So I'm just here too vent I don't know where to start but I'll start at the beginning so some backstory, I grew up in a traditional household as in I was fending for myself from the age of 14 by that I mean that once I turned 14 I cooked my own meals I did my own laundry I cleaned my own room I did my own jobs where I got paid money for things Such as babysitting house cleaning and sitting. Also I feel like I should mention that I grew up in a sixth generational military household where we were Raised under strict discipline We were also raised to have strong moral values as in do not do anything illegal and be an upstanding citizen you see something wrong report it. So to the meat and potatoes of why I want to vent so For this we need to go back 12 years ago so I just graduated high school I decided I want to start dating so I ended up meeting the person who would become my life partner when I first met him and we were on our first date I specifically told him that if we are going to be serious there's a game changer or end of game for me would be If he Or any of his friends or family members Had a criminal record that it would be game over "sorry thanks for playing tell him what he has won Charlie". He very plainly told me that no everyone and his family and his life are good people. So I give him a chance and we ended up dating for 2 years. Eventually I ended up getting stationed far away and I asked him if he would like to move in with me and he said yes. After a short while of us living together we ended up getting pregnant with our daughter and then he wanted me to meet his parents. side note The reason why I haven't met his parents up until this point is because I was a strong believer in not meeting the in-laws until marriage was either on the table or at least in talks but I did not want to meet them unless I and he was absolutely sure that we wanted to take that step. So we eventually went to go meet his parents and siblings and his siblings kid and everything went well it was a very lovely meeting and there was nothing to complain about nothing out of the ordinary. It eventually got to the point where every weekend we would be going to his parents house and the rest of the pregnancy went by swimmingling no problems whatsoever. Eventually my daughter came into the world during the summer and she was full term healthy happy baby. After 2 months of recuperating from giving birth we went to go visit his family let them see their granddaughter, niece, cousin. When we arrived at my in-law's house his cousin was there just chillin sitting on the couch. My partner said "cousin you're out of juvee that's amazing I wasn't expecting you to be back so soon" Safe to say my eyes widen when I heard my partner say this because I flashback to when we first met and I specifically asked him if he had any family members or Or friends who Who had a criminal record. I pulled him to our room that we had aside at the In-law's house and hushley yelled at him saying that he had told me that he had no family members are friends with criminal records he very nonchalantly Said "oh cousin doesn't have a criminal record it was expunged when he turned 18" 🚩#1: I don't know about everyone else but this was a red flag when I first heard it cause he basically got me on a technicality But I still felt betrayed because his cousin was in juvee for a pretty bad crime.( Not gonna mention here but it will come into light later in the story.) I let it go for the moment And enjoyed the rest of my weekend unfortunately though I had left my ipod In my room cause I was told it would be safe there because I was also told that I should make my partner's room feel more homey to me. But when I had came back the following weekend to get my ipod it was not where I had left it I ended up tearing apart the room looking for it because it had sentimental value to me due to irreplaceable photos videos from high school of friends, friends who are no longer with us, events that I held dear from high school Especially all the events that come with senior year of high school. I asked all the family who were living in the house at the time if any of them had been in partner's room or Or borrowed my ipod and everyone said no everyone said I don't know where it is. I then asked who has been in the house during the week since I was gone and mother-in-law said oh cousin was here because he was having trouble with his girlfriend. I went to partner and asked him to call cousin to see if he borrowed my ipod because if he did then I would like it back because I have I have irreplaceable photos on the ipod. 🚩#2: Partner said no cousin wouldn't never take anything from my room cousin's not like that you're crazy why you being so upset and crazy over a few photos and a ipod. Partner also mentioned that because of my view of His cousin that that's clouding my Vision of him so of course I would automatically assume he would take it granted I did not specify he stole it I said borrowed did not say stolen please refer to previously mentioned reason why this ipod was so important to me...partner knew of the sentimental value of the ipod also that I paid for it with my hard earned money, it was the first expensive thing I had ever brought. Anyways partner had me second-guessing myself so I eventually just let go the fact that my ipod was missing I did not bring it up I should have it would save me a lot of mental health in the future anyways flash forward to 2015 my contract With the military was up I decided not to reinlist. As a goodbye gift my master chief had given me a deer antler bullet Pen that he had made personally for me. At the behest of his parents me and partner and our daughter moved into his parents place I kept the pen in a pen holder On my desk in my room At this point in time I was always out of my room and out of the house looking for a job. I didnt really need one I was making and still am making plenty from the VA. I'm sure a lot of you I probably gonna say that when I had moved in I should learn my lesson with the ipod and had installed a lock on the door but my in-laws were strong believers in a no lock policy in the house of course I did not And still do not believe in that policy I like privacy I do not like the idea of someone just randomly barging into my Space at any given moment. So eventually one of my old navy buddies had came to visit me and wanted to see the pen that master chief had given me. We wanted to compare the ones that Master chief had given both of us Every pen he had made was always unique so we wanted to see the difference Between the 2. Low and behold my pen was missing and I was devastated. And true Rinse and repeat fashion. I asked all the family members who were living in the house at the time if anyone had been in my room and took a pen they all looked at me like I was crazy and said are you going to get upset over a pen missing now and I specified that that pen was basically a parting gift from my boss for For being in the military. 🚩#3:After I realized that I was not gonna get anywhere with asking the family, I voice my concerns and grievances to my partner he also made me feel like I was crazy because he stated that "it's just a pen get over it". Eventually I did manage to get a few jobs over the next few years up until 2019 when I eventually decide I want to better my education and go to college so from June till may of 2020 I was going to college.side note: From when we had moved in with his parents all the way till even today I have been doing 90% of the housework as in I cook, I clean, I do laundry all the while working 40+ hour weeks. All partner ever does is just go do work with his dad And come home to fresh clean clothes and towel fresh out of the dryer laid out in the bathroom and a hot meal waiting on the table as I'm sure you're getting from the tone of what I'm saying right now I think you know Where this whole thing is gonna go real soon. So while I'm going to school and doing all the housework taking care of our child. My partner would come home shower do all the normal stuff and then go to bed but then he wouldn't touch me or be intimate with me he would always say I'm tired I'm not in the mood I have a headache. Maybe you dont understand partner but I never pressed on him because I assume because of certain work stressors He must be having a tough week so I never pressed him to be intimate with me. Pass to around a few weeks before Halloween I was just randomly scrolling on his phone looking at Halloween costumes for our daughter cause she wanted a very specific costume and he had gotten a text message from someone labeled under a male name and they said something that was very alarming and I looked in the text against my better judgment And what it said was hey how about we have another car date. I didn't want to jump to conclusions so me in stealth mode I text it back saying what would you like to do during the car date and the person replied oh the same thing we do every time we go on a car date you me in the back seat and you pounding me like crazy. With you saying my name and me screaming yours. Safe to say I was sick to my stomach just from reading what the person had text I had screenshot the text and I had sent it to myself and then deleted the text that I had sent to myself from my partner's fault I then put the phone away and then partner went and got his phone and I could see his face turned pale white as he saw that the Text had been opened but he didn't make any mention even brought it up. After this I went into FBI mode and I would casually look at his phone whenever he was in the shower he would always leave it charging as soon as he got home from work and then any text messages that seemed kinda off I would screenshot them and I would look app the number at a later time and back track it via Google. The information you can find on Google is crazy to me thank God for google. I eventually would get the person he was sending messages 2 send pictures as proof that they were together And evidence was unmistakable the things that she had sent made my stomach turn lowkey I could hear just what the episode of SNAPPED would have said about me if I had listened to that inner voice. After getting plenty of proof of his infidelity I eventually confronted him And here's where red flag number 4 comes into play. 🚩#4: He stated that I had become distant from him that I was more concerned with our child and school then I was with him and then also another thing that was basically as he said the straw that broke the camel's back was that I had put on weight. at this point in time I was Only 50 pounds heavier than when I got out of the military. He also mentioned that I didn't make time for him anymore Which was far from the truth if anything I always tried to push to have time with him on his days off but he was always "with his friends" I later found out that he was with her. Another reason he had given was that our relationship had grown stale and cold and boring and he wanted something exciting and new. I gave him the ultimatum either he picks me and our daughter or he picks his side piece. And true kid mentality he said it wasn't fair because he loved both me and her and he couldn't pick and he had the nerve to come up with the idea that we do a sister wife/polygamy type of relationship. 🚩#5: He even went As far to say that we should do an open relationship but primarily one where he would be in a relationship with someone but I would have to be faithful to him.another side note:he's not morman or LDS or muslim Very nicely I state did that it would be a cold day in hell when any of those options would be even viable to me.* Again I grew up in a traditional household where monogamy is a necessity And I also made it very clear when we started dating that I was a monogamous person so how this even became an idea in his head I have no idea.* So he tells me once he sees that I am dead serious that he chooses me and our daughter and I stated good choice and I thought that was the end of it until December of that year when I had heard his phone go off while he was again in the bathroom and I went to look at it and it was her and she had stated that He had left his wallet at her place when When he had seen her last week. I was feeling mad and when he came to sit back down on the couch I threw his phone at him I Called him out for the sleazy dog that he wasAnd brought up other harsh words Regarding events that had happened in the past years Since we had moved in with his parents. 🚩#6:He stated that he hasn't seen her since I had given him the ultimatum and that she is just trying to get rise out of me because he had told her that I had found out about her. Of course I did not believe him so once he left for work the following day I checked his Google location for the day that she had mentioned that he had left his wallet and lo and behold he had been at her house during that week and then also later in the day after the text he had been at her house again this time he was at her house for the better part of 3 hours when he strictly told me that he was gonna be super busy and working with yard tools where he would not be able to hear his phone go Off whenever I text or call him. * Yes I can hear you all screaming at me that I should have left him when he first had the affair but I don't know maybe I had my daughter in my mind and didn't want her to grow up in a broken household or whatever may be the case but for some stupid God forsaken reason I gave him another chance And kept giving him chance after chance every time I saw he had gone to her house* Eventually he had grown tired of the girl and then he settled back into being monogamous again and everything for the most part especially after covid happened was quiet and calm but that's what I thought. Queue cousin entering from left stage. Cousin ended up staying with us during COVID because again he had a falling out with his girlfriend now baby mama And one particular day I came home from working limited hours due to covid and I see an iPod that looks eerily similar to the one I had. Curious I looked at the back and low and behold there was still a sticker residue from A sticker that had previous There. Fun fact about my ipod I had an anime sticker That I had personally designed. Again curiosity got the better be and I unlock the ipod and check the serial number in IMEI numbers and check the same Info on the product box that I had gotten my ipod in and lo and behold they matched perfectly to a T. Stupidly optimistic I was hoping someone had found it where it might have been misplaced and I was hoping that my photos and videos were still on the ipod. But as I'm sure you're probably already guessing it was wiped clean and it was nothing but photos of and you guessed it cousin and his baby mama and their baby. every video and pic that I had on my ipod from when I first bought it In freshman year of high school to when I had eventually had my daughter Was gone forever. Cousin came out of the bathroom and asked what I was doing with his ipod. I'm sure you know where this conversation is going so I'm not gonna repeat it but let's just say a few harsh things were said and he eventually felt guilty for not coming to me and asking if the ipod was mine. I obviously gave it back to him because it had no more sentimental value to me because all my stuff was deleted and it was basically his at this point. So later that night I again leaned on Partner's shoulder and Express my grievances and how I didn't appreciate that he gaslet me into thinking that his cousin wouldn't take something out of his room when in later years it is found out that he did in fact I asked for an apology on the matter and he stated... 🚩#7: Why are you upset over something that happened in the past and over photos that Aren't that important.* Our daughter's entire birth was on the ipod by the way Not to mention all my pregnancy bump milestone photos were there too.Also I have fertility issues and was told carry children would be difficult...I think they meant conceiving because like a unicorn no morning sickness or any of the negative things you hear that comes with pregnancy* Later in the year 2020 partner's brother ended up moving out and moving about 2 hours North of us With his girlfriend now wife. In the same fashion as us not too soon after they moved into their new place they found out they were expecting their first child together. The entire pregnancy went by just as smoothly as mine but around December, Brother-in-law and cousin decided to do cross-country trip this is all that they told us we thought they were crazy because His brother-in-law was expecting his first child and cousin was expecting his second child And the babies were going to be due any day at most within the coming weeks. Well surprise surprise we get a call from brother-in-law's frantic wife stating something happened to brother in law and cousin and that she couldn't talk about it over the phone. When she eventually arrived she was hysterical, Tears rolling down her face I actually felt A sense of concern and dread for what she was about to say to us. So long story short cousin and brother-in-law had been working for unfavorable people and transporting unfavorable items across state lines. sil and cousins baby mama knew what they were doing and would tag along, they "didn't care because the money and their lives were good" * Brother-in-law's ex then gf had previously told me that he was working for the same unfavorable people and when I brought it up to 🚩#8: partner he said x is crazy don't listen to Her. (He later told he and fam always knew what bil and cousin were doing just never brought it up because 'thats cousin and bils business to tell us'* Again due to COVID the court system was delayed and brother-in-law did not go to jail right away. While we were awaiting a sentencing Brother-in-law set all the family down and asked us to look over his wife and kids (yes kids plural he ended up having a second child while awaiting sentencing stupid I know.) The rest of the family said they would look out for Brother-in-law's family. But here's where I'm going to sound like an a****** but I very plainly and bluntly told him that I will not look after his family because I did not marry "wife" and I did not have "kids" I also stated that he knew that he was expecting a kid and he went to do a run even though his kid was due any day and I also mentioned that he needs to suffer the consequences of his actions. To make it short the family looked at me like I was the devil for saying this but I have made it clear of where I stand when it comes to criminals and doing illegal activities. I also have made it very clear how I feel criminals should pay for their actions. I know this will sound cheesy but if you cannot do the Time do not do the crime. In my eyes this was a textbook case of f*** around and find out. I do not feel like I should bend over backwards when I am taking care of my own family and my own problems and adding my brother-in-law's problems to my plate. Again this is where I might lose people but as I previously I grew up in a traditional household where we pull our weight and take care our ourselves. Sister-in-law is now living with us she does not have a job, she does not want a job, she does not pitch in for any expenses. I am paying over 70% of the household expenses water, gas, Wi-Fi etc. * Also after looking at the mortgage payment statements the rent I pay my in-laws to stay in the house pays for more than half of the mortgage.* Sister-in-law does not pitch in a dime. She has no disability she can work she just chooses not to. Well if you couldn't guess it the house was tense for the rest of the time that brother-in-law was in the house until he was eventually sentenced and put in jail. So since brother-in-law has been in jail I still stick to the hole I don't help sister-in-law with anything pertaining to her, I don't ask her for anything. She's been making it a habit of calling my partner and having him move my car from the spots that Im able to get in front of the house before she got into the spot to have him move the car for her because she doesn't want to walk far with The kids. This was usually how things were done until yesterday when sister-in-law was calling my partner to have him move my car and he wouldn't answer because he was asleep due to being sick. So In a begrudging fashion I assume this was for her she calls me to have me move my car, I told her I don't mind the car being moved but she would have to come get the keys to move it as I was currently busy rearranging my Space, And that I was trying to get everything i needed to get done before my day was over cause this was my only day off during the week, And in A spoiled sounding tone she says whatever Forget about it. Later in the day when my partner had woken up he Received a call from Sister-in-law stating that I was being difficult and wouldn't move the car From my spot.* I think it's fair to Mention that there are plenty of spots In front of our house but for some reason she always wants to park where I park. She never calls anyone else who's parked in front of the house ,if they're parked there, to move their cars only me or my Partner.) Also full circle, I was cleaning out our family's "junk cabinet" yesterday during my cleaning frenzy and found my deer pen it was in fils work bag, and yes its mine says my rank and full name on it.(trust me it'll come into play) So after the call with sister-in-law partner starts berating me Stating that I'm a part of this family and that I should be helping everyone out nevermind that I pay 70% expenses and more then half of mortgage,among other things. I told him very sternly that I had let her know that she could come and move the car herself but I was currently busy. I also stated that I told her when When brother-in-law asked us to help out with his family that I would not be doing any favors I will not be dropping things at the Whim of a hat for sister-in-law. I have my own things I need to do I can't just be stopping what I'm doing just to help her just cause it'll make it more convenient for her. I also stated during the convo with partner that there are plenty Of Mother's whose Partners are also in the prison system Who have multiple kids who are doing just fine by themselves. And that sister-in-law needs to women up And handle things on her own. I also stated that I did not tell her to have the kids That was all her choice. I also stated that I have never asked or received help for anything during my time with him and his family. I've been a very self-sufficient independent person. I'd like to make it known that we primarily survive off my income alone most of his income that he gives to me goes into savings because I make a Remarkably large amount of money thanks to what I get from the VA and from my 40+ hr job in the federal sector. And with the hours I work I don't have to worry about childcare as I watch my daughter during the day, When partner comes home from his long day at work I will sleep for a couple of hours before I start my night shift, I also will sleep while my daughter is in school till I have to pick her up then I do housework and take care of my child till my Partner Comes home and cook dinner. The only reason we live with in-laws is to help them with the mortgage because the mortgage is so incredibly high in the area that we live in. So to reiterate I have never asked or needed help from any of partner's family. And I find it funny that they are now preaching that we're a family we need to help each other, Yet never once while I was living with them have ever offered help offer to watch a our child for the night or anything. Not that I would accept or anything just saying it would have been a nice gesture at the very least. But after partner said that we're family, I retaliated by saying family doesn't violate personal space and go in your room and steals your stuff. He sighed and said you're on that again and I said it's not just the ipod it is also the fact that your dad stole my deer pen. And that the ipod was and the deer pen is sentimental to me. Like a broken record I stated that the ipod had everything from my past that was irreplaceable memories of friends who are no longer with us and of our daughter's first breath into the world And the fact that he is not as mad as me about the fact that we no longer have the video of our daughter being brought into the World Is eye-opening. We ended the day on a sour note where he ended up sleeping on the couch and I in our bed. which has led me to write out my emotions because I just want to scream at him for 🚩#9: everytime he gave his free time to his family,when I couldn't even get 2 hours a day to just chat, the little bit of time I did get with him he just wants to "sit in silence" where he ends spends the time on tiktok. Also whenever I find out when i have a day off usually a month in advance. I try to plan an "US" day where its just me, him, and our daughter.spoiler alert I rarely if ever get to share a day off with him and when he manages one, on the day we had plans he says something along the lines of I have to do a tree trimmng job or fix a sprinkler head, he states "won't take long" then will call and say he'll be bit longer, rinse and repeat this and he spends the whole day at his clients house fixing his fuck up. no hes not seeing AP I have untraceable GPS trackers secretly hidden in all the vehicles, and no not illegal I legally own and insure all our vehicles at my suggestion due problems with the parents. Also partner owns piece of fils business so in a way its keeping track of work equipment in case it gets stolen. I've gotten to the point where the moment he says he's gonna take longer than planned I just leave with my daughter and do what I had planned like go to the zoo, museum, trampoline park, etc. Partner does not call me all day. im at the point idc,still frustrated but don't care. Also here's the cherry on the cake usually when me and daughter go out we get back right when partner gets home and is unpacking the work vehicle and he has this look like were you out of the house all day? Which is confirm with that very question coming from his mouth. I send our child to go in the house sensing where the convo was leading to and once she was out of ear shot. Again very bluntly I tell im not gonna cancel my day if your not gonna prioritize me and our daughter's time I had plans for today I told you in advance you made your choice of which is more important so while you used your day off to do an extra job I used my day off to make memories with our child. In true child fashion he says but I wanted to go to insert place too. You should've just waited to go on a different day. I tell him that he always postpones or comes up with a reason not to go (too expensive, too hot, will be crowded, blah blah blah) so instead I will make the plan to go tell him ahead of time if he takes time off great if not no sweat im still going. Boy he got so irritated for being called out especially when our daughter yelled from the doorway dad you always cancel on us. BTW daughter is unaware of partners affair on the day that I confronted him a close friend that I had told of my situation told me and partner that her daughter wanted to do a sleepover I was unaware this was her sneaky way of helping me. I just took advantage of the empty nest situation I'm sorry if this is more of a rant but my anger and emotions all over the place I'm half tempted of just ending things cutting ties with him and his family because they expect me to change my morality, which I'm very uncomfortable with that. Everything that I was taught respect the relationship your in, respect the law, dont do anything illegal etc these are basic common sense things. Mil, bil, and partner did not respect their relationships or partner. Mil and partner cheated (not with eachother gross but with other people). Bil left pregnant wife alone, due to have a baby anyday, to do something illegal. Also the mental abuse i deal with Partner's sisters bullying me by critiquing how my parents raised me, on my parenting, calling me a hypocrite on my morality because I was trying to pin a baby on partner (was not true he was given the choice to leave all the way up until before delivery) I'm just mentally, physically and emotionally tired. And separation is looking really like a good idea. I've asked for family and couples counseling, inlaws and partner say "we don't have issues you do,why dont you get it, your too needy and selfish always wanting to spend alone time with partner" Thats why I'm turning to reddit one to vent/rant and two for second opinions. I try to limit what I tell bout my family to my parents friends and sibs partly because I hate painting people I've chosen to keep in my life in a bad light also my dad and brothers wouldve have made partner and inlaws take a dirt nap in the desert if I had told them what they've been putting me through and what partner did around time of covid, no trace or evidence think scene from boondocks of the assassin who "took care of" the entire family.only my close friend has seen and knows the full extent of what I've gone through, so she could be a witness to my family if partner tries to spin this around in his favor. But also she suggest the reddit route so I can get opinions and see if maybe I'm seeing this in a different light like seeing this though a different POV. Any advice or insight would be appreciated. I know I most likely am gonna get hate for this next thing I about to say as well But when we found out she was pregnant with the second kid I said with a great deal of concern that she should "take care of it" because "if you arent sure if you can handle two kids while brother in law is away then maybe keeping this one isn't the best choice" Again family looks at me like I'm the devil for suggesting this.Just so It's made clear I was not pushing her to get an abortion I was just trying to make it clear to her that she is going to be having 2 kids under the age of 2 in her care While her husband is away. Also for further insight cousin broke up with baby mama while she was pregnant with second kid but after it was too late to do anything about it when baby mama announced her pregnancy (prior to the crime) i voiced my same concerns with her,in standard young dumb full of it fashion she state "we are in this ride or die" and now she cries to me saying she can't handle two kids and "why did i have a second one" baby mama is now regretting her decision.For any single parent taking care of two kids is a daunting task so I was just looking out for her mental health due to the fact that she would be Taking care of 2 kids by herself at the same time her partner was going to be going to jail for an undisclosed amount of time and at the time not knowing if she might have ppd like some people have after having Irish twins.

