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Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: July 11th, 2023

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  • Granted there was no standardisation in the industry, but I’m pretty sure they used the same remote across most of my portable MiniDisc players growing up (ie. from MZ-R55 to MZ-R900… the MZ-NH1 had a different remote altogether)… I didn’t even realise there were restrictions?

    The issue with the inline controls that evolved since (and morphed into Bluetooth controls) is that they’re too basic, compared to what I’d like.

    On the go, I long since ago switched to wireless audio - using AirPods Pro and a ‘vintage’ Apple Watch 3, but I would gladly opt for a wireless/bluetooth lapel clip style object with the same controls those old Sony had.

    I’ve had a quick look around - but haven’t managedd to find anything that would fit the bill. Honestly, not even sure if smartphones offer sufficient functionality over Bluetooth to make something like that work out of the box?


  • If you’ve never used an inline remote, it’s really hard to explain why they were so much better from a UX perspective than what’s available now.

    If I want to control media on my smartwatch, I need to flick focus on my wrist - usually stopping me from being able to fully use that hand, identify the right controls on the touch screen (and that it’s even on the right screen, and not obstructed by notifications) and hope that they register correctly.

    Those old inline remotes were basically a useful ‘Bop It!’; control inputs varied: twist a dial, tilt the end, button press, slide, scroll dial and provided full tactile control which could be truly used one-handed (when clipped to my shirt).

    It is a true shame that they were left by the wayside, when multiple devices ended up amalgamating into the modern smartphone.





  • Big sums of one-off money are a great spectacle, but they have negative short-term impacts (likely to cause another spike to inflation) and negligible long-term benefits as once the funds are spent it’s just a return to the status-quo.

    A more aggressive tax-cut for the lowest band, as well as a boost to services offered to those same people (rent assistance, dietary stipends to promote healthier foods etc.) funded by the top-end of town are the best long-term solution- but they don’t cause anywhere near the same level of media ‘splash’ as a “free” $1K would.