Google Play Music

[Mike Easter]

GPM announced its demise and suggested YT, but I'm anti-YT. I read a
couple of articles* about replacement, and one of those suggested these:
Music Player Go, Poweramp Music Player, Omnia Music Player, Pulsar Music
Player, VLC for Android, AIMP, Simple Music Player, or Musicolet. I
currently simply/only play ripped CD mp3/s offline.

I'm only familiar w/ VLC linux and I favor open source. Is there any
reason that shouldn't be my choice? I'm not inclined to audition
several players.


https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/10/22/google-play-music-is-now-officially-dead-dead-dead/
Google Play Music is now officially dead, dead, dead
https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/10/22/the-8-best-local-music-players-on-android-now-that-google-play-music-is-dead/
The 8 best local music players on Android, now that Google Play Music
is dead


--
Mike Easter

[Andy Burns]

Mike Easter wrote:

> GPM announced its demise and suggested YT, but I'm anti-YT.

YTM isn't YT; think of it as GPMv2.

[Chris Green]

Mike Easter <Mi...@ster.invalid> wrote:
> GPM announced its demise and suggested YT, but I'm anti-YT. I read a
> couple of articles* about replacement, and one of those suggested these:
> Music Player Go, Poweramp Music Player, Omnia Music Player, Pulsar Music
> Player, VLC for Android, AIMP, Simple Music Player, or Musicolet. I
> currently simply/only play ripped CD mp3/s offline.
>
> I'm only familiar w/ VLC linux and I favor open source. Is there any
> reason that shouldn't be my choice? I'm not inclined to audition
> several players.
>

When I was looking for a music player on Android vlc ended up being my
'least worst'. I have to say they were mostly pretty dire and vlc was
only 'not quite so bad'.

I simply gave up on using anything Android for playing music and went
back to Linux on my laptop.

--
Chris Green
·

[Arlen Holder]

On Sat, 31 Oct 2020 14:41:09 -0700, Mike Easter wrote:

> I'm only familiar w/ VLC linux and I favor open source. Is there any
> reason that shouldn't be my choice? I'm not inclined to audition
> several players.

Hi Mike
You've helped me a lot over the years where I'll try to help to give back.

I strive for the simplest possible most functional freeware, where I just
checked for you what I use (but I'm NOT an audiophile by any means).
o <https://i.postimg.cc/6pk42Qrv/audio01.jpg>

In addition to VLC (being in the video directory), I have these two:
o Music Player GO <com.iven.musicplayergo> version 4.19 (143)
o Music Player, by SimpleMobileTools <com.simplemobiletools.musicplayer> 5.4.1 (72)

I'm not sure the URLs, but looking them up, I think they may be:
o SimpleMobileTools <https://github.com/SimpleMobileTools>
<https://github.com/SimpleMobileTools/Simple-Music-Player>
o Music Player GO
<https://github.com/enricocid/Music-Player-GO>

As for playing "YouTube audio" (such as music videos), nothing beats
NewPipe freeware, which, I just checked, can use any player in addition to
its own internal audio player (based on the settings I show below):
o <https://i.postimg.cc/9fyRGjbN/audio02.jpg>

As you're likely aware, NewPipe downloads _just_ the audio (in almost any
format you like) if you want to populate a device with YouTube'd songs:
o PSA: NewPipe v0.20.1 (YouTube ad-free clone on steroids)
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/kjwJS4AeiVc>
--
See also:
o Music player
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/lkkOF7WcQSo/TFymbS4UDgAJ>
o What app to play music and podcasts, back and forth
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/_eips66oyUE/VUophQKuDAAJ>
o music players on android that don't interfere with each other
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/zqG6UDn2NoI/_ZowzxBnBQAJ>
o audio players that work together
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/Y19-_kCN4Fc/8lE0DbOXBAAJ>
o What is the Best Android App for Audiobooks and Podcasts?
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/bbfHddTAmlk/f8vT6Q3DDAAJ>
o Listening to youtube documentaries offline with the screen off at night
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/922V3BoAI_w%5B1-25%5D>
o How can I analyze an audio download to see WHERE the distortion is coming from?
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/aDL618YOrB8/19eNgo4ICgAJ>
o Music Player: Recommendations ?
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/7xSnntA3OD4/0nQ2qkS6AAAJ>

[123456789]

Mike Easter wrote:

> GPM announced its demise and suggested YT, but I'm anti-YT. I read a
> couple of articles* about replacement, and one of those suggested
> these: Music Player Go, Poweramp Music Player, Omnia Music Player,
> Pulsar Music Player, VLC for Android, AIMP, Simple Music Player, or
> Musicolet. I currently simply/only play ripped CD mp3/s offline.

I've used Google Play Music for many years to play my locally ripped
mp3s (2500+). When the current version of GPM quit working I just went
back to an earlier version (7.10.5022) and so far it's still working
just fine.

BTW even though GPM has it's own equalizer, I instead use Equalizer FX
Pro which to my old ears allows for more adjustment and a better sound.
YMMV of course depending on how damaged your old ears are...

BTW2 These days I find most of my music to rip in the Goodwill and
second hand stores in my area for a couple of bucks (or less) a disk.

[Arlen Holder]

On Sat, 31 Oct 2020 18:25:08 -0700, 123456789 wrote:

> BTW2 These days I find most of my music to rip in the Goodwill and
> second hand stores in my area for a couple of bucks (or less) a disk.

<OT>
Every time I drop off the grandkid's clothing to donate to Goodwill here in
the Silicon Valley, I stop into the store to check out the "bargains".

Next time, I'll post a picture - but what I generally find it that they're
charging upwards of ten and fifteen bucks for a music CD they got for free.

I understand their rent is high - but - my point is that I envy those of
you who can go to a Goodwill NOT in the Silicon Valley to get bargains.
</OT>

[The Real Bev]

Last time I went to ours I wanted a cheap chair for a friend, who ended
up not needing one. We used to shop at Goodwill and Veterans' stores
before we got hooked on yard sales, which had much better prices as well
as surprises. You never knew what you were going to come home with.

We watched some guy load a mounted moose head into the back of his Honda
pickup. It filled the entire bed. I could imagine him telling his wife
"Oh honey, just LOOK what I found..." A woman saw us looking at her
pair of taxidermed dingoes. She said "If you like those I have six more
in the garage..."

Goodwill accepts electronic waste, which is handy. I had a monster
CRT-TV to get rid of. When I got there they said they didn't accept big
TVs. I said that nothing mentioned that on the website and that I had
to be elsewhere in half an hour with an empty pickup and they could
either come and unload it or I was going to just push it off. They
unloaded it.

Have you ever thrown a CRT into a big dumpster? The result is impressive.

--
Cheers, Bev
The Marketing Professional's Motto: "We don't screw the customers. All
we're doing is holding them down while the salespeople screw them."
-- Scott Adams

[Mike Easter]

Arlen Holder wrote:
> I envy those of
> you who can go to a Goodwill NOT in the Silicon Valley to get bargains.

Geographically, Silicon Valley is 'roughly' equivalent to Santa Clara
Valley, which extent includes a great deal more than the high rent
district from SF to San Jose.

Maybe hop across the S bay; but be careful over there :-/

--
Mike Easter

[123456789]

Arlen Holder wrote:

> 123456789 wrote:

>> These days I find most of my music to rip in the Goodwill and
>> second hand stores in my area for a couple of bucks (or less) a
>> disk.

> Every time I drop off the grandkid's clothing to donate to Goodwill
> here in the Silicon Valley, I stop into the store to check out the
> "bargains". Next time, I'll post a picture - but what I generally
> find it that they're charging upwards of ten and fifteen bucks for a
> music CD they got for free. I understand their rent is high - but -
> my point is that I envy those of you who can go to a Goodwill NOT in

> the Silicon Valley to get bargain.

I imagine the stores in any area price their wares to what the traffic
will bear. Can't blame them for trying to make as much profit as
possible. My area (a west Phoenix suburb) is mostly retired and
middle/lower income folk and (fortunately) the stores seem to price
accordingly...

[VanguardLH]

I see there's a "free" 1-month trial, so Youtube Music costs money. I
never used Google Music, but I've read it is ad-ridden unless you paid.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.music&hl=en_US&gl=US
"Google Play Music provides free, ad-supported radio ..."

[Andy Burns]

VanguardLH wrote:

> I see there's a "free" 1-month trial, so Youtube Music costs money. I
> never used Google Music, but I've read it is ad-ridden unless you paid.

I paid for play music (probably started with a free trial, can't
remember) didn't know there was a free ad-laden tier, this included some
level of youtube premium, but not the full youtube premium or youtube
red whatever that is/was?

I'm now on a free trial of the full youtube premium (boom! all ads gone)
which I will probably stick with just for that.

> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.music&hl=en_US&gl=US
> "Google Play Music provides free, ad-supported radio ..."

I would have been happier if they just continued Play Music as was, I
don't see the point of youtube music, I have turned off videos as I just
want to listen to music not watch it, I have also turend off the link
between youtube favourites and youtube music favourites.

[Carlos E.R.]

On 01/11/2020 03.47, The Real Bev wrote:
> On 10/31/2020 07:32 PM, Arlen Holder wrote:
>> On Sat, 31 Oct 2020 18:25:08 -0700, 123456789 wrote:

...

> Goodwill  accepts electronic waste, which is handy.  I had a monster
> CRT-TV to get rid of.  When I got there they said they didn't accept big
> TVs.  I said that nothing mentioned that on the website and that I had
> to be elsewhere in half an hour with an empty pickup and they could
> either come and unload it or I was going to just push it off.  They
> unloaded it.

:-D

Yeah, I donated a bed frame to an organization, and when they came to
pick it they said "huh, not Ikea ones" and wanted to charge me. I told
them to piss off, I would garbage it. And that I did, I sawed it in
pieces with a hand saw, and burned most of it for heat.