TimeStamp: EDC Timestamp - iPod Timestamp
Album For All EDC Pics Minus Timestamps : EDC Album Album For iPod Pics Minus Timestamps : iPod Album
Shipping to Conus: $5 USPS Priority. One shipping charge for multiple items (duh). Minimum Order 20$. Prices negotiable. Paypal, Zelle, CashApp, Venmo.
Boker Exskelibur C- Got this off someone who was learning how to anodize, it's been off center since I got it. It is a catch & release. I do have the pocket clip for it as well. $50
Leatherman Brewzer A- Never used. $5 SOLD!!
Ninja Butterfly C- I learned on this, but I barely use it or my other butterfly anymore. So, let her go. $40
Turtleshell Chameleon Color Fidget A- I can provide video if you want to hear it or anything, has a great feel but it's too big for me. $18 SOLD!!
Kershaw Shuffle A- Never really used this except like 2 packages, otherwise hung out in a pouch in my backpack when I first began collecting EDC. $14
Black Slider Fidget A- This came with the metal plate between the two actual magnetic pieces, which I thought was a great touch. My love for fidgets has taken me far & I now have way too many, time to part. $14 SOLD!!
Black Fidget Cube A- Free Add On SCOOPED!!
Civivi Elementum Black Ebony B- I only used this for packages & to cut a mango once, but the clip is scuffed a bit from the pouch it was in I assume because I definitely wasn't wearing it on the outside of my pocket ever, haha. $45
Fountain Pen, Resin A- It's pretty, I never used it, the colors were deceiving on the add & it does not match the EDC carry I got it for. No use for it since I need matchy matchy, so I did a pic with flash & 1 without. $25
Johnny Wallet, Loyal Stricklin B- Has some use, but still nice & lots of life left. $40
Dessert Warrior Swiss Army A- Never used it, not once. $12
Hank A- Never used it on anything, once again no matchy. I was obsessed with the squid on it but I realized I'm never going to build an EDC carry off it, so let someone else take over. Black microfiber back. $15
iPod C- 80GB 5th Video - The front is almost perfect, the back not so much & it has an engraving of "Elvis Lives" I got this in the plan to get an iflash for it & I was going to change the back on it anyway so I didn't mind it, however, I ended up finding my old iPod which I decided to use instead because of nostalgia. The headphone jack does not work, the rest works perfect. I have a set of the tools needed to remove the back that I will send with it, as well as the charger cord & the headphone jack cost like 12$. So, releasing for $60.
If there's any questions or negotiations - please chat or message.
Having a fantastic night EDC community!

Hello everyone !
Time to speak about new experiments on my iPhone 5 64GB that do not have any SHSH unfortunately.
That iPhone is in very good shape, the battery has already been replaced by the previous owner and it has no scratches even on the screen. So I do not want to replace it by searching for hours for any iOS 7 (powersnow) or iOS 6 iPhone 5 with a good amount space (32 or 64GB minimum) at a correct price. I paid for mine just 50 euros which is a very good deal in my opinion considering the battery has been already changed and considering its physical shape.
My priority now is to turn it into a very fast iPod Touch, primarly for offline music (around 20000 songs) synced with "Music" app on the Mac, along with some old games.

iOS 8.4.1

It is possible to downgrade to this iOS without any SHSH blob using Legacy iOS Kit. Let me tell anyone : don't waste your time with this iOS. It's terrible for music playing, since it has a terrible bug with large music librairies : as soon as you have duplicates (partial or total), the sync will be completely broken and thousands of songs will be missing without producing any bug to help you debugging by removing problematic files one by one. Not only on the Apple Music app, using a 3rd party app like "Foobar2000" will not circumvent syncing problems. The only way to be able to get all of my music was to transfer manually the music files to Foobar2000 with iFunBox. But well, syncing become very painful this way.

iOS 10

It is the maximum iOS supported by this device. Is is kinda boring, and it is also difficult to jailbreak and to keep the jailbreak.
Apple Music app is very laggy on the iPhone 5 with a lot of songs. Very bad experience. FooBar2000 works great and is beautiful with dark theme but the experience is in my opinion slower and less natural compared to the iOS 6 music app.

Coolbooted 6.1.4 with iOS 8.4.1

It's iOS 6, untethered ! But for some reason, Coolbooter has a terrible bug that no-one has reported somewhere : it has audio glitches. Those audio glitches can happen at any time especially when you use your device while playing music : when you lock your device, when you unlock it, when you switch between apps, when you open the notification center, etc
It is very frustrating. I tried every possible coolbooter setups (app, cli, and with data protection workaround enabled and disabled).
This problem does not exist on my real iOS 6 iPhone 4S or in a tethered setup that I explain below.

Tethered 6.1.4 with Legacy iOS Kit

Same as on top, but without the music sound glitches and with full disk space capacity. But there's a problem even worse with this setup : sometimes the phone decides to shut down while playing music : the music stops suddently to play and the phone performs a full reboot without producing any crash log.
Booting from an M2 mac is also painful : I need to launch 2 times the process because the tethered boot always fail the first time for whatever reason. It's also boring to always specify the specific build (10B350) each time I need to tethered boot.

Tethered 6.1.4 with n1ghtshade

This is my current setup since today. I don't know yet (did not use enough at the moment) if it is going to also completely freeze and reboot at random times while playing music. This setup is my last hope.
This setup was more difficult to make it work. The restore process was easy through the GUI app of nightshadde, but the jailbreak process from nightshade does not work anymore because some servers are down.
Posixpwn jailbreak has completely bricked by nightshade installation so don't use it to not waste time just like me.
Legacy iOS Kit worked for me to jailbreak my n1ghtshade installation, but it was tedious to do (I had to do 2 tethered boots during the process).

Audio file formats

To fit around 20000 songs on a 64GB device, you need a very good compression provided by the best encoder.
I use the tool "DBPoweramp" on a Mac to convert everything and add replaygain and soundcheck tag to all of my music files then I import everything to the "music" app of the Mac before syncing everything. Almost all of my source files are FLACs to get the best result after convert because it's not recommended to convert lossy a track that is already lossy (you will always lose more informations).
I first tried Apple HE-AAC v1 encoder VBR quality 54 (estimated bitrate : 81kbps) but the iOS 6 music app has a strange bug with those files. Often, when starting to play a song, the song will be in very poor quality during the first 2 seconds. It's a bit disturbing.
I now use the Apple HE-AAC v2 encoder at VBR quality 90 (estimated bitrate : 75kbps). But the quality was already really good with default settings which was : VBR quality 63 (estimated bitrate : 50kbps). Choose your poison depending of the amount of tracks you need to fit in. But always select a "VBR" preset, never CBR (Constant Bitrate). VBR will adapt the quality depending of the complexity of each music so it's better for quality and for saving space.
I also own a rockboxed iPod Classic full of FLACS and the audio quality is pretty much the same (which is kinda shocking considering the difference of file sizes, but well, that's how I feel it).

What's great compared to an iPod Classic

Almost just like old iPod Touchs, but a bit more. I will mainly focus on things as a fully offline device, so I will not mention a lot of apps and things that require Internet connection like YouTube.
So here is my little list :

• Bluetooth 4.0 on-board that work great to send sound to any portable speaker
• Take photos and videos (with poor quality for today standards but it's still fun)
• A flash that can be used as a torch-lamp. Very useful during the night or in dark environments, and the iPhone 5 had a powerful Flash (better than the iPhone 4S one).
• Touch controls are really much faster to navigate and to search for music content. Click wheel is funnier to use though.
• iOS 6 music app is insanely fast and smooth, it can search for things in around 2 seconds only before listing the results and it really never lags even with that huge amount of songs
• Fun games
• Passbook is great to store fidelity cards and things. It's a bit tedious to setup since you need to generate the files then send those card files to yourself by mail. Only the mail app since able on iOS 6 to import to passbook. But when your cards are imported, it will just work.
• Playing any web-radios using TuneIn Radio Pro v4.3 (don't use VLC, it has a strange bug where it glitches the sound each time you lock your device)
• Having maps of whole cities offline using the app "OpenMaps" which is based on OpenStreetMaps

My iOS 6 Cydia Tweaks List

Here is the list of every tweaks I am currently using :

• Activator (shortcuts everywhere)
• Apple File Conduit "2" (allows to transfer files easily through iFunBox)
• AppSync Unified (to sideload .ipas)
• AutoLSMusicControls (it will show music controls directly on the lockscreen without the need to double tap your home button if music is playing)
• Auxo (it is so good and brings the perfect multitask with cards to iOS 6)
• Bridge/ProTube (allows to import mp3 directly to the music library from the YouTube app repaired by TubeRepair)
• Clutch 2.0.4 (allows to backup .ipas)
• CrashReporter (gives important info about crashs)
• Cylinder (cool effects when moving from pages on the springboard)
• Display Recorder (allows to record your display)
• FullForce for Phone (allows to stretch non compatible games to the iPhone 5 screen)
• Harlem Shake (lol)
• iCleaner Pro (an utility to clear caches)
• iFile (the perfect file manager for iOS)
• Jukebox (a cool music widget for the notification center)
• LowPowerBanner (very good tweak for iOS 6, you will not get those annoying popups on your screen at 10 and 20% of battery but just little banners that will not interrupt your activity)
• MapsX (bring back Apple plans app)
• mikoto (allows to customize many things and to remove the EU volume limit)
• MobileTerminal (a terminal utility)
• NCSettings (a very cool tweak that add many toggles on the notification center)
• Nitrous (allows to get faster javascript on external web browsers like Chrome)
• redeb (allows to re-package everything as .deb to backup everything in case repos will be down)
• Safari Download Enabler (allow to download any file from Safari)
• Safari Unibar (merge the search bar and the URL bar from Safari)
• SIM Alert Suppression (remove that annoying "NO SIM" popup)
• Springtomize 2 (many many things. I enabled : seconds in lock screen, notification center in lockscreen, old TV effect when locking the device, and custom carrier name)
• SSLPatch (very important, it fixes a security bug in iOS 6)
• SwipeSelection (very useful tweak, it will allow you to navigate in a text just by swiping through your keyboard. Saves a lot of time)
• System Info (allows to add a lot of useful info everywhere in the settings)
• TubeRepair (repair the official YouTube app)
• UnlockFX (add a cool animation each time you unlock your device)
• WeatherX (repair the meteo widget and app)

If you have any advices and feedback to make everything even more stable and cool, feel free to share ! :)

Edits

2024/05/31 : I had a freeze today that forced me to hard reset my phone because I could not wake it up from sleep after having listened to music. I disabled the old TV effect on Springtomize and disabled UnlockFX. I also disabled control center and seconds on lockscreen.

I don't know anything about jailbreaking, but I've been unsuccessfully trying to get music onto my ipod (it’s not jailbroken yet)... so I might try that but because my home button doesn't work, i'm not sure if I'll be able to set that up once I jail break it. And after I do that, i'll also have to figure out how to get music on it... Any recommendations would be helpful, as I truly have no idea what i'm doing :] It’s an ipod touch 4th gen

This came out of a thread where folks were talking about runtimes of the different extended capacity batteries. This may only be of interest to myself and u/Metahec, but I thought it would good to create an inventory of what runtimes we're getting for new batteries. This is prompted by my observations that the runtime for my 3000mah battery was not that much more than for my 2000mah battery. Which mad sense as really, the 2000mah battery is not that much smaller than the 3000. Iflash has a good (but now a bit old) posting about how they think the mah ratings (esp for the big boys) are often exaggerated.
Now it is hard to have a perfect "A/B" comparison, so to make the data more meaningful, and to get the external variables listed, I have included a) the model iPod, b) the flashmod, and c) stock OS or Rockbox, d) a link to the battery. While that link shows where the battery is from this is not to dump on the vendor but merely to help understand what battery is being talked about. I will also list particulars of the test. So to start:
iPod 5.5 gen, iflash Quad, stock OS, 2000mah battery from idemigods – 53 42.5 hours
Setup and observations: Note I have edited this, for new results as I needed to retest it. Part-way into the first test, I realized the backlight had accidentally been set to be on all the time. The first results (of 42.5 hours) were still not bad. Fully charged battery, started playing song alphabetically, had backlight set to 10 seconds. Got about 700 songs done of 6,000 song library. Please note that with the second test I got a similar time from this "smaller 2000mah" battery as I did from the following "3000mah" battery!
iPod 5th gen, iflash Solo, stock OS, 3000mah 'thin' battery from eoe – 52 hours
Setup and observations: Fully charged battery, started playing song alphabetically, had backlight set to 10 seconds. Got about 700 songs done of 6,000 song library. I did not screw this test up haha so i am pretty confident about this. It is interesting to compare the two results. In a perfect world i would use the same iPod for both batteries but I am not going to open them up just for the sake of "science"! Granted I used 2 different iPods 2 different models (tho Apple's specs had the same runtime for the 5 and the 5.5. And i also used a Quad in on test and a Solo in another.
HOWEVER, the test supported my observations that my 3000mah battery DOES NOT greater runtime than my 2000mah -- certainly not the 50% greater that it should! And to repeat, i know this is not a perfect scientific test ;-)

What’s the #1 thing every founder needs to know?

I’ll give you a few minutes to make a list — top of mind might include sales, marketing, technology, product management (especially product-market fit), technical skills, fundraising, team building, leadership, management, finance, and planning/executing strategic growth and scaling.
Sure… but, sorry, none of that is the correct answer. Because, of course, you know that founders typically are expected to be jacks of all trades. So yes, to all of the above, but that’s not the secret sauce.
The #1 thing every founder needs to know is… themself.
Here’s the truth: founders start companies, and entrepreneurs build them. While not every entrepreneur is a founder (think franchise owners), every founder is an entrepreneur (at least initially).
If you’re like me, you are a forward-obsessed founder. That means where you are now is always building toward where you want to go. That person is always an entrepreneur. Once the company is started, you’ll do what it takes — including relinquishing control — to keep it growing.
Does that sting? We founders think of our companies as our babies, but statistics say we’re likely to be the ones kicked out of the nest. Also, research shows that in the US, only 14 out of the top selling 500 companies still have the original founder running the company. And the Harvard Business Review reports that most founders relinquish control long before their companies go public — and that four out of five are forced to step down as CEO.
It doesn’t have to be that way if you have one critical attribute: self-awareness. That way, you can decide as your company grows how you want to evolve your role in the overall day-to-day running of the company (i.e., learn, delegate, hire, move on). And ultimately, you can make better choices at critical growth junctures in your business progression.
So, to help you become more self-aware, it’s helpful to understand the different types of founders. Let’s dive in.

The Types of Founders

A couple of notes before we get into specifics:

• Much like any other classification, there are gray areas, so you (and many of the examples I share in this article) may fit into more than one category.
• Some traits are common to all founders, such as being open to innovation, passionate about their project, risk-takers, etc. But some founders excel or even over-index in certain attributes, so that’s what you’ll see in the different types.

The bottom line: knowing your strongest/weakest points is a critical piece of the self-awareness pie. That way, you can conduct your business in what I call the Green Zone — aka the Genius Zone, where you have both high passion and high competence — and make the best choices for you and your company.

1. The Solo Founder

Traits:

• Fiercely independent
• Self-assured
• Strong belief in their vision/idea
• Business strongly tied to skill set and experience
• Resilient (i.e., can withstand feelings of loneliness)

Benefits:

• Freedom
• Complete control
• Learn a lot

Pitfalls:

• Solo-founded companies statistically have a higher failure rate
• Harder to raise money/VCs are more reticent
• Health impacts: burnout, loneliness, etc.
• Attention is divided because you wear all the hats (marketing, sales, building your product, finances, fundraising, prospecting for new customers, etc.)
• Complete responsibility for all aspects of the business

Example: Sara Blakely, Spanx Founder
Ten years ago, in 2012, when she was just 38, Sara Blakely became the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire. Her business, built on a significant industry gap (the lack of comfortable, effective shapewear) and her incredible sales hustle, also benefited greatly from Blakely’s abundant self-awareness. Here’s her advice to solo founders at a 2020 business conference:

“I tell people as soon as you can afford to hire your weaknesses, do it… As soon as I could afford to hire someone to do more of the operations side of the business, I did. As an entrepreneur, one of the biggest gifts you can give yourself is to stay in your lane.”

In other words, know what your Green Zone is and play there.
If you’re like Blakely, it’s usually big ideas and sales ability (she could easily qualify as a Visionary Founder, too) or operations and execution (what Blakely realized she needed help with).
Pro tip: If you’re a solo founder, you’ll likely want to lean into an entrepreneurial framework like the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to help you define and settle into which side you skew toward.

2. The Visionary Founder (or Co-founders)

Traits:

• Driven by a big idea
• Disruptive — recognizes opportunities to upend traditional norms
• Focused and clear
• Persistent
• Natural salesperson
• Can see the big picture
• Collaborative (esp. In co-founder scenario)
• Motivated by the impact they have — more than $$ alone

Benefits:

• Passionate about their work
• Aren’t easily derailed — failures are expected, and mistakes are not made twice
• Inspired leadership

Pitfalls:

• So focused on the big picture that they may miss important details
• A visionary idea doesn’t automatically = visionary leadership
• Disconnected from reality at times
• Easily bored when the mundane takes priority
• May not plan succession well
• Unrealistic expectations
• Poor communication

Example: Steve Jobs & Steve Wozniak
Considering that Steve Jobs’ name is pretty much synonymous with “visionary,” I don’t think I need to list more than the products and industries Jobs’ revolutionized at Apple and beyond — Apple Computers, iPod (iTunes), iPad, iPhone, Pixar, iCloud — with many products and points in between. George Lucas, from whom Jobs bought the Graphics Group at Lucasfilm and renamed it “Pixar,” perfectly summarizes his superpower:

“The magic of Steve was that while others simply accepted the status quo, he saw the true potential in everything he touched and never compromised on that vision.”

Steve Wozniak was the technological yin to Jobs’ sales and marketing yang, bringing the vision of a computer with a graphic interface to life. From the visionary files, “Woz” also invented the first programmable universal remote and was an early innovator of wireless GPS (thanks to his clever dogs who routinely evaded electronic fences).

3. The Serial Disruptor

Traits:

• Varied interests & capabilities
• Easily bored — desires variety and change
• Optimistic
• Extremely innovative
• High threshold for pain
• Accepting of failure
• Self-reliant
• Diverse capabilities
• Bold vision
• Motivated by the impact they have — more than $$ alone

Benefits:

• Variety of experiences
• Flexibility and freedom
• Diversification
• Tons of opportunities for creative expression
• Greater earning opportunities
• Disrupts industries
• Attracts high-quality talent

Pitfalls:

• High risk
• Difficulties finding trustworthy partners/can get stuck helming something when you want to move on
• Multitudes of people reliant on you
• Divided focus
• Ego-driven pursuits

Example: Elon Musk
Like him or loathe him, Elon Musk is perhaps the most prolific (and successful) serial founder of all time with startups including Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company, and Neuralink, among others. His drive to design opportunities to evolve humanity has redefined both hustle culture and the art of serial entrepreneurship.
For serial founders, having a set of principles is key to their success. In Musk’s case, his use of “first principles” — reducing a process to its essential parts — has served him well, from helping him figure out how to make rockets cheaper and reusable (SpaceX) to shifting the narrative of electric vehicles (Tesla).

