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This looks promising. Pretty much all modern portable music players are janky Android devices with awful hardware and software. I've been looking for something

This looks promising. Pretty much all modern portable music players are janky Android devices with awful hardware and software. I've been looking for something to dethrone the Zune HD for me, which has a small form factor and intuitive interface

devindotcom 3y ago
I still have mine but left it in a drawer years ago because it wouldn't sync any more. Is there a modern solution?
- stndef 3y ago
  Scott Hanselman released a video[1] not too long ago that covers reviving a Zune in 2023, if that's of any use! [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-ZPx-h5ApU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-ZPx-h5ApU
- ido 3y ago
  They still sell the iPod touch
  - LeoPanthera 3y ago
    The iPod Touch was discontinued in May 2022.
- Minor49er 3y ago
  I use GMTP to put files onto the device on Linux
IWeldMelons 3y ago
Sansa AFAIK is still non-Android.
- szszrk 3y ago
  Sansa, Fiio, there are some nice options both for tiny sports players and "hifi" market.
ABoredBirb 3y ago
Check out Cowon products. Big fan since the J3. Sadly they haven't made anything quite as good since, but the Plenue D2, that i have now, is very decent.
mingus88 3y ago
Sony Walkman. It’s wild that 40+ years after they pretty much invented the portable music player, people need to be reminded that they still exist The NW-a30 I bought years again sounds exactly like what you are looking for. The software is not android, it’s snappy and intuitive and Sony has decades of experience making these devices
- jbushell 3y ago
  The newer Walkman models seem to all just be android skins unfortunately.
- antisthenes 3y ago
  I just looked at the choices. An 8gb for $79 (why is 8gb of storage still a thing when stores are giving away 32gb flash drives for free?) or a $799 player that costs more than my phone and desktop computers combined. Nah. This ain't it.
  - em-bee 3y ago
    the most important use of my phone is to play audio. to the point that i almost considered getting a pinephone so that i could run something else besides android and get a better FOSS audio player (and a keyboard). but i decided against it because it was just a bit to expensive for what it offers. now if only i could find a decent FOSS audio player for android. it is critical that the player interface orders files by directory structure and displays the filename because a lot of audiobooks and audio drama series or podcasts use the series title in all files and don't have a file specific title (and those that do mess it up by not having episode or chapter numbering. this often makes the individual chapters/episodes indistinguishable from each other. unfortunately most available audio players assume that the title is enough to pick a file, but that really only works for songs, not audio books, audio drama or podcasts. sorry for the rant.
    - yencabulator 3y ago
      Have you tried https://github.com/mdmt1/sabp_native https://github.com/mdmt1/sabp_native ?

devindotcom 3y ago

I still have mine but left it in a drawer years ago because it wouldn't sync any more. Is there a modern solution?

stndef 3y ago
Scott Hanselman released a video[1] not too long ago that covers reviving a Zune in 2023, if that's of any use! [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-ZPx-h5ApU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-ZPx-h5ApU
ido 3y ago
They still sell the iPod touch
- LeoPanthera 3y ago
  The iPod Touch was discontinued in May 2022.
Minor49er 3y ago
I use GMTP to put files onto the device on Linux

IWeldMelons 3y ago

Sansa AFAIK is still non-Android.

szszrk 3y ago
Sansa, Fiio, there are some nice options both for tiny sports players and "hifi" market.

ABoredBirb 3y ago

Check out Cowon products. Big fan since the J3. Sadly they haven't made anything quite as good since, but the Plenue D2, that i have now, is very decent.

mingus88 3y ago

Sony Walkman. It’s wild that 40+ years after they pretty much invented the portable music player, people need to be reminded that they still exist The NW-a30 I bought years again sounds exactly like what you are looking for. The software is not android, it’s snappy and intuitive and Sony has decades of experience making these devices

jbushell 3y ago
The newer Walkman models seem to all just be android skins unfortunately.
antisthenes 3y ago
I just looked at the choices. An 8gb for $79 (why is 8gb of storage still a thing when stores are giving away 32gb flash drives for free?) or a $799 player that costs more than my phone and desktop computers combined. Nah. This ain't it.
- em-bee 3y ago
  the most important use of my phone is to play audio. to the point that i almost considered getting a pinephone so that i could run something else besides android and get a better FOSS audio player (and a keyboard). but i decided against it because it was just a bit to expensive for what it offers. now if only i could find a decent FOSS audio player for android. it is critical that the player interface orders files by directory structure and displays the filename because a lot of audiobooks and audio drama series or podcasts use the series title in all files and don't have a file specific title (and those that do mess it up by not having episode or chapter numbering. this often makes the individual chapters/episodes indistinguishable from each other. unfortunately most available audio players assume that the title is enough to pick a file, but that really only works for songs, not audio books, audio drama or podcasts. sorry for the rant.
  - yencabulator 3y ago
    Have you tried https://github.com/mdmt1/sabp_native https://github.com/mdmt1/sabp_native ?