NASCARKev

Grayme, thanks for this information. I'm like you...even though I might benefit from using PocketMusic over another product, I don't feel that I should give my money to a company that simply ignores e-mails and doesn't respond to potential customers. I wrote to their tech support department and to their marketing department and got zero response.

I'll play around a little with PocketMusic now that it is registered, but for now I'm satisfied with WinamPAQ.

grayme

Don't knock it, I've tried nearly all of them going and I love PocketMusic... don't think much of Pocketmind, but their software rocks, especially when it IS free! :)

reese

I am telling you, gfo ahead and install the bundle, then remove the games it comes with, and the extra's pack that allows you to use it in landscape etc. If you do this it will work. I can't say it any other way, that is all you have to do!

grayme

Originally Posted by reese

I am telling you, gfo ahead and install the bundle, then remove the games it comes with, and the extra's pack that allows you to use it in landscape etc. If you do this it will work. I can't say it any other way, that is all you have to do!

Don't worry yourself reese, it may have worked for you but it didn't for us, hence we did need the registration page! :)

NASCARKev

Reese, I think I now realize where you and I are miscommunicating. You were assuming we were installing the full bundle, which we weren't (and which, until your last post, you hadn't specifically said to do). We were, as I had said in an earlier post, installing the "free edition" listed at the BOTTOM of PocketMind's downloads page. This free edition does not have the extras to uninstall. Instead, it asks you to register, and it expires within three days if you don't.

I now see what you were trying to tell us...download and install the "Pocket Music Player Bundle" at the TOP of the downloads page, then uninstall the extras. I get it now.

It's all good! :approve:

frankenbike

For people with older versions of PocketMusic, my advice is:

DON'T UPGRADE!

The supposedly "freeware" version of PocketMusic is time limited. Then you're supposed to register to keep using it, and the web link they offer is deliberately disabled to get you to buy the $20 version. The only way to continue using it is to find that archived version of their site mentioned in this thread.

The replacement of the "reg.htm" page is no accident. That took coding to link that. If it was an error, they've received hundreds of emails to correct it, and those emails have been ignored (based on reports from people who say they've emailed them in various PocketPC forums).

Of course, if someone knew how to make skins for WMP, they could defeat Pocketmind's greedy attempts to hook people on their player and then expire them with no options but to purchase their product. If I ever learn how to make skins, it's the first thing I think I'll do.

It's one thing to stop offering freeware and to prevent its distribution. I can understand that from a business perspective. But to claim that you are offering a freeware version of something that is merely trialware, and it clearly states on their download page that the player being offered is freeware, is a hideous form of deceptive advertising. OK maybe just annoying, because really nobody really needs Pocketmusic.

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Frankenbike

grayme

I agree with you there, they are being very underhand.

However, I think personally it is the best pocket pc player. The fact that their underhand efforts can be undone through a web archive (listed above) is great.

fdcisco

Originally Posted by frankenbike

For people with older versions of PocketMusic, my advice is: DON'T UPGRADE! The supposedly "freeware" version of PocketMusic is time limited. Then you're supposed to register to keep using it, and the web link they offer is deliberately disabled to get you to buy the $20 version. The only way to continue using it is to find that archived version of their site mentioned in this thread. The replacement of the "reg.htm" page is no accident. That took coding to link that. If it was an error, they've received hundreds of emails to correct it, and those emails have been ignored (based on reports from people who say they've emailed them in various PocketPC forums). Of course, if someone knew how to make skins for WMP, they could defeat Pocketmind's greedy attempts to hook people on their player and then expire them with no options but to purchase their product. If I ever learn how to make skins, it's the first thing I think I'll do. It's one thing to stop offering freeware and to prevent its distribution. I can understand that from a business perspective. But to claim that you are offering a freeware version of something that is merely trialware, and it clearly states on their download page that the player being offered is freeware, is a hideous form of deceptive advertising. OK maybe just annoying, because really nobody really needs Pocketmusic.

Sh*t, I hate it when that happens.. :realmad:

RD100

I like GSPlayer.

It is just as good as Pocket Music, if not better.

Plus, it is also free !!! :)

Check out reviews for GSPlayer here

grayme

Originally Posted by RD100

I like GSPlayer. It is just as good as Pocket Music, if not better.

I've tried GSPlayer (whilst struggling to get Pocketmusic to work) but I didn't find it so user friendly. It just goes to show that everyone is looking for something different.

Originally Posted by RD100

Plus, it is also free !!! :)

So is PocketMusic despite PocketMind's best efforts to charge! :approve:

frankenbike

There is really only one consideration that makes me biased toward Pocket Music: the large button interface.

I found a large button skin for WMP, but the problem with WMP is that it doesn't have any way of boosting the audio output. You'd think there'd be some registry hack to boost the audio the way the EQ in PM does, but noooooooooooo!

(I've mentioned in other threads that I need the large buttons because on the motorcycle I need to operated it with thick leather gloves, especially play and pause and volume, and can't operate the hardware buttons)

I'd gladly use another player with those two features, as long as it didn't have an iPod user interface and cost money ;)

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Frankenbike

facdaddy

I know this is old, but MortPlayer does exactly what you are looking for. It is free, and has a lot of great features. There are a lot of skins built for it that are specifically designed with large buttons so a driver can manipulate things without a stylus. It might not be as pretty as PocketMusic, but it suits your requirements of functionality.

grayme

I've tried MortPlayer and I like it.

So much so that I've uninstalled PocketMusic. However, the one thing I don't like about it (that I also didn't like about PocketMusic) is the way it cuts off the end of mp3s by a few seconds.

Not much of a problem with a song, but when you are listening to an audiobook you can lose the last few words of the chapter...

facdaddy

Originally Posted by grayme

I've tried MortPlayer and I like it. So much so that I've uninstalled PocketMusic. However, the one thing I don't like about it (that I also didn't like about PocketMusic) is the way it cuts off the end of mp3s by a few seconds. Not much of a problem with a song, but when you are listening to an audiobook you can lose the last few words of the chapter...

I miss two things about PocketMusic: more skin options and gapless playback. I doubt it will ever have as many skins, but I'm willing to bet the creator can build a gapless playback version. I hate having several seconds between songs!

grayme

Originally Posted by facdaddy

I miss two things about PocketMusic: more skin options and gapless playback. I doubt it will ever have as many skins, but I'm willing to bet the creator can build a gapless playback version. I hate having several seconds between songs!

Whilst I'd love to have a few seconds between as long as it doesn't cut ANY of the mp3 out!