4. The Engineer

Traits:

• Engineer by experience and nature
• Technically savvy
• Able to problem-solve technology-driven issues (not just with the product but also operations-wise)
• Strong desire to not just innovate but also to accelerate progress
• Expansive vision of how technology can solve common problems
• Level-headed
• Agile, fast learners
• Focused on execution

Benefits:

• Pragmatic approach
• Own technology
• Problems are solved quickly
• Able to employ technology to reduce time to market
• Solutions for products can become new products in their own right

Pitfalls:

• Not well versed in other crucial areas (i.e., sales, marketing)
• Over-index on having lower Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
• Because they can learn quickly, so may get stuck playing outside of the green zone

Example: Mark Zuckerberg
Much like the other examples I’m sharing, Mark Zuckerberg’s story has been widely told, so you probably know about his development of Facebook. But at his core, Zuckerberg is an engineering prodigy and geek. At just 13 in 1997, he built “ZuckNet,” which enabled the family’s home computers to communicate via Ping (a precursor of AOL’s Instant Messenger) with his father’s dental office computers. He was using AI in his senior year in high school, so the roots of his Meta(verse) focus today are apparent.
A common weakness for engineers is they tend to have a lower EQ, which has been well-researched. As a former engineer, I understand how logic and technology come easier than understanding human behavior. This is why tech founders should seek out mentors early and bring in competent leaders with high EQ and leadership skills — for example, Zuckerberg credits his former COO of 14 years, Sheryl Sandberg, for turning the company into a multi-billion dollar company.

5. The Personality Founder

Traits:

• Charismatic and gregarious
• Attracts a vast audience
• Influential
• Ambitious
• Forward-thinking
• Inwardly motivated (responds to a “calling”)
• Excellent storytellers
• Authentic and honest (ideally 😉)

Benefits:

• Has a built-in audience and established social platforms
• Likely has pre-existing wealth (can help fund the business/mitigate startup money woes)
• Can use their power for good; disruptive in a positive way

Pitfalls:

• Needs to find the right people to trust
• Can’t just be the “face” of the business; needs to accrue real business chops
• Celebrity and influence status don’t equal quality products
• Difficult or impossible for the founder to leave

Example: Oprah
I’m using Oprah as an example, as her products are an outgrowth of her — her eponymous talk show, which ran for 25 years, the OWN network, O Magazine, her book club, and a variety of charitable endeavors comprise her vast empire. But of course, we know plenty of other personality brands that have racked up billions in sales and even transformed, from the Kardashians/Jenners, to Bethany Frankel and Ryan Reynolds (just watch Deadpool 3 to see his brands — coming in 2023).
In today’s age of influence, we’ve seen a surge of personality brands and founders who leverage built-in audiences and communities to scale quickly. All these names are business mavericks in their own right, but many didn’t start out this way — they deftly utilize their charisma and ability to entertain to shape their brands and pave the way to success.

6. The Accidental Founder

Traits:

• Independent
• Resourceful
• Necessity-driven
• Follow their desire/passion
• Creative
• Willing to take risks

Benefits:

• A deep belief in what they’re doing
• Solves real-world problems based on personal experience
• Discover they’re much happier running their own show
• Turns skills, vocation, or avocation into a profitable business

Pitfalls:

• May not have the business chops
• Reluctant business person — may not actually want to run their own business
• Needs to find the right people to trust
• Overwhelm

Example: Yvon Chouinard
Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard has been in the news lately for giving away his company to fight climate change. He’s an OG accidental entrepreneur whose passion for rock climbing led him to develop reusable pitons (rock climbing spikes) and, later, heavy-duty shirts. Famously Chouinard called himself a “dirtbag climber” and didn’t want to become a business mogul. Sixty-five years later, this accidental founder’s company is valued at $3 billion, and his latest innovation is a way of giving away the profits of a company to continue his contribution to society — protecting and preserving the natural world.
As I always say, there are riches in the niches, and accidental entrepreneurs are the leading type of founders to discover a marketplace with little or no competition.

7. The Intentional Founder

Traits:

• Purpose-driven
• Strong ideals and values
• Passionate about the bigger picture impacts
• Socially conscious
• Clear and focused on the brand mission

Benefits:

• An empathetic approach to the product/the company
• Can educate, empower, and motivate others (i.e., team, customers)
• Employees are statistically more satisfied and likely to stay
• Commitment to a higher ideal engenders more loyalty and trust with the general public (customers)

Pitfalls:

• Moving from individual ideals to a group effort is tricky
• Difficult to find employees with perfectly aligned values
• Might not have the business experience to set the organization up for long-term success
• Purpose-driven (belief) isn’t the same as purpose-enabled (capability)
• Might be challenging for the company to survive the loss of the founder

Example: Jessica Alba
While Jessica Alba does have some touches of a Personality Founder (she is an actor) and an Accidental Founder (an allergic reaction to detergent made her worry about her new baby’s sensitive skin), she is an excellent example of an intentional founder. Back in 2008, when Alba had that allergic reaction, influencer marketing wasn’t what it is today — plus, she had some success but was by no means a household name. Ditto for eco-conscious consumer packaged goods — a plus, sure, but didn’t have the same urgency and importance it does today. Alba then spent years researching ingredients in everyday products and even went to DC to lobby for updates to the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act. Convinced that consumers need safe, affordable, environmentally friendly products for kids and home, Alba launched The Honest Company in 2011.
Now, she did have seasoned co-founders, her own wealth to use out the gates, and VC support shortly after that, but it has always been Alba’s commitment to and alignment with the brand’s core principles that have kept the brand growing and thriving — today, as a publicly traded company with a 2021 $412.8 IPO.
What type of founder are you? Definitely feel free to share in the comments.

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Looking to upgrade your music listening experience? CD Players with Bluetooth offer the best of both worlds, combining the timeless appeal of a CD player with the convenience of wireless connectivity. In this article, we'll take a look at some of the top products on the market, highlighting their features and benefits to help you make an informed decision. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the melodious tunes of our CD player roundup.
From portable players with sleek designs to robust home systems, we've got you covered with a variety of options that cater to your specific needs and preferences. Join us as we explore the world of CD Players with Bluetooth and find the perfect one for you. Prepare to be immersed in high-quality sound and seamless streaming technology that'll enhance your musical journey.

The Top 6 Best CD Players with Bluetooth

1. 50's Inspired Retro Record Player with Bluetooth and CD Player in Turquoise - Experience a blast from the past with Trexonic's Retro Wireless Bluetooth, CD, and Record Player in Turquoise, combining vintage charm and modern technology for exceptional vinyl, CD, Bluetooth, and FM radio listening.
2. Crosley Medley Retro All-in-One Entertainment Center - Retro-inspired Crosley Medley Entertainment Center featuring a 3-speed turntable, cassette player, CD player, AM/FM radio, Bluetooth receiver, headphone jack, cueing lever, and built-in full-range stereo speakers.
3. Magnavox 3-Piece Compact CD Shelf System with Bluetooth - The Magnavox MM435-WH 3-Piece Compact CD Shelf System offers a balanced sound for all your music, podcasts, and audio books, while its LCD display and remote control make controlling your listening experience effortless.
4. Bluetooth Vinyl Turntable and CD Player - Elevate your listening experience with the stylish Trexonic Vinyl Turntable Home Stereo System, complete with CD Player, FM Radio, Bluetooth, USB/SD Recording, and Wired Shelf Speakers for seamless integration of all your favorite music.
5. Jensen CD-565 Bluetooth CD Music System - Sleek, portable CD music system featuring A2DP and AVRCP support, vertical loading CD player, and auxiliary input jack for connecting iPods or MP3 players; perfect for enjoying music indoors or outdoors.
6. Dual Touch Screen DVD/CD Player - Soundstream VRN-DD7HB: 2.8-star DVD/CD player with dual touch screen, Bluetooth, GPS, USB, and Android compatibility. Ideal for those seeking versatile multimedia connectivity in a new condition unit. Not a modified item.

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Reviews

🔗50's Inspired Retro Record Player with Bluetooth and CD Player in Turquoise

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I recently brought home the Trexonic Retro Wireless Bluetooth Record and CD Player in Turquoise, and it's been a real nostalgic trip. To be honest, I was initially drawn to its sleek and retro design. Little did I know that it would turn out to be a music treasure trove.
Its three-speed record player with the capability to play all my vinyl records and albums certainly took me back to the good old days. Plus, the built-in Bluetooth and wireless streaming made it easy for me to enjoy my modern music seamlessly. A unique highlight is its ability to record from vinyl to MP3 via USB - a feature that I personally haven't tried out yet, but it's nice to have.
The sound quality is commendable, and even the volume control is well-balanced. Setting it up was a breeze, and even my kids loved it! The CD player and the SD/USB input enhance the music experience even more.
One minor drawback, though, is the lack of an integrated power button. It might take a little getting used to, but it's definitely not a deal-breaker. All in all, the Trexonic Retro Wireless Bluetooth Record and CD Player is a fantastic addition to my home, bringing together the charm of the past with the convenience of the present.

🔗Crosley Medley Retro All-in-One Entertainment Center

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I recently stumbled upon the Crosley Medley Entertainment Center in Gray, and it's safe to say my music collection has never been more accessible. This retro-styled marvel boasts a 6-in-1 system that plays vinyl records, cassette tapes, CDs, and even has a built-in Bluetooth receiver. Its versatility is particularly handy, allowing me to enjoy anything from oldies to digital playlists without missing a beat.
The nostalgic touch of the wood cabinet and fabric-covered grills adds significantly to the overall aesthetic appeal of this entertainment center. It's not just about looks, though: the sound quality is decent, especially considering the price point. The cueing lever gives precision control over the vinyl playing, but be careful as some reviewers mentioned that Crosley turntables might not be the highest quality and could harm your vinyl if you're not gentle with them.
This device is a bit bulkier than some other options, but bear in mind it houses so many functions. The built-in stereo speakers are adequate, but not top-notch, another point for consideration.
One standout feature for me was the ease of use. From connecting my phone with Bluetooth to playing old vinyls, everything was a breeze. I didn't encounter any major issues and can confidently say it's worth every penny.
The negative points are few, but they do deserve a mention. There have been reports about potential damage to your vinyls due to the quality of the turntable, so exercise caution. Also, the size might be an issue for those with limited space.
In conclusion, if you're a music aficionado with a soft spot for retro aesthetics, the Crosley Medley Entertainment Center is a brilliant choice. It combines old-school charm with modern-day convenience, offering an enjoyable listening experience. While it may not be perfect, its flaws are outweighed by its flexibility and overall satisfying performance.

🔗Magnavox 3-Piece Compact CD Shelf System with Bluetooth

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I was in the market for a compact music system that would fit seamlessly into my small apartment. I decided to give Magnavox MM435-WH a shot and boy, am I glad I did! This 3-piece system with Bluetooth and remote control in white features an LCD display that makes reading what's on display effortless and enjoyable.
One of the standout features of this product is its balanced sound quality, making it perfect for listening to music, audio books, or your favorite podcasts. It's perfect for use in various settings like offices, bedrooms, living areas, or kitchens. Additionally, Magnavox includes a remote control (with a CR2025 battery) with the purchase of this system, adding another layer of convenience.
However, there are a few cons to note. Some users have reported issues with the remote's volume control, while others have mentioned the system's inability to handle more demanding music styles.
Overall, the Magnavox MM435-WH offers a good balance between size and sound quality. Its compact design and various features make it an attractive option for those looking to incorporate a music system into their living space without sacrificing valuable real estate.

🔗Bluetooth Vinyl Turntable and CD Player

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I have had the pleasure of using the Trexonic 3-Speed Vinyl Turntable Home Stereo System for a few months now, and I must say it's a great addition to my entertainment center. Not only does it look sleek and stylish, but it also packs a punch in terms of features and performance.
One of the aspects I appreciated most about this system was its versatility. Whether you're into vinyl records, CDs, digital music files, or even radio, this turntable has you covered. The sound quality is impressive without breaking the bank, making it an excellent option for audiophiles on a budget.
The Trexonic turntable comes with two wired shelf speakers that are easy to connect and deliver rich, balanced audio. The Bluetooth connectivity is smooth, allowing me to play tunes wirelessly from my phone when needed. The only downside I encountered was the lack of fine-tuning controls for the EQ, but again, considering the price point, it's not a deal-breaker.
As for ease of setup, it was a breeze. In no time at all, I had everything plugged in and ready to go. One of my favorite features is the ability to convert music from vinyl directly into MP3 format, which allows me to enjoy my old vinyl collection on the go.
Now, as with any product, there are a few cons to consider. Some users have reported issues with sound quality when playing larger vinyl records, while others have encountered problems with the turn table's needle. However, I personally have not experienced any major difficulties during my time with this turntable.
To sum up, the Trexonic 3-Speed Vinyl Turntable Home Stereo System offers a great value for those seeking a versatile and stylish home audio solution. While there may be some minor drawbacks, the overall experience has been enjoyable, and I would recommend it to others looking for a quality stereo system in a compact package.

🔗Jensen CD-565 Bluetooth CD Music System

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After using the Jensen CD-565 Portable Bluetooth CD Music System for a couple of weeks, I must say that it has truly enhanced my music experience. It's amazing how it manages to blend nostalgia with modern tech, making it a perfect companion for parties and gatherings. The vertical loading CD player is not only space-efficient but also a conversation starter, bringing back memories of the good old days.
One of the most notable features of the CD-565 is its versatility. I've been able to connect all sorts of devices - my iPhone, my old CD collection, and even my kid's iPod. The Bluetooth connectivity is smooth and reliable, letting me stream music without any interruptions from up to 33 feet away. Plus, with the auxiliary input jack, I can plug in any device that doesn't have Bluetooth.
However, there are some minor things that could be improved. The sound quality is decent, but not outstanding. And while the built-in carrying handle makes it easy to move around, the system itself is quite bulky. Despite these cons, the Jensen CD-565 is a solid choice for anyone looking for a portable and feature-rich CD player with Bluetooth capabilities.

🔗Dual Touch Screen DVD/CD Player

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As a first-time user of the Soundstream VRN-DD7HB DVD/CD Player, I was thrilled to explore its versatile features. The dual touch screen and GPS made it incredibly easy to navigate through my music collection and locate nearby attractions.
I particularly appreciated the Bluetooth connectivity, which allowed me to stream my favorite playlists seamlessly. However, I encountered occasional hiccups during setup and the touch screen sensitivity sometimes left something to be desired. Overall, a solid device with room for improvement.

Buyer's Guide

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None

FAQ

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1. What is a CD player with Bluetooth?

A CD player with Bluetooth is a device that can play compact discs and also connect wirelessly to other Bluetooth-enabled devices, usually for streaming audio content.

2. How does a CD player with Bluetooth work?

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A CD player with Bluetooth functions like a regular CD player, able to read and play CDs. However, it also contains a Bluetooth radio that allows it to communicate with other devices wirelessly. This means you can use the CD player as a standalone music source, or you can connect it to a smartphone or tablet to stream audio files over Bluetooth.

3. What are the advantages of using a CD player with Bluetooth?

• Allows you to use the player as a standalone music source or connect it to your phone or tablet for wireless streaming.
• Provides a more versatile listening experience, allowing you to play both physical CDs and digital audio files.
• Bluetooth enables wireless connectivity, which means no tangled cables.

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4. Can I use a CD player with Bluetooth to play MP3s?

Many CD players with Bluetooth come equipped with USB ports or SD card slots, allowing you to play MP3 files directly from a USB stick or SD card. But if you want to stream MP3s from a mobile device, you need to first ensure that the Bluetooth feature on your CD player is compatible with the Bluetooth version of your device. Not all CD players with Bluetooth are compatible with all devices.

5. How do I set up my CD player with Bluetooth?

Setting up a CD player with Bluetooth depends on the specific player. However, it generally involves the following steps:

1. Enable Bluetooth on your mobile device, if it's not already on.
2. Place your CD player and your mobile device close to each other to ensure the best possible connection.
3. Consult your CD player's user manual to find the Bluetooth pairing button or setting.
4. Press this button or enable this setting on your CD player.
5. Your CD player will now enter pairing mode. On your mobile device, look for the name of your CD player as an available Bluetooth device and select it.
6. Your CD player and your mobile device should now be connected via Bluetooth.

6. How do I troubleshoot a CD player with Bluetooth?

If your CD player with Bluetooth is not working properly, try the following troubleshooting steps:

1. Check that both your CD player and your mobile device have their Bluetooth features turned on.
2. Ensure that they are within range of each other.
3. Check that your CD player is compatible with your mobile device's Bluetooth version.
4. Ensure that your CD player is not already paired with another device. If it is, disconnect it from the other device and try to pair it with your mobile device again.
5. On some CD players, you may need to enter a specific code or passkey to pair the devices securely. Check your CD player's user manual for specific guidance.
6. If the above steps don't solve the problem, try resetting your CD player to its factory settings

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🪞
Welcome back to the Asylum write-up, where we explore the decade-long slow-motion car crash that is the Emilie Autumn fandom.
Sorry this installment took so long to upload! Just a heads-up, I may take some time to deliver the last one too – these posts take forever to format on Reddit's finicky-ass editor, and my dumb real life is currently keeping me from precious Internet time. Thank you for your patience! You have my word that everyone who pre-ordered the final installment will receive a PERSONAL, HANDWRITTEN letter autographed and illustrated by me, a list of the snacks I consumed while composing this write-up, some exclusive behind-the-scenes secrets, and a pony.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4.1 – Part 4.2 Part 5

Places, everyone This is a test Throw your stones Do your damage Your worst, and your best (...) And if I had a dollar For every time I repented the sin And commit the same crime I'd be sitting on top of the world today (“God Help Me”, 2006🎵)

Quick recap of where we left off. First, there were five to ten halcyon years of pleasant and meaningful interactions between EA and her blossoming fanbase, prominently by way of her official forum. Then, circa 2009-2010, EA's online presence shifted towards sudden anger outbursts, ban-hammering, and an increasingly top-down communication style.
This created a sort of primordial rift within the fanbase, between those who supported EA's right to speak her mind and regulate her own fan spaces however she pleased – and those who thought that her reactions were rude and inappropriate (at best), and that even fan spaces should allow for reasonable, non-abusive criticism of the artist.
Between a poorly-handled book release (see Part 3), the controversial (Part 2) or dubiously true (Part 4) contents of said book, and serious shade from various former collaborators (Part 5), more and more fans had pressing thoughts about EA's work ethic and choices. EA attempted damage control through drastic forum rules that made it virtually impossible to voice any “serious” critical opinion. It didn't work, of course: instead of squashing the mutiny, she created a schism.
Critical fans and active haters started congregating on unofficial platforms.

“WITH MUFFINS LIKE THIS, WHO NEEDS ENEMIES?”: TROLL LIKE A GIRL

So here we were, the early 2010s. The official forum (which had about 700 members in 2006, if you recall) was now thousands-strong, reaching just over 12,000 registered users in 2012 – not all of them active, but still. In terms of sheer numbers and content creation, the party was POPPIN'... but increasingly in parts of the Asylum that escaped EA's jurisdiction, such as Tumblr, where they could speak their mind freely.