Not calling them again.

>
> Have you ever thrown a CRT into a big dumpster?  The result is impressive.
>

Yes, I did. We threw stones at them. Then I learned that they pollute
and stopped.

--
Cheers, Carlos.

[The Real Bev]

On 11/01/2020 04:36 AM, Carlos E.R. wrote:
> On 01/11/2020 03.47, The Real Bev wrote:
>> On 10/31/2020 07:32 PM, Arlen Holder wrote:
>>> On Sat, 31 Oct 2020 18:25:08 -0700, 123456789 wrote:
>
>> Goodwill accepts electronic waste, which is handy. I had a monster
>> CRT-TV to get rid of. When I got there they said they didn't accept big
>> TVs. I said that nothing mentioned that on the website and that I had
>> to be elsewhere in half an hour with an empty pickup and they could
>> either come and unload it or I was going to just push it off. They
>> unloaded it.
>
> :-D
>
> Yeah, I donated a bed frame to an organization, and when they came to
> pick it they said "huh, not Ikea ones" and wanted to charge me. I told
> them to piss off, I would garbage it. And that I did, I sawed it in
> pieces with a hand saw, and burned most of it for heat.
>
> Not calling them again.

The Salvation Army is picky about what they accept, although they're
taking electronic waste now. The Veterans' truck will take anything you
have.

Long ago -- before 'electronic waste' was a thing -- the SA accepted
the (obsolete by at least 5 years) NEC APC. I wonder what they did with it.

--
Cheers, Bev
"So I'm at the wailing wall, standing there like a moron,
with my harpoon." -- Emo Philips

[Arlen Holder]

On Sat, 31 Oct 2020 19:48:42 -0700, Mike Easter wrote:

> Geographically, Silicon Valley is 'roughly' equivalent to Santa Clara
> Valley, which extent includes a great deal more than the high rent
> district from SF to San Jose.

<OT>
I'll give you a hint at the high prices, in that there hasn't been a house
sold in my town under a million in a half in probably decades.

Funny thing though, I called the California CRV folks to find a recycling
center, and they tell me every store is required to have one within a mile
if they sell beverages and yet, none are in any town anywhere near.

Each store would rather pay California the $100/day fine than accept
bottles for the CRV refund.

> Maybe hop across the S bay; but be careful over there :-/

Some day I'll tell you the story of when I spent a night in Central Park in
the 60's with a long knife tucked in my hiking boot. I was invincible then.
o No longer am I invincible; I'm downright scared of things like that now.

I won't even tell you of the same thing I did along the Charles in college.
o In other words, Oakland scares me so much I won't go there in daylight.
</OT>
--
I hear they cleaned up Times Square, but in those days it was an adventure.

[Arlen Holder]

On Sat, 31 Oct 2020 19:47:16 -0700, The Real Bev wrote:

> Have you ever thrown a CRT into a big dumpster?
> The result is impressive.

<OT>
I almost died.

When I was a kid, I took everything apart. Everything.

I took this old TV apart, and in those days, it was all wires.
Selenenium diodes, as I recall (big yellow plates).

The CRT was at least half an inch thick on the corners.
So I bang the front of the screen with a hammer.

Nothing.
I bang again, but harder.

Nothing.
I bang again, and again, harder each time.

Wooooosh! WTF?
The thing IMPLODED!

Pieces of shrapnel everywhere.
The half-inch thick piece whizzed by my face and landed behind me.

Never again.
</OT>

[123456789]

Andy Burns wrote:
> VanguardLH wrote:

>> I see there's a "free" 1-month trial, so Youtube Music costs
>> money. I never used Google Music, but I've read it is ad-ridden
>> unless you paid.

There is a "Start Free Trial" ad in Settings and another when I brought
the GPM app up for the first time, but other than that I've never saw
any other adds when in use.

BTW Samsung Music which is similar to GPM does have pop-ups ads.
Unfortunately the app came preloaded on some of my Samsung devices.
Fortunately they allowed complete deletion of this very annoying app.

> I paid for play music (probably started with a free trial, can't
> remember) didn't know there was a free ad-laden tier,

There's a "Download only" switch in GPM Settings that turns off
streaming which I've always left activated. Perhaps that's why I've
never seen any streaming ads. With the switch activated the "Playlists" and
"Stations" columns don't work (complains of no downloaded GPM music).
But the rest of the columns (Artists, Albums, Songs, and Genres) sort my
own ripped mp3s and work just fine.

> I'm now on a free trial of the full youtube premium (boom! all ads
> gone) which I will probably stick with just for that.

I already have 2 "free" streaming music services (Amazon Music an Cox)
that seem to be filled mostly with either horrible shouting screaming
modern music or very boring old classical music. Yes music is a very
subjective thing and thus my liking for the ability to choose it from my
own local thrift stores... ;)

> I would have been happier if they just continued Play Music as was,

Me too. The main thing I like about the GPM app is the ability to
shuffle my entire song database. My other players are locked into
just shuffling just one album or song file. I suppose I could put the
entire 2500+ song collection in one file for shuffling but such a
hassle. GPM is so much easier. Long live GPM version 7.10.5022...

[The Real Bev]

On 11/01/2020 07:50 AM, Arlen Holder wrote:
> On Sat, 31 Oct 2020 19:47:16 -0700, The Real Bev wrote:
>
>> Have you ever thrown a CRT into a big dumpster?
>> The result is impressive.
>
> <OT>
> I almost died.
>
> When I was a kid, I took everything apart. Everything.

Hubby likewise. He fixed everything himself. So does our son. My dad
had a screwdriver, a hammer, some pliers, a crescent, and a long hose
for inflating my bicycle tires from the spare in the trunk of his car.
I missed a lot.

> I took this old TV apart, and in those days, it was all wires.
> Selenenium diodes, as I recall (big yellow plates).
>
> The CRT was at least half an inch thick on the corners.
> So I bang the front of the screen with a hammer.
>
> Nothing.
> I bang again, but harder.
>
> Nothing.
> I bang again, and again, harder each time.
>
> Wooooosh! WTF?
> The thing IMPLODED!
>
> Pieces of shrapnel everywhere.
> The half-inch thick piece whizzed by my face and landed behind me.

Hubby tried bashing one with a shovel when he was a kid. Ultimately he
threw a rock at the neck, which worked. From then on he was very
careful around CRTs.

--
Cheers, Bev
Little Mary took her skis upon the snow to frisk.
Wasn't she a silly girl her little * ?

[123456789]

Arlen Holder wrote:

> When I was a kid, I took everything apart. Everything. I took this
> old TV apart, and in those days, it was all wires. Selenenium
> diodes, as I recall (big yellow plates).

They were called Selenium Rectifiers. That is if we're
talking about those square things with separated plates, painted in odd
colors, and stunk like a fart when shorted...

> The CRT was at least half an inch thick on the corners. So I bang
> the front of the screen with a hammer. Nothing. I bang again, but
> harder. Nothing. I bang again, and again, harder each time.
> Wooooosh! WTF? The thing IMPLODED! Pieces of shrapnel everywhere. The
> half-inch thick piece whizzed by my face and landed behind me. Never
> again.

I worked in TV repair while in high school, and as a side job thereafter
for some years. (Fifty cents an hour if I recall correctly.) Anyway I
was carrying a TV CRT (21") over my shoulder when it accidentally bumped
the wall and broke where the neck intersects the main part. There was
the loud hiss but no implosion. Lucky me, huh... 8-O

[Arlen Holder]

On Sun, 1 Nov 2020 10:01:06 -0700, 123456789 wrote:

> They were called Selenium Rectifiers. That is if we're
> talking about those square things with separated plates, painted in odd
> colors, and stunk like a fart when shorted...

That was it!

It has a series of square plates which were painted yellow, as I recall.
Each thin plate was, maybe, oh, an inch and a half on the side.

As I recall, the yellow paint was "bumpy" (like sandy in some way).
I put a lot of current through it and we had to evacuate it stunk so bad.

> I worked in TV repair while in high school, and as a side job thereafter
> for some years. (Fifty cents an hour if I recall correctly.) Anyway I
> was carrying a TV CRT (21") over my shoulder when it accidentally bumped
> the wall and broke where the neck intersects the main part. There was
> the loud hiss but no implosion. Lucky me, huh... 8-O

Funny that, as I worked in TV repair also (lots of probing and SAMS paper
guides, as I recall).

The guy had a small shop, where his gig was he advertised "free pickup".
Then when they were told the price of the repair, half let him keep it.

We then fixed those TVs & sold them, which was half (or so) his business.
--
In a way, it was kind of like the current Apple business model.

[Arlen Holder]

On Sun, 1 Nov 2020 08:51:48 -0800, The Real Bev wrote:

> Hubby likewise. He fixed everything himself. So does our son. My dad
> had a screwdriver, a hammer, some pliers, a crescent, and a long hose
> for inflating my bicycle tires from the spare in the trunk of his car.
> I missed a lot.

<OT>

My Dad was a PhD engineer who could and did fix everything.
I don't think we ever had a mechanic, plumber, roofer, or other repairman.

He taught me the basics, starting with "ground" and moving up from there.
He'd fix everything but what he didn't fix, I'd take apart.

I'd take apart EVERYTHING, e.g., motors, radios, batteries, etc.

I remember disassembling my first 6-volt battery (remember them?).
Lots of charcoal looking stinky wet crumbly pasty acrid stuff.

And I would peel an electrolytic capacitor like unrolling a cigar.
I'd stick the electrodes in a wall socket & turn the switch on.
Boom!

(We kids played a _lot_ with explosives, as I'm sure all of you did too!)
You learn a lot by exploding things, and taking them apart.

