Mp3, audio, gadgets, magnetic control, magnetic knob, mp3 player, pocket pal...

Wave Goodbye To Pocket Billiards with Magnetic Knob MP3 Player

We all know the hassle of digging into a pocket to twiddle the controls on our MP3 players, but until smart clothing becomes mainstream we're stuck with it. Unless someone takes this magnetic control concept and manufactures it for real, that is. The Pocket Pal is simple: the control stays outside, but is magnetically fixed to the body, which sits inside your pants pocket. Twiddling the control is easy, and would let you adjust volume or skip songs. I'm not sure what'll happen if you lose the knob—would any magnet/iron object do?—but I like the lateral thinking here. [Inventables via Gizmowatch]

8:43 AM on Thu May 8 2008
By Kit Eaton
1,368 views
16 comments

Comments

flyboy at 08:54 AM on 05/08/08
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something else good for the gonads
homerjay at 08:54 AM on 05/08/08
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Connectedness Index: 191
Brought to you by Acura TSX

iPod killer!
liveinvt at 09:01 AM on 05/08/08
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Would not survive on busy subway commutes. Or perhaps after a bunny hop on my bike... I've lost a few iPods that way.
Ftp1423 at 09:02 AM on 05/08/08
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So if someone wanted to mess with you then they could easily just turn the knob to full blast and blow out your ears, doesn't sound appealing. Hopefully that magnet is strong enough not to move while you are running, which I feel is a huge driving factor behind the success of partable music devices.
Iggy at 09:04 AM on 05/08/08
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Yeah that magnet is actually a half of this:

[www.sillyasstoys.com]

Stupid.
scarbrtj at 09:11 AM on 05/08/08
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@Kit:
Losing the knob should not be a problem. But having it on the outside of your pants... it might get scratched up or dirty. However, a resultant and necessary polishing of the knob should be fun.

I should know.
superbryant88 at 09:14 AM on 05/08/08
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"Yeah that magnet is actually a half of this:

[www.sillyasstoys.com]

Stupid."

yeah that is dumb but those things are sure fun to play with..lol
ideaman2020 at 09:17 AM on 05/08/08
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I wonder why none of my credit cards work since I got my new mp3 player...
BoinK at 09:21 AM on 05/08/08
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Having had the pleasure of having a neodymium magnet (a SMALL one mind you) in my back pocket stick to my car as I turned around a bit too close to it makes me think this is a really really bad idea. Not to mention ruined credit cards, phones etc and the constant "risk" of having it slip off and shatter on the ground (this type of magnet shatters easily).
firesign at 09:32 AM on 05/08/08
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heh heh heh. "pocket pal". heh heh heh.
Munch at 09:47 AM on 05/08/08
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Is it legal to be walking around with your knob on the outside of your pants?
Bitstuff at 10:11 AM on 05/08/08
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@Munch:
Damn, Munchy beat me to it!
secretmanofagent at 10:40 AM on 05/08/08
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I saw the name "We come 1" on the device and pocket billiards in the title and came up with a totally different conclusion as to its use.
GreyGander at 10:50 AM on 05/08/08
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Dumb application of a good idea.

Why not a ring to wear that's got the magnet or RFID chip in it where you make close contact and the motions you make with your ring outside approximate the turns on the player?

It'll still look like you're playing pocket pool, but isn't that the whole goal here?
king_of_fools at 12:48 PM on 05/08/08
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highly suggested for those with a pacemaker.
Brian B at 01:39 PM on 05/08/08
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"Dammit Jr., stop playing with your Pocket Pal. You'll go blind!"