School Phone Bans Spark Analog Revival: iPods Return

Trilobit

Trilobit

Absolutely Cozy
There appears to be some kind of renaissance for older tech thanks to smartphone bans in schools. And I'm all for it. It makes me remember my time back in high school right before smartphones appeared. Perhaps this will even inspire Apple to make a new iPod some beautiful day.

The appearance of iPods and cassette players in phone-free schools says a lot about student adaptability when given options. Students started using walkie-talkies instead of phones to stay connected with their peers at one Auckland school, a reminder that the desire to communicate remains strong, while the method can be far less intrusive and addictive. Technology is inescapable, but these examples show we can be more intentional about which tools we prioritize in classrooms.
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smartphones.gadgethacks.com

School Phone Bans Spark Analog Revival: iPods Return

When Bethlehem High School in Upstate New York banned students' cellphones and started offering analog entertainment, it sparked a culture change you could...
smartphones.gadgethacks.com smartphones.gadgethacks.com

NY Times also has an article, but it's behind a wall.

web.archive.org

Their Schools Banned Phones. Out Came the iPods and Cassette Players.

Enterprising students have been bringing the contraband of yesteryear to school in what they see as a “loophole” in cellphone bans.
web.archive.org web.archive.org
 
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ForAcademicPurposes said:
Stupid if there is an emergency, etc.

Just drop that shit in the box at the principles office.
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I survived school without a smartphone. If there's an emergency, the teacher can make the call.

Needless to say, I 100% support a smartphone ban at schools.

Here's my iPod:

h8d7adQ.jpeg
 
You guys showing your age instead of thinking differently.

None of you answered my question either. Why not drop it off with the home room teacher? Are daft? Rhetorical question. I know the answer.
 
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FoxMcChief said:
lol

I think it says more about those that need a phone to not be bored.
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I am old school. I have times where I will leave my cell phone at home and not be bothered by it. However, I absolutely love having a cell phone available when I am sitting around waiting for something. Adding cell phones to my life has eliminated a ton of boredom.
 
Cyberpunkd said:
Yes, without constant dopamine hits designed by Indian PhD on H-1 visa, constantly thinking how to gain your attention so their WASP boss in his 20s can get richer.
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It's interesting watching old movies from the times before smartphones and seeing people exist perfectly fine without the constant dopamine hits. People were stimulated enough by normal life, as humans have been for many thousands of years. If they were bored on a train they might use their imagination and think about stuff. That option to let the brain breathe has virtually disappeared from people's lives as they are too digitally addictive. Sure, everyone has the option to just shut off their smartphones, but they are basically ingeniously designed with apps to hook you.

So I think showing kids that they can exist without being digitally connected and stimulated 24/7 is a good thing. And discovering monofunctional devices like iPods might help them be more in the moment and solely focus on music for example. Not to mention them probably being more social with one another.
 
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The state banned all "personal electronic devices" for all students unless it's for glucose monitoring, etc. My district went one step further and banned staff from using them as well. It was an adjustment, but student behavior is so much better than the last few years have been. You walk into the lunchroom and the kids are playing Uno and have face to face conversations. Most of the drama that comes along with social media is gone. This is probably the best year I've had in about a decade.

As for the staff, they are pissed that they are being held to the same standard as the kids. Cell phones are allowed when the staff member is not around the students, like during a conference period or lunch. My dad is on dialysis and both of my parents are in their 80s; I told them to call the office and have them patch it through even if I'm teaching. It's not that big of an adjustment for me personally as I rarely used my cell phone in class in the past.
 
iPod's are analogue? I thought they used digital compression. A Sony Walkman cassette would be an analogue alternative, what a terrible article.
 
Small sample size. Kids like retro clothes too. My nieces and nephews have been wearing clothes my bro and I wore 30 years ago. This crap would still be in my old bedroom in my parents house and I guess the kids sometimes rummage through our old rooms for stuff.

Suddenly, I'm like.... Is that my old button shirt and Club Monaco sweat top? Got to be.

It's funny because they still want to wear it even if it's too big for them!
 
Good to see the older tech coming back, i do have 2 mp3 players for just music separate from my phone which i only use for messenger and the odd call now, but the one i use is Android i can install apps on it if i want, i don't, but it seems smartphones and devices have gotten too smart for their own good now and i don't like this AI push personally,

i wonder how good these batteries on the original IPod's are now after all this time, you have to take it apart to replace them i'm reading.
 
My daughter's school banned them and I appreciate it. Why people always think they have to be listening to their music is beyond me.
 
Can we please talk about the major mistake to call an iPod analog?

It's a digital device and I'd bet even the amplifier it uses is a class D one.

Whoever wrote that thing deserves to burn in the tech hell for eternity.
 
Embearded said:
Can we please talk about the major mistake to call an iPod analog?

It's a digital device and I'd bet even the amplifier it uses is a class D one.

Whoever wrote that thing deserves to burn in the tech hell for eternity.
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Ruined music. Killed physical media.
 
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