I even took my mom's high heels apart, being bedazzled by the fantastic
crafting of the maple heel (the heel was lovely maple with a covering of
leather). Speaking of leather, I even took a catcher's mitt apart and used
it to cover my torn bicycle seat.

Plastic was just showing up in my teens and later years, as my early years
were "all steel", all American (as I recall).

Even our Tonka trucks and those little 25-cent Matchbox cars were steel.
Although we'd burn the tires and they'd drip thick black smoke.

Speaking of that, we'd burn the bic pens at some stage when they first came
out, and they'd drip these balls of black burning plastic which we used to
create a Dresden like fire bombing of little paper cities we'd make in the
dirt. (I won't tell the story when _that_ got out of hand though, as the
Police destroyed those records when I turned 18, or so they say).

Ah yes. Boys will be boys.
You learn a lot by taking things apart and destroying them.

If you survive.

> Hubby tried bashing one with a shovel when he was a kid. Ultimately he
> threw a rock at the neck, which worked. From then on he was very
> careful around CRTs.

The funny thing is in those days we were essentially unsupervised.

Our parents didn't even know when we didn't come home from high school
parties, and in those days, we drank like fish (even though I don't drink
much other than a sip of wine nowadays).

We'd roam around in gangs of about five or ten kids, building tree forts
and asking the local Chinese restaurant for saltpeter to make gunpowder.

Explosives abounded, so we blew up a lot of fish under the ice, since we'd
tie them to sticks and lower them in a hole chopped in the inch thick ice
(which barely even cracks from an M80 although it will blow the rock at the
top of the hole sky high).

In college years, we filled a beer balloon with oxyacetylene from a
welder's torch and blew that up, which was about as loud as loud can be (my
ears are still ringing), and in the Weld dormitory, we'd pilfer potassium
permanganate and sulfuric acid (as I recall) and blow it up with a
broomstick once it dried - thick purple smoke filled the commons with acrid
smoke.

We'd ride our motorcycles down the dorm hallways in those days - which
you'd get arrested for doing now (I even once got a parking ticket for
putting my Suzuki inside Memorial Hall, when I should have gotten an award
for getting it up the steps, instead).

Sigh.
We were kids.
It's a wonder we survived.

But we learned a lot.

[123456789]

Arlen Holder wrote:
> 123456789 wrote:

>> They were called Selenium Rectifiers. That is if we're talking
>> about those square things with separated plates, painted in odd
>> colors, and stunk like a fart when shorted...

> That was it! It has a series of square plates which were painted
> yellow, as I recall. Each thin plate was, maybe, oh, an inch and a
> half on the side. As I recall, the yellow paint was "bumpy" (like
> sandy in some way).

They came in various sizes and colors.

> I put a lot of current through it and we had to evacuate it stunk so
> bad.

That was one of my troubleshooting methods with a dead TV. Smell the
rectifier. Generally a power supply filter cap would short and take out
the rectifier which thereafter smelled bad.

>> I worked in TV repair while in high school, and as a side job
>> thereafter for some years. (Fifty cents an hour if I recall
>> correctly.)

> Funny that, as I worked in TV repair also (lots of probing and SAMS
> paper guides, as I recall).

Yup. If we needed a schematic for a tough job we ordered one. Went on
the customer's bill but of course we kept it for the next time we needed it.

> The guy had a small shop, where his gig was he advertised "free
> pickup". Then when they were told the price of the repair, half let
> him keep it.

Mine was a one man shop (and me part time). He was the father of a high
school buddy. Also we were both hams which probably didn't hurt in
getting the job...

> We then fixed those TVs & sold them, which was half (or so) his
> business.

He sold both new and used TV's. Also rented portable TVs to the local
hospital patients. His wife kept the store when we were out on calls and
deliveries. It was a fun job but as I said didn't pay very well...

[Arlen Holder]

On Sun, 1 Nov 2020 18:36:12 -0000 (UTC), Arlen Holder wrote:

> (I even once got a parking ticket for
> putting my Suzuki inside Memorial Hall, when I should have gotten an award
> for getting it up the steps, instead).

Actually, those slippery award-winning steps were at Weld Hall, and not
Memorial Hall... but the parking ticket was inside Memorial Hall (my memory
linked them but they're separate biking incidents).

I remember those steps at Weld because they were the slipperiest smoothest
dark gray solid slate like rock that you've ever seen. They're so worn in
the center that there was a smooth saddle, which we had to get the bike to
a running start to get it up without skidding to the side & dropping the
bike while aiming to get inside the doors held open by an accomplice.

Nowadays, I'd bet kids would get kicked out for getting caught.

We got caught plenty of times - probably one tenth though from what we
should have been caught, but they just gave us drudge duties as punishment.

This stuff, of course, was always done at night, where the only one they
took super seriously was when we "borrowed" what we called the "wherries"
from Weld Boathouse.

They were waiting for us when we finally brought them back at daylight.
--
If my grandkids did half of what I did, they'd be in big trouble nowadays.

[Arlen Holder]

On Sat, 31 Oct 2020 14:41:09 -0700, Mike Easter wrote:

> GPM announced its demise and suggested YT, but I'm anti-YT.

On topic question of clarification please (no abbreviations please):

Can someone summarize a few things for the rest of us on this thread:
1. What was Google Play Music good for (presumably streaming music)?
2. What is the suggested replacement (it's hard to believe it's YouTube)?
3. Was it a subscription or free service (seems like it was subscription)?

If Google Play Music was a subscription for streaming ad-free music...
o T'ain't there a ton of free ad-free "music streaming" alternatives?
--
Note: I'm _not_ a music aficionado, which is why I ask basic questions.

[Arlen Holder]

> On topic question of clarification please (no abbreviations please):
>
> Can someone summarize a few things for the rest of us on this thread:
> 1. What was Google Play Music good for (presumably streaming music)?
> 2. What is the suggested replacement (it's hard to believe it's YouTube)?
> 3. Was it a subscription or free service (seems like it was subscription)?
>
> If Google Play Music was a subscription for streaming ad-free music...
> o T'ain't there a ton of free ad-free "music streaming" alternatives?

Regarding:
o Google Play Music
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/zep7Cj0yCcw>
"Mike Easter asked...

GPM announced its demise and suggested YT, but I'm anti-YT.

I read a couple of articles about replacement, and one of those

suggested these: Music Player Go, Poweramp Music Player,
Omnia Music Player, Pulsar Music Player, VLC for Android, AIMP,
Simple Music Player, or Musicolet.
I currently simply/only play ripped CD mp3/s offline.
I'm only familiar w/ VLC linux and I favor open source.
Is there any reason that shouldn't be my choice?
I'm not inclined to audition several players. "

Googling... "What the heck is Google Play Music Anyway?"
o <https://i.duckduckgo.com/?q=what+is+google+play+music>

The first hit is an app on the Google Play Store:
o Google Play Music, by Google LLC
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.music>

Which says it's
a. Free ad-supported music radio
b. Upload your own music to play on all platforms
Desktop: <https://googleplaymusicdesktopplayer.com/>
c. Subscription to on-demand music & downloads

Second hit is Wikipedia:
o <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Play_Music>
"Google Play Music was a music and podcast streaming service
and online music locker operated by Google"
"In August 2020, Google announced that the service would start gradually
shutting down in September, and will be replaced by YouTube Music and
Google Podcasts by December 2020"

Third hit is Android Central:
o Google Play Music: Everything you need to know!
<https://www.androidcentral.com/google-play-music>
"YouTube Music is supposed to take over for Google Play Music"
"Purchased music will be migrated to YouTube Music"
"Uploaded music will be migrated to YouTube Music"
"If you still pay $8/month for Google Play Music, you'll keep paying
$8/month when Google Play Music is retired for YouTube Music."
Bear in mind, over a 50 year period, that's almost five thousand dollars.

Fourth hit is Android Authority:
o How to use Google Play Music
<https://www.androidauthority.com/how-to-use-google-play-music-845165/>
"It's a competitor for similar services like Apple Music, Spotify,
and Pandora."

"You can also use Google Play Music for free, though that is limited
to artist radios, limited skips, and ads."
What's a "skip"? (see below for answer)

"Once downloaded, fire up the app, and sign in with your Google account."
Well, that leaves me out then.

"If you don't subscribe to Google Play Music, you'll run into some
limitations"

"You'll get ads, and the occasional prompt to subscribe"

"You won't be able to play specific songs you're looking
for, only radio stations. They'll get you close to what you want,
but not to specific songs. You also have a limited number of skips,
up to six in an hour."
Ah, so that's what a 'skip' is....
--
Given the "suggested" replacement is "YouTube Music", I'll google that.

[Yakker]

Mike Easter <Mi...@ster.invalid> wrote in news:i063vmF9rp3U1
@mid.individual.net:

> I'm only familiar w/ VLC linux and I favor open source. Is there any
> reason that shouldn't be my choice? I'm not inclined to audition
> several players.

Addressing your question (not very well), that's the way I went. It works
OK but I am yet to delve into features.

--
Steve (--)

I filter using XNEWS.
If you expect a response and don't see it,
don't take it personally.