You play the victim very well You've built your self-indulgent hell You wanted someone to understand you Well, be careful what you wish for, because I do (“I Know Where You Sleep”, 2006🎵)

In one wing of Asylum Tumblr, a smattering of call-out blogs emerged, which laid out EA's various lies, faux pas, shitty takes, and general deep-seated terribleness in detailed timelines and screenshots (or, short of that, long-winded bullet points). While many such blogs framed it as “serious” whistleblowing and did their best to remain as fact-based and neutral as they could, there was some genuine disgust, animosity and creepiness towards EA on that side of Tumblr; for some ex-fans, “exposing the truth” was mostly justify obsessive hatred, prying and verbal abuse. Some, for instance, felt the bizarre need to side with EA's mother in their estrangement. (One user, with the URL “emilyautumnfischkopf”, argued in a serious and down-to-earth tone - but with zero sources - that EA's upbringing had been nothing but peaceful and supportive until she ungratefully kicked her loving family to the curb for no reason at all. They were later revealed 🔍 to have an alternate handle as “eaisalyingcunt”.)
Either way, through these blogs, a number of potential drama bombs that had mostly flown under the radar were dredged up from over the years – some of which were hard to ignore, even for supportive fans. Where to begin?
There was that nonsense in-joke song, captured twice on camera during the 2009 tour (to very little outrage, at the time), crassly called “Manatee Retard”📺. Or EA's scathing response, in print, to a wheelchair user who found it insensitive that she used a bedazzled wheelchair as a prop to do sexy acrobatics on stage. (“Your offence taken at my hard-won self-acceptance proves that I indeed have something to fight against”, she wrote). Spoken word tracks where she made trivializing knock-knock jokes about serious mental illnesses she didn't have, like schizophrenia and OCD. Multiple instances of calling Britney Spears a “bimbo” and a “Hollywood fucked-up”, resentfully claiming that she only shaved her head because she was “hopped up on drugs” and certainly not because she was “bipolar”, a word the press liked to wield as an insult anyway. (“That's almost like calling someone a retard!” Yeah, heaven forbid.) The meanest, most distasteful paragraphs in the book. Basically everything problematic EA had ever said or written.📝 In retrospect, it had been a long time coming, but it was a lot to take in – and certainly more off-putting, even to less emotionally invested fans, than silly lies about her age and last name.
In another wing of Asylum Tumblr, some fans had had it up to here and just wanted to have fun. 🎵 If Plague Rats had learned one valuable lesson from EA, it was how to crack a joke in the face of absurd tragedy – and the general state of the EA fandom certainly warranted a few.
In 2012, Fight Like a Girl was released. After six long years, three of which had been peaceful, the Opheliac era was officially over. The new album and ensuing tour confirmed that the Asylum had entered a process of glamorous Broadway-style militarization. 🎵📺
The mood board was “Roman general meets Vegas showgirl meets Victorian street urchin”.🪞 The color palette was, to naysayers, “musty pink and rotten, stale piss yellow”. 🐀 The keyword was “REVENGE” (through the power of... self-expression! sorority! brutal assault with rusty medical implements!). The chorus of the title song had an intriguing run-on line about getting “revenge on the world, or at least 49% of the people in it” 🎵 – which seemed like an awful lot, and was widely interpreted (to cheers, boos, or uncomfortable sighs) as a misandrist jab at literally all men on Earth.
The show was essentially a demo version of the musical, in that the setlist vaguely reflected the order of events in the story – but prior reading was essential in order to get what the hell was going on on stage. This one Broadway reviewer had not perused the literature before seeing the show 🔍, and hated: the set, the choreography, the skits, the plot, the lyrics, the music, the concept. (Seriously, you should read the review. It's not even my show and I feel like quitting show business.)
Pre-show VIP encounters, now violin-free, were lorded over by EA's new manager🐀, whose official title was “Asylum Headmistress”. (Interesting choice – she sounds fun!) The swag bags were less substantial than before, and the “greet” part of the meet-and-greet was rarely more than a quick hug and photo op.
On Twitter, EA continued to embrace her “I am very badass” fronting attitude...

Often wonder if cyberbullies r aware they’re fucking w/ a girl who’s BFs w/ maker of the SAW films & is marrying a knife-throwing scorpion. (🐀📝)

...and her taste for needlessly inflammatory statements. About an aisle sign in a supermarket:

If this does not infuriate you, then you're a fucking potato.

(Again with the confounding crypto-ableism, EA! 🔍) She also went through a phase of raging against Lady Gaga 📝, who had stolen her idea of using a wheelchair on stage as an able-bodied woman. 🔍 That failed to convince anyone that she wasn't the histrionic diva that haters made her out to be.
Spurred on by EA's rallying cries and “us vs them” mentality, loyalists turned the white-knighting up to 11. On Twitter, some Plague Rats got into cat fights with Lady Gaga's Little Monsters (what a time to be alive). Others tried to balance out the Tumblr negativity with initiatives like “Spreading a Plague of Love” – a “positive-only” confession blog, whose extreme fangirling, comically drastic rules and hyper-defensive tone📝 did not debunk the increasingly popular notion that “true Plague Rats” were a bunch of authoritarian and hopelessly brainwashed fanatics.
EA truthers and other anti-fans started lashing out at anyone who dared express any positive opinion of EA, solidifying claims that the backlash against EA was just a conspiracy of bitter, hysterical bullies.
All this to say: every passing day brought new reasons for fans to get mad at EA and each other, and everyone in the Asylum was in need of a laugh. It's not easy having a good time.🦠
Leading up to Fight Like a Girl and in the years that followed, user-submission-based meme blogs took off, most notably “Spreading a Plague of Lulz / Troll Like a Girl”. A lot of the early submissions were absurdist humor and toothless, cheezburger-Impact memes (a style that was, oddly, already dated at the time). Those often originated in good fun, and from loyal fans, on the official forum. But there was also true snark, satirizing EA's questionable ethics, outrageous claims, and easily spoofed artistic gimmicks. A new slang of Asylumspeak emerged: Glittertits (slight NSFW), GAGA!!, EA Gusta and all its memeface variants, Get outta mah house!, Are You Suffering?, Fight Like A Goat, [Random celebrity] copied EA (a subgenre in its own right), ...
Most of the “trolling” was directed at unrepentant bootlickers and, to a lesser extent, red-in-the-face haters and creeps. Meme blogs would post joke comments under “serious” or gushing submissions on Wayward Victorian Confessions, and taunt loyalist accounts by tagging them in their posts. When a few people complained on WVC that almost all of the Bloody Crumpets to date had been thin white able-bodied women, and a few fans responded by sharing their dream-casts for a more diverse line-up, the blog was flooded for days with confessions that “X should be a Crumpet” (candidates included RuPaul, Mitt Romney, Nicki Minaj, EA's therapist, and the WVC admins). Farcical shenanigans like that.
Ah, but some people will always cross the line, won't they. EA threads popped up on merciless, bully-friendly snark platforms like Lolcow, Pretty Ugly Little Liar, and Encyclopedia Dramatica. Snarkers with a mean streak and obsessive haters mingled in some of the more aggressive, 4-chan-spirited retaliation against EA – which would be called “brigading” in modern parlance. This included flooding EA's Goodreads page with one-star reviews (see part 4), repeatedly editing her Wikipedia page to include her legal name and birth year, and ensuring that Googling said name would bring up current pictures of her.
All of this compounded agitation fragmented the once-united fandom beyond recognition.🦠 Through substantial disagreements among fans, personal bickerings, layers upon layers of inscrutable in-jokes, and cross-platform telephone games, the Asylum morphed into a booby-trapped Escher room.
Satire blogs were taken in earnest. Earnest fan blogs scanned as satire. Memes would get called out as abuse. Appreciation without attached criticism would get mocked as bootlicking. Obvious jokes made by EA would be taken at face value. One divisive confession could trigger days and days of debate, to the point that WVC eventually banned confessions in response to other confessions. New waves of infighting created a confusing web of rival sub-factions🐀, each accusing the others of being toxic, cliquish, and delusional.
The shared fantasy was broken, the collective vision had crumbled, no onez was speaking the same language anymore. Fans would jump down the throat of other fans who held almost identical views about EA, except for that one thing she said or did that one time. Everyone had differing thoughts on what should or shouldn't acceptable to discuss, question, excuse, make fun of.
War is hell.

SCORCHED EARTH SHENANIGANS: HONEY, I SHRUNK THE ASYLUM

Would you tear my castle down Stone by stone And let the wind run through my windows Till there was nothing left But a battered rose? (“Castle Down”, 2003🎵)

Haters vs sycophants is not really the kind of conflict where one side can come out on top (if you're participating, you've already lost). But in the long tug-of-war between “grassroots” and “EA-sponsored” fan spaces, the ultimate winner is obvious – in that the former is gasping in agony, a shriveled husk of its former glory, while the latter... is non-existent. This is due in no small part to EA's tendency, like the Czars of old, to settle conflicts by setting Moscow on fire.🔍)
That's not entirely fair: unlike EA, the czar only did it that once.
By early 2013, as EA was gearing up for her third Fight Like a Girl tour at the end of the year, the official forum was... not as lively as it once had been. Not just because of the stifling rules and disgruntlement towards EA, or because EA herself hadn't really posted anything on there in years; the Internet was also changing, and forums in general were fast becoming passé.
This made it difficult for EA to create a safe space where she could talk to fans, and fans could talk to and about her, in a way she deemed suitable (ie, a space she could gate-keep and regulate enough to keep it completely free from negative criticism). Social media was a minefield; she still posted regularly, but didn't interact very much. So EA and the Headmistress came up with a way to filter out the unbelievers: an official fan club📝, aptly called the “Asylum Army”, with a $100 entry price.
Joining the AA came with a dog tag, a sew-on patch, and a lifetime membership certificate signed by EA and – for some reason – the Headmistress. (Unlike EA's best friend and sound engineer back in the forum's heyday, I don't think fans ever really embraced the FLAG-era manager as part of the Asylum in-group. She came across more as a coordinator / businessperson / adult chaperone, at best.🐀) So, slightly better goodies than you'd get by joining the other AA 🔍 ... but not by much. The main appeal was that members would have access to exclusive content, special merch, giveaways, early bird tickets for future shows, and regular video chats with EA.
The concept itself drew a fair amount of criticism, as you can imagine. Between the name🐀, the price, and the inherent gatekeeping of a pay-to-join fanclub, many balked at the monetizing of a concept that had once (like, three years back) been significantly more DIY, grassroots, and inclusive. 📝🐀
Then again, many also longed for a positive, drama-free space where fans could just be fans. And while the creation of the AA was generally recognized as a quick cashgrab, a lot of people were surprisingly cool with it. EA was trying to finance her dream musical, after all – although a number of fans wished she had gone about raising funds in a less sketchy way.
So around 400 fans shelled out (which, according to the Headmistress📝, “basically cover[ed] the cost of running the fanclub itself – keeping the database up, website, etc.”). Enough for a close-knit, but sizable community. But already, there was a conflict of interest: a high fanclub entry fee essentially demands that you pledge loyalty to the artist over loyalty to your fellow fans, who wish to join but can't afford to. Sharing, caring, and ensuring no one felt left out were some of the more positive values cultivated in the fandom... but leaking exclusive content would surely piss off other paying members🐀, and make EA feel betrayed all over again. (And she had barely just started to mellow out on social media!)
...But then again, this is the internet. After the first month of secret AA drops (lyric sheets, some photoshoot outtakes – nothing too juicy, really), there were, yes, some leaks. EA was predictably miffed, and retaliated by... ghosting the fanclub for weeks at a time in its first few months of existence (great look!). She eventually found the “solution” to her problem, by providing something you couldn't right-click-save (and which had been part of the promised perks to begin with): live interaction.
Over webcam, she was her usual in-person bubbly, charming, funny self. Everyone seemingly had a good time during the fanclub video chat, and this gave people faith and hope.
There were a few more events, giveaways, etc. As promised, ahead of the fall 2013 tour (the last one to date, it would turn out), AA members got priority access to show tickets and VIP bundles. The latter were much pricier than before, and only included soundcheck, a photo-op, and three goodies: a tin of loose-leaf tea, a signed printer-paper setlist, and a small flag that said “F.L.A.G.”.🔍 Some stuff continued to leak – but, as some of the outlaws pointed out (scroll down to the Disqus comments), they were mostly relaying information that was relevant to the entire fanbase, such as updates about ongoing projects (the dragged-out recording of the audiobook, for one).
In early 2014, lifetime memberships were closed, and replaced with monthly, quarterly and yearly subscription tiers. Bizarrely, you ended up paying $3 more per month if you bought a $99 yearly subscription📝 – but it did include the patch, dog tag, and piece of paper!

Sometimes I kind of want to be part of the cool kids and register to the Asylum Army. Then I remember how it came about, what you could get for the same price a couple years ago, how the whole thing was and is handled, and that I won’t support any of this bullshit. (And then I roll around naked in all the money I’m saving.) (🐀)

Still, a number of fans rejoiced at the affordable monthly option, and joined – if not for the exclusive content and merch (which were... okay, but not much to write home about), then for the friendly, drama-free exchanges with an artist they actually did love, in spite of all the frustration.
For the still-too-poor or still-undecided, there was always the forum! It wasn't as active as it used to be, but a few die-hards still managed to keep the lights on... until, inevitably, Someone Did Something and Ruined Everything. (Once again: EA's wrath is spectacular, but rarely completely unprovoked.) The incident features one notable figure in the Asylum community. Let's call him the Collector.
OK, so maybe you remember the meme I linked to in Part 4, with Christian Grey and the ginormous EA hoard. Well, that's the Collector's collection. The “Violin” promo that I called the "Holy Grail of the fandom" in the same paragraph? Also his. The handwritten lyrics that went for $940? Guess who won that auction. Over the years, the Collector had probably spent five figures on EA merch and shows, and although that fact was a little unsettling, he was a very active, easy-going, and generally well-liked fixture of the fandom.
One day in 2012, shortly after the Headmistress had replaced EA's old Chicago BFF as main forum admin, the Collector's account got banned or restricted over something dumb. When the ban wasn't lifted as quickly as he hoped, he took it... the way one takes things when one is unhealthily invested: he started spamming Headmistress and the mod team with increasingly rambling and abusive emails (lost to time, probably for the best). When that didn't work quickly enough, he tried a different route.
One of the many auctions that the Collector had won, some years prior, was EA's old iPod Touch📝 – which contained all of her favorite tunes and, buried somewhere in the data cache... a phone number. Which the Collector tried calling. And wouldn't you know it: EA picked up. She congratulated him on his sleuthing skills, listened patiently as he made his case, apologized for any distress caused by the unfair account restriction, and then they got married.
Kidding! She freaked the fuck out, hung up, and banned him for life from the forum and all EA shows and events.
After his ban, the Collector allegedly still tried to attend at least one VIP pre-show (one source in the comments says he was allowed to buy some merch, refunded for his ticket, and escorted out). He joined the Reform forum to bitch about EA and try to rally people to his cause, possibly made revenge posts about her on darker snark forums, and continued to hound the Asylum mod team. So in June 2014, EA came up with a radical and unexpected fix to the Collector problem.

The official Asylum Fan Forum has been shut down permanently. I have personally paid thousands of dollars each year to keep the forum safe and secure for you ... Unfortunately, the forum has not been kept safe and secure for me, a truth which disappoints me greatly, instead becoming a place where people who have physically threatened myself and my staff prey upon forum members, pressuring them to contact me and my staff on their behalf. If the gullible wish to humor my stalkers (who live in their parent’s basement at age 30 something) and thus put me in danger, they may do it on their own dime. They may also fuck off, because stupidity can kill, and I won’t be your victim. To those who enjoyed the forum, you know who to thank for its closure. (“On the closing of the Asylum Forum”)

Voilà! This is how a decade-long archive of shared history ends: not with a bang, but with a dirty delete and a sod-off communiqué.
The obliteration of the forum took everyone by surprise...

I was actually on the forum when it was taken down. I was navigating between posts and when I went to click on a different board, an error message came up. I honestly cried a little, I'm not ashamed to say. (WVC admin on Reddit, 2024)

...and I do mean everyone:

Chicago BFF / ex-admin, the next morning: Whoa, EA forum shut down? Ex-mod: It turns out that if someone spends enough years actively “waging war” to destroy what they can’t have, eventually they’ll be successful. * eye roll * Not even mods got prior warning. Just all the sudden, poof, gone. BFF: Really? She did not let the moderators know?! This is sounding worse and worse. Uggh. I’m so sorry. Such a loss. (...) Ok, threats are serious, but why not just put it in archive mode so no one can post? (...) Sad. I shall light a candle in the forum's honor. (Facebook posts; scroll down for screenshots)

It was a gut punch, especially for people who had poured countless hours into the community, or could have used some prior warning to save years of their own writing from the role-playing threads. One last chance to take a look around the place that had meant so much to so many.

From the wording of the announcement of closing the forum and a number of other things, it sometimes seems like EA doesn't like her fans much. :/ (🐀)

Three months after the forum was nuked, Battered Rose (a venerable EA fansite, which had been around since the Enchant era and had one of the most complete EA galleries online) announced that it was shutting down too.📝 The admin, who had also been a long-time forum mod, cited a lack of “time, energy, passion, or money” to keep the website going... and being upset at the sudden disappearance of the forum. It was, truly, the end of an era for the Asylum.
...Well, no point in living in the past. For those who could afford it, and still wanted to talk to/about EA after that (not everyone did 🐀), there was always the Asylum Army fanclub!
Over the summer of 2014, EA held regular live chats and Q&A's, and... many attendees really enjoyed them, and thought the AA was well worth the money after all. She also quietly parted ways with the much poo-pooed Headmistress around that time.

Just spent over 4 hours giggling, drinking tea and playing guessing games in chat with EA and other Asylum Army members ... No griping, no downers, just lots of fun. I think I like the way the ‘new fandom’ is going and now I’m really glad I finally decided to join the Army. (September 4, 2014🐀; Battered Rose had closed the day before)

The forum was lost forever, but perhaps that was a chance for a fresh start. Could this fanclub thing really be the Asylum Renaissance that fans had been longing for?

...I have come today to a very difficult but necessary decision, and that is to discontinue the Emilie Autumn Official Fanclub. The site itself, and the community chatroom, will remain open to you indefinitely, but I will no longer be making updates to the site. (Newsletter, September 8, 2014📝)

...Never mind, then.
Turns out the fanclub had been the Headmistress' idea all along. EA had been reluctant from the start, and although she really enjoyed the live chats with a safe community of people “who are there for the right reasons”, she couldn't overcome her fundamental discomfort with the concept. Lifetime and regular members would receive a bunch of digital downloads and a -35% coupon on the Asylum Emporium for their troubles. EA said she would definitely pop back once in a while for live chats, for free, just for fun, but to my knowledge, she never did.
And so the most devoted fans were left standing in the rain...

She is happy, she made it. She is fulfilling her dreams, found love and happiness after all the pain. I understand that she now doesn’t need “us” anymore ... That doesn’t change the fact she broke my heart with taking the Asylum Army and the forum from me. Yet, I am happy for her. (🐀)

...while naysayers pointed and laughed, Nelson-style.🦠

I don’t feel sorry at all for the people that paid for the Asylum Army fan club. Most of them knew that EA is an atrocious business woman and has broken many promises before. In fact, I laugh at them. They seriously thought that EA would actually stay consistent with this? (🐀)

EVERYTHING MUST GO: THE ASYLUM WHOLESALE

EA fans were left without an “official” home for about three years. This gave them plenty of time to be annoyed at EA for: not releasing the audiobook on time, not materializing any new project for a while... and the new sin of peddling random, ridiculously marked-up AliBaba jewelry as “merch” on her official store. Think faux-antique cameo pendants and $30 Big Ben rings (...because the Asylum story is set in London, get it?).

The whole accessories section looks like a tacky overpriced English souvenir shop. (🐀)

The fanbase lost a lost of steam in those in-between years, because there wasn't much to stick around for. As evidenced by the positive reception of the AA live chats, even in the midst of unresolved drama, out-loud interactions in a friendly environment have always been EA's saving grace. Considering the amount of online hate, there are shockingly few accounts of bad IRL encounters with EA: most people say that in live conversation, she comes across as a fun, warm, and genuinely sweet person. Some report that their negative opinion shifted after meeting her.
But there were no chats or live shows anymore. There was only social media, where she ignored questions and vague-posted about overdue projects – and the newsletter📝, which was all saccharine love-bombing to promote bland dropshipped trinkets. For fans who remembered the handcrafted merch (and two-way communication) of the early years, it was a bitter pill to swallow.

CONTINUED IN COMMENTS

​

The post is intended mainly for A6 (iPhone 5c) users, but I hope it may help many new users :)

Coolbooter 1.6

Basically, if something doesn’t work out for you, try downgrade to older versions, there seem to be no concrete solutions to the problems. Remember that you won’t be able to do this on an 8GB device.
- stuck at disk partition
You can try older versions of Cooboolter it maybe can help you. if you using kok3shiX, turn on the toggles "enable legacy patches" and "destroy sandbox containers" or just use h3lix jailbreak.
- stuck at [cb] loaded
Try older version and make sure you don't have a passcode.
- stuck at activation screen
As I understand you should use older version and try many times :,)

Coolbooter 1.5/1.4.1/Older

You can get the same error or cydia dead which is very difficult to fix if you are not an expert in this. You can try Coolbooter CLI using macos or whitererminal tweak :D maybe it’ll help you.
- task\_for\_pid error - re-jailbroke with h3lix instead of kok3shiX
- stuck at disk partition - give up or try coolboter cli

Coolbooter CLI

How to use Coolbooter CLI with Whiteterminal ?
All you need is install these two tweaks and enter the commands below in whiteterminal

1. su - (gives root)
2. alpine
3. coolbootercli 8.4.1 --datasize 8GB -use-dpw (8.4.1 - version you want, 8GB - space for OS)
4. Then open Coolbooter app and press Boot

If nothing works out for you, first try downgrade the tweak, also as I know iPhone 3Gs/4S(2014) don't work. Supported devices at the bottom.
- You don't have enough space error (there is enough) - try to downgrade Cydia Substrate tweak

Coolbooter repo not working?

1. Visit this link in safari on your iDevice.
2. Press "ISRG Root X1 CA (Let's Encrypt)"
3. The website will take you to settings. Install the profile.
4. Try to add Coolbooter repo again!

I advise everyone who has iOS below 10 to do this, it will allow many things to work a little better in Safari etc
Thx u/The_Lego_Maniac
Supported Coolbooter devices:
iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad Mini 1G, and iPod Touch 5G.

