Questions on usage/features

[dtsig]

Couple of questions for MMA

1) At times there seems to be a fair lag, 1-3 seconds, between songs. This is not noticable on MM
2) How to set/unset random play. I like to just go to songs and start the player and play random. But i have not found anything/setting to make it play random.

Are these known? Coming features?

Thanks

[Lowlander]

In Portrait mode click on Artwork and Shuffle button should be shown, in Landscape mode it should always show.

[dtsig]

In Portrait view the Shuffle button is not shown. In Landscape mode it is shown.

Do you think that this should be added to OPTIONS so it is accessible when you are in other modes?

Thanks

[Lowlander]

In Portrait view the Shuffle button is not shown. In Landscape mode it is shown.

It is available in Portrait mode, just click on the Artwork to show it.

[dtsig]

Oh sorry i get it now ... you have to go to 'song' view, then click on that image ... to go to random mode. Seems like a lot of clicking.

Thanks

[mcow]

I really don't understand why there is any functional difference between the two modes. There is a huge amount of wasted space on the Now Playing screen which could be profitably filled with more controls, and larger text. And really, I don't need artwork filling the screen; 350×350 would be plenty large for me.

Also, I'm not too keen on the scrubber bar being touch-sensitive; it's too easy to reset a play accidentally.

In the same vein, it's too easy to tap a track while browsing & scrolling and interrupt a play. If a track is actively playing, I'd really like a confirmation before interrupting play.

[rovingcowboy]

i like the huge art work, everybody's trying to take away art????

but like mcow i dislike the touchyness of the seek bar and the fact it is so touchy when scrolling through the list of songs i've changed so many songs in the middle or backed them up to the begining so many times if on mmw they would be considered bomb song's.

so i second that request for the confirm option on any change of song's from the currently playing song.

[rovingcowboy]

Oh sorry i get it now ... you have to go to 'song' view, then click on that image ... to go to random mode. Seems like a lot of clicking.

Thanks

use the mma widget the controls are right there in the widget.

[dtsig]

RovingCowboy ...
Not sure what you mean. I have the MMA on the screen (press screen, select app/widget then MMA). That is how I use it.

In order to get the 'shuffle is that I have to got to the 'song graphic' display then press the graphic then select shuffle .. unless in landscape mode then it is always visible.

I don't see the controls any other way. What am i missing?

Thanks

[rovingcowboy]

The widget is an app feature you use on the screen just go to widgets pick the big widget and place it on your screen i use the 4 x 2 size the controls are there,
Doing that makes no need tu open mma to play songs, only to change playlists or play videos,

[dtsig]

rovingcowboy, thanks for that .. but

There are 3 widgets, Compact, Full and Tiny. Only Full shows the 'random' icon.

If you press this then it 'oranges'. Then Play and the song starts. If you want to see the album cover you press the little picture which takes you to the 'icon menu'. From there again press the little icon on the bottom to get to the 'Album Picture' screen. Then to get to turn off the random press the picture again to get the hidden menu.

That is a lot of clicking again. When you are in 'Album Picture' mode AND landscape orientationthe random, repeat and rate star icons are always show. There is plenty of room in Portrait orientation to do the same.

The widget (full) is definetly an option, but if you want to be in menu mode then you must go back to widget or forward to picture. When driving down the free way this is a little too much clicking.

But once again thanks for the info. I know this for the current UI release now which is a BIG help.

Thanks

[rovingcowboy]

you shouldnt be clicking the player buttons while driving anyway.

and if driving you should be looking at the road instead of the artwork.

make your playlists first.
use the long press way in mma to get to select the songs you want first one should pop up selection boxes on the right with a check mark in for it.
then select the rest you want. or use the genere section and select the whole genere then when done with the selecting of the songs for the playlist.
click/ press the menu white dots with lines (which is only visible after the selection of a song.) at the top of the screen on that menu white dots with the lines pressing it shows you a panel to pick which playlist you want them in. and gives you an new button to press to make a new playlist..