[Arlen Holder]

Apparently these are the extant Google Play Music apps:
o iOS:
<https://apps.apple.com/us/app/google-play-music/id691797987>
o Windows/Linux/MacOS
<https://googleplaymusicdesktopplayer.com>
o Android:
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.music>

And the extant YouTube Music apps:
o iOS
<https://apps.apple.com/us/app/youtube-music/id1017492454>
o Windows/Linux/MacOS
<https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/thread/3938751>
o Android:
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.youtube.music>

Apparently Google suggests "YouTube Music" as the GPM replacement.
o <https://duckduckgo.com/?q=what+is+youtube+music>

I openly admit I'm no audiophile as I date to the days of the phonograph,
so I look for answers in this, the first hit of that GPM replacement search
o <https://music.youtube.com>

On Windows, I search for a random singer:
o <https://music.youtube.com/search?q=gordon+litefoot>

That shows a selection, & then an ad, and then up pops the song audio:
o <https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=PH0K6ojmGZA&list=RDAMVMPH0K6ojmGZA>

Second hit happened to be Android Central (I read in order of appearance)
o YouTube Music: Everything you need to know
<https://www.androidcentral.com/youtube-music>
"With YouTube Music, YouTube is ready to dominate the streaming market
with a music app built upon its video empire. YouTube Music has an app
with a truly unique interface, an unparalleled content library,
and more than a few kinks to work out, but YouTube Music is
here to stay and here to compete."
"The service starts at $9.99/month — but no one should pay that"
"There's no real sugar-coating it: using YouTube Music as a free user on
Android is bad. There are ads every three to six songs and you don't get
access to all of its features. YouTube Music is worlds better when you
pony up for the paid tier, and YouTube Premium is absolutely worth
paying for."

While I'm humming off key to the song, whose words I know by heart, I muse
obviously Android Central has never heard of NewPipe freeware created by
God herself for us freeware junkies...
o PSA: NewPipe v0.20.1 (YouTube ad-free clone on steroids) workaround posted earlier today [newpipe-FIXED.zip]
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/kjwJS4AeiVc>

While I was looking that up, the next song played, unasked for:
o <https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=MeRlumGqZlY&list=RDAMVMPH0K6ojmGZA>

Humming along, I read the next hit:
o YouTube Music or Google Play Music? Google's Music Services Explained
<https://www.pcmag.com/news/youtube-music-or-play-music-googles-music-services-explained>
"What's the difference between Google Play Music and YouTube Music?
Not much, which is why Google is merging them."
"Currently, Google has three overlapping audio-related services.
The first, and oldest, is Google Play Music. It lets you upload your own
music, or pay for a subscription to access more than 40 million songs.
It has machine learning-driven radio stations, curated playlists, and
even a section to subscribe to and listen to podcasts.
But it is also not long for this world"

"Then there's YouTube Music. With YouTube, of course, you can find music
videos for millions of songs - and watch them ad-free with
YouTube Premium."

Obviously, PC Magazine never heard that NewPipe works great on Windows!

"But if you're more interested in listening than watching, there's
YouTube Music. (Although, you can also watch music videos on YouTube
Music, so yeah, confusing.) YouTube Music, which launched in June 2018,
adds personalized radio stations, curated playlists, and a personal music
library. Ditch the ads and unlock some other features with YouTube Music
Premium, which costs $9.99 per month."

Note over a 50 year lifetime, that's six thousand dollars for what is free.

As I'm almost done... the next song queues up on my PC but breaks up
<https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=fT_J-LNqVvw&list=RDAMVMPH0K6ojmGZA>
I wonder if it's breaking up on purpose? Dunno. Never used it before.
(It's not like I don't have tens of thousands of songs on my iPods and hard
drives already, which were simply slid onto the iPods using SharePod
freeware):
o Is there any functionality the iTunes abomination does, for a dual-boot Win/Ubuntu PC that can't be done, better, WITHOUT iTunes?
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/F-gWC05h1xQ>

Oh... now I have an ad in Spanish! (Must be my VPN geolocating to Spain?)
o <https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=Oddo4MVeeBY&list=RDAMVMPH0K6ojmGZA>

Lynyrd Skynyrd is fine but I click on another Gordon Lightfoot to test it:
o <https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=RxE51jXbe4s&list=RDAMVMPH0K6ojmGZA>

While I listen to that, again, breaking up a bit (I get my Internet over
WISP from a half dozen miles away over the air, so it could be that or the
VPN which switches among over six thousand vpn servers all day every day).

Next hits seem to be more instructive than informative:
o How Google's YouTube Music compares to Spotify and Apple Music
<How Google’s YouTube Music compares to Spotify and Apple Music>
"YouTube Music's introduction coincided with the rebranding of
YouTube Red to YouTube Premium, the company's ad-free video
subscription service, and a refresh of the previous YouTube Music app."

Why anyone pays for YouTube Red is beyond me, given New Pipe is great.
o Update on NewPipe freeware which allows you to search/view/download/rip/subscribe/etc. to YouTube videos all WITHOUT seeing a single ad or having a Google Account
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/oP8hpaZs480>

While I was reading that, the Windows browser started playing Bellamy Bros.
o <https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=-gz-kj8NXCA&list=RDAMVMPH0K6ojmGZA>

Which I switch to something more to my liking, and after suffering through
some kind of foreign language ad (again, likely due to the random VPNs)
o <https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=B34qwRrkSvQ&list=RDAMVMPH0K6ojmGZA>

While humming to that (more breaks in the music, so the streaming sucks):
o YouTube Music and YouTube Premium, explained
<https://www.tomsguide.com/us/youtube-music-youtube-premium-faq,news-27226.html>
"YouTube Music will feature everything you expect from a streaming music
service, including millions of songs, albums, thousands of playlists
and artist based radio. Its major differentiator is YouTube's
"catalog of remixes, live performances, covers and music videos"
that aren't on other platforms."

While reading up on that, I get a bit of Crosby Stills & Nash:
o <https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=OvGfQCsfzUo&list=RDAMVMPH0K6ojmGZA>

Still, I wonder what earthly advantage is this site over NewPipe?
o Why hasn't anyone ported the fantastic NewPipe open source code to iOS (which gets around Google's restriction on free iOS 14 PIP)
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/zkylXbJDCc0>

Scrolling along the sides, I don't see any more Gordon Litefoot.
o So I just let it run through the Google-chosen selections...

Moving to the next hit...
o YouTube Music is replacing Google Play Music: Here's where, when, and why
<https://www.digitaltrends.com/music/what-happens-to-google-play-music-youtube-music/>
"YouTube Red is now called YouTube Premium, and it will still provide an
ad-free experience across all of YouTube, along with background play,
the ability to download videos to watch offline, and access to YouTube
Originals. YouTube Premium includes the new YouTube Music Premium
experience, though, so its price is now $12 per month, as opposed to the
previous $10 price tag for YouTube Red.

So to break it down: YouTube Music lets you stream music with ads.
YouTube Music Premium lets you stream music without ads, and has a few
extra perks. YouTube Premium gives you an ad-free experience on YouTube,
with some additional features and access to YouTube Music Premium."

Again, hasn't anyone on the Internet ever heard of New Pipe freeware?
o NewPipe freeware was updated recently to version 0.19.3
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/HBrXIReEJr4>

Moving on...
o How to Enable High-Quality Audio Streaming in YouTube Music
<https://www.howtogeek.com/676941/how-to-enable-high-quality-audio-streaming-in-youtube-music/>
"As everything is set to Normal by default, you'll want to increase the
quality, especially while listening at home."

Just to report what Google is playing, it's American Woman
o <https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=uDOQguimngQ&list=RDAMVMPH0K6ojmGZA>
--
See also:
o Have you been able to get NewPipe freeware running yet on Windows?
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/rfyVKidB8X8>

[Carlos E.R.]

I think they don't implode (badly) if you break the neck.

--
Cheers, Carlos.

[123456789]

Carlos E.R. wrote:

> 123456789 wrote:

>> I was carrying a TV CRT (21") over my shoulder when it
>> accidentally bumped the wall and broke where the neck intersects
>> the main part. There was the loud hiss but no implosion.

> I think they don't implode (badly) if you break the neck.

I was certainly glad the CRT didn't get me that time. But they still
occasionally had their way with me. The tube's anode would stay charged at
20K volts or so, even with the set turned off. So if I got too close it
would zap me which then caused my arm to involuntarily jerk backwards
and leave some skin on the sharp chassis and/or case parts,,,

[Arlen Holder]

On Sun, 1 Nov 2020 20:38:37 -0000 (UTC), Arlen Holder wrote:

> See also:
> o Have you been able to get NewPipe freeware running yet on Windows?
> <https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/rfyVKidB8X8>

BTW, before you try reputed "Google Play Music" replacements you should try
out NewPipe freeware which works on Android & under free emulation on a PC.
o <https://newpipe.schabi.org/>

Here are some screenshots I took recently to help others set it up:
o <https://i.postimg.cc/MpcJdvbq/share01.jpg> Bring up NewPipe 0.20.2
o <https://i.postimg.cc/Zqptz2MQ/share02.jpg> Search for Feynman Lectures
o <https://i.postimg.cc/9M23m13Q/share03.jpg> While playing, tap to share
o <https://i.postimg.cc/d1jbLdvm/share04.jpg> Without playing, longpress search results to share
o <https://i.postimg.cc/dt1bVLfr/share05.jpg> The result is then shared

Here are some GUI snapshots:
o <https://i.postimg.cc/2yYK4N0W/newpipe02.jpg> Picture in Picture
o <https://i.postimg.cc/90BNbgkn/newpipe03.jpg> Allow overlay display
o <https://i.postimg.cc/XYN9Khm3/newpipe04.jpg> About NewPipe & Trending
o <https://i.postimg.cc/3xLmt1QG/newpipe05.jpg> NewPipe GUI & Trending
--
See also:

[Carlos E.R.]

On 02/11/2020 06.44, 123456789 wrote:
> Carlos E.R. wrote:
>> 123456789 wrote:
>
>>> I was carrying a TV CRT (21") over my shoulder when it
>>> accidentally bumped the wall and broke where the neck intersects
>>> the main part. There was the loud hiss but no implosion.
>
>> I think they don't implode (badly) if you break the neck.
>
> I was certainly glad the CRT didn't get me that time. But they still
> occasionally had their way with me. The tube's anode would stay charged at
> 20K volts or so, even with the set turned off.

I know... I have not done TV repair, but we did look inside at college.

