Being a bit cheeky here, but may I add a sixth?
Being a bit cheeky here, but may I add a sixth?

It isn’t a phone.

Since recently joining the twenty-first century’s second decade and keeping all my music on my iPhone, I’ve been surprised with how many times having my primary audio playing device doubling as my primary telephone causes problems.

I’m listening to something and my phone rings, so the music or podcast stops. What if I don’t want it to stop?

Yes, I know there are various settings for that, and I may have almost figured out how to configure them (I’m still not 100% sure though). Here’s the thing; once configured, they’re on forever. Even when I’ve stopped listening to music, the settings still operate. I want my phone to ring, I just don’t want it to stop the audio.

This is not to mention that passive-aggressive sensation of the audio volume of my current track/podcast being temporarily lowered just to let me know an message or other notification has arrived. Generally that happens just when I’m at the critical part of a podcast when a vital section of monologue/dialogue occurs, of course.

Rewind, repeat. Except I’m driving… (Maybe it’s time I enabled Siri after all. But the unintended consequences of that are something I’m not willing to countenance — yet.)

Again, yes there are settings for that. But is it the software “Do Not Disturb” control or the hardware “Ring/Silent” control? I forget… And even if I do remember one day how these controls work and interact exactly, I’m sure I will keep forgetting to enable them and then I’ll miss that vital podcast snippet or have that great song interrupted at just the wrong moment. It’s inevitable.

So yes, I absolutely see a reason to buy a separate portable music player. The question is, should it be an iPod Touch or something a bit more economical? Hmmm…
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['Consumer Electronics', 'Music', 'Apple', 'Gadgets', 'Technology']