Ely Roberts and his daughter were excited to try the family’s old iPods. The batteries wouldn’t hold a charge, and Roberts had no immediate plans to get them replaced. But he already had another device that could play music: a 45mm Apple Watch Series 9 that had been sitting unused for some time.
TL;DR: What Ely Loves About RePod
- He put his idle Series 9 back to use.
- He liked the tactile feel of the scroll wheel.
What Ely’s Family Used RePod For
- Ely tried Apple Music with AirPods.
- His daughter used it as a handheld player in the first few days.
The Watch he already owned
Roberts wore another watch every day. That left the Series 9 free for a different job, and he had someone in mind who might actually use it. He put the Series 9 into RePod by Techpod, a handheld case that turns an Apple Watch into a Mini Phone for music and everyday essentials.
The appeal for Roberts was that he could try the idea with the Watch he already had. In his review, he describes the assembled device as small enough for a pocket. The Apple Watch supplied the apps and playback, including the controls he showed on the small screen.
What the scroll wheel adds
Roberts used the same Apple Music app he already knew. He browses his library on the Watch’s screen and describes using AirPods for listening. He also shows how the case’s scroll wheel moves through the Watch interface. It gives him something he can turn with his thumb while the Watch handles the music.
What his daughter made of it
By the time Roberts recorded the review, his daughter had used the setup for a couple of days. He says she enjoyed it. For this family, the first few days answered the immediate question they’d started with: could a device they already owned give her something handheld to listen on?
Try the listening part first
If you have an unused Watch and want something similar, start with the Watch and the headphones you intend to use. Pick an album you know well. Try finding it, starting playback, and moving to another track. Pay attention to what feels easy and where you still reach for another device. Then decide whether a handheld shape would make you more likely to use the Watch for listening.
Roberts used a 45mm Series 9. If you’d like to try a handheld setup, check both the generation and the case size on your own Watch before selecting a RePod.