Comments on: Ask the Readers: Questions *We* Want to Know http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470 Independent Tech News and Product Reviews from former VP and head of CNET.com and Longtime Computer Shopper Columnist, Alice Hill author of the popular "Hard Edge" column. Originally named AliceandBill.com. Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:10:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Alice http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9417 Thu, 12 Jan 2006 20:30:46 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9417 God - think abotu that. You have to go in and split up an audio book when the Rio had an elegant and simple solution under the hood. Why can't someone buy up their OS and move it to decent hardware? The interface was great, they could add in color and so on, but the bookmarking alone must be worth something. God - think abotu that. You have to go in and split up an audio book when the Rio had an elegant and simple solution under the hood. Why can’t someone buy up their OS and move it to decent hardware? The interface was great, they could add in color and so on, but the bookmarking alone must be worth something.

]]> by: Jeff L. http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9358 Thu, 12 Jan 2006 00:20:21 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9358 I was very surprised when I replaced my Rio 800 (horrible batteries!) and found that no other brand had bookmarks. What I have done instead for my audiobooks is get an mp3 splitting program to split my books into workable 4 minute increments. Then I use a tagging software to make sure everything has the right name. Since most firmware can at least handle tags okay, this works for me. Tagging software is free - I had to pay for my splitting program, but the $20 is cheaper than buying up old Rios. I was very surprised when I replaced my Rio 800 (horrible batteries!) and found that no other brand had bookmarks. What I have done instead for my audiobooks is get an mp3 splitting program to split my books into workable 4 minute increments. Then I use a tagging software to make sure everything has the right name. Since most firmware can at least handle tags okay, this works for me. Tagging software is free - I had to pay for my splitting program, but the $20 is cheaper than buying up old Rios.

]]> by: Alice http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9354 Wed, 11 Jan 2006 21:54:22 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9354 Hmmmm...so it sounds like the Creative Zen players have real bookmarking and then the iPod will go back to whereyou left off if you enable it and there is a patch for WMP. This is looking up but someone needs to code this feature on all players if they expect to make video and long content succeed. On my TiVo for example I have at least three shows I am in the middle of . I didn't set a bookmark but it will resume. Are theplayers that can resume capable of doing that with multiple files? Hmmmm…so it sounds like the Creative Zen players have real bookmarking and then the iPod will go back to whereyou left off if you enable it and there is a patch for WMP.

This is looking up but someone needs to code this feature on all players if they expect to make video and long content succeed. On my TiVo for example I have at least three shows I am in the middle of . I didn’t set a bookmark but it will resume. Are theplayers that can resume capable of doing that with multiple files?

]]> by: Kevin K http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9349 Wed, 11 Jan 2006 18:12:22 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9349 My iRiver H340 starts up where I leave off if it shuts down or I turn it off..... Of course the H340 has been discontinued, and that's a shame, but it did it! The US version also does not officially have support for video but you can flash it with an international BIOS and it will though you void your warranty but it does appear to start where you left off. You can also bookmark your text files if you were so inclined to read something on the micro screen! Kevin My iRiver H340 starts up where I leave off if it shuts down or I turn it off….. Of course the H340 has been discontinued, and that’s a shame, but it did it!

The US version also does not officially have support for video but you can flash it with an international BIOS and it will though you void your warranty but it does appear to start where you left off.

You can also bookmark your text files if you were so inclined to read something on the micro screen!

Kevin

]]> by: Keith http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9346 Wed, 11 Jan 2006 15:37:47 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9346 Bookmarking should be a given. It is technically trivial to implement, requires a minute amount of storage, and has tremendous usability benefits. You'll want to steer clear of the iRiver H10 if bookmarking is a requirement. I use the latest 2.51 firmware update. It does not allow bookmarking within an .mp3. All it can do is remember the song it was playing last and what playlist or mode you were in. In shuffle mode, it does not remember the songs it has already played. Bookmarking should be a given. It is technically trivial to implement, requires a minute amount of storage, and has tremendous usability benefits.