> So if I got too close it
> would zap me which then caused my arm to involuntarily jerk backwards
> and leave some skin on the sharp chassis and/or case parts,,,

Right!

--
Cheers, Carlos.

[Mike Easter]

Arlen Holder wrote:
> What was Google Play Music good for (presumably streaming music)?

For me, I only used it offline to play ripped mp3/s, an ersatz iPod
player of stored media data.

--
Mike Easter

[Arlen Holder]

On Mon, 2 Nov 2020 07:17:29 -0800, Mike Easter wrote:

>> What was Google Play Music good for (presumably streaming music)?
>
> For me, I only used it offline to play ripped mp3/s, an ersatz iPod
> player of stored media data.

Thanks Mike for answering the question as a lot of OP's don't answer
questions, which means it's hard for the team to help them out.

If you were streaming, and, particularly if you were _paying_ to stream,
then my expertise in using NewPipe for years would be of benefit to you.
o <https://newpipe.schabi.org>
o <https://newpipe.schabi.org/blog/pinned/release/newpipe-0.20.0/>
o <https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.schabi.newpipe/>
<https://i.postimg.cc/9fyRGjbN/audio02.jpg>

Since you're simply playing the songs that are already archived, I can't
help you more but others can help you as I'm sure they're doing the same.

For me, as I noted earlier, I simply use these two tools for archived MP3s:
o Music Player by SimpleMobileTools <com.simplemobiletools.musicplayer> 5.4.1 (72)
o Music Player GO <com.iven.musicplayergo> version 4.19 (143)
<https://i.postimg.cc/6pk42Qrv/audio01.jpg>

I think the URLs are the following but I hope others have better advice:
o SimpleMobileTools <https://github.com/SimpleMobileTools>
o Music Player GO <https://github.com/enricocid/Music-Player-GO>

Note: Android apps usually work just fine on the PC with free emulation.
--
The few people who are purposefully helpful are who make Usenet wonderful.

[Mike Easter]

Arlen Holder wrote:
> For me, as I noted earlier, I simply use these two tools for archived MP3s:
> o Music Player by SimpleMobileTools <com.simplemobiletools.musicplayer> 5.4.1 (72)
> o Music Player GO <com.iven.musicplayergo> version 4.19 (143)
> <https://i.postimg.cc/6pk42Qrv/audio01.jpg>

Those two were named in the 'best' 8 from the article in my OP:

Earlier:
> I read a couple of articles* about replacement, and one of those suggested these: Music Player Go, Poweramp Music Player, Omnia Music Player, Pulsar Music Player, VLC for Android, AIMP, Simple Music Player, or Musicolet.


https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/10/22/the-8-best-local-music-players-on-android-now-that-google-play-music-is-dead/
The 8 best local music players on Android, now that Google Play Music
is dead


--
Mike Easter

[sms]

On 11/2/2020 8:48 AM, Mike Easter wrote:

<snip>

> https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/10/22/the-8-best-local-music-players-on-android-now-that-google-play-music-is-dead/
>  The 8 best local music players on Android, now that Google Play Music
> is dead

I really like "Music Folder Player"
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.zorillasoft.musicfolderplayer>.

[Arlen Holder]

On Mon, 2 Nov 2020 08:48:50 -0800, Mike Easter wrote:

> https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/10/22/the-8-best-local-music-players-on-android-now-that-google-play-music-is-dead/
> The 8 best local music players on Android, now that Google Play Music
> is dead

Hi Mike,

We've worked together a lot, where I appreciate your purposefully helpful
advice, so I strive to pay back where and when I can when you ask for help.

I belatedly realized I had AIMP in my to-be-tested "someday" folder:
o <https://i.postimg.cc/fRNg5hn0/audio01.jpg>

Hence I had 4 of those top 8 free music players as I had VLC under video:
o <https://i.postimg.cc/XvN1Scvj/video01.jpg>

All my 500 or so apps are free, ad free, and usually Google-free
o Where "Aurora Store" tells us which are GSF independent & ad free
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.aurora.store/>
Note: Aurora completely replaces "Google Play" in its entirety!
[You don't ever need to set the operating system to an "account".]
(Which gives you privacy that you can't get on iOS which requires it.]

The great news is the free mobile apps work fantastically on the PC also!
o That gives us terabytes of MP3 audio to choose from at any time!
(And the same user interface, if that's your schtick.)

So that all benefit from every post, here are Mike's cite's suggested URLs:
o Music Player Go
o Developer: Ivan D'Ortenzio
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.iven.musicplayergo/>
<https://github.com/enricocid/Music-Player-GO>

o Poweramp Music Player (Trial)
o Developer: Max MP
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.maxmpz.audioplayer>

o Omnia Music Player - Hi-Res MP3 Player, APE Player
o Developer: Rhythm Software
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rhmsoft.omnia>

o Pulsar Music Player - Mp3 Player, Audio Player
o Developer: Rhythm Software
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rhmsoft.pulsar>

o VLC for Android
o Developer: Videolabs
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.videolan.vlc>

o AIMP
o Developer: Artem Izmaylov
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aimp.player>

o Simple Music Player
o Developer: Simple Mobile Tools
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.simplemobiletools.musicplayer>

o Musicolet Music Player [No ads]
o Developer: Krosbits
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.aurora.store/>
--
There is almost no software on a computer that you need to pay for.

[Frank Slootweg]

Mike Easter <Mi...@ster.invalid> wrote:
> GPM announced its demise and suggested YT, but I'm anti-YT. I read a

> couple of articles* about replacement, and one of those suggested these:
> Music Player Go, Poweramp Music Player, Omnia Music Player, Pulsar Music

> Player, VLC for Android, AIMP, Simple Music Player, or Musicolet. I
> currently simply/only play ripped CD mp3/s offline.
>

> I'm only familiar w/ VLC linux and I favor open source. Is there any
> reason that shouldn't be my choice? I'm not inclined to audition
> several players.

Doesn't your device (smartphone?) come with a built-in player?

I liked the 'Music' apps which came with my Huawei phones. Perfectly
fine for playing the ripped MP3s of my CDs.

On my new Samsung phone I have installed 'Samsung Music', but I
haven't used it much yet.

Other than that, indeed VLC if you don't mind a no-frills appearance.

And, Best of All (TM), as 123456789 mentioned, just keep/get the APK
of the still-OK Google Play Music version and set that not to
auto-update.

> https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/10/22/google-play-music-is-now-officially-dead-dead-dead/
> Google Play Music is now officially dead, dead, dead

[123456789]

Frank Slootweg wrote:

> On my new Samsung phone I have installed 'Samsung Music', but I
> haven't used it much yet.

I found that the Samsung Music app that came preinstalled on my S10+
worked just as well as my Google Play Music app for playing my local
ripped mp3s. But unfortunately it kept giving me annoying popup ads so I
eventually uninstalled it. Hope your version acts better...

[Mike Easter]

Frank Slootweg wrote:

> Mike Easter wrote:
>> GPM announced its demise and suggested YT, but I'm anti-YT. I read a
>> couple of articles* about replacement, and one of those suggested these:
>> Music Player Go, Poweramp Music Player, Omnia Music Player, Pulsar Music
>> Player, VLC for Android, AIMP, Simple Music Player, or Musicolet. I
>> currently simply/only play ripped CD mp3/s offline.
>>
>> I'm only familiar w/ VLC linux and I favor open source. Is there any
>> reason that shouldn't be my choice? I'm not inclined to audition
>> several players.
>
> Doesn't your device (smartphone?) come with a built-in player?
>

Yes. It is labeled 'Play Music' and it opens GPM which now says it is
no longer available and gives only one 'button' option: Transfer to YT
Music. It apparently assumes that I am streaming, which I am NOT.

> I liked the 'Music' apps which came with my Huawei phones. Perfectly
> fine for playing the ripped MP3s of my CDs.
>

Yes; that is my purpose.

> On my new Samsung phone I have installed 'Samsung Music', but I
> haven't used it much yet.
>
> Other than that, indeed VLC if you don't mind a no-frills appearance.
>
> And, Best of All (TM), as 123456789 mentioned, just keep/get the APK
> of the still-OK Google Play Music version and set that not to
> auto-update.
>

That may be just what I do for however long it - such a strategy -
lasts. It appears that the 'intentions' of the update and my intentions
no longer coincide.

--
Mike Easter

[Mike Easter]

Mike Easter wrote:

> Frank Slootweg wrote:
>>
>>    And, Best of All (TM), as 123456789 mentioned, just keep/get the APK
>> of the still-OK Google Play Music version and set that not to
>> auto-update.
>>
> That may be just what I do for however long it - such a strategy -
> lasts.  It appears that the 'intentions' of the update and my intentions
> no longer coincide.
>

I was able to restore GPM to the 'original factory' v. with the
settings/ applications/ function which works again w/ my mp3 storage;
but there is not a setting for it to not update. I seem to recall some
updating process by which I was notified of updates, but I don't recall
being able to pick and choose which.

--
Mike Easter

[VanguardLH]

Mike Easter <Mi...@ster.invalid> wrote:

> Yes. It is labeled 'Play Music' and it opens GPM which now says it is
> no longer available and gives only one 'button' option: Transfer to YT
> Music. It apparently assumes that I am streaming, which I am NOT.

The GPM app connects to the GPM service. Since Google is dropping the
service, their old GPM app won't work afterward.

Many apps are nothing more than web clients that are focused on
connecting to particular servers or delivering specific and limited
content. Instead of using a web browser, you use a web-centric app.

[VanguardLH]

From what I read, GPM content will be available until sometime during
December 2020. After that, the app won't have any content to retrieve.

[Mike Easter]

VanguardLH wrote:

I don't understand.

It seems to me that my particular usage of GPM has 'nothing to do with'
google or my google account per se.

These are local mp3/s which require no connectivity, wifi or otherwise.
This 'phone' has no cellular plan and doesn't need any wifi connectivity
to play my mp3/s.