N1ghtshade

1. Using your Mac, download V1.0 and Release Candidate 3 of N1ghtshade.
2. Download IPSW file, you can choose any version of iOS for your iDevice
3. Open N1ghtshade V1.0, select Other and open Restore menu.
4. Connect your iDevice and press Power + Home button for 10 seconds, release the Power button and keep holding the Home button 10 seconds to enable DFU mode.
5. Select your IPSW file in Restore menu and wait until it's done.
6. Open N1ghtshade Release Candidate 3, select Other and then open Jailbreak menu. You need to enable DFU mode again (point 4).
7. Back to N1ghtshade V1.0 and select Boot Tethered, enable DFU mode and wait until it's done.
8. On your iDevice, open the Nightshade app and install Cydia, then Boot Tethered again.

Be careful when installing the App Admin/App sync tweaks on iOS 7/8, half of your apps may be deleted

Legacy_IOS_Kit (tethered)

1. Download version of LiK for your Mac (LiK - Legacy_IOS_Kit im just lazy)
   
2. Open LiK Folder and run restore.sh file via terminal (tip: mark "always open with" option)
   
3. Select Restore/Downgrade (type 1 in terminal), then Other (Tethered) (type 4).
   
4. Select Target IPSW which you have download here, you can choose any version of iOS for your iDevice
   
5. Start operation, for the 1st question type n (don't jailbreak now) and then spam Enter.
   
6. Run restore.sh again, select Jailbreak Device and spam Enter button for all questions until its done.
   
7. Run restore.sh again :D and select Other Utilities (5), then Just Boot (6), spam Enter.
   
8. Congratulations, you did it !
   

In this case, App Sync tweak works, I just checked. if you are an iPhone 5c user like me and you need this tweak I recommend this method, if you are a simple user n1ghtshade will be more convenient for you guys. All other A5 and A6 users are better downgrade untethered ofc. As I know for iPhone 5 my favourite iOS 8.4.1 your choice.

By OP

This guide kinda small and many people already know everything, but for new users I hope that it'll be useful. Write comments and I will gradually update post :)
Thanks to my beloved iPhone 5c, on which nothing works or installs and there are only errors around, I suffered a lot and I wanna save you from this dhaha, the hero of the occasion is the white and blue iPhone 5c, thank him, but after all its still my favourite iPhone. I strongly don’t recommend use Coolbooter on this device, it often completely refuses to work on many models. Tested on iPhone 5C 32GB (Global) and iPhone 5C 16GB (Global), both iOS 10.3.3. I recommend using n1ghtshade instead.

After a few frustrating weeks of trying to upgrade my Creative Zen Micro to 128gb, I finally succeeded on upgrading it. Here is a step by step.

With a Virtual Machine

Given that the software part can get very frustrating, I suggest that you first focus on creating a working environment based on your stock mp3 player. This will limit the number of things that can go wrong.
This was tested on a Windows 11 machine (called Host from now on).
Download Virtualbox. Use your own Windows XP SP2 image or find one (google: archive + WinXPProSP2ENG). Download the Windows Media Player 10 updater from here Download the Creative Zen Micro drivers and upgraders from here
Install Virtualbox. Install Windows XP on Virtualbox - this can be a big step if you don't have much experience in this field, but there are plenty of tutorials on how to do it - check the references below.
Now that you have your Windows XP VM (called Guest from now on) up and running, go to the Devices tab on the top of your screen and click on "Insert guest additions CD...". This will insert a virtual CD containing some Virtualbox drivers and you'll get a pop up on your Guest machine. Install them and reboot your machine.
Turn off your Guest machine.
Connect the Zen Micro to your Host machine. Your Host machine should recognize the player with no trouble.
In Virtualbox, click on your VM machine and go to settings > USB > USB2.0 > click on the 'plus' sign and add your device there. The name should be "Creative...".
Now, in the same settings menu, go to the tab "shared folders" and click on "add". Now, choose the folder you want to share between the Host and the Guest machines. Give it a name and a mount point. I picked "sharewithxp" for all the fields, including the name of the directory on Host. Check 'auto-mount' and 'make permanent' (if it exists).
On your Host machine, copy the files MP10Setup.exe, ZenMicroPDE_PCFW_LB_1_11_01.exe and JB3MV2_PCWDRV_US_2_01_00.EXE to the shared directory you just created. Also copy MP10Setup.exe.
Turn on your Guest machine and go to "My Computer". You should see your shared folder in there. Copy all the files from there to your Guest's desktop.
Install MP10Setup.exe - this upgrades the Windows Media Player from 9 to 10. By experience, Windows Media Player 11 was problematic and apparently 9 isn't ok either. Stick to WMP 10. This was key for me. It really didn't work without WMP10.
Install JB3MV2_PCWDRV_US_2_01_00.EXE - these are the drivers for the Zen Micro.
Disconnect your Zen Micro from your computer. Connect it again. Go to devices > usb on the top menu and make sure your device is selected.
Execute ZenMicroPDE_PCFW_LB_1_11_01.exe If everything went according to plan you should now see an "Upgrade" button. If you see said button - congratulations because this was the most painful part of the process. I realized that when the device is correctly loaded, the executable won't open right away - It takes a few seconds. If the device wasn't fully recognized, you'll see a message saying "Your player is not connected, please connect your player".
(If you got the dreadful second message and no "upgrade" button, try to reboot your Guest machine. Disconnect and connect your player again. Make sure it appears on the devices menu.)
Now that you have a working environment, let's move to the fun part.
Format your micro sd card (fat32 if I'm not mistaken) - I used a Sandisk Extreme 128gb (the golden ones) and it worked fine. Insert the micro sd on your CF-to-SD adapter. I got the the only adapter I could find (red one).
Disassemble your Zen Micro - there are tutorials and videos around that show you how to do it better than I possible could - check the references below.
Remove the CF card from the mp3 player and insert the adapter. Pay attention to the position of the old CF card. CF cards don’t have a big distinguishable difference on one side like sd cards do. It's really easy to get mistaken and connect it on the wrong side. The only differences are the slots/openings on both sides of the CF card/adapter - one is larger than the other. When the adapter is connected and in place, its label should be visible (pointing upwards). Take a picture of the original CF card if needed or check the video in the references below.
Assemble everything back but do not insert the battery right away.
Toggle the power button to the left and hold it that position. Insert the battery. You should now be in recovery mode. Navigate to "format all" and click ok. Navigate to "reboot" and click ok.
Connect your player to the computer and, in the Guest machine, make sure it is selected on the devices > usb menu.
Open ZenMicroPDE_PCFW_LB_1_11_01.exe If everything went according to plan, the upgrade button should now be visible. Click. Wait. Enjoy.
[I also tried upgrading to ZenMicroP4S_PCFW_L16_2_21_02.exe and it worked just fine. However, I realized the player needs to reboot 2-3 times and when it did, it lost connection with the machine, so I had to disconnect the cable and connect it back again and it was picked up. If it doesn't, check if it is still selected on the devices>usb menu and try again.]
PS: Inside the Creative Zen Micro link, there are also 2 older drivers in there - I didn't test them.
References: https://www.reddit.com/ipod/comments/18e1698/creative_zen_micro_upgraded_from_5gb_hdd_to_a/ https://www.instructables.com/Upgrade-the-Zen-Micro-5gb-to-8gb-on-the-Cheap/ www.youtube.com/watch?v=VERkcCTJFyI https://www.intowindows.com/how-to-boot-and-install-from-iso-in-virtualbox/

Without a VM (native Windows XP running on a modern computer)

^Soon.

I know this is an iPod subreddit, but it's the most active subreddit dedicated to mp3 players (I think). I know there are some fans of these players around here but let me know if you want this gone though.
After a few frustrating weeks of trying to upgrade my Creative Zen Micro to 128gb, I finally succeeded on upgrading it. Here is a step by step.

With a Virtual Machine

Given that the software part can get very frustrating, I suggest that you first focus on creating a working environment based on your stock mp3 player. This will limit the number of things that can go wrong.
This was tested on a Windows 11 machine (called Host from now on).
Download Virtualbox. Use your own Windows XP SP2 image or find one (google: archive + WinXPProSP2ENG). Download the Windows Media Player 10 updater from here Download the Creative Zen Micro drivers and upgraders from here
Install Virtualbox. Install Windows XP on Virtualbox - this can be a big step if you don't have much experience in this field, but there are plenty of tutorials on how to do it - check the references below.
Now that you have your Windows XP VM (called Guest from now on) up and running, go to the Devices tab on the top of your screen and click on "Insert guest additions CD...". This will insert a virtual CD containing some Virtualbox drivers and you'll get a pop up on your Guest machine. Install them and reboot your machine.
Turn off your Guest machine.
Connect the Zen Micro to your Host machine. Your Host machine should recognize the player with no trouble.
In Virtualbox, click on your VM machine and go to settings > USB > USB2.0 > click on the 'plus' sign and add your device there. The name should be "Creative...".
Now, in the same settings menu, go to the tab "shared folders" and click on "add". Now, choose the folder you want to share between the Host and the Guest machines. Give it a name and a mount point. I picked "sharewithxp" for all the fields, including the name of the directory on Host. Check 'auto-mount' and 'make permanent' (if it exists).
On your Host machine, copy the files MP10Setup.exe, ZenMicroPDE_PCFW_LB_1_11_01.exe and JB3MV2_PCWDRV_US_2_01_00.EXE to the shared directory you just created. Also copy MP10Setup.exe.
Turn on your Guest machine and go to "My Computer". You should see your shared folder in there. Copy all the files from there to your Guest's desktop.
Install MP10Setup.exe - this upgrades the Windows Media Player from 9 to 10. By experience, Windows Media Player 11 was problematic and apparently 9 isn't ok either. Stick to WMP 10. This was key for me. It really didn't work without WMP10.
Install JB3MV2_PCWDRV_US_2_01_00.EXE - these are the drivers for the Zen Micro.
Disconnect your Zen Micro from your computer. Connect it again. Go to devices > usb on the top menu and make sure your device is selected.
Execute ZenMicroPDE_PCFW_LB_1_11_01.exe If everything went according to plan you should now see an "Upgrade" button. If you see said button - congratulations because this was the most painful part of the process. I realized that when the device is correctly loaded, the executable won't open right away - It takes a few seconds. If the device wasn't fully recognized, you'll see a message saying "Your player is not connected, please connect your player".
(If you got the dreadful second message and no "upgrade" button, try to reboot your Guest machine. Disconnect and connect your player again. Make sure it appears on the devices menu.)
Now that you have a working environment, let's move to the fun part.
Format your micro sd card (fat32 if I'm not mistaken) - I used a Sandisk Extreme 128gb (the golden ones) and it worked fine. Insert the micro sd on your CF-to-SD adapter. I got the the only adapter I could find (red one).
Disassemble your Zen Micro - there are tutorials and videos around that show you how to do it better than I possible could - check the references below.
Remove the CF card from the mp3 player and insert the adapter. Pay attention to the position of the old CF card. CF cards don’t have a big distinguishable difference on one side like sd cards do. It's really easy to get mistaken and connect it on the wrong side. The only differences are the slots/openings on both sides of the CF card/adapter - one is larger than the other. When the adapter is connected and in place, its label should be visible (pointing upwards). Take a picture of the original CF card if needed or check the video in the references below.
Assemble everything back but do not insert the battery right away.
Toggle the power button to the left and hold it that position. Insert the battery. You should now be in recovery mode. Navigate to "format all" and click ok. Navigate to "reboot" and click ok.
Connect your player to the computer and, in the Guest machine, make sure it is selected on the devices > usb menu.
Open ZenMicroPDE_PCFW_LB_1_11_01.exe If everything went according to plan, the upgrade button should now be visible. Click. Wait. Enjoy.
[I also tried upgrading to ZenMicroP4S_PCFW_L16_2_21_02.exe and it worked just fine. However, I realized the player needs to reboot 2-3 times and when it did, it lost connection with the machine, so I had to disconnect the cable and connect it back again and it was picked up. If it doesn't, check if it is still selected on the devices>usb menu and try again.]
PS: Inside the Creative Zen Micro link, there are also 2 older drivers in there - I didn't test them.
References: https://www.reddit.com/ipod/comments/18e1698/creative_zen_micro_upgraded_from_5gb_hdd_to_a/ https://www.instructables.com/Upgrade-the-Zen-Micro-5gb-to-8gb-on-the-Cheap/ www.youtube.com/watch?v=VERkcCTJFyI https://www.intowindows.com/how-to-boot-and-install-from-iso-in-virtualbox/

Without a VM (native Windows XP running on a modern computer)

^Soon.

Husband and I are 29 years old. Together for 15 years married for 4.
We have 3 kids, 8, 5, and 1.This is mostly regarding our oldest, who is 8.
So he’s not the best with teachers and likes to belittle them I think. Like our son brought his iPod to school (my old iPhone without service) and the teacher took it and had us pick it up and he told the teacher “dont take his phone, it’s not yours to take. Ask him to put it away and if it’s really an issue you can call me or his mother and we’ll deal with it but don’t take my things from my son” and then they argued a bit and finally she agreed if it happened again she’ll call his parents.
Then recently he got in trouble in class for disrupting the class (he threw a paper ball at another kid and then got a detention) and we weren’t informed. So when my husband and I went to pick him up the teacher said we had to wait 20 minutes because he’s in detention and he said “uh, yeah no I’m just gonna pick him up now” and she said “you’re more than welcome to after his detention” and he said “who do you think you are telling me when and were I pick up my son?” And i apologized on his behalf and told him to knock it off and he said “no, do I tell you what to teach? No. So how about you be the teacher and I’ll be the parent. You can teach him math and English and I’ll discipline him.” And she said it’s school policy and he was in there with another kid so husband just walked into the classroom and said “hey buddy, let’s go” and son said “I can’t” and he said “you’re going to serve your detention at home” and we left and the teacher just smiled and was clearly pissed.
To be completely fair, he was in trouble at home. Husband told him he needs to show his teacher respect and we took away his iPod and Xbox for the evening, and then we had him apologize to her the next morning.
On top of that, he doesn’t set a great example. He acts like a kid. I thought it was cute and funny when we were like 15 but now it’s worrisome because our kids are watching.
We were back to school shopping at the Nike store and there was a football and he looked at our son and said “hey buddy watch this” and threw it at a manican and the store worker said he had to go and he said “haha…yeah no I’m gonna stay” and I was so angry and embarrassed I just left and apologized to the worker.
Another time we were at lunch and there was a guy across the restaurant wearing a rather interesting outfit and he looked at our son and pointed to the guy and said “look at that dumbass over there. I bet he ordered a blt or some gay ass shit like that” annd they both laughed and I said “seriously??” And he shrugged and said “he probably did” and when we got home I told him how completely inappropriate that was.
And then on Saturday morning our son was playing madden on his Xbox with someone online (a random match) and he was losing so husband took over and started winning and the guy threw an interception so husband said on the mic “nice throw, f_ggot” and then won the game and called the guy a loser.
Normally I wouldn’t care, because that’s kinda what you need to expect when playing a game online, but saying those things in front of our son really upset me and I told him again in private I’m NOT ok with that.
I’m glad our son looks up to dad that much, and aside from being a little immature he’s an amazing dad and husband, but this kind of stuff really upsets me.

A month or so ago I busted my phone, and it was a huge pain in the ass. Aside from some lost data which was minor, the biggest PIA was resetting MFA, getting in touch with my US banks, and any other services that were tied to my phone. The experience also made me take a step back and realize I am pretty lax with security, and if someone had gotten hold of my phone and somehow god-forbid gotten the passcode, then I'd be fucked. They could do so much damage with unlimited access to my email + MFA SMS, even in just a few hours.
As a result, I kind of went down the ADHD rabbit hole hyper-fixating on how best to "optimize" my iPhone and iCloud configuration for two things:

1. If it breaks, the transition to a new device will be relatively painless. I won't have to spend several days stressing and trying to find the right international customer support number for a myriad of institutions and services to get into my accounts.
   
2. If it gets stolen and compromised, then there will be enough barriers such that the I'll have enough time to lock down the device and/or my accounts remotely before the thief can get key data or move funds.
   

So I put together this guide and checklist that I thought I'd share with others. I am a programmer but by no means a security guru, and so if any IT, DevOps, or SecOps folks want to chime-in with suggestions or improvements, please do.

Requirements

• an iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone SE (2nd generation), and iPhone 14 or newer for eSIM compatibility.
• a US-based carrier with eSIM support + a pay-as-you-go model for international travel (I use Verizon)
• iOS 17 or above (may not be strictly necessary, but I know my setup works with iOS 17.4.1)
• a password manager. I personally use 1Password because it works, is reliable, has cross-device support, and is easy and intuitive. It's also only $3/month.

Dual Sim Setup

I have been rocking an iPhone 12 for the past few years, and it's served me very well. I know the newer iPhones (14 and up) no longer offer physical SIM card support, but carriers in most developing countries are behind the curve. Even if they offer eSIM support, it's been my experience that it's a major headache to get setup, there is a lack of customer support in English, and they may even require a local ID to register the eSIM. It's way easier to just head to a shop and pay $5 for a SIM card, load some funds onto it, and then you're good to go.
The eSIM has been very helpful for maintaining a US phone number for which I can receive SMS texts from my banks and other financial services as well as continue to use iMessage with all my US contacts since hardly anybody is on Whatsapp.
Most, if not all, carriers in the US support eSIMs now, and so you should try to find a carrier that offers an international pay-as-you-go plan. Verizon offers two international plans - one is a "Travel Pass" where it's a flat fee of $10/day anywhere outside the US or Canada (even for just one text message). The other is "pay for what you use" which has a rate per text, minute, and mb. For my US plan, I only care about receiving SMS texts from my banks and the occasional phone call to a service that doesn't have an international, toll-free number. Data will always be cheaper outside the US, so I disable cellular data switching for my US line.
The last time I was in the US was for the holidays and I bought 2 used iPhone 12's for about $200 each. They have some scuffs, but they're perfectly serviceable. In LATAM, it also doesn't attract nearly as much unwanted attention in the street as an iPhone 14 or 15.
I brought these with me as extra devices. When my phone busted last month, thankfully I had a backup in iCloud and everything was loaded in a few minutes as normal. This was before I was using the eSIM, but if I had the eSIM I could just go to Verizon support online via chat and they could help me switch the line to the new device easily.

Basic Configurations

• Always use the latest version of firmware
• Require a passcode that's unique to that device.
• Use FaceID instead of passcode when possible (a thief can't snipe your passcode from a distance if you unlock your phone with FaceID)
• Set auto-lock to 30 seconds (lowest possible)
• Erase data upon excessive passcode failures note, this is complemented in a later step with daily backups. The odds of you putting in the wrong passcode 10 times is low, but in the event you do and you wipe the device by accident, you should be able to easily load in a back-up from the previous day)
• Turn off "Ask to Join Networks"
• Forget unused networks so that you don't rejoin automatically (airports, hotels, etc.)

Creating Backups

• Set iCloud backups to run automatically every night. This will allow you to load your entire phone as is (contacts, call history, iMessages, apps, even your wallpaper) onto another device during setup. The iCloud backup usually runs at 2am while I'm sleeping.
• You may need to pay for a higher tier in iCloud if you have too much stored on your phone. It's $3/month for 200gb of iCloud storage, and I find it worth it. Though I know some people with tens of thousands of photos for which 200gb might not be enough.

Password Policy

• For any accounts that may contain sensitive data (payments, PII, etc), always generate a unique password with 1Password. Don't reuse passwords. Same goes for PIN codes.
• For core accounts, create a strong but memorable password and then memorize it. The odds of getting locked out of 1Password are low if you're diligent, but for 2 or 3 core accounts (where you access money, your primary recovery email, your iCloud, 1Password), it's worth it to create strong, unique passwords for each core service and memorize them.
• I try not to reuse passwords in general, but I still sometimes am lazy and use one of my handful of typical passwords if there's no sensitive data collected by the service and it's a service I don't use often.

MFA

Set up MFA with everything. Add multiple options if possible. My preferred MFA options are as follows:

1. One-time code that renews every 30 seconds. This is device agnostic and can be stored in 1Password. You could also use Microsoft Authenticator, Google Authenticator, Authy or similar, but there's just more overhead to now recover those accounts if your device becomes inaccessible.
2. One-time code to recovery email.
3. One-time code via SMS to my US phone number. On the pay-as-you-go Verizon plan, I only pay 5 cents per text message received. It's worth it to keep one consistent number.
4. List of recovery codes (stored in 1Password as an attached txt file for the given account)
5. Use another app for verification (Google does this a lot).

Lockdown your iCloud security

• Enable MFA.
• Create a strong, unique password.
• Remove any old or unused devices from the iCloud account (old phones, ipods, etc).
• Enable "Find My" for all of your devices.
• In Find My, configure all devices to send the last known location.
• In Find My, enable the configuration to remotely wipe a device.

In the event your phone is stolen, the idea is you could run back to any of your devices or even use a friend's device to log into iCloud on the web, go to Find My, and then in a single button click you can lock and wipe the stolen device. If the thief turned off the device or disabled wifi/cellular, then as soon as it comes back online it will be wiped.