when all your playlists are done you can pick one to play while driving. get an app that is made to allow you to drive safely and start programs when you turn that app on.
have it turn on mma and play the playlist. you might have to press play to start it playing if you use that driving app to start it. you should do what i do. load the playlist in mma and then click the play button on the widget, you sound like your doing too much changing of the screens just to listen to music. i use the large widget.
just press select it and put it on an new home screen if you ran out of home screens because you are at the limit of your phone then you better make some folders and put the icons in them for the other apps to cut back on overloading the screens. then you will get room for the widget.
but the large widget shows the song and info on the song in landscape mode in the widget. but only if the screen did not go to sleep. the locked screen will not show artwork just song and buttons.

press the crossed arrows to change from white color to yellow or gold? and that is turned on shuffle. press the circle arrow once for repeat of current song twice for repeat of whole playlist.

i repeat there is no need to open the main mm a player screens just to play music put the widget on the home screen, use it press the song or the album cover on the widget when using the unlocked screen widget. it will open the whole palyer to the now playing list you can then go and do the changes you want then press the back button on the phones menu to go back to the home screen and see only the widget. press play. let the screen go to sleep and don't worry about it again while driving.
if you keep it up i'll get the cops to look for you via the gps on the phone and they will ticket you for driving and using the phone at the same time.
SO START THE MUSIC BEFORE YOU DRIVE LAY THE PHONE DOWN AND DON'T TOUCH IT AGAIN WHILE DRIVING. in other words DON'T MAKE ME COME UP / DOWN / OVER THERE.!!!

texting and driving or talking on the phone and driving, are illegal in most places now and they can't tell if your only playing music when they see the phone in your hand.
so DRIVE SAFE and ARRIVE ALIVE.

[dtsig]

Thanks for that .. you really made me laugh. Just as I image i would hear from my mum ... if she was alive

Simple fact is that I don't drive and play with phone/ipod etc. I have bluetooth in the car so I can have hands free AND even then I get the person off the call ASAP. Not only do I not like to yabber on the phone like so many people do ... well .. i don't like yabbering.

I don't use playlists. What is the sense of that? If you have music on your 'device' that you don't really want to hear get it off On my Ipod i have 160 gig of music want to hear. It is almost always on random and and I love the contrast of songs. When it hits the occasional song I might not be in the mood for (very seldom) I listen anyway and soon am tapping my feet (thank god for cruise control) and snapping my fingers (tilt wheel lets me control with my knees). I tried playlists many years ago and just never got the *need* or want for them. Like I said if I don't want to hear it i get if off my device ... an probably out of my library.

I am not sure what you meant by " ... but the large widget shows the song and info on the song in landscape mode in the widget. but only if the screen did not go to sleep. the locked screen will not show artwork just song and buttons ..."
I put the large widget on its own screen. At the top of the widget it shows a little album cover followed by the album title with artist below. Below that are the controls with Random on the left side and Repeat on the right side. I have set my phone to 10 minutes display time out. I start the music with the widget and it shows "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morissette. I then put the phone in landscape position but the widget does not change as you seemed to intimated. Also, after the phone display times out, i press the button to show the lock screen. At this point it does not show anything MMA. No song and not buttons.

But all that is okay. While driving i very seldom ever mess with the phone. Only when occasionally I can't remember the artist or album that is being played. Then I want to quickly hit button (turn on screen), slash lock screen and then see the album cover/artist name. And what the heck, i still have cruise control going and wheel on my knees

I think for me the bottom line is that by design the random and repeat should be on the portrait version of the album cover screen. It would also be nice if it was in the menu (options) as one might *expect* it to be.

But like the music on my device, I will either get used to it or take it off my device. No worries. I MMA is a great first start. bravo

Thanks again ...

[rovingcowboy]

I'm glad to have made you feel good with a fond memory now i know you'll behave like you did for her, Umm maybe better if you was a wild child.

I meant the widget is already in landscape mode when viewed. Just said it in tons of words,

If the mma widget does not work on your phones lock screen that is an error, it should show black with white letters and controls, no art.

If it doesnt do that then send in the debug logs the ones you have should be filled with the data of thr error. Also check the mma forum for a post of the lockscreen widget no5 working and add your reply there, or start your own thread on it if none already has been started.