Since Apple is set to possibly release a touch screen Shuffle or Nano, according to rumors here and there, why not outdo the Shuffle with a solid capacitive touch screen, making it easier to shuffle through a large music library? Why not add in a simple interface that allows one to easily scroll through their library by each letter of the alphabet, making the Clip a solid tiny budget player that can easily hold a large library without being cumbersome like it is with the Clip+? Nothing original here, or anything nobody else thought up, but the new Fuze+ looks solid, hopefully we’ll see an updated Clip as well.
@deathmetalred wrote:
. . . hopefully we’ll see an updated Clip as well.
The Clip+ as only been out for right at a year now. Doubt we’ll see any hardware or design change in this platform for at least another year.
Besides, it’s way too small for any type of reasonable touch-pad controls like the new Fuze+ sports.
Was the Clip out for two years before the Clip+? I thought they were released back to back years, but I could be wrong.
@deathmetalred wrote:
Since Apple is set to possibly release a touch screen Shuffle or Nano, according to rumors here and there, why not outdo the Shuffle with a solid capacitive touch screen, making it easier to shuffle through a large music library? Why not add in a simple interface that allows one to easily scroll through their library by each letter of the alphabet, making the Clip a solid tiny budget player that can easily hold a large library without being cumbersome like it is with the Clip+? Nothing original here, or anything nobody else thought up, but the new Fuze+ looks solid, hopefully we’ll see an updated Clip as well.
The Clip+ _ already _ outdoes the Shuffle. The Shuffle only is available in 2GB and 4GB size, and you need either Apple’s crappy earbuds, or 3rd-party adapters that have controls on them, because the Shuffle doesn’t even have buttons. We, on the other hand, can hook up any old earphones we want.
And I have no trouble navigating the two 8GB +16GB Clip+ players that I have. The alphabet browsing is nice, I’ll grant you that…I’ve had it on a couple of players…but both those players are gone, and I still have my Sansas.
I like the Clip+. I have two of them. The main complaint about the Clip+ is battery life. If they could make a version of the Clip+ that is around 20-30% thicker with double the battery life imo it would be well worth the extra thickness and weight.
The Clip+ isn’t perfect though, and I would like to see a new player with tactile buttons and a scroll wheel that is midway in size between the Clip+ and Fuze+ which has at least 40 hours of battery life.
I don’t agree that the Clip+ is cumbersome–quite to the contrary, I feel like I am in control with it, rather than the other way around. True, though, I think that it could still be smoothed out a bit, especially as it has grown in capacity and options–and yes, an alphabetical way in which to sort through files would be nice.
As to touch control on the Clip+, I think it is very do-able: make the entire surface of the Clip+ a touch screen, putting physical buttons on the sides and edges (like iRiver has done). I think that this could be a great means by which to increase the screen size and excite the touch screen crowd (the modern market, it seems), adding features perhaps like album covers
@miikerman wrote:
I don’t agree that the Clip+ is cumbersome–quite to the contrary, I feel like I am in control with it, rather than the other way around. True, though, I think that it could still be smoothed out a bit, especially as it has grown in capacity and options–and yes, an alphabetical way in which to sort through files would be nice.
As to touch control on the Clip+, I think it is very do-able: make the entire surface of the Clip+ a touch screen, putting physical buttons on the sides and edges (like iRiver has done). I think that this could be a great means by which to increase the screen size and excite the touch screen crowd (the modern market, it seems), adding features perhaps like album covers
Then you would just be emulating Apple again.
@marvin_martian wrote:
Then you would just be emulating Apple again.
Just because Apple or another company does something doesn’t make it wrong or a technology that might not work into a super DAP. And I’m not quite sure that Apple came out with all touchscreen DAP ideas …
@miikerman wrote:
I don’t agree that the Clip+ is cumbersome–quite to the contrary, I feel like I am in control with it, rather than the other way around. True, though, I think that it could still be smoothed out a bit, especially as it has grown in capacity and options–and yes, an alphabetical way in which to sort through files would be nice.
As to touch control on the Clip+, I think it is very do-able: make the entire surface of the Clip+ a touch screen, putting physical buttons on the sides and edges (like iRiver has done). I think that this could be a great means by which to increase the screen size and excite the touch screen crowd (the modern market, it seems), adding features perhaps like album covers
I like the idea of having a touch screen with buttons. Buttons are key since you can then skip or scan tracks without having to look down at your clip when in the gym. This is what makes the new ipod nano touch gimmicky.
Also, adding to what JK98 said about battery life. How about adding customizable menus so you don’t have to waste charge by scrolling through unwanted menu items?
@archdeuk wrote:
Also, adding to what JK98 said about battery life. How about adding customizable menus so you don’t have to waste charge by scrolling through unwanted menu items?
Realistically, just how many seconds is that really going to save in terms of increased usable battery life? The standard menus are not that long, nor are there that many.
@tapeworm wrote:
@archdeuk wrote:
Also, adding to what JK98 said about battery life. How about adding customizable menus so you don’t have to waste charge by scrolling through unwanted menu items?
Realistically, just how many seconds is that really going to save in terms of increased usable battery life? The standard menus are not that long, nor are there that many.
I’m not sure but it takes me six button presses to get to my playlists. Would take me one if it were customizable. Even if the battery savings were negligible it would make navigation on such a small device more user friendly. Perhaps it’s a minor fix but I’d rather have it than not.
Customizable menus would be great! Some features I use often require a large number of button presses, while features I rarely or never use are in the way. It would be nice to let users make their most frequently used features very easy to access, and their least frequently used features harder to access.
