Highly portable media device

Abstract

An improved portable media device and methods for operating a media device are disclosed. According to one aspect, the portable media device can also function as a solid-state drive for data storage. The form factor of the portable media device can be hand-held or smaller, such that it is highly portable. The portable media device can use one or more status indicators. The portable media device can also include a peripheral bus connector, a rechargeable battery, and one or more input devices. According to another aspect, the portable media device has the capability to store media device status information in persistent memory before powering down. Thereafter, when the portable media device is again powered up, the stored media player status information can be retrieved and utilized. According to still another aspect, the portable media device can form and/or traverse a media asset playlist in an efficient manner.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method, comprising:
 at a device that includes a housing, a moveable input control, and one or more sensors:
 while the device is providing content, detecting, with the one or more sensors, movement of the moveable input control relative to the housing; and 
 in response to detecting the movement of the moveable input control relative to the housing:
 changing the content that is being provided by the device in accordance with the movement of the moveable input control relative to the housing, and 
 providing force feedback that corresponds to the movement of the moveable input control relative to the housing. 
 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , including, in response to detecting the movement of the moveable input control relative to the housing, providing a visual status indication in response to the movement of the moveable input control relative to the housing, wherein the visual status indication is provided adjacent to the moveable input control. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a visual status indicator that provides the visual status indication is positioned on a portion of the device that is not covered when a user is moving the moveable input control relative to the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , including, in response to detecting the movement of the moveable input control relative to the housing, providing audible feedback that corresponds to the movement of the moveable input control relative to the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the content is audible content. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the device includes a button that is configured to perform a predefined operation when pressed. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the housing has a plurality of sides,   the button is on a first side of the housing, and   the moveable input control is on the first side of the housing.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the button and the moveable input control are the only controls on the first side of the housing. 
     
     
         10 . A portable electronic device arranged to present content, comprising:
 a housing;   a moveable input control carried by the housing, wherein a movement of the movable input control relative to the housing provides a force feedback;   a sensor that detects the movement of the movable input control relative to the housing at least while the portable electronic device is presenting the content; and   a processor coupled to the sensor that, in response to the sensor detecting the movement of the moveable input control relative to the housing, changes the presentation of the content in accordance with the movement of the moveable input control relative to the housing.   
     
     
         11 . The portable electronic device as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the housing comprises detents arranged proximate the moveable input control that provide the force feedback in response to the movement of the movable input control relative to the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The portable electronic device as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the portable electronic device provides audible feedback in response to detected movement of the movable input control. 
     
     
         13 . The portable electronic device as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the movable input control is a sliding modal switch that transitions the portable electronic device between different modes of operation. 
     
     
         14 . The portable electronic device as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising a visual status indicator that provides a visual status indication of activity carried out by the portable electronic device. 
     
     
         15 . The portable electronic device as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the visual status indicator provides the visual status indication when the movement of the movable input control relative to the housing is detected. 
     
     
         16 . The portable electronic device as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the movable input control comprises a flange portion configured to slide within a channel defined by the housing. 
     
     
         17 . A portable media player having a housing that carries a processor, a sensor coupled to the processor, a movable input control and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the portable media player to carry out the steps that include:
 detecting movement of the movable input control relative to the housing while the portable media player is presenting media content; and   in response to detecting the movement of the moveable input control relative to the housing with the sensor:
 providing force feedback during movement of the movable input control relative to the housing, and 
 changing the media content. 
   
     
     
         18 . The portable media player as recited in  claim 17 , wherein changing the media content includes altering an order in which the media content is presented. 
     
     
         19 . The portable media player as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the order in which the media content is presented is altered only when movement of the movable input control is detected. 
     
     
         20 . The portable media player as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the sensor detects movement of the movable input control between at least two positions. 
     
     
         21 . The portable media player as recited in  claim 20 , the steps further including:
 providing a visual status indication in response to detecting movement of the movable input control with the sensor between the at least two positions.   
     
     
         22 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by a processor included in a computing device having a housing that carries a movable input control, the non-transitory computer readable medium and a sensor in electrical communication with the processor, cause the computing device to carry out steps that include:
 detecting movement of the movable input control relative to the housing with the sensor; and   in response to detecting the movement of the moveable input control relative to the housing:
 changing an operational mode of the computing device in accordance with the detected movement, wherein the operational mode determines how content is presented by the computing device, and 
 providing force feedback that corresponds to the movement of the moveable input control relative to the housing. 
   
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in  claim 22 , the steps further including providing a visual indication of computing device activity while changing the operational mode of the computing device.