Final Clean-Up

• Move any compromising photos to the "hidden" folder (which requires FaceID or passcode to unlock)
• Review the Files app for any documents containing sensitive info. If you need these documents to be accessible on mobile, then move them to 1Password and delete them from the Files app.
• Create a shortcut to trigger the lock screen (and thus require FaceID or passcode) when specific apps are opened (banking, email, photos, etc).
• Not sure if this is best practice, but I just keep everything in 1P and turn off apple keychain and the apple built-in password manager. I also don't save passwords in Chrome or Safari.

Extra tips

These aren't really iPhone tips but general tips. They are probably obvious to you if you aren't as scatterbrained as me, but I figured that I'd drop them here in case they help someone.

• Add thorough security measures to iCloud, primary email, and any banking or financial services. Review each account and make sure you have a strong, unique password as well as a unique PIN, MFA configured, login alerts, recovery codes, and an international, 24-hour toll-free phone number stored somewhere to contact the service in the event of a crisis. For banking services, add withdrawal limits, regional restrictions (if you bounce between the same few countries), and SMS notifications for charges over a certain threshold. Open up a second checking account with a separate debit card for trips to the ATM.
• Consolidate and close any unused bank accounts. I realized that on my phone I had Revolut, Venmo, Paypal, Nequi, plus 4 US banking institutions. I took this time to close my Discover account (which is pretty much useless outside the US anyway), close my Revolut account since I'm hardly ever in the UK/EU, and consolidate investment accounts from different institutions into just a handful that's easier to monitor.

There was a boy. I’d known him since I was 5 but it wasn’t until I was older that I truly noticed him. We were in 6th grade when we started taking an advanced math class together. I could tell he was smart, funny, and a person I’d want to be around for a long time. Middle school and all the drama that ensues during that time quickly invaded my life. My social group shifted and I found myself closer to my friend, Dakota. By the time we were in 7th grade he was tall and strong. Blond hair and a light greenish set of smart eyes. We started working together outside of school. My dad worked for his dad and I often found myself at their house. Dakota had one older brother, a younger brother, and a younger sister. I’m the oldest of four so I could handle the chaos of lots of kids in a home. I had some of my most fun memories in middle school at that home. Not just me and Dakota, but with other friends we worked with, our siblings, and family friends. Nerf gun fights, swimming in the pool, and playing manhunt on the homestead that they lived on. I developed what you could consider a crush on Dakota. And the feeling was mutual. He hinted with the not-so-subtle flirting of a 14 year old boy. Pulling my hair, taking my things, and throwing snacks were often his go-to moves.
One night at a Christmas party, us “kids” were watching a movie while the adults played games and hung out in the other room. At some point, his head ended up on my lap. I remember touching his hair, but ultimately deciding I did NOT want someone to see this and assume the worse. Another time, we were alone in the basement. The basement was the place of all our friend hangouts. The video and board games were down there, along with the nerf guns. One night we were on the couch showing each other memes from our iPod touches. We were laughing and joking, then he handed me his iPod to read the next one. Except this wasn’t a meme: it was his notes app. On the screen it said “I think you are beautiful”. I instantly blushed and tried to hide my face. “Me?.....” I looked at him, also blushing red and he nodded. I told him thank you. It was the first time any boy had told me I was beautiful. In my own eyes, I was not. I had a big tooth gap because my parents couldn’t afford braces, and I wore glasses. I don’t know what he saw, but I appreciated the flattering compliment.
We entered high school where once again, your life shifts. You are faced with new teachers, new course materials, new teammates, and new challenges. We remained close friends through this time, by taking enough classes together and being involved with the same friends. It was nearing the fall homecoming season and I was nervous about getting a date. I saw many older boys asking girls to be their dates and I wondered if I would even have one my freshman year. Leave it up to my best friend Anna to set me up.
I clearly remember it was a Sunday night and I was watching football. My mom tells me she got a text from Dakota’s mom that there was a book she needed to grab from their house. She told me I needed to go with her. Without any context, I was annoyed she was making ME drive her there since I did not want to leave home. They lived about 5 minutes away so I figured the faster we leave the quicker I can get back home. Mom told me I should brush my hair.
“Why?”
“Well because you should look a little presentable.”
“It’s fine right, we’re just grabbing a book really quick, right?”
“Yes but you don’t want to leave the house looking like you do.”
I huffed and opened our sliding glass door going outside to the car.
“You should at least put some shoes on!”
“I’m FINE, Can we just go and get this over with”
I angrily and annoyed drove/ sped down the paved road to their house, all the while questioning my mother why she really needed me to go with her.
“I don’t know, there might be something there for you.”
I had no idea what that meant. We drove to the shop on their property that this supposed book was. I stepped out of the car, barefoot on the gravel and walked into the shop. There I see Dakota, holding a sign. I frantically looked around to figure out what was going on. I see Anna crouched in a corner covering her smiling mouth. I looked at his sign and read the homecoming proposal which used lyrics and titles from Beatles songs, my favorite band.
“Oh, Dakota! Of course yes!”
I gave him an awkward hug and turned around to realize that my mother didn’t need a book at all.
Dakota was sweet. In an innocent way. He had casually asked before if we could date, but being the reserved and shy individual I was, I had always declined. After the dance, we drifted, not for any particular reason. I heard he had started dating a different girl. She was older by two years. Was I hurt? Not particularly. Was I jealous? Maybe a little more so. They went to prom together and she was definitely way prettier than me. It happens, I thought, we aren’t meant to be. A romantic relationship would definitely change our entire chemistry.
Summer came and we were out working together on his family’s farm. We spent hours in the fields, talking, singing, and sweating. Just good friends again. It was normal and felt right. We spent a week together in late July on a church trip. We worked on a homeless shelter with our youth group and had a fun yet powerful time together. My mom, dad, and brother were on this trip as well, along with many of our church friends. After the week was done on Saturday, we drove back to our town. I remember waving goodbye to his family in their Suburban as they left the church parking lot. I didn’t realize how significant that goodbye would be.
A few days went by and we had casual texting conversations about work and school starting in the next few weeks. He texted me Tuesday night that his dad really needed some help the next morning bright and early. I wanted to sleep in. He texted “Don’t worry about it, we’ll get it covered.” A decision I’d soon regret.
Wednesday morning, I go to the church with my mom to do a couple of things with her. I can’t even recall what it was. We were getting into our car when we heard loud sirens throughout our small town. Mom and I looked at each other. Sirens are never a good sign. We get in the car, curious, but praying whoever needs the ambulance is okay. My mom gets a phone call. It’s one of our family friends. She says Dakota and his older brother have been in a bad car accident. That heavy feeling that makes your heart sink to your stomach instantly hit me. “They’re okay, they’re okay, they’re okay.” I kept telling myself. The ambulance was going fast, and Dakota is strong. He’s practically invincible. My mother’s friend tells us that we should stop by Dakota’s house to grab the boys clean clothes and bring them to the emergency room. We drive in silence, except for maybe a short prayer that the boys are okay. We get to the house and my mom quickly runs up the stairs to the boys’ bedroom. I stay downstairs. I observe the dining room. Dirty laundry in the baskets. Dirty dishes on the counter. Dakota’s name on a marker board along with a list of chores to do. We speed to the emergency room in the nearby town. On the way we received a text from Dakota’s older brother, John. He said he was doing okay but he wasn’t sure about Dakota. We should be keeping their family in our prayers. The panic was rising in my throat. I had been nervous about things before. This was different. It was like a nauseating churn that started in my stomach. Like my soul was shaking out of my physical body. We got to the hospital, parked and my mom said I should stay in the car. Probably wanting to protect me from any scarring sights within the ER. I wanted to go in. Could I see him? She insisted that I stay in the car. I stayed. Frozen at first. Then rocking back and forth. My palms were shaking and itchy in the center.
“This can’t be happening. Not Dakota. He’s like my best friend. Kids don’t die. He’s too young. Too smart. He has an incredibly successful life ahead of him.”
I was eyeing the automatic door for any sign of someone that I recognized. The ten minutes I waited felt like an hour. Ten minutes of restless uncertainty. Then I see my mom. She had one of the hardest faces that I had ever seen her make. She opened the driver’s side door and I immediately asked “What’s going on. Is he ok?!”
She looks at me dead in the eyes, shaking her head, “He didn’t make it, Jasmine”
A million emotions and questions flood my brain. I started blubbering and sobbing while hitting the dashboard. “No, no, no. Why!? Why him?” My mom breaks down with me, not able to get out a single word. The family friend who delivered the phone call joins us in the car. She says Dakota’s in a better place now. I’m in a state of shock and disbelief. Hot tears will not stop streaming down my cheeks. We were silent on the way back home. I ran upstairs to my room and shut the door. I cried into a pillow for the rest of the afternoon. I skipped dinner. There was a candlelight vigil that evening at a church. I barely had the strength to go, but my mom said it would be good for me. I brought my water bottle. I ate nothing and only drank water to replenish my tears the next two days. Saturday morning, I went to a different church with my family to see Dakota’s family. The church’s youth were making survivor bracelets out of parachute cord. Dakota had made them during his depressive episodes during his 9th grade year, when we somewhat drifted. Dakota and I took Spanish class together our freshman year. One day he asked me what my favorite color was. I told him blue. The next day he gave me a blue bracelet he had made. He said he accidentally made one too small. I was instantly brought back to that moment while standing in the church with dozens of people learning how to braid the cord. When I got home, I tore apart my vanity in search for the bracelet he had made for me. I put it on my right hand. I wore the bracelet everyday for an entire year. I had a Dakota original.
Dakota’s brother, John, who was entering his senior year, invited many of us friends to go out to the place where the accident happened. It was a blind intersection that I had previously been weary of earlier that summer. The corn was high and there were no road signs for a yield or stop. John explained how they had just got in the truck after working the field about a half mile south and were going to take their lunch break. He said they had just started going down the road, picking up speed, when he heard a small voice tell him to put his seatbelt on. John put his seatbelt on, but Dakota didn’t. John said he felt as if there was something around the corner, but ultimately did not slow down near the intersection. A driver, going 50 miles per hour, t-boned them in the intersection. According to John, the truck rolled and Dakota was thrown through the windshield. John found his phone and quickly called 911. He found Dakota and blood was coming from his mouth. He had a large wound on his forehead where he had smashed the dashboard. John pulled him into the field of soybeans, opposite the corn, and tried performing CPR. Dakota was mumbling and sputtering blood before his breathing stopped. The paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. They said he was internally decapitated.
The wake for Dakota was on Sunday night. I had a tough time finding the strength to go. We waited in line behind dozens of people for close to an hour. When I finally got up to him, my heart sank again. There he was. His skin was pale. His hair was not right. His mother, who was right by, said it was okay to touch him. I reached for his hair to move it how he usually wore it. As I parted it, I saw the large scar covered by gobs of makeup that the hair was covering on his forehead. I put it back.
His funeral was the next day. Monday. At 1:18PM, his birthday date. I felt sick the whole morning. My whole family got in the car and my mom was talking to my younger siblings. I was silent. I was going to one of my best friends’ funerals. The church where the funeral was held was absolutely packed. Parked cars took up the surrounding blocks. The church had multiple floors and rooms with casted video of the celebration of life. I was considered close enough to sit in the sanctuary in the front half of the pews. I sat with my gifted teacher and other friends from the gifted program. What a terrible way to end your summer. Saying hello to people you haven’t seen in a few months at a funeral. I remember the funeral. There were songs and the service was led in large by Dakota’s own mother. To this day I have no idea how she had the strength to do that. I remember a few of the songs that were sung, but I’ll never forget the sound of the casket closing. The last goodbye. The final SLAM. His face would never again have sunlight shown upon it. Never again would a person touch him, hold him, hug him.
My family tried to get out to the burial but the crowd was just too insanely large to get around. I had the final say that we could go home. I’d come back another time.
The next day, I went to the scene of the accident. It was an intersection 5 miles east of my house. Someone had put up a make-shift cross at the intersection. I brought a big University of Kansas patch from one of our gifted trips to place at the cross. He loved basketball, and especially the Jayhawks. On the back of the patch I had written “I love you”. That night, there was a big storm. I sat up straight in bed and started crying as the wind whistled by my windows. The patch.
When I woke up, I found a reason to leave home and went back out to the intersection. I ran up to the cross and found my patch wrapped tightly around the base with some old barbed wire. I burst into tears of relief. I have no idea who saved my patch.
The next two weeks were spent preparing for school and fall practice. I had decided to do tennis that fall instead of volleyball. On the first day of school, I rode the bus into the town with my school. We drove past the intersection and I burst into tears. I cried four more times that day. Each time in the class he should have been in with me. I was distraught. I have no other way to describe how absolutely depressed I was walking the halls. Teachers were not the same. There was an absence in our sophomore class. An absence on our football team. In our audition choir. In our youth group. And in me. I tried my best to get through it. I started journaling a little bit after the accident to help organize my thoughts. To remember all the little details I could about him. To write them down so they didn’t disappear.
My sophomore year was brutal. I was playing tennis in the fall with a small team of girls who helped to create a safe and calm environment for me. I spent all of my hours in the team vehicle listening to two Lifehouse albums on repeat. I’d look out the window and reflect. What was life? What was my purpose? Why did this happen?
I didn’t have an answer. I bottled it up. It seemed that a lot of my class who weren’t very close with Dakota had a lot easier time going back to their normal lives. I was missing a friend. There was a contact in my phone from whom I’d never received another text. I had unfinished business. We had talked all summer about how our math class and Spanish II classes would be so fun this year. The bracelet I wore everyday was getting a stark tan line.
The semester rolled on. One of my other close friends moved to Colorado. And my last best friend, Anna, was in her own self-discovery phase. She wasn’t as close to Dakota and I was more or less a depressed teen at that time. I cried at school. In the bathrooms. In the locker room or a small music practice room. Am I just that sensitive? Why is no one else dealing with this grief like I am? I tried to distract myself with various activities. It worked for the most part. In the spring, I went out for softball. I loved softball. I had been playing it for years. I even had helped “assistant coach” a little girls rec league with Dakota and his family a few summers beforehand. Softball was hard but I needed the challenge. I worked hard at the sport and found myself on the varsity team after multiple players were out for the season due to injury or illness. In the last regular season game, on May 9th on our home field, I broke my leg. I had a high impact with the catcher while trying to steal home. The ump called me safe and we won the game by a run rule as I crumpled to the ground. I remember thinking I could stand up, but the weirdest tingling started down my leg around my knee. My coach carried me off the field like a baby. I pulled my helmet off and one tear slid down my cheek. They put me on a stretcher while the athletic trainer checked my knee.
“Yep, you fractured a bone. We should get you in to the ER for an X-ray”
“Fracture? Like my bone broke?”
“Yes that’s what a fracture is”
I started sobbing. Not from the pain. From the overwhelming feeling of becoming an invalid for an uncertain amount of time. I slid in the back of my mom’s vehicle as we drove down to the county ER. We got there, I was still in uniform. Just hysterical. I had no idea what was going on as I had never had an injury like this before. The ER lady took X-rays of my right leg. The images came back and showed a tibial plateau fracture. I wouldn’t be walking for a while. They helped cut me out of my softball pants and sent me home with lots of pain killers. The next few days I spent vomiting from the strong norco drug. I had a surgery a few days later where they placed hardware in my knee and put me in a straight-leg brace. I was miserable. It was hot and scratchy and I had my finals coming up. I went back to school the next Wednesday or Thursday to collect some class work to do at home. As I lived on the downstairs couch for close to three weeks I found myself asking again “Why did this happen?” I finished the school year by doing my final projects and giving my German foreign exchange student friend a final hug. I remember thinking “This is a nicer way to say goodbye to someone forever”.
I couldn’t walk for most of the summer and I started painful physical therapy. I was frequenting 3 times a week for a long while to build back my strength and relearn to walk. As soon as I was weight-bearing, I started working outside again. Doing what I could with one crutch. Dakota’s dad hired me to help manage the field workers and I could do some wood stacking decently enough. On the 1 year anniversary of Dakota’s death, I went to the gravesite for a small ceremony. It was the first time I had been there. The intersection where he died was my frequent mourning spot, almost daily on my drive to and from school. The gravestone was large and obviously very expensive. It has a beautiful picture of him and the quote “You got this”, that he used often as a self-reassuring phrase. At some point after the 1-year, I stopped wearing the bracelet he made me. Was it time to let go? How long does one mourn?
The rest of my high school journey was tainted with the memories of him and the phantom memories of where I imagined him being. At my graduation, we had an honorary memorial and scholarship dedicated to him and his character. Then I went to college. I was already dating who would become my husband a number of years later.
Years have passed. There is no happy ending. I'm still here. Aging. Growing older while I can still see the face of my 15 year old friend. He isn’t growing. He’s in the ground. Resting. It feels like a lifetime until I can see him again. I’ve had dreams of him. Unprompted visions of him were prevalent for about 2 years after he passed. You would think this story would get easier after the number of times I’ve played in my head over all of these years. But it hasn’t. I’m in the acceptance stage of grief. I’ve lived life, gotten married, laughed again, and see a bright future for myself. Though I do often think, Where would Dakota be now? Would we have become closer friends? Would he be married? He would have made a good father.
Again, I have no answers to these questions that I suppose may eternally sit with me. I do have some answers though. I’ve learned how to not take people for granted. I’ve learned how to recognize depressive symptoms and how to be a listening ear for someone who feels hopeless. I’ve learned how to find purpose in helping people. I’ve learned patience. Sometimes patience is agonizing, which means the reward is definitely worth the wait.

DISNEY MARS NEEDS MOMS FAMILY QUEST SWEEPSTAKES
OFFICIAL RULES
NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.
A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT WILL NOT IMPROVE ONE’S CHANCES OF WINNING.
MANY WILL ENTER. FEW WILL WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

1. SPONSOR: ABC Cable Networks Group, dba Disney Channel, 3800 W. Alameda Avenue, Burbank, CA 91505.
   
2. ADMINISTRATOR: Ventura Associates, Inc., 1040 Sixth Avenue, New York, NY 10018, an independent judging organization whose decisions are final and binding with respect to this sweepstakes (“Sweepstakes”).
   
3. ENTRY: You may enter this Sweepstakes in one of four (4) ways during the period beginning at 12:01 A.M., February 14, 2011 and ending at 11:59:59 P.M., March 31, 2011 (“Entry Period”). For purposes of these Official Rules (“Rules”), all times are Pacific Time and “Day” shall mean each day during the Entry Period. Sponsor’s computer is the official time-keeping device for the Sweepstakes.
   

(a) SMS TEXT ENTRY: You may enter this Sweepstakes, by sending on your cell phone (“Cell”) any one (1) of the following keywords “ADVENTURE,” “BROCCOLI,” “GRIBBLE,” “KI,” “MARS,” “MARTIAN,” “MILO,” “MOM,” “QUEST,” or “TWOCAT.” as an SMS text message to the SMS shortcode 347639 (Disney) (“SMS Entry”). By sending a text, you will earn one (1) entry into the Sweepstakes. Standard carrier-messaging and data charges may apply to each text message sent and received. SMS Entrants will receive a confirmation SMS text message on their Cell. All Cell entrants must have a text messaging two-way capable phone and digital and SMS service in order to enter the Sweepstakes using the text messaging method. Text messaging may not be available in all areas. If you are a minor (as defined by state of primary residence, “Minor”) you must have the permission of your parent/legal guardian (“Parent”) to enter via SMS Entry. By entering via SMS Entry you grant to Administrator your consent to call your Cell should you be selected a potential winner.
(b) ONLINE ENTRY: As a registered member (“Member”) of Disney.com, you may enter by logging onto Disney.com/familyquest (“Website”), logging in with your Member Name and Password and following the “How to Enter” instructions (“Online Entry”). By submitting an Online Entry, you will earn one (1) entry into the Sweepstakes. If you are not a Member, you may become a Member for free by visiting the Website and registering by providing the requested information on the Registration Form through the link on the site: “Not registered?” Upon becoming a Member by registration, you may enter the Sweepstakes by following the above instructions. Normal Internet access and usage charges imposed by your on-line service will apply. It is your sole responsibility to notify the Administrator if you or your Parent change email address (“Address”). To do so, go to http://register.go.com/go/memberservices/home, log into your Website account with your Member Name and Password, click on “Modify” and follow the instructions on how to change the Address.
(c) GAME ENTRY: After you have entered the Sweepstakes by an Online Entry, you may earn an additional five (5) entries by playing Level 1 of the Mars Needs Moms Game (“Game Entry”). You do not have to win Level 1 or play the full Game in order to earn the five (5) entries.
(d) iAd METHOD OF ENTRY: If you have an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad, you may enter the Sweepstakes by clicking on the Nissan Quest iAd mobile banner found within numerous applications (“iPhone Application”) and completing the entry section to receive one (1) entry into the Sweepstakes (“iAd Entry”).
“Entry” shall mean and refer to each SMS, Online, Game and iAd Entry.

