Auto Bookmarks

This would be a feature that works like the current bookmarking, but that automatically stores a bookmark to the current playlist (including position) whenever you choose a new playlist. It would store in a temporary spot and save the last five (or whatever) number of playlists that you left. This would be so cool for two reasons:

1. When listening to an audio book and wanting to switch to music you wouldn't have to worry about saving a bookmark first. You could simply drop out and get back when you're ready to start listening to the book again.

2. If you get in a "mood" like I often do where there is an album you're really enjoying, you can bring is up even after having replaced it with something else without having to do the "extra lives in Contra" bit. I know about the longpress, but somtimes I get in a mood where there are a couple different albums I'm listening to a lot, and to be able to bring up the last few I've listented to recently would make the interface that much easier.

I should mention this idea came because of my wife listening to the new Harry Potter on my Empeg. I was showing her how to bookmark her position so we could switch over to listening to music. Her comment: "It won't do that for you?" I gave her a sour look and said something to the effect of "it can't do EVERYTHING for you, it's just a computer." But then I got to thinking and realized that it's actually quite a good idea, if it's dooable.

This is one of the best and most original feature request ideas I've heard in a long time.

The only thing I'd add is that it should be a selectable option. Because 1. it would take time to execute, effectively increasing the amount of time it takes the player to respond when you choose a playlist, and 2. it would use up one of the three existing bookmark slots, leaving the end-user with only two that he can personally control.

But other than that, it sounds like it would actually be pretty simple to implement in the player software, and it would have benefits that could extend to the other Rio products.

Also, it could effectively give us an "Undo" command if we wanted to treat it as such. Really, it's the same thing. A rose by any other name and all that.

The problem I see with it is that, AFAICS, one of the reasons it doesn't currently do it automatically is because it'd waste a lot of writes to the flash that stores that info.

Maybe it could be done so that it keeps that data in memory while the empeg is on so that it doesn't waste those limited writes, maybe with an option to save them somewhere. I think that the empeg could probably do with a screen for such stuff when the ignition is turned off, but still has power, that would time out after ten seconds or so.

because it'd waste a lot of writes to the flash that stores that info

Which would be a good reason, if bookmarks were something that are stored in flash.

Fortunately, bookmarks are stored on the hard disk, on the scratch partition, pretty much the same way the new playlist itself is stored when you select it. So there's no drawback to writing out the bookmark right before the playlist, other than a little additional time delay before the player responds.

The problem I see with it is that, AFAICS, one of the reasons it doesn't currently do it automatically is because it'd waste a lot of writes to the flash that stores that info.

Bookmarks are stored to disk, not flash (they're huge!). This only makes the "too much time" point even more valid.

OTOH the disk is always spun-up when you choose a new playlist anyway, so it shouldn' t be that expensive. I'd guess that we're very likely to implement this sooner or later, though not in time for first release of Pearl.

Peter

Ow! Oof! Attacked from the east and the west!

<Rosanne Rosannadanna>Nevermind.</>

pretty much the same way the new playlist itself is stored when you select it

Oooh, good point. This essentially means we can auto-bookmark for free, by just alternating which of two bookmark slots we write the current playlist to...

We'll probably make it optional on car-players, just in case anyone regularly needs all three bookmark slots. Pearls allow more bookmarks.

Peter

Oooh, good point. This essentially means we can auto-bookmark for free, by just alternating which of two bookmark slots we write the current playlist to...

Darn, beat me to the punch. Just as I was getting ready to navigate over to another forum, I had that same intuitive flash and came back here to post it.

This is one of the best and most original feature request ideas I've heard in a long time.

Thanks! I’ll tell my wife. She’ll be pleased to know her non-empegger idea had merit (even if I initially dismissed it out of hand)

Also, it could effectively give us an "Undo" command if we wanted to treat it as such. Really, it's the same thing. A rose by any other name and all that.

Exactly. How many times have I “replaced” instead of "append"ing while building up a very specific playlist?

I'd guess that we're very likely to implement this sooner or later

Excellent. I think it’s so cool that you guys even read these suggestions. The fact that some of them might get implemented just floors me. I only wish that all products were so well supported.

That's one of the first things I asked for, when I first got my Empeg - direct to Cambridge, before I got on to the BBS and the interrupting a talking books to listen to some music was exactly the analogy that I used.
Just to add my considerable physical weight to this request!

Relatedly, what about a way to crank up the number of bookmarks?