--
Mike Easter

[123456789]

Mike Easter wrote:

> I was able to restore GPM to the 'original factory' v. with the
> settings/ applications/ function which works again w/ my mp3 storage;
> but there is not a setting for it to not update.

Play Store > Hamburger icon (upper left) > Settings > Auto -update apps
> Don't auto-update apps

> I seem to recall some updating process by which I was notified of
> updates, but I don't recall being able to pick and choose which.

Now you'll have to manually update your other apps at:

Play Store > Hamburger icon > My apps & games > Updates

Just don't update GPM or you'll be in the same boat as when you
started... :)

BTW I use several old app versions because I dislike the current version
for various reasons. Only a few have stopped working over the years...

[Arlen Holder]

On Mon, 2 Nov 2020 14:08:19 -0800, Mike Easter wrote:

> I was able to restore GPM to the 'original factory' v. with the
> settings/ applications/ function which works again w/ my mp3 storage;
> but there is not a setting for it to not update. I seem to recall some
> updating process by which I was notified of updates, but I don't recall
> being able to pick and choose which.

Hi Mike,

My recommendation is to install an "auto archiver" which saves all the APKs
so that whenever _any_ app "updates" (for whatever reason), you _still_
have the old APK saved off on your sdcard (or wherever you tell it to go).

Note: I often save all APKs to Windows which has terabytes of storage, and
which allows easy organization & installation onto any number of Android
devices (which, again, is something the poor iOS users can't possibly do).

There's a setting to save _every_ version so you can "roll back" to any
desired version, as long as you installed it at one point in your history.

This is one of those fantastic features of Android that the poor iOS users
don't even know they lack - where - luckily - you can easily set this up at
any time, since it archives even system apps that are already installed:
o What method you use to backup & share your installed apps on Android?
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/FsRRoQbdKeo>

o What free non-root Android backup & restore solution do you recommend for general use?
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/jZ8IxxgXFys>

o Tutorial: How to back up non-root Android apps and their data over Wi-Fi using Helium freeware on Windows
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/ZUEJUrPrEog>

Another trick, which it seems you may have used, which works for system
apps that can't be removed (i.e., if you're not root), is to "uninstall"
all the updates, so that only the original app is left on the system (which
is the app version the mobile device was born with).

You can then manually archive that APK (see links above) in case it gets
accidentally "updated" (by whatever method), so that you'll _always_ be
able to get back to the last known good version you liked best.

Good luck, as I thank you for helping me a lot over the decades.
--
On Usenet, you find out that intelligent people do exist, which is nice.

[Mike Easter]

123456789 wrote:
> Mike Easter wrote:
>
>> I was able to restore GPM to the 'original factory' v. with the
>> settings/ applications/ function which works again w/ my mp3 storage;
>>  but there is not a setting for it to not update.
>
> Play Store > Hamburger icon (upper left) > Settings > Auto -update apps
> > Don't auto-update apps
>

Ohhh. It's a Play Store setting. I see. Mine is set to update by wifi
only. So, it is all or none as far as auto-updating.

>> I seem to recall some updating process by which I was notified of
>> updates, but I don't recall being able to pick and choose which.
>
> Now you'll have to manually update your other apps at:
>
> Play Store > Hamburger icon > My apps & games > Updates
>
> Just don't update GPM or you'll be in the same boat as when you
> started... :)
>

Actually; there were a bunch which needed updating, so I decided to just
update all of them incl GPM and then when all that is done, I'll just
restore GPM back to the factory as I did earlier; it was very quick and
easy.

> BTW I use several old app versions because I dislike the current version
> for various reasons. Only a few have stopped working over the years...
>

Apparently my apps get so far behind because most of the time that phone
is turned off, so apparently it doesn't 'check in' by wifi regularly.


--
Mike Easter

[Arlen Holder]

On Mon, 2 Nov 2020 18:23:42 -0700, 123456789 wrote:

> Play Store > Hamburger icon (upper left) > Settings > Auto -update apps
> > Don't auto-update apps

This is the best "general purpose" solution for most people who want
control over what version of apps they have installed.

However, I advise a tweak to that strategy, which gives the user even more
control over any given app version.

If you use an auto-archiver then you can automatically archive _every_ APK
version ever installed on your mobile device.

o What method you use to backup & share your installed apps on Android?
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/FsRRoQbdKeo>

That gives you the advantage to "roll back" to any previous version of any
app if any particular update becomes obnoxious.

o What free non-root Android backup & restore solution do you recommend for general use?
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/jZ8IxxgXFys>

>> I seem to recall some updating process by which I was notified of
>> updates, but I don't recall being able to pick and choose which.
>
> Now you'll have to manually update your other apps at:
>
> Play Store > Hamburger icon > My apps & games > Updates
>
> Just don't update GPM or you'll be in the same boat as when you
> started... :)
>
> BTW I use several old app versions because I dislike the current version
> for various reasons. Only a few have stopped working over the years...

I agree that most old app versions work fine, in my experience,
until/unless I update the Android version, and even then, only about one
out of a hundred fails to work under the new Android version.

So I concur that it's a good strategy to save the old app versions, which
can be done automatically, and which can be saved to your PC for
safekeeping.

[Arlen Holder]

On Mon, 2 Nov 2020 17:45:25 -0800, Mike Easter wrote:

> Apparently my apps get so far behind because most of the time that phone
> is turned off, so apparently it doesn't 'check in' by wifi regularly.

o <https://i.postimg.cc/NjkLvYdy/aurora01.jpg> aurora replaces google play
o <https://i.postimg.cc/W3h4ZZTr/aurora02.jpg> filters stuff Google won't
o <https://i.postimg.cc/ZR25xq5Q/aurora03.jpg> spoofing & updating settings

Mike,
It has been my experience that almost no apps "get much better" over time.
o Not on Windows, not on Linux, not on Android, nor on iOS

Hence, my recommendation is NOT to update an app unless it definitely has
something in the newer version that you _know_ is something you want.

In fact, my $100 Moto G7 updates the OS far too much for my liking, IMHO,
o Are they updating your Android device too frequently lately?
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/a_62P0R-O6M>

In effect, the only apps I bother to update are those that need to be
updated, e.g., NewPipe recently got screwed by Google messing with their
YouTube API, so we all had to update it to the latest version.

o PSA: NewPipe v0.20.1 (YouTube ad-free clone on steroids) workaround posted earlier today [newpipe-FIXED.zip]
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/kjwJS4AeiVc>

In summary, unless an app _requires_ an update, I leave it alone.

BTW, I use the Aurora Store instead of Google Play (for privacy):
o <https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.aurora.store/>

Aurora downloads the _exact_ same APKs (it's an anon Google Store scraper
just like NewPipe is an anon Google YouTube scraper just like AddressToGps
is an anon Google Maps scraper) so you don't have to worry about malware.
o <https://i.postimg.cc/NjkLvYdy/aurora01.jpg>

What I love about Aurora store is they give you filters Google Play won't
give you, e.g., you can filter out all Google apps for example, which
obviously Google Play wouldn't let you do.

You can filter on free, ad free and GSF free, which is my default.
o <https://i.postimg.cc/W3h4ZZTr/aurora02.jpg>

You can even spoof your device, location, and language so that you can
access more apps than otherwise (I've never needed this though).
o <https://i.postimg.cc/ZR25xq5Q/aurora03.jpg>

Even so, just like with Google Play, there is a setting for auto updating
the apps, which, in your case, you'd need to ensure was turned off.
--
Usenet allows purposefully helpful people to share their experiences.

[123456789]

Arlen Holder wrote:

> If you use an auto-archiver then you can automatically archive
> _every_ APK version ever installed on your mobile device.

I use a 2013 version of Astro to generate my apk backups. I prefer to
pick and choose my backups because I really don't want to save some of them.

For example when I open Astro on my new Fire HD8+ tablet (got for half
price on Prime day :) there's stuff like Alexa apps, Gamecircle,
Audible, Email, FreeTime, etc. Further all Amazon apps require the
Amazon App Store to run so I never save them. But I do have the Google
Play Store installed and I save most of the ones I download from there.
Since I use (gasp) Google Drive I save and download my apk files from
there to all my Android devices. Well, except for this Chromebook that
"for security reasons" won't let me sideload apps. Guess I'm lucky this
beta CrossOver Windows emulator still works and runs SeaMonkey for
posting...

[Arlen Holder]

On Mon, 2 Nov 2020 19:33:53 -0700, 123456789 wrote:

> I use a 2013 version of Astro to generate my apk backups. I prefer to
> pick and choose my backups because I really don't want to save some of them.

I love when purposefully helpful people suggest apps to test out since none
of us can test them all, so if others like an app, it's often worth a test.

ASTRO File Manager & Storage Organizer, by App Annie Basics, v8.3.0
o free, no ads, gsf dependent
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.metago.astro>
"easily backup apps to your SD card, easily restore all your apps after
a factory reset or delete multiple apps that you don't need anymore."

> For example when I open Astro on my new Fire HD8+ tablet (got for half
> price on Prime day :) there's stuff like Alexa apps, Gamecircle,
> Audible, Email, FreeTime, etc. Further all Amazon apps require the
> Amazon App Store to run so I never save them. But I do have the Google
> Play Store installed and I save most of the ones I download from there.

The nice thing about Astro is they're upfront, right at the beginning, that
they collect which apps on your device have been active, and when, which
they openly say they use for market research, but, apparently, they give
you the choice to say "I don't want this".

They do force you to opt in to "app analytics" and to allow file manager
access. And they give you a unique "User ID".

> Since I use (gasp) Google Drive I save and download my apk files from
> there to all my Android devices. Well, except for this Chromebook that
> "for security reasons" won't let me sideload apps. Guess I'm lucky this
> beta CrossOver Windows emulator still works and runs SeaMonkey for
> posting...

