Rockbox is a bad benchmark due to its insane versatility. Just because modern players “should” support something doesn’t mean the manufacturer put the work in to do so, or even do it well.
That said, when I buy a portable music player the decision is always based on whether or not there’s a Rockbox port for it.
I feel bad it’s so materialistic but I’m stoked that the new model of the Dirtywave M8 music tracker is shipping this week or next. In the past couple years that single device has improved my music output immensely, and the user community on its Discord is ridiculously friendly and helpful.
The new model isn’t a radical update, but the new quality of life features plus the confidence that I will use it constantly really has me excited to continue my journey. For me it’s like a toy that’s always fun to play with, surprisingly deep, and after I play for a while I’ve accidentally created something. It’s cut down on my doom scrolling and social media consumption as well. For me, that’s money well spent.
Listen: FLAC files on my android phone using Foobar2000. Or for serious listening, FLAC files on an Astell & Kern with nice headphones.
Discover: Friends, family, Bandcamp. Bandcamp is great because the bands have the option to recommend their own favourites, and if they don’t, Bandcamp does the “other supporters of this band listen to this” thing. Bandcamp collections are public, so find out who paid money for an album you like and see what else they bought.
And now for the weird one: Goodwill. Not just browsing used CDs for treasures, but listen to their overhead music (especially around Halloween). There’s a surprisingly good mix of random stuff playing. I’ve Shazam-ed more music there than anywhere else.
Millions of people not voting because it would take millions of people voting to elicit positive change and nobody is doing that is one of the most frustrating things.
I have a generic leather backpack with a design similar to this one. It’s a decent (medium) size and can fit everything I usually want to have with me: iPad and/or laptop, snacks, chargers, toys.
I like the small pockets on the front for accessories, the side pockets are just large enough to fit a water bottle, it has a top handle, and the leather has worn very well over the years.
I am not a fan of the thin fabric lining (including the slightly-padded computer pockets) that sags away from the sides. The outside pockets were just tab enclosures until I added actual buckles and straps (I found leather dog collars that matched the bag leather). The shoulder straps are narrow, so I made wider leather pads to go over them. I also added some dense foam to line the bottom, as I didn’t trust it to protect electronics.
Once modified it’s done everything I need, and I’ve had it on many trips with no issues. Plus, the design gets at least one positive comment every trip.
Yup. I remember plating Battleship with pencils and graph paper. Great fun, and if your opponent cheats, make them use a pen so they can’t move their ships.
I could have sworn the ending was very similar to the book’s. Nimona has a higher body count in the book to be sure, but that would not fit with the tone of the film so I understand the changes that were made. Also, Stevenson sounded pleased with the adaptation.
Local/regional chains seem to stay more reasonable, but honestly, local restaurants in my area are almost cheaper than fast food. A typical combo meal seems to run around $10-15, and you can find lunch specials and weekly specials for $8-12.
The food is way better as well.
I could go to Arby’s for a combo (roast beef sandwich, soda, and fries) and spend around $14. Or I can go to the sushi place half a mile away and pay $11 for their made-to-order bento box: teriyaki salmon filet, small salad, 3 gyoza, 4-piece Cali roll, and tasty rice. I haven’t been to Arby’s in years.
100% all of this. I don’t want to leave a trace behind. If a place is a certain way, I assume it’s the way it should be. Leaving it in another state is not acceptable. In fact, if I can repair part of it that needs service, I will.
Honestly yeah. Finally got a Steam Deck. Found out it plays PSP games buttery smooth on a great screen and have yet to log any hours on actual triple-A games because nostalgia is happening
One of my co-workers is a stoic boomer who’s in charge of a huge division of the company. His ringtone is the original Mahna Mahna and it cracks me up every single time.
I’m a member of a Discord that is the primary source of discussion and information about a piece of hardware, including technical & usage tips, firmware announcements, etc. It’s a terrible way to track this stuff.
That said, the only other forums that have decent communities around it are Reddit, Facebook, and Elektronauts - none of which are even close to as active, but in which many of us will post important info & tips to get the news out. Over 3 years into the project (which is not open source) it would be ridiculous to try shifting the whole community to a new platform. We’re kinda stuck.
Luckily the community as a whole seems to realise this, so we happily answer noob questions over and over and provide links to the appropriate resources, discussions, and pinned posts without snark or judgement. We’ve all been there. It’s the nature of the beast, it’s not efficient, and it’s not the end of the world.
Finally, with the state of search engines in decline due to monetisation, encroachment of AI bloat, and general enshittification, it’s a matter of time before very little real information will be easily searchable. Insular communities who decide to withdraw and do everything their own, better way will likely become the norm. The internet needs a reset anyway.
Rockbox is a bad benchmark due to its insane versatility. Just because modern players “should” support something doesn’t mean the manufacturer put the work in to do so, or even do it well.
That said, when I buy a portable music player the decision is always based on whether or not there’s a Rockbox port for it.