1. LIMITATIONS: All Entries must be received by 11:59:59 P.M., March 31, 2011. Entries are limited to one (1) Entry per person/Cell/Address/iPhone Application per Day (regardless of method of Entry or whether one person has more than one Cell/Address/iPhone Application or more than one person use the same Cell/Address/iPhone Application); provided, however, for each Game Entry earned the limit is six (6) Entries rather than one per Day. Therefore, the total Entries for the Entry Period are limited to a maximum of forty-six (46), except when Game Entries are earned, the maximum is two hundred and seventy six (276) Entries. Any attempt by any entrant to obtain more Entries per Day than allowed hereunder by using multiple/different email addresses, iPhone applications, identities, registrations or logins, or any other methods will void that entrant’s Entries and may disqualify the entrant. In event of a dispute regarding the identity of the person submitting an Entry, the Entry will be deemed to be submitted by the person in whose name the Cell/Address/iPhone Application is registered. Entries by any method other than set forth above in Section 3 are void. Any use of automated or programmed methods of effecting Entry is prohibited. Open only to persons, who are, as of Entry, thirteen (13) years of age or older, legal residents of, and physically located within, the 50 United States or D.C., (collectively, “Territory”), and are not employees of Sponsor, Nissan North America, 3ci, or Administrator; their respective parent, subsidiary or affiliated companies; or the advertising, promotional or fulfillment agencies of any of them (individually and collectively, “Entities”); nor members of their households or immediate families (defined as parents, children, siblings, step-parents, step-children, step-siblings and their spouses). Neither the Entities, nor any of their officers, directors, shareholders, employees, agents or representatives (individually and collectively, “Releasees”) are responsible for Entries from persons residing, or physically located, outside the Territory; Entries that are altered, delayed, deleted, destroyed, forged, fraudulent, illegible, improperly accessed, inaccurate, incomplete, interrupted, irregular in any way, late, lost, misrouted, multiple, mutilated, non-delivered, stolen, tampered with, unauthorized, unintelligible or otherwise not in compliance with these Rules; or for lost, interrupted or unavailable network, server, Internet Service Provider, Website or other connections; telephone or cell phone text messaging availability or accessibility; or text message malfunctions; miscommunications; failed computer, satellite, telephone or cable transmissions, lines or technical failure; failed phone, computer hardware or software, failures, technical errors or difficulties; telephone transmissions; technical failures; unauthorized human intervention; traffic congestion; garbled or jumbled transmissions; undeliverable emails resulting from any form of active or passive email filtering; insufficient space in entrant’s email account to receive email; or other errors of any kind, whether due to electronic, human, mechanical, printing, production or technical errors or other causes; even if caused by the negligence of any of the Releasees. Each of such potential Entries will be disqualified. Void where prohibited and subject to all applicable federal, state, local and municipal laws and regulations.
   
2. PRIZES: ONE (1) GRAND PRIZE: one (1) 2011 Nissan Quest SL (“Car”) (approximate retail value (“ARV”): $35,000). Winner is solely responsible for any and all expenses related to the Car apart from its cost and any delivery/freight charges related to its delivery to a Sponsor-selected Nissan dealership near winner’s residence (“Dealer”), including but not limited to: fees for title, license and registration; insurance; taxes and gasoline. Car color, trim level, and other Car options and equipment are to be Sponsor-selected and are subject to availability. At the time Car is delivered, winner must have a valid driver’s license and provide a valid social security number and evidence of insurance. Delivery of Car must be taken from the Dealer on a Sponsor-selected date. If winner is unable to pick up the Car at the Dealer, an additional delivery fee may apply which will be solely the winner’s responsibility. If the Car is not available within six (6) months of winner verification due to any reason beyond Sponsor’s control, a Nissan vehicle of comparable or greater value will be awarded, representing Sponsor’s sole obligation to the winner.
   

ONE (1) FIRST PRIZE: a four (4) day / three (3) night trip for winner and three (3) guests (“Group”) to Los Angeles, California (“City”), to attend an upcoming Walt Disney Studios’ red carpet movie premiere (“Premiere”), to travel on Sponsor-selected dates (“Trip”). The Trip will consist of the following elements for the Group: [a] hotel accommodations (one standard room/quad occupancy, including room tax) for three (3) nights; [b] tickets to the Premiere; [c] 2-Day Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® tickets including access to Disneyland® Park and Disney’s California Adventure® Park; [d] ground transportation at the Resort; [e] hotel/Premiere transfers; [f] $500 Visa® Gift Card (for winner only), [g] if winner’s residence is located more than two hundred fifty (250) miles from the City, round-trip coach air transportation on a Sponsor-selected carrier between a Sponsor-selected major metropolitan airport near winner’s residence (“airport of origin”) and a Sponsor-selected major airport in or near the City; but if winner’s residence is located two hundred fifty (250) miles or less from the City, then round-trip ground transportation via a Sponsor-selected method between winners’ residence and the hotel and [h] airport/hotel transfers. ARV: $6,200, which will vary depending upon points of departure and destination and seasonal fluctuation of hotel rates and airfares. All expenses not specifically mentioned herein are not included and are solely the winner’s responsibility, including but not limited to: round trip transportation between the winner’s residence and any airport of origin, alcoholic beverages, fax, food, gratuities and tips, insurance, laundry service, merchandise, parking, room service, service charges, souvenirs and telephone calls. Travel and lodging are subject to availability, certain restrictions and Sponsor’s approval. Airline carrier and hotel regulations and conditions apply. Winner must take Trip on Sponsor-selected dates and before April 30, 2012, or Trip will be forfeited in its entirety. Travel must be made through Sponsor’s agent and Sponsor shall determine airline and flight itinerary in its sole discretion. Releasees are not responsible for airline cancellations or delays.
TEN (10) SECOND PRIZES: one (1) Disney prize pack consisting of the following elements: [1] Disney Blu Ray DVD’s and Games (quantity and specific titles subject to Sponsor’s sole discretion), [2] one (1) $50 Disney Store Gift Card and [3] Disney Toys & Apparel (quantity and specific items subject to Sponsor’s sole discretion) (ARV: $250).
Total ARV of all prizes: $43,700.
All terms and conditions of the gift card apply. If the actual value of any prize is less than the stated ARV, the difference will not be awarded. Any depiction of any prize is for illustrative purposes only and may not reflect actual prize won. Prizes are not redeemable for cash or transferable, except a Grand and First Prize are each transferable to a surviving spouse residing in the same household. No substitution allowed except, at Sponsor’s sole discretion, a prize of equal or greater value may be substituted. Sponsor will not replace any lost, mutilated or stolen tickets, travel vouchers, certificates or prizes. Prize elements may not be separated. Airline tickets issued in conjunction with the First Prize are not eligible for frequent flyer miles, and no code share flights may be used. A prize cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion or offer. All prizes will be awarded provided a sufficient number of eligible Entries are received and prizes are validly claimed by July 30, 2011, after which no alternate winners will be selected, nor unclaimed prizes awarded. Any prize won by a Minor will be awarded to Minor’s Parent, who must sign and return all required documents.

1. PROCEDURES: All Entries must be received during the Entry Period. On or about April 14, 2011, in a random drawing conducted by the Administrator, the potential winners will be selected from among all eligible Entries received. The decision of the Administrator shall be final and binding. Odds of winning depend on the total number of eligible Entries received.
   
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and in such event, to select winners by such method as Sponsor in its sole discretion shall consider equitable and in the event the Trip has already commenced, to terminate the Trip and return the Group to any airport of origin as soon as reasonably possible; [8] the Releasees are not responsible for typographical or other errors in the offer or administration of this Sweepstakes, including but not limited to: errors in the advertising, Rules, selection and announcement of the winners and distribution of the prizes; [9] any portion of any prize not accepted or used by any winner will be forfeited; [10] the Releasees are not responsible for any inability of any winner to accept or use any prize (or any portion thereof) for any reason; [11] the Sponsor has the right, at any time and at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it suspects to be doing any of the following: (a) tampering or attempting to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Sweepstakes or the Website; 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If such occurs, the Trip will be awarded without those elements of the prize; [19] winner’s acceptance of the Grand or First Prize constitutes the grant of an unconditional right to Sponsor and assigns to photograph, film, or otherwise capture the fulfillment of the prize (“Trip/Car Fulfillment Filming”), and Sponsor shall have the unconditional right to reproduce, distribute, display, exhibit, transmit, broadcast, stream, synchronize with visual material, modify, amend, create derivative works, and otherwise use and permit others to use these photographs and footage throughout the universe in any and all media now known or hereafter devised, in all languages and in all versions, in perpetuity, without compensation, except where prohibited by law; [21] Sponsor’s use of the Trip/Car Fulfillment Filming as described herein will not give rise to any claims of infringement, invasion of privacy, defamation or claims for performance or payment of any kind, including but not limited to payment of re-use fees, residuals or license fees; [22] Sponsor shall have the right to make such changes to the Trip/Car Fulfillment Filming and make such uses thereof as it deems necessary or desirable, including but not limited to the right to use, edit, and reproduce and/or alter said Trip/Car Fulfillment Filming in perpetuity, in its entirety or in part, for any commercial and promotional purposes worldwide without any consultation or additional permission, or compensation, credit or attribution; [23] Sponsor has the right to conduct a background check (“Check”) of any and all records of the First Prize Winner including without limitation, civil and criminal court records and police reports, which he/she; to the extent necessary under law, shall authorize; [24] Sponsor has the right to conduct a Check of any and all records of the First Prize Winner’s guests including without limitation, civil and criminal court records and police reports, which he/she; to the extent necessary under law, shall authorize; [25] Sponsor may take all steps necessary to corroborate any information provided to Sponsor by the First Prize winner and the First Prize Winner’s guests, and he/she will be obligated to provide necessary contacts and information for the Check; [26] if any felony or misdemeanor conviction is found, or if there is anything that conflicts with Sponsor’s image, Sponsor has the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify the winner or the winner’s guests from participating in the Trip or portions of the Trip and to pay the winner a cash substitute for the Trip or those portions that are removed. Winner’s guests will not get a cash substitute; [27] the Releasees are not responsible if the Car becomes unavailable for any reason, including being the subject of a market withdrawal or recall, and in such case, the winner will be provided a Sponsor-selected substitute vehicle and [28] you (or your Parent) are solely responsible for all fees incurred through your wireless phone service for text messages associated with participation in this Sweepstakes.
   

RULES & WINNERS’ LIST: For a copy of the winners’ list (after April 15, 2011 and before June 15, 2011) and/or Rules (before March 31, 2011), send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Mars Needs Moms Family Quest Sweepstakes, WinneRules, P.O. Box 10189-Dept.MNMFQ, Burbank, CA 91510-0189. A copy of the Rules may also be obtained by printing this web page.
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So i'm a long android user, and haven't used a mobile apple device since the first ipod touch... And i'm considering buying the new ipad pro. Mainly for illustrator, video editing, webdev (done from the browser) and ofcourse regular media consumption.
My current android tablet is 6y old, was a budget option to begin with, and is slowly dying, but served me well. Time for an upgrade.
I do have some questions about features I can't seem to get clear answers on.
1) multitasking: i tend to have 3 apps open at once. 2 on the left side and 1 on the right. (1 upper left, 1 lower left, 1 right half). Is this possible on ipados? I mainly see 2 apps, but can't find anything about 3 at once, unless it's using the "desktop" interface, stagemanager. Can this be done without stagemanager?
2) multitasking: on android i can do a pop-out window. So i can have a youtube video over my other apps and resize, move that window wherever i please. Is this possible on ipados?
3) stagemanager: when i look up screenshots of stagemanager it seems like it doesn't utilize the full screen? Is this not possible or...?
4) i tested the ipad pro and magic keyboard in one of my local stores, and the typing was great, however...the trackpad seemed to lagg? There seemed to be an input lagg. Besides that, and this is hard to explain, it seemed like the movements seemed to continue even after i stopped...like sliding on ice, idk how to explain it. Is this due to some setting, or is this just how it is? And if you connect a Bluetooth mouse, is it the same, or does that work better?
Sorry for the probably basic and dumb questions, and thanks in advance.

Edit: Saw this later from web and it was awful to look at. Cleaned it up. Please read strike through as cheeky side comments.

Premise:

Share my experience getting started on Bookfusion as a mobile first reader on iOS. I am also a dev so I like to give feedback when I see a project with promise and I figured my use case is not so unique.

Background:

I stumbled upon this app after months of being super annoyed searching for a way to away allowed tablet +pen users to write in line on epub files. I know now that this is possible on some of the very new color eink readers and (maybe?) Marginote but nothing accessible on iOS that gives you the full "I wrote in this book" feeling. I don't actually write in my paper books because it crowds the pages. However I use text based annotations all the time and love that I can just hide them away as I continue reading. It seems like a waste to have all this hardware capable of writing on books, but not supporting the most popular book format for published media. My full ebook library is close to 350gbs, and I have read them on many generations and sizes of devices over the years. That's why I don't like to use pdfs, so I will not be converting them.
Alright, off my rant.

History with other ereader applications:

I've been reading from epub files since the original Barnes and Nobles Nook launched in 2009. Things have changed a lot since then (for better and worse). My biggest pet peeve with all these platforms is that they lock you into their version of a book store and never allow you to include your currently library- or if they do allow sideload, it is at a disadvantage. Each of their reading apps are somewhat lacking in functionality too, one way or another.

• Kindle app is organized like social media with feeds and other nonsense I find that extremely annoying clutter to get to my book. The navigation in looking for books has infinite breadcrumbs you can't reset without hitting back a bunch of times. It's ability to do the one thing, is made unpleasant by the other forced features of integrating with Amazon.
• Apple Books lets you side load, but won't organize books by the same author or series together with ones sideloaded. You can't custom categorize books in your library without them being tied in some way to the Apple Books store view of the book.
• I've always found Google Books reader (on the iOS app) to be very ugly, and they are often the recent missing titles that I'm looking for. Man, I miss buying a ebook and getting a file. I can only do that directly supporting authors on their websites these days.

I haven't mentioned my qualm with actually buying books on these platforms either. Needless to say, I have books scattered across all the major platforms, which is why I will never get a kobo, amazon or otherwise platform affiliated e-reader and why I'm super interested in software based app solutions. I stick with iPad/iOS because it's familiar (I've had iPhones since the 3GS, and iPods even before then) and I have access to a lot of other stuff there too, jack of all trades style. Not an apple fanboy, I just hate having to change up something that's working for me already.
I have yet to find an eReader app that does everything I want, though. Besides digitally hand-writing in ebooks (which I understand is a particular challenge due to the format), I always end up trading one important feature for another. If I want an intuitive and simple interface, I have to give up customization options. If I want good organization, I have to give up proper cross device sync. If I want cloud sync I have to pray to the rain gods and light some candles. I rarely read from web since my iPad is a full laptop replacement to me, so this will all be iOS and iPadOS app perspectives.

Baseline for Comparison to BookFusion:

I have and still have to use the usual Apple Books, Kindle, Google Books and Kobo apps since my purchases are locked there for now. My latest and current app of choice was Eboox. It's made by a quiet little dev team. It's a 2 page app basically. Library view or shelf view. Some customization settings, but it has page-level Google drive based sync. Same deal, you can upload epubs super easily. I like that it shows me my most recent book at the top, and I can even download converted-to-epub fic and other comic files to this app sometimes. The big cons are that it's not very well polished: updates are slow, the shelving system is infuriating because there is no user created order enforced and since you can't re-arrange books on a shelf, tag, or otherwise subshelve books to group them you're stuck with alphabetical and recency order. On my "Worth Reading Again" shelf I'd like to have all the books from the same series sequentially. Or better yet, let me rearrange them. Annotating on this app is buggy, sometimes the note you typed won't be saved and will be open in the next note you make. The reading view navigation is glitchy and crowded. I have stuck with it because it does the thing(tm) with no forced frills and it is simple and nice to look at.
When Bookfusion came up on reddit in my search for supporting hand-written annotation it was like candy on Christmas. Plus, page level audio integration (something I never dreamed of having on mobile outside of platform lock) coming soon? Amazing. Now, I'm excited.

Initial Reaction/Onboarding:

I downloaded the app and made a quick account (not too many forced profile details too, great!), It was super easy to get started. Importing books is also quick and painless although that 10 books free limit is really nothing for someone like me *more on that later in criticisms.

What I Loved:

1. I was immediately in love with the amount of customization available for the reading view. Full color spectrum background support is awesome! I'll take an all black dark mode theme but for me, cream text and midnight blue background reign supreme for me. I don't normally mess around with the font options much but there were a lot to choose from! Big points.
2. Ability to tweak the epub files summary and meta data right in app is nuts, and incredible. Absolutely my favorite surprise perk so far, I've never had that available in a mobile app.
3. The sidebar is easy to use. I didn't love there being a store in my reading app (see my complaints about platform tying) but it is unobtrusive and I appreciate that.
4. Navigating my collection is straightforward and awesome. I prefer the info view over the gallery view since have a lot of files with no cover. Currently reading book at the top in the main screen is a feature I grew to love so I'm grateful to see it here!
5. I just about cried when I saw the color coded (And searchable!!!) tag integration. I've never had an iOS app do that. Especially on files with a large number of tags, like epubs exported from AO3. It's usually something I categorize on my own via shelves. Pretty damn awesome!
6. The text search is actually useful, God is real. I cannot explain how heinous text search has been on pretty much every where else. Being able to search/ see highlights across books is also legendary. A common note-taking feature but a very uncommon reading app feature (especially working well!)
7. Annotating the typed way (from my iPhone) is awesome. the context menu isn't too crowded, the highlighting is easy (another fully custom color palette, I'm screaming).
8. Speaking of the note view! I love that you can edit right from there without the book navigating to that page, AND you can jump there by tapping the note. Link navigation in general works well.

Nice-to-Haves that came up during use:

1. It would be nice to have the option to toggle off the book preview screen that shows after selecting a book you aren't currently reading. Most of the time, I already know what I'm reading when I open it. I'd prefer to be able view summaries or get this view via a long press on the book or from a context menu
2. I noticed that the order of tags isn't preserved, and instead tags appear alphabetically. Not a big deal, but it would be a nice to be able to preserve the order that they were imported with, and that you could priority order them. It would also help in the info view, since those top tags would be priority order too rather than whatever was closest to A.
3. I noticed that if I tap on a highlighted area I've already annotated it doesn't do anything? I would love to get an inline view of my note or at least a preview of it when I tap on the highlighted portion without going back to the edit menu to do so. Since, you can view all your notes across the book from the right sidebar menu, I can live without it but it would be a very nice to have.
4. Additionally, I don't always want to highlight AND note. It would be cool if you could have notes indicated with a accent colored underline when the passage is not highlighted. Typically, I highlight when I find the text meaningful and note when I have something to say about the content. For instance, I might highlight a stanza of poetry but not have anything to add. Or I might add a not to a passage that does not make sense to me- in that case, I'm not appreciating the writing but I do have something to say about it. Maybe this could be done by being able to preset a with a separate highlight color as default for when specifically selecting to add a note. In my view, notes that I wouldn't want literal highlighting on could be defaulted to a very gray/muted color, and then highlights remain as they are now.

Conclusion: So far I'm pretty impressed, and I know there's even more to explore with Callibre integration stuff too. Right now my central ebook library is hosted on a NAS that needs to be upgraded so it won't take me 20 minutes to download an audio book lol. I'd be interested in hosting my library on a cloud too. I also haven't tested it on ipadOS fully yet beyond the sync capabilities, but I'm already pleased with what I have seen so far in iOS
That does bring me back to the pricing though.