Astro APK backup allows you to set your "backup directory", which in my
case defaulted to "/storage/emulated/0/backups/apps/".

In summary, I only tested it for a minute or two, where for some people it
would seem to be a nice suggestion.

For me, it's too intrusive, and, besides, I already have _plenty_ of
automatic APK backup solutions, where Astro seems more of a Swiss Army
Knife type program (cleanup, backup, file manager, cloud storage, etc.)
where I'm more of a KISS one-job-per-app kind of person.

But it's a nice suggestion that many others may like, where, currently, for
me, I have too many "file managers", where I need to whittle mine down.
o <https://i.postimg.cc/rmvDBN8Q/files01.jpg>

Note: Yes, there are literally ten file managers in that testing list.
--
Usenet is a great way to learn about other tools before you install them.

[123456789]

Mike Easter wrote:

> Actually; there were a bunch which needed updating, so I decided to
> just update all of them incl GPM and then when all that is done, I'll
> just restore GPM back to the factory as I did earlier; it was very
> quick and

Probably too late now but you can update only the ones you want. In this
case don't push "Update All", just push the "Update" buttons next to the
apps you want updated and not GPM. That way you won't have to re-restore
it to factory. I have several apps that sit at the bottom of that list
that never get updated. I usually only update apps for security reasons
(Google Drive, Gmail, Chrome, etc). Otherwise if they're working fine my
philosophy is: If it ain't broke... ;)

[123456789]

Arlen Holder wrote:
> 123456789 wrote:

>> I use a 2013 version of Astro to generate my apk backups.

> The nice thing about Astro is they're upfront, right at the
> beginning, that they collect which apps on your device have been
> active, and when, which they openly say they use for market research,
> but, apparently, they give you the choice to say "I don't want this".
> They do force you to opt in to "app analytics" and to allow file
> manager access. And they give you a unique "User ID".

In my 2013 Astro version there's none of that crap. It was (and still is
for me) a very basic no frills app. A file manager with APK backup
capability. That's it. I have tried some later versions and hated them
all. Kinda proves our point about keeping old versions, huh... ;)

[Arlen Holder]

On Mon, 2 Nov 2020 20:23:12 -0700, 123456789 wrote:

> In my 2013 Astro version there's none of that crap. It was (and still is
> for me) a very basic no frills app. A file manager with APK backup
> capability. That's it. I have tried some later versions and hated them
> all. Kinda proves our point about keeping old versions, huh... ;)

Thanks for that clarification as it's good to know what's the last known
good version of some of these file manager apps (e.g., ES File Explorer
used to be good but it went over to the dark side long ago).
o <https://i.postimg.cc/rmvDBN8Q/files01.jpg>

I agree with you that most programs that are good, don't usually get better
with success - they get worse - or more to the point - with successful
downloads, the developers are approached by others to slip in their
"goodies", such as "market research" opportunities and the like.

Or, like CCleaner was on Windows, they're sold to the bad guys
o (e.g., the saying "Corel is where good software goes to die.")

We seem to have the same philosophy, which is born of experience:
a. Keep only the best apps
b. Autoarchive the APK (just in case they get updated)
b. Don't update the app unless absolutely necessary

In keeping with our combined experience, my favorite autoarachiver of
choice also went over to the dark side at some point in time (AFAIK)
when it switched from "Apex Apps" to "Trustlab"

This old version has no ads + an intuitive exit:
o App Backup & Restore <mobi.infolife.appbackup> 4.1.9 (79) Apex Apps
This newer version has obnoxious ads + an obnoxious exit:
o App Backup & Restore <mobi.usage.appbackup> 1.6.0 (60) Trustlab
Note: The version 4.1.9 is _older_ than the version 1.6.0 of the app.

This is the current crapware that went over to the dark side at some point
o Backup & Restore, by Trustlook Security Lab
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mobi.infolife.appbackup>

Notice it has 10,000,000+ installs, but I feel sorry for those who had the
"update" button checked, because it got worse when it switched from Apex
Apps to Trustlab & then worse yet when it went to Trustlook Security Lab.
o <https://www.facebook.com/appbackuprestore/>

Now, people can pay twenty bucks just to get rid of the obnoxious ads...
o <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mobi.infolife.appbackuppro>

Or, they can just use the older 4.1.9 APK from Apex Apps, like I do.
o They get automatic APK backup of every version, even installed sys apps
--
On Usenet, purposefully helpful people combine experiences so all benefit.

[123456789]

Arlen Holder wrote:

> ES File Explorer used to be good but it went over to the dark side

> long ago.

ES File Explorer (by ES Mobile) was kicked out of the Google Play Store
awhile back. It must have been very popular since there are a bunch of
ES and EZ lookalikes in there now. Surprisingly (or perhaps not so
surprisingly) ES was never kicked out of the Amazon App Store. I tried
the current Amazon version recently. It works OK but if you want to do
anything beyond basics you must now buy the premium version. But if
needed I still have my old apk copy. However, I currently prefer (more
gasping) the Google "Files" file manager app. I can guarantee YMMV... ;)

[VanguardLH]

Mike Easter <Mi...@ster.invalid> wrote:

> VanguardLH wrote:
>
>> From what I read, GPM content will be available until sometime during
>> December 2020. After that, the app won't have any content to
>> retrieve.
>
> I don't understand.
>
> It seems to me that my particular usage of GPM has 'nothing to do
> with' google or my google account per se.
>
> These are local mp3/s which require no connectivity, wifi or
> otherwise. This 'phone' has no cellular plan and doesn't need any
> wifi connectivity to play my mp3/s.

The GPM app connects to Google's music service, and that service is
going away hence the app gets discontinued.

If you're looking to just play local music files, there are plenty of
other player apps. Not sure why you used the GPM app to play local
music files instead of another music player app. Did it come bundled on
your smartphone? GPM looks prettier than VLC, but some folks want to
view their music list rather than see ads (aka "related content"); i.e.,
some users prefer a music player app, not a multi-panel billboard app.

Won't the VLC app play your local music files? While they claim all
codecs are supported, that's not true, but they support a LOT of them.
I would think MP3 would be a supported container.

VLC does not use any globally registered or installed codecs. VLC
includes its own private codec library, and why they claim no separate
codec downloads are required because, well, they include their own
private codec library in their download.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.videolan.vlc

You already mentioned VLC in your starter post, but have you tried it?
Chris noted using it although he doesn't seem to much like it. I use
VLC on my desktop PC as my primary video and audio player, and found it
very capable; however, apps tend to be crippled versions of more robust
desktop programs. The Windows VLC download is 40 MB, but 167 MB after
installation. Not mentioned at the Android VLC app page nor VideoLAN's
web site is the app's download size, or storage requirement for
installation. They do host an APK download, and those are 30 to 32 MB
in size. After downloading their APK file to my Windows desktop PC and
extracting it using Peazip, the .apk expanded to 73 MB. 50 MB of that
was for their lib folder where they store their private codec library.

The following article mentions some other suggestions for a music player
app:

https://www.androidauthority.com/best-music-player-apps-for-android-208990/

Alas, "free" at the Google Play Store mostly means adware. Yeah, it's a
free meal at the restaurant as long as you do all their dishes. Even
the Android VLC app is adware ("offers in-app purchases").

[Arlen Holder]

On Mon, 2 Nov 2020 23:44:25 -0600, VanguardLH wrote:

> Alas, "free" at the Google Play Store mostly means adware. Yeah, it's a
> free meal at the restaurant as long as you do all their dishes. Even
> the Android VLC app is adware ("offers in-app purchases").

It's worth it to note that the Aurora Store has a _filter_ for
o Free
o Ad-free
o GSF-free
And even:
o Google free

The Aurora Store _is_ the Google Play Store...
o But with a better more private more functional more useful skin

<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.aurora.store/>

[Carlos E.R.]

On 03/11/2020 06.44, VanguardLH wrote:
> Mike Easter <Mi...@ster.invalid> wrote:
>> VanguardLH wrote:

...

> Won't the VLC app play your local music files? While they claim all
> codecs are supported, that's not true, but they support a LOT of them.
> I would think MP3 would be a supported container.
>
> VLC does not use any globally registered or installed codecs. VLC
> includes its own private codec library, and why they claim no separate
> codec downloads are required because, well, they include their own
> private codec library in their download.
>
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.videolan.vlc
>
> You already mentioned VLC in your starter post, but have you tried it?
> Chris noted using it although he doesn't seem to much like it. I use
> VLC on my desktop PC as my primary video and audio player, and found it
> very capable; however, apps tend to be crippled versions of more robust
> desktop programs. The Windows VLC download is 40 MB, but 167 MB after
> installation. Not mentioned at the Android VLC app page nor VideoLAN's
> web site is the app's download size, or storage requirement for
> installation. They do host an APK download, and those are 30 to 32 MB
> in size. After downloading their APK file to my Windows desktop PC and
> extracting it using Peazip, the .apk expanded to 73 MB. 50 MB of that
> was for their lib folder where they store their private codec library.

VLC is the most powerful video player I have tried. In the desktop there
are other good choices, but not on Android. And yes, it does play audio
files. And it has a very usable interface: swipe left or right to move
forward/backwards, and swipe up/dn at the left/right borders changes the
volume or the brightness. So useful that I try those controls on other
players. I don't remember if it does animations, I wouldn't use them if
they existed.

There is a version for the Android Car system, too. Only plays audio,
though (sensible if you are driving).


--
Cheers, Carlos.

