentional music listening, especially at night. Apple Music is more for discovery, and then I purchase the album on iTunes or on CD/vinyl.

After a few years of “here’s everything for a monthly fee,” I’ve found I really just like curation, be it my own library or the radio. I suffer the same decision paralysis with video, too—I can’t remember when I intentionally just watched a TV show since we all moved away from cable. Algorithmic entertainment just doesn’t seem a fit for me.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

Love my iPod Video 5th gen and use it every time I travel along with an old set of wired Bose QC25 headphones.. Think it's due for a new battery as it only lasts for around 3 hours of continuous music.. It's been a great device since purchasing it around 2007. I did replace the hard drive and the battery over the years but besides being a pain to open, it's easy to work on.. If the hard drive ever takes a dump again I'll definitely do some sort of SD card flash storage and ditch the spinner

 

[Apleeseed84]

The iPod 5th gen was the pinnacle of the classic lineup, i was hopeful whenever Apple brought the technology back for the Apple TV Siri remote gen 2 but still no dice.

 

[iRock1]

The iPod 5th gen was the pinnacle of the classic lineup, i was hopeful whenever Apple brought the technology back for the Apple TV Siri remote gen 2 but still no dice.

Most people seem to like the 4th-gen-iPod better though.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

Most people seem to like the 4th-gen-iPod better though.

4th gen is nice too, I like the 5th gen color screen and video capability though..

 

[lepidotós]

I like being able to doink doink doink while looking elsewhere. Plus, the tactility is enjoyable. Hopefully they keep the home button for the next iPod touch if one exists, because even if it's not a real button, it's realer than a button printed on the display.​