Criticisms

Some minor nitpicks: When I get a reading app, I'm looking for it to be completely usable offline. I think most people would agree? Why would I need to make an account before I even import a book? It feels like a lot of investment before I have even seen the app enough to decide if I will use it? It is understandable for early access but it did somewhat rub me the wrong way.
The Store. I don't love it. I wish it was out of view or something I had to open specifically rather than be in my main navigation bar. I get it, but it harkens back to platform lock.
The future social media-like features: Please, PLEASE make these optional or hideable. I hate this social-media-fication of everything these days. I don't want to be on yet another social media platform, I try to be on as little as possible of the already existing ones that you can barely escape these days. Goodreads and Storygraph already exist and I hardly want to use those. Storygraph is sticking to Goodread's original purpose which was to track your reading easily, and is the whole reason I use it. When Goodreads turned into Amazon's rendition of Bookface, I left the platform. Now it's cluttered with social media features I never wanted in the first palce. Goodreads became hard to use for it's original purpose. You have to constantly navigate away from a feed made up of people and authors I don't care about (because even if you didn't have people to put posts in your feed, they'd make you one based on recommendations and your reading lists....yay). Then the reviews were being censored, Amazon was making it difficult to remove books that were added to the platform without permission and get indie authors that actually wanted to be on there up. Sorry, I'm off track. As you can see I have a bitter attitude toward forced social media features. If the app becomes more complex to use for it's main purpose (re: Do The Thing TM) due to the social features it would ruin the whole thing for me.
The free tier: 10 books + 2 adds/deletes per day is way too low to get integrated into a new platform. I'm sure I would not have had time to consider whether I want to continue with my whole collection in Bookfusion before I reached frustration with the cap. I have at least 50 books in every eReader app I have right now, bar kindle since you can only download 10(?) at a time... but I can download and trade them as often and whenever I want- and I don't even properly OWN those titles half the time. And all of those are free and direct competition to Bookfusion.
In the free tier (without specifically enabling it), I should not be using up any cloud storage. It feels arbitrary to have this limit on the number books I can view in the app when I'm not using any services to do so. My device, that I own, with it's internal storage already holding my books that I also already own. Why am basically forced to be on a subscription to use the app realistically when the app is supposedly free? I would have rather (and happily) paid 4.99 out right to have no local storage limits, and the basic offline do the thing(tm) features. This app is better than any other e-reader I've found on the market so far so it should have a strategic advantage but it feels like I won't even get to experience that before I have to pay- under the guise that the app is free.
It's giving free trial instead of freemium and that doesn't line up with what is shown on the app store page. As it stands, I would not consider this a free app, as you can't use the basic feature set realistically without the subscription. If I only owned 10 books or would be okay to only view 10 books on rotation, I probably wouldn't be looking for something with such a robust feature set so I also feels this contradicts the goals of the market you're trying to capture. I understand pushing conversion, but this actually just scares away people who might have gotten themselves fully integrated into the platform and eventually more willingly paid for extra things one might expect, like expanded cloud storage, real time cross device sync, access to new features etc etc.
this is a bit of a soap box speech but I'm explaining what I would like to see for a subscription model Discord is a great example of freemium. The basic features that make it competitive are completely free. These features are limited to user in a reasonable manner, so that if they don't care too much about streaming in 4k or being a power user with 100+ servers, they can comfortably use the app in the free tier. When I first got on discord, it was to use servers as big archivable and searchable group chat. Much smaller than what it was capable of at the time, but had the easiest onboarding and the lowest overhead to get started. All you need is an email address, a username and an invite. Today, I've been a nitro subscriber since 2018, which is 2 years after I got started on the platform. No one I knew besides my gaming friends were on discord. Slowly, as I convinced more people to join me on the platform (I'd respond faster since I could use the web app at work), more and more of my total communication was happening on discord. Now, I happily pay monthly to have 50 more emojis to take between servers, customize my profile and push my server cap up. I also get to support the devs making a tool I use all the time and get early access to new features. I was already invested in the platform and that guaranteed I would want to continue with Discord enough to want and enjoy these extra features instead of hopping to a competitor like Telegram to start all over.
Because of the 10 book cap, there's no real incentive for me to invest time into importing all my books, making the shelves and tags I want to use, customizing the reading ui and making sure it synced over to my ipad. A casual user could have this experience: Upload 10 books immediately, be blocked from uploading more without deleting and be stuck. "What? Well that sucks, I really liked it so far." and immediately leave for other, worse apps that at least let me import my whole library. I hope this is coming off as constructive because I'm not trying to gripe about price. As I mentioned earlier, I have no problem paying for something I know I'm going to use. It just doesn't make sense for me (and when I say me, I mean the general consumer) to get on a subscription for the basic offline features of an app that I likely just got and am not sure I'll keep by that time. Only, if I don't subscribe the app at base is not very useful.
The Other Tiers: The two highest tiers are the only ones that would be useful to me, so I'm sharing my perspective on those. $10 a month isn't a lot but in the monthly sub competition space it's on the steep side. KU is $15? and I get Amazon's backlog included. This app is fundamentally and demonstrably better than any of the platform based apps, but it's not promising much recurring value in comparison to other subscription style plans. Maybe something like getting the first month for free would help? But mainly, changing between these apps requires decent front load effort on the user (to export their files from somewhere else, onto your platform) and then on top of that, you have to subscribe to read more than 10 of your own books? For me, I see it as dev support so I'm willing but others might not even try it with a limit that low.
To me, I would want to see features like the following to make $10 a month worth the value add:

• Integration with book tracking platforms like Storygraph (I hate goodreads but right now SoryGraph doesn't have the apis for it yet) and GoodReads
• Fancy Export tools for my annotations (to Excel, Google, OneNote Etc)
• Ability to view/export my reading stats by time (last month, last week etc)
• Hide social media/store/ad from sidebar and context menus. and be able to customize it with shortcuts to my most used shelves or something.
• Receive notifications about my favorite author's new books (rss feed or something)
• Strict interest/genre profiles for recommendations (for example: I'm only reading women authors writing historical fantasy this month, only show me those recs. Only recommended me Java17 manuals. Do not recommend horror novels).
• Complete data transparency. Where is my Bookfusion account data going?

But overall, I think this level of restriction will hinder the app more than it helps conversion. Please consider removing the book # (not the feature limits, only the local library size stuff) restrictions and either making the app cost money for those basic offline features or having those certain features be fully free so that the app is functional @ the free tier (and therefore, properly freemium).
I want to clarify in a quick closing note that I'm sharing this to give my perspective. This is not an official feature request or complaint or anything. I thought my onboarding experience and background with ebooks might make for an interesting take by new user but veteran e-reader.
I'd love to hear how other users feel (especially new ones) about Bookfusion and for you veterans, what keeps you using it?
Thanks!

Originally posted on https://productidentity.co/p/designing-for-a-single-purpose
If you’ve ever been to Amsterdam, you’ve probably visited, or at least heard about the famous cookie store that sells only one cookie. I mean, not a piece, but a single flavor.
I’m talking about Van Stapele Koekmakerij of course—where you can get one of the world's most delicious chocolate chip cookies. If not arriving at opening hour, it’s likely to find a long queue extending from the store’s doorstep through the street it resides. When I visited the city a few years ago, I watched the sensation myself: a nervous crowd awaited as the rumor of ‘out of stock’ cookies spreaded across the line.
The store, despite becoming a landmark for tourists, stands for an idea that seems to be forgotten in our culture: crafting for a single purpose.
In the tech scene where I’m coming from, and which you might too, this approach is often perceived as singular, and not in its positiveness. We’ve been taught to go big or go home—raise millions in funding, build a big company, hire more and more employees, and hope for the desired exit.
Anything less is considered a mind of a failure.
From a personal perspective I’ve seen this attitude in almost every branding session I ran with startup founders. Again and again, they struggled to distill their primary focus. Moreover, when discussing competitors, it often seemed their startup competed in every possible field.
In a way, that fear of committing reflects the human nature of FOMO—deliberately giving up on something(s) and experiencing the potential loss of other benefits.
This mindset has also seeped into our collective body of work, especially in software. A product, which often starts as a weird small creature, gradually evolves into a multi-arm octopus, which sadly became the norm for VCware.
And so we’ve been left with bloated, bigger, and… worse software.
The idea of maintaining a small scope in product has already appeared in my writing in various forms; in niche product design I explored the effect of growth on design; and in defense of Twitter, I wrote about the bloated era of incumbent culture. But in between there seems to be a different attitude that not many choose to embrace, which like in Van Stapele’s case, seeks a real purpose.

Going back to basics as a way to find purpose

In a tweet posted a few months ago, Jeff Sheldon described his renewed approach to photography after getting a new camera. It enlightened my eyes.
I’m not a professional photographer, and never been. But my beloved Canon 700D still serves me often while traveling. Besides learning about ISO and shutter speed settings, being familiar with the mechanics of a DSLR camera has also introduced me to the practice of shooting photos in RAW format, which means capturing photos at the highest quality level.
But the super heavy file format marks only the start of the process in modern photography. The rest belongs to the post-processing act: the daunting work of polishing, enhancing, and fixing images.
When I returned from vacation, I hoped to edit my captures. Then I noticed something weird. When comparing my photos to some stunning photos I saw online, it seemed like my camera output wasn’t as good as those shared photos. In doubt of my gear I then, again, noticed something I should have probably known: it wasn’t about the camera, but the editing.
I realized professional-made photos were overly edited, often detached from their original conditions. It appeared that what you see isn’t what you get.
I wondered, has photography become an art of photo manipulation?
To respectful photographers, this might appear like a false accusation. The time spent sitting in front of the photo editor is at the heart of many camera enthusiasts. After all, that’s why a camera is set to shoot in raw.
But this potential debate triggers a more profound question: what’s the purpose of all this thing, to find the perfect angle or color filter?
Despite being somewhat contradicting with modern photography philosophy, I find “going back to basics”, as Jeff described, to reflect the same spirit as of Van Stapele—a devotion to a very minded process. No editing. No over-complication. Working only in one mode, and for the sake of it.
At first glance, Van Stapele’s laser-focused outlook might seem detached from tech and other mass-production industries. But there’s a line that can be drawn between the Dutch cookie store to some other products which makes them all distinct:

• You can only read e-books with a Kindle.
• There’s no app store on the Light Phone.
• You’ll mostly find waterproof apparel in a Rains store.
• The Bic pen has remained untouched for almost 70 years.
• The design of Are.na remained the same for more than 12 years.

Whilst not every product mentioned above is hard-core focused like Van Stapele, the pattern is clear: an intentional commitment to a single purpose—either as a life philosophy, by using specific materials, or a deliberate design. And it also feels more appreciable when succeeding that way.
Some might call out a gimmick, while others appreciate the care for deep focus, which both are understandable. Finding the perfect recipe for the perfect cookie, and then committing to selling only that can be novel or a trick in marketing—depends on who you ask. But as I will stretch out from now on, I choose novelty.
We started with very minimal and basic products, aimed to serve only one simple job. A car to get from point A to B, a telephone to communicate with others, and a watch to check the time (perhaps the last analog device to serve human beings). But then many of our mundane artifacts have become more of a Swiss knife rather than just being exceptional in one form. We’re now drowning in oceans of product suites, both in the digital and physical worlds.

The bloated culture

In software, this trajectory is no different. Furthermore, it’s on steroids.
Despite “Do one thing well” being common advice for people building products in tech, it fails to hold water in the long run. Temptations are far too many to build and launch new stuff. Here’s Dropbox, a famous example of software turned bloated, in the words of DHH of 37signals:

Over the years, Dropbox has tried a million different things to juice upsells, seat expansions, and other ways to move the needle. There’s been a plethora of collaboration features (when all the collab I ever need is those magic links to files I can send over any wire!) and more and more pushy prompts to, say, move pictures and videos straight from the camera into the cloud. Along with pleas not to store the files I have in the system on my local computers (presumably so the transfer costs they pay are less). It’s exhausting.
I just want to pay for the original premise: All my files synched between all my computers, with a backup in the sky. That’s a beautifully, simply solution to a surprisingly difficult problem. And Dropbox absolutely nailed it.
Finished software

Back in its heyday, Dropbox was simple. A classic piece of software. Its purpose was to allow people to store and share files on the cloud effortlessly—either from a computer or mobile device. It was straightforward. Even its homepage was simple. There were no bells and whistles. It was designed to serve… a single purpose.
But as with VCware, things have started to shift gears. Amid Google Drive's popularity, the “drop-to-the-box” identity started to blur as the product offering expanded.. and expanded. It seemed like Dropbox’s purpose became more generic and less focused.
Another resentment that ignited a storm in the design community occurred when the company announced a brand redesign a few years ago. In a way that act marked the shift in the company’s direction, bringing unclarity to its customers. The cynicism of Brand New's audience also made its review post one of the most popular that year.
The novel idea that was executed so well has followed the same growth patterns of the tech bubble—as I wrote in Niche product design:

As companies grow, they gradually move from a state of fan-only to a state of a product for everyone. During this transition, dramatic changes occur, as the drive to satisfy more audiences and increase revenue. But eventually, this shift harms the core of the product. It becomes scattered, and the brand turns into a gigantic octopus, leaving people questioning its purpose and values.

An email client, a note-taking tool, and a Photos-like app are only part of what Dropbox has been involved with over the years.
Today Dropbox is seemingly much more than a storage cloud service. It’s also a video reviewer (if there’s such a term at all), a Loom competitor, and a document e-sign tool. However, at its core, Dropbox is still a company selling terabytes on the cloud.
Yet Dropbox might be just a drop in the ocean. A symptom of a bloated culture in modern software. To better understand this bloat-mania, let’s look at one of its kingpins, and a company of which Dropbox is valued at 0.003% of its worth: Apple. And what’s a better example than one of its greatest products of all time, the iPhone?
Launched in 2007, the innovative touch-screen device had only essential features like phone calls, and text messaging among other luxuries like a camera, an internet browser, a weather, and a stock app. The peak of technology at the time.
In 2008, a year after the first iPhone release, Apple introduced the App Store, which was the catalyst for entering the smartphone era while unleashing a tidal wave of apps.
Fast forward to 2014, and the iPhone got an upgrade in the form of a multi-model release, with the launch of the iPhone 6 Plus. The trend expanded and Apple gradually added different shapes and names to the iPhone line: Plus, Pro, Pro Max, alongside other discontinued model names. This doctrine has been applied to many of Apple’s products—the iPad, Macbook, and Watch. Some got bigger, smaller, or faster. In a materialized world, I wouldn’t be surprised if the iPhone got bigger only to store more functions.
But perhaps the greatest archetype of Apple’s transition to bloated products was the iPod. The next-level MP3 (or 4?) essence was simple—to carry music on the road. Nothing more. But then Apple gave the iPod a life of its own, as it eventually became an iPhone replication, just without a SIM card.
The iPod (especially the non-touch model) is still dear to many Apple (non-)fansbois. The beloved product was designed entirely around the music experience. Before music streaming services took over the industry, people manually entered song metadata: the title, artist name, and of course—the holy album artwork. The hurdles of iTunes made this a daunting task, but iPod users found joy in this craft.
As a standalone product, disconnected from other functions, the iPod was a true single-purpose product.

In more recent times

What would happen if Van Stapele decided to add more flavors or open other branches? Probably nothing. Maybe its profits even increase. But the Valrhona chocolate-made cookie store icon will be losing its artisanal identity. Specialty and quality aren't determined by size.
In a more familiar case, we can look no further than the platform that hosts these very own words—Substack. Since the announcement of Notes, Substackers have shared concerns about the direction the platform is heading.
Substack’s original purpose, to some, was to highlight great writing while making writers a living. Now with the seeming transition for eyeballs and short-form content attention, Substack is being questioned whether modern social network dynamics are taking over it.
To close this social network loop—Twitter has been a good executer at designing for a single purpose until it wasn’t, largely by the decision of going for a longform direction alongside launching questionable features. For years Twitter sanctified the quirky 140-then-280-characters limit while establishing a new internet medium. Those recent announcements made by its new execs are ripping off its identity, slowly but surely. By adding more purposes to this platform design, Substack risks going down a similar path, jeopardizing its writer's soul.

Drinking beers and building businesses in Japan

If I were raised in Japan I may not understand what this turmoil is all about. The renowned business heritage in Japan is an oasis in the never-ending capitalistic desert:

Japan’s startup climate has often been criticized for being sluggish, perhaps because a culture that promotes business longevity also cultivates a fear of failure. Now, however, ‘startup’ and ‘atotsugi’ are words spoken in the same sentence, as today’s leaders finally feel permitted to apply entrepreneurial lessons to traditional companies to ensure their legacy continues. Why Japan is home to the world’s oldest businesses

Japan is located on the other side of the earth, and its business culture values seem too. In a Western society of hyper-everything, which characterizes the move-fast-and-break-things startup ethos, the far island culture is way more cautious. Instead of financial logic, which might seem irrational, the ‘shinise’ tradition cultivates sacred values such as continuous improvement, longevity, and care for quality. It’s an extremely long-term game.

In Japan, more than 52,000 companies are more than a century old. Why Japan is home to the world’s oldest businesses

Japan is probably the largest home for centuries-old businesses, in varied fields from sake producers, to hotels and construction companies. This fact is much attributed to how generations of Japanese aspire to keep businesses running in the family. But as in the words of Yusuke Tsuen, the current owner of Tsuen Tea, the key to sustaining a shinise is to focus only on one thing:

“We’ve focused on tea and haven’t expanded the business too much,” he says. “That’s why we’re surviving.” Why so many of the world’s oldest companies are in Japan, Bryan Lufkin

In The Price of Immortality, Rohit Krishnan concluded the same:

The conclusion of this little digression has been to find common grounds amongst the most long lived organisations, and turns out you need to be a particular type of company: Extreme dedication to doing one thing well

But the Japanese business heritage isn’t the last and only resort from bloat-ism. The next time you drink beer, think about this:
Weihenstephan is considered to be the oldest brewery in the world, founded in 1040, more than a thousand years ago. And we don’t need to travel this far back. Other European breweries like Tuborg (1873) and Heineken (1864) are over 150 years old.
Van Honsebrouck, the brewery that produces the famous Kasteel Rouge was founded in 1865 and is still owned by the same family.

The brewery is still owned and operated by the family, now the seventh generation of van Honsebrouck brewers in Ingelmunster. James Clay

Breweries have developed more tastes and flavors over the years, but they’ve been all operating for a single purpose for decades and hundreds of years: to craft beers.

What might come next?

A real shinise is rare in tech. Focusing on a single purpose often seems boring, a narrowed view, or a lack of ambition to some. But I find it invigorating. A long-lasting design can be timeless and unique.
Do we really want to carry our stress, depression, and fears everywhere we go? Don’t we want to feel disconnected from time to time? Then why the heck do we carry our mobile phones everywhere we go, even to entertain ourselves in the toilet? And not to mention the germs.
Would this all happen if we were using a cell phone that’s just designed to make phone calls? This is actually what the Light Phone founders realized a decade ago:

What does it do? Nothing. You put in a SIM card, press a few buttons, and make a call. There’s no browser. No games. No NFC. It has quick dial, which is nice, and it doubles as a flashlight. The Light Phone Is The Anti-Smartphone, John Biggs

I may get carried away from the main idea of this essay, but that’s in part why I think designing for a single purpose is so important. The purpose of many products and artifacts has gone lost. Beyond the seeming gimmick, building for a single purpose reflects an understanding of what a thing is meant to be, and serve.
We’ve reached a point where focusing seems like spinning one's wheels, instead of appreciating the deep care of it.
And perhaps going back to basics is inevitable. When I’m reading on my Kindle I don’t get bothered by WhatsApp messages, or get interrupted by an incoming call. I’m not being tempted to do something else. I’m just focused on the act of reading.
As Devon tweeted a few years back: “When using my cellphone, I tend to become a passive consumer of the internet.” This also resonates well with the idea of this whole long text but from a slightly different angle. Using a multi-purpose product increases my distraction level, as I consume more things in the background.
Using a product that was designed for a single purpose brings back joy. It removes all the unnecessities and emphasizes an experience essence in a calmer environment, and with a real purpose.
Unlike photography, what you see is what you get.
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SO- I have some old iPods! 2 that are iPod classics (A1238), and an iPod nano (A1320) I really wanted to start them up again and add some music to them! At first they all hooked up fine and synced to the itunes store fine. NOW THOUGH- my iPod nano will not light up or show up in itunes (it does make the little sound that is is connected though when I plug it in) I had restarted it as I wanted to just give it a fresh start and then it started doing that. Though,,, as I was restarting it the itunes store froze and just kinda kicked the whole thing out- I don't know if it really got to finish rebooting. And like- twice before it stopped showing anything at all, it said the drivers had an error, so I scanned them and after that it said nothing was detected, so I ejected and let it set to try again. Now it doesn't show up at all :< Then one of the classics (it's white with 120 GB on it) will power on and works but it reset and it says like, ALL the storage is being taken up by "other" and when I open apple music it completely freezes- and it won't let me eject it. I had to just go ahead and unplug it and then the app will close. Then once I do that it pretty much resets again- has me choose a language and does the same thing. The last classic (a black 160 GB) seems to be doing fine BUT I can't add music files like I used to- it also freezes the app and I can't eject it. So far it still has all its music and I REALLY don't want to accidentally erase anything on it (as it was my moms, and both of my sisters before it was mine- they like to look at the old music too- the white one already reset and I don't know why or how X[ ) So- any ideas? I am absolutely FLOORED. I also checked to make sure my itunes was up to date and it is. I don't expect an easy answer but any advice is appreciated to maybe help fix them? I'm not the most tech savvy but I'm always willing to learn lol- so if any of you guys know anything I'd definitely be grateful! In the mean time I'll continue to search files for any problems and try and Google a solution! X] If you want any more details let me know and I'll happily give em' to you!

My wife has an iPod touch that is functionally bricked: the security questions were set up when she was in middle school and the answers are lost to time. She’s attempted roughly 100-150 combinations. The email associated with the Apple ID is also inaccessible. Apple has stated they cannot do anything about it. It contains photos of her now-passed grandma and her brother when she was a baby, so she’s made sure to keep the physical iPod in good condition. The only hope I can think of at this point would be to manually hack it, but I’m not even sure if that is possible nowadays. Any thoughts on what to do or how to find a white hat would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.