[Frank Slootweg]

Mike Easter <Mi...@ster.invalid> wrote:
> 123456789 wrote:
> > Mike Easter wrote:
> >
> >> I was able to restore GPM to the 'original factory' v. with the
> >> settings/ applications/ function which works again w/ my mp3 storage;
> >>  but there is not a setting for it to not update.
> >
> > Play Store > Hamburger icon (upper left) > Settings > Auto -update apps
> > > Don't auto-update apps
> >
> Ohhh. It's a Play Store setting. I see. Mine is set to update by wifi
> only. So, it is all or none as far as auto-updating.

Yes and no. Yes, there is the *generic* setting 'Auto-update apps'
(with its sub-settings). But there are also *per app* settings, which
*override* the generic 'Auto-update apps'=yes setting. (With '=yes' I
mean it's either set to 'Over Wi-Fi only' or 'Over any network'.)

For example for your case:

Play Store -> Hamburger icon (upper left) -> My apps & games ->
'Installed' tab -> scroll down the list to get to the desired app, in
this case 'Google Play Music' -> tap on the name or icon of the app,
*not* on '[Update]' (if present) -> the info page of the app is shown
-> <three_vertical_dots> icon (upper right) -> untick 'Enable auto
update'

I'm not sure, but I think there *might* be a catch with this method,
I think that if you switch from 'Auto-update apps'=yes to 'Don't
auto-update apps' and then back to 'Auto-update apps'=yes, the Play
Store app *might* reset all per-app 'Enable auto update' settings to
ticked/on.

IOW, when switching this way, the Play Store app might reset any
previous unticked 'Enable auto update' settings.

FWIW, I just tried this for one app and the 'catch' did *not* occur,
so it seems that the Play Store app is doing the right thing.

But better safe than sorry: When switching the generic auto-update
setting, check that any per-app 'Enable auto update' settings get set
back to their original/correct settings.

And, as I said before, save the APK of the known-good Google Play
Music app, so you can always re-install the app from the APK if anything
goes wrong.

> >> I seem to recall some updating process by which I was notified of
> >> updates, but I don't recall being able to pick and choose which.
> >
> > Now you'll have to manually update your other apps at:
> >
> > Play Store > Hamburger icon > My apps & games > Updates
> >
> > Just don't update GPM or you'll be in the same boat as when you
> > started... :)
> >
> Actually; there were a bunch which needed updating, so I decided to just
> update all of them incl GPM and then when all that is done, I'll just
> restore GPM back to the factory as I did earlier; it was very quick and
> easy.

Yes, for a factory installed app like Google Play Music, that can
work, because you cannot remove/ininstall such an app and hence can
always go back to factory installed version. But for any other app you
need to save the APK if you want to be able to roll back. (And also for
factory installed apps if you don't want to roll back to the factory
installed version, but to some later version.)

[123456789]

VanguardLH wrote:

> The GPM app connects to Google's music service, and that service is
> going away hence the app gets discontinued.

Maybe not. Only the music service and current GPM app version stopped
working. Older app versions (at least back to 2013 in my case) still
work just fine as a local mp3 player. They don't need to be online to
work. One GPM app still on an old phone of mine hasn't been online for
years and still works for me as a portable shirt pocket player.
Only time will tell if Google kills all the old versions for local use.
(And of course she can't kill a player if it never goes online, can
she.) But I'm betting she doesn't even care...

> If you're looking to just play local music files, there are plenty of
> other player apps.

Course. But this is a place where we figure ways around what normal
people do to make things Android work for us. If one likes an particular
music app why not figure a way to continue using it...

> Not sure why you used the GPM app to play local music files instead
> of another music player app

In my case it's because GPM will find all my 2500+ music files no matter
where they are, on a card or internal storage, in folders nested or not,
and shuffle them (play the whole works in random order). My other
players only shuffle within folders, even the one I paid for (Maple).
But the OP likely has his own reasons for wanting to keep GPM. IMO if he
wants to and can, why not...

[Mike Easter]

VanguardLH wrote:
> Mike Easter

>>
>>> From what I read, GPM content will be available until sometime during
>>> December 2020. After that, the app won't have any content to
>>> retrieve.
>>
>> I don't understand.
>>
>> It seems to me that my particular usage of GPM has 'nothing to do
>> with' google or my google account per se.
>>
>> These are local mp3/s which require no connectivity, wifi or
>> otherwise. This 'phone' has no cellular plan and doesn't need any
>> wifi connectivity to play my mp3/s.
>
> The GPM app connects to Google's music service, and that service is
> going away hence the app gets discontinued.
>
> If you're looking to just play local music files, there are plenty of
> other player apps. Not sure why you used the GPM app to play local
> music files instead of another music player app. Did it come bundled on
> your smartphone?

That is correct. I was looking for a default installed app to copy into
and play ripped mp3/s and it met the bill.

> GPM looks prettier than VLC, but some folks want to
> view their music list rather than see ads (aka "related content"); i.e.,
> some users prefer a music player app, not a multi-panel billboard app.
>

Normally my GPM just opens to my playlist first, except in this
situation where it has been reinstalled; then I come across its
promotions on first run.

> Won't the VLC app play your local music files? While they claim all
> codecs are supported, that's not true, but they support a LOT of them.
> I would think MP3 would be a supported container.
>

I never got around to installing VLC; when I found out I could regress
my GPM v. I just did that.

> VLC does not use any globally registered or installed codecs. VLC
> includes its own private codec library, and why they claim no separate
> codec downloads are required because, well, they include their own
> private codec library in their download.
>
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.videolan.vlc
>
> You already mentioned VLC in your starter post, but have you tried it?

I changed course and reinstalled 'factory' GPM. I don't have VLC.

> Chris noted using it although he doesn't seem to much like it. I use
> VLC on my desktop PC as my primary video and audio player, and found it
> very capable; however, apps tend to be crippled versions of more robust
> desktop programs.

VLC is very popular in the linux world.

--
Mike Easter

[Arlen Holder]

On Tue, 3 Nov 2020 09:08:46 -0700, 123456789 wrote:

>> If you're looking to just play local music files, there are plenty of
>> other player apps.
>
> Course. But this is a place where we figure ways around what normal
> people do to make things Android work for us. If one likes an particular
> music app why not figure a way to continue using it...

I want to openly state that I'm in full agreement with that statement.

This isn't the group for people to blindly follow MARKETING like sheep led
to slaughter (there are other groups for those who blindly do as they're
told and who end up funding one of the most profitable companies on the
planet as a result).

If the OP can get an older version of Google Play Music to play his
thousands of MP3s, then that is a "good thing" for us to strive for, IMHO,
on this newsgroup.

[Arlen Holder]

On Tue, 3 Nov 2020 12:31:18 +0100, Carlos E.R. wrote:

> VLC is the most powerful video player I have tried. In the desktop there
> are other good choices, but not on Androi

<OT>
In addition to VLC on the desktop, there's a powerful yet KISS PC solution:
o <https://sourceforge.net/projects/mpcbe/files/latest/download>

I don't like it because it doesn't ask where to be installed but others
won't have that problem where its advantage is that it's fast & functional.
</OT>

[Arlen Holder]

On Mon, 16 Nov 2020 09:20:27 -0800, The Real Bev wrote:

>> Installed Rocket Player just now, but I will almost certainly delete it as
>> I (almost) never install freeware that has ads. I haven't seen any ads in
>> Rocket Player yet (and I do block all ads anyway); but the _instant_ I see
>> an ad in _any_ app, that's a fatal kiss of death for that app.
>
> As long as they don't overlay the entire screen I don't get too upset.

Regarding these music-player subthreads in:
o Samsung Galaxy S5
<https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/c/qTMDmHP9ToI>

Oh, I've seen obnoxious freeware ads that take over the _entire_ screen.
o Mostly on iOS but maybe, perhaps, a long time ago maybe, on Android.

I can't actually remember _seeing_ an ad in a very long time on Android.
o And I have, oh, let me look... I have 561 apps according to My Apps.

> People who write software that we use should get paid for it, and if the
> ads do that it's just a minor annoyance I'm willing to put up with.

That's fine if that is what the user agree to when they use the app.
o I don't want to see ads, so I simply find developers who agree with me.

I do the same, by the way, when I write tutorials or answer questions here.
o I do it for free for the express purpose of helping others do what I do.

>> At the moment I'm testing Rocket Player, but I don't yet see how it skips
>> forward or backward a set interval (e.g., 10 seconds) if it even does that.
>
> I don't think it does. It just skips while you hold down the icons.
> Like analog devices did :-) I haven't used it since I started it.

Well, I love to test freeware so I currently have 5 apps in my audio folder
o Music Player <com.simplemobiletools.musicplayer>
o Music Player Go <com.iven.musicplayergo>
o AIMP <com.aimp.player>
o Maple JB <com.sqr5.android.player_jb>
o Rocket Player <com.jrtstudio.AndotherMusicPlayer>
And, I just noticed when I looked that I have this permanently _disabled_
o Google Play Music <com.google.android.music>

Of those, I only need one, which would likely be the first on the list.
o <https://www.simplemobiletools.com/>

We should really put this all in a separate "music player" thread
o That way all benefit from our efforts (via search engine results)

Maybe this one?
o Google Play Music
<https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/c/zep7Cj0yCcw>
--
Usenet allows an exchange of ideas & logic between us for all to benefit.

[123456789]

The Real Bev wrote:

> People who write software that we use should get paid for it, and
if the
> ads do that it's just a minor annoyance I'm willing to put up with.

Or just pay the author if you like the app. That 10 bucks I paid for
the Maple player app several years ago was more than worth the "minor
annoyance" I would have suffered all this time. But as always YMMV...

(Am again posting with Groundhog using a 7" Vankyo tablet (Android 9)
to see if the quotes are any better.)

[123456789]

123456789 wrote:

> (Am again posting with Groundhog using
> a 7" Vankyo tablet (Android 9)
> to see if the quotes are any better.)

Still bad. It appears I have to edit the quote line length myself. A
PITA. But then posting using a tablet is also a PITA. Test is over...