I suspect Microsoft actually run an advanced staff mobility program. Each time they want to release a new version of Windows, they choose a completely new UI and usability team, promoting staff at random from across the company.
No, actually it would probably work better if they did that.
Oh I get it now. I went to http://apple.com/ipod.
It’s like an iPhone without the phone!
It’s like an iPad without the padding!
Only $200? Why don’t more people buy these things?
What are you even talking about?
If I open an FTP URL in a file explorer window, I can transfer files back and forth in the same UI as local files.
That’s actually weirdly encouraging. My sister sent her 11yo kid on a solo camping trip with no devices (just in grandma’s back yard) so he could “learn to be bored”. Seemed like a great idea and he ended up enjoying it and has learned to moderate his own screen time a little better.
Also making a comeback among the youths, believe it or not: those single-use 30-shot real-film cameras
unlike the iPod touch which could used to watch youtube ads… all day
You got to admit though, you wouldn’t have any questions left after reading the MS box.
But it’s an iPod. Everyone knew what it was (thanks to Apple’s good PR and advertising) so I wouldn’t have had any questions BEFORE I’d read the box.
The only question I’d have after reading the Microsoft box would be “But, why?” but I expect that was a common MS thing back then.
Now let’s do one in reverse, showing how Apple takes a UI which is complex but understandable and turns it into a minimalist hipspace with hidden everything and arcane swipe motions.
I really really miss my iPod shuffle. It was very good at the one and only thing it was designed to do. It was small and clipped on my hat when I was running and the battery lasted forever.
Sure, I can use my large smart phone and bluetooth headphones but that’s very cumbersome.
I just recently started shopping for a dedicated mp3 player and so far nothing looks appealing.
Yeah, the only “this is just an MP3 player” that I see around is the Sandisk Sansa.
The latest model has Bluetooth, but the cheapest has only a tiny little screen.
You have ruined a perfectly good dad joke, you know.
Sansas are great. I had one I ran through the washing machine twice and it still worked.
Here’s a picture of an iPod
No need! Remember the original Mac keyboard intentionally lacked cursor keys, to force developers and users to use the mouse 
. That’s the original “minimalist hipspace”… ← ↑↓ →
I’ve been looking for one for my kids for a while. Don’t want to get them a smart phone just for music.
Most of the stuff nowadays looks pretty bad. Either cheap hardware, or terrible UI (no playlists, or only playlists and no sort by artist or album or genre, some even just sort all songs alphabetically…). Or it’s a modern ipod which is basically a phone.
Eventually I realized that, if I wanted an old ipod, I should just get an old ipod. So I have ordered a 5th-gen ipod nano from eBay. Let’s see how it works.
I’ve always unironically loved the industrial style of the original Zunes.
From the people it took 25 years or so to realize concede that using a mouse is more efficient if said mouse has more than just one smegging button.
But it’s so many more than one: it’s also Shift-click, and Ctrl-click, and Cmd-click, and Super-Hyper-right-shift-click, …
The Aristocrats Ergonomists!
My collection of second-hand iPods of various vintages all work just fine.
I have an iPod mini and three shuffles. All of them are non working, they won’t charge. I’ve tried various chargers, probably the batteries. They got really heavy use for years.