You’ll want to steer clear of the iRiver H10 if bookmarking is a requirement. I use the latest 2.51 firmware update. It does not allow bookmarking within an .mp3. All it can do is remember the song it was playing last and what playlist or mode you were in. In shuffle mode, it does not remember the songs it has already played.

]]> by: Tim Goergens http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9345 Wed, 11 Jan 2006 15:27:50 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9345 I just turned off my SanDisk Sansa while it was playing a song. When I turned it back on, it automatically started playing the song from where it stopped. Be careful how you stop it from playing (it may make a difference). If you hit the stop button, I wouldn't think it would start from that spot next time. If you hit pause and turned it off or just turned it off, mine appears to restart from where you were. I just turned off my SanDisk Sansa while it was playing a song. When I turned it back on, it automatically started playing the song from where it stopped.

Be careful how you stop it from playing (it may make a difference). If you hit the stop button, I wouldn’t think it would start from that spot next time. If you hit pause and turned it off or just turned it off, mine appears to restart from where you were.

]]> by: Stephen http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9343 Wed, 11 Jan 2006 15:22:05 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9343 Real bookmarks are definitely needed for long form content. Not just a pause and resume. What I would want to do is pause, look at another vid or book/magazine and then be able to come back to another vid and resume where I left off or go to a place that I marked. Real bookmarks are definitely needed for long form content. Not just a pause and resume. What I would want to do is pause, look at another vid or book/magazine and then be able to come back to another vid and resume where I left off or go to a place that I marked.

]]> by: Jerry Hill http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9342 Wed, 11 Jan 2006 15:03:26 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9342 I've been listening to mp3 versions of audio books on my iPod. It saves the last place you stopped in your book. As Bedammit says, this isn't quite as good as a bookmark, because it only remembers the last place you stopped, you can't manually set a bookmark and return to it later. You have to enable this function on mp3s by going into iTunes, selecting the properties for the file, and checking a "remember where I left off" button. Apparently this function is enabled by default if you buy audiobooks through the iTunes music store, but I have mp3s I ripped from CD a while ago, so I had to enable it by hand. Still, it works perfectly for my needs. I can listen to half an hour of my book, then listen to some music, or listen to a podcast, and when I come back to my book it remembers where I was. I’ve been listening to mp3 versions of audio books on my iPod. It saves the last place you stopped in your book. As Bedammit says, this isn’t quite as good as a bookmark, because it only remembers the last place you stopped, you can’t manually set a bookmark and return to it later.

You have to enable this function on mp3s by going into iTunes, selecting the properties for the file, and checking a “remember where I left off” button. Apparently this function is enabled by default if you buy audiobooks through the iTunes music store, but I have mp3s I ripped from CD a while ago, so I had to enable it by hand.

Still, it works perfectly for my needs. I can listen to half an hour of my book, then listen to some music, or listen to a podcast, and when I come back to my book it remembers where I was.

]]> by: Bedammit http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9330 Wed, 11 Jan 2006 07:25:26 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9330 I have been listening to an audio book with my iPod Nano for the past few months. You can pause and stop an audiobook and restart where you left off. However... You can only pause it. In other words.. if you say... pause it then restart it and fall asleep while listening to it (I've done this a few times at bedtime) you cant go back to the last paused bookmark .. because it isnt really a bookmark. Its just a pause/resume. Actual bookmars would a be very nice addition to the iPod. Bedammit! I have been listening to an audio book with my iPod Nano for the past few months. You can pause and stop an audiobook and restart where you left off. However…
You can only pause it.
In other words.. if you say… pause it then restart it and fall asleep while listening to it (I’ve done this a few times at bedtime) you cant go back to the last paused bookmark .. because it isnt really a bookmark.
Its just a pause/resume. Actual bookmars would a be very nice addition to the iPod.

Bedammit!

]]> by: Michael Santo http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9324 Wed, 11 Jan 2006 03:47:08 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2470#comment-9324 BTW, here's a free plugin for WMP 9 and 10 that allows bookmarking. http://www.wmplugins.com/ItemDetail.aspx?ItemID=464#ratings BTW, here’s a free plugin for WMP 9 and 10 that allows bookmarking.

http://www.wmplugins.com/ItemDetail.aspx?ItemID=464#ratings

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