iPod Awesome Ipod Feature Idea!

[TheSpaz]

I don't think this idea would be hard to implement with just a software update on the iPod Nanos and 5Gs.

Here's the idea:
A lot of times I can't really decide what I want to listen to, so I'll throw it on shuffle... it works out great for me since I get a sample of what's in my Library if I'm not sure on what kind of music to listen to. Then I'll hear a song by an artist I really like... then I decide... HEY! I'm really in the mood now to hear more songs by that artist. It would be cool to be able to hit the center button and have a menu slide into view that says (Go To This Artist) or (More Albums by This Artist) so that I don't have to go back to the beginning menu and go to Music>Artists>(scroll around until I find the Artist)>Select Artist>Select Album ... it just seems like it should be easier than that.

Anyone wanna join me and write to Apple about this feature request? I know more of you must have to end up doing this all the time.

 

[ebouwman]

That would kind of get annoying, with already having the tracking and rating commands there.

 

[JHacker]

I don't think this idea would be hard to implement with just a software update on the iPod Nanos and 5Gs.

That sounds like a good idea - I know exactly what you mean. As to the above post, I'm sure Apple can come up with some way to do that...

 

[TheSpaz]

Wow, far fewer posts than I expected on this. I think it's an awesome idea.

 

[cwedl]

I'm just waiting for touch screen controls, I do think that would be a good idea though.

 

[nukiduz]

yes it would be a great idea... but this has been already discussed

 

[DCBass]

why don't we take this idea even further...

be able to listen to anything by that same artist, or
be able to listen to anything on the same album, or

***be able to listen to any playlist that this particular song is on***

i, for one, would love that.

 

[madmaxmedia]

In itself it's not a bad idea.

The problem is, there are probably 20 other nice little ideas like that, that if Apple were to implement would complicate the UI.

For Apple to add new functionality to the iPod, it has to really stand out- something that Steve Jobs might even show off (if only briefly) during a keynote. Contacts and datebook, scroll by letter, search, that sort of thing...

My only idea would be to have the default 'Shuffle' command turn into 'Unshuffle' (something like that) when you are in Shuffle mode. Because the Shuffle menu command works differently than the shuffle in the settings (but uses the same symbol).

 

[sigamy]

I own the patent on this idea....from 9/13/2005:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/149062/

 

[TheSpaz]

I own the patent on this idea....from 9/13/2005:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/149062/

Suuuuuuuuure you do.

 

[roland.g]

I've said it before. Here is an idea I think would really help the iTunes -> iPod functionality on the iPod side.


In the browser view I would like to see a checkbox to the left of every artist allowing me to check my favorite artists so that in iTunes and most importantly on my iPod, I can then go to a sub menu called Favorite Artists that lists only those 10 or 20 or whatever # instead of the 400+ artists in my library and my iPod.

I would similarly like to see the ability within each favorite artist to select a checkbox for each song that I want to included in a favorite artist mix so that for artists with 50-400+ songs I see within each artist's album menu on my iPod All, Mix, then each album so that I can listen to a mix of my favorite songs by that particular 'favorite artist'. I don't want to have to make a playlist for this since it is just one artist and playlists should be primarily for mixes of various artists. Nor do I want to shuffle through all that artist's songs when many of them may be studio versions and live repeats or album filler.

When you have 7300+ songs in your library and on your iPod, it would be nice to have these two filters for getting to the stuff you like best.

 

[Zwhaler]

That would kind of get annoying, with already having the tracking and rating commands there.

Yeah, but it would only be there when you are in shuffle mode, so when u are listening to a regular song (not in shuffle), you won't have to deal with looking at it.

 

[MattyMac]

Definitely sounds like a good idea...I think I've read another member's post on here about a similar thought/idea in the past. However, I wouldn't know what to search to dig up the thread and frankly am too lazy right now to do so . Anyone else remember off hand?

 

[ero87]

i started a thread on this back in June of 2006

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/207252/

i'm glad others feel the same way! and yeah i wrote to sjobs@apple.com about it... no response!

 

[reubs]

This is a great idea. I would love to see something like this happen as it gets annoying scrolling all the way to the front menu to get back to the album I'd like to listen to.

This feature, along with playlist-specific shuffle are two features I would love to see in a firmware update.

 

[siurpeeman]

it's a good idea, but apple rarely releases software updates to increase ipod functionality. if newer ipods are to incorporate cover flow, this feature would kind of already be there. all one would have to do is activate cover flow to immediately see the albums by the artist being played. you could then select the album you want and then the song you want to play.

 

[MattG]

Wow, far fewer posts than I expected on this. I think it's an awesome idea.

I think it's an awesome idea, because I already do something like this in my car. I have the Kenwood iPod adapter for my car stereo, and a lot of times I'll just shuffle all of the songs together. On a pretty regular basis, something I really like will come on, and I'll decide to listen to the rest of the album. All I have to do is hit the "RANDOM" button on the stereo to turn off random mode, and then it continues to play the rest of that album in order. It would be nice to be able to do that right on the iPod.

 

[iJawn108]

http://www.apple.com/feedback/

 

[confirmed]

this is definitely something i've wanted too.. but how about, instead of adding a Center click menu option, and possibly cluttering the UI, why not do this...

when you're in shuffle mode and hear a song by an artist you like, go to the main menu like you currently do, go to Music:Artists: and then the ipod should already have the currently playing artist selected, as opposed to being at the top of the list, as it currently is. the same could occur if you wanted to go to Albums, the currently playing album should be selected.

and why not have this work when listening to playlists as well.

honestly, i have to say this is how the iPod should've functioned from the beginning. the iPod UI is very close to perfect, but there are a few little things like this which would take very few changes and very easily could be added along with a bug-fix update.

let's hope and see if it does..

 

[TheSpaz]

this is definitely something i've wanted too.. but how about, instead of adding a Center click menu option, and possibly cluttering the UI, why not do this...

when you're in shuffle mode and hear a song by an artist you like, go to the main menu like you currently do, go to Music:Artists: and then the ipod should already have the currently playing artist selected, as opposed to being at the top of the list, as it currently is. the same could occur if you wanted to go to Albums, the currently playing album should be selected.

and why not have this work when listening to playlists as well.

honestly, i have to say this is how the iPod should've functioned from the beginning. the iPod UI is very close to perfect, but there are a few little things like this which would take very few changes and very easily could be added along with a bug-fix update.

let's hope and see if it does..

That sounds like a good idea as well. However, what if you could just hit the menu button ONCE and the screen would flick back to the album that it is currently playing from and then if you hit menu again, it would flip back to a list of albums by that artist and then if you hit menu again, it would show you all artists as if you were listening to a single song (not on shuffle). That would be awesome.

 

[darwen]

See: iPhone

I own the patent on this idea....from 9/13/2005:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/149062/

Correct me if I am wrong but Apple has the patent on this. Isnt this a feature on the iPhone? I agree with what you guys are saying. I hate how difficult it is to get to other songs by the same artist on the iPod.

When steve was demoing the iPhone he went from a track to the CD to the artist's CDs if I remember right. I would assume that button he it would be available no matter how you stubled upon the track. Wether you got to the song by Artist, CD, Song, or even Shuffle!