- 1GB MP3 multimedia player - NOT an Apple iPod
- holds up to 240 songs
- new slim design
My new shuffle gives me the ultimate coolness factor! The functionality is awesome too.
The shuffle arrived in it's beautiful transparent hard plastic box. It is really small, 1.5 inches long and 1 inch wide and the depth without the clip is hardly a few mm. The packaging is great too, even better than the last green cardboard box, and if you buy it from apple you can engrave it with your special message and also include a gift note which arrives in a tiny white envelope with a silver apple logo. My shuffle has my name and cell phone number engraved at the back from Apple in case it goes missing...though I don't think the finder would ever want to return it.
The "goodness" of a shuffle: I had always liked the Gen 1 shuffle too as it was small, and could slip into my tight jeans easily. Every time I wanted to change a song while at the airport in a queue, shopping for groceries or jogging I could just press the raised ring as I knew where each symbol was. I never needed to look at it or to take my attention away from what I was doing. It was light too, so much so that the weight of the headphones would sometimes nudge it out of my pocket and it would clatter to the floor. When I wanted to change the songs I just slipped it into my laptop. I had planned to buy a bigger iPod or even the Zune or Zenvision for my car so I could load my complete song collection (and get rid of XM) or for long plane trips where I might look at the screen. But for the everyday activities jogs, work in the kitchen/garage/garden, or shopping trips I was happy with the low maintenance easy-breezy shuffle. So, the early pictures of the new shuffle blew me away ...I realized it was time to give away my old one...to my dad in this case, who loves listening to his books on shuffle, and doesn't want a screen.
The 2G shuffle: The new shuffle sounds just as good as the last one and the headphones tangle up less with a rubber slider. Did I tell you that the white and gray headphones co-ordinate perfectly with the gray and white look of the new shuffle? I love these little touches from Apple...(Can't believe Microsoft thinks the dull brown color of Zune is cool...) The port to connect the headphones is the same one you connect the docking station to load songs or charge it. The docking station is small too, white on top and barely 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide with gray rubber base with an apple logo that prevents it from sliding around. You'll need to download the 35MB iTunes software to your computer (in case you don't have it already) and then load up your songs on the shuffle and you're ready to go. When it updates software the light indicator is red, orange when it uploads songs and green when you eject it and it's ready to play. The genius is that there is no need for a separate battery indicator as the same light glows orange for low charge or red if your battery is very low. In fact the same light will tell you with a blink sequence if there are no songs loaded. Press the forward button once and it will go back to the beginning of the same song, press it twice it goes to the next song. Similar function for the reverse button. If you press the play/pause button 3 times it goes to the beginning of the playlist...If you have your songs organized you can load the list you want according to your mood and these controls are enough to take you where you may want to go.
I was able to load 180 songs on to my shuffle, which is more than enough for a whole week for me. You have to use iTunes but all my songs are from CDs or downloads from other sites and I did not have a problem getting them on to the shuffle with the iTunes software.
The only downside I see is that I'll have to carry the docking station to charge it or upload songs if I travel, and while the docking station is really small, it makes the shuffle less self-contained. However, given the look of the new shuffle I don't mind too much. Especially now that I have a clip on the new shuffle, a feature I did not anticipate would make carrying the shuffle so much easier.
In fact, now I am in love with the convenience of the shuffle's clip that makes it easy to access and does not keep falling out with the weight of the headphones. The possibilities of where to clip it are endless. I've had it clipped to my T shirt neck, my office shirt front, on my leather coat lapel, or the jeans top pocket, or even my purse strap. Doesn't fall out and it's easier to reach the buttons.
By the way, all the people with negative reviews for 2G don't seem to be users. If I just want to make toast I don't want to buy an oven, even if it's available for the same price. If I wanted a screen on the shuffle I would get a Nano or something else. But the shuffle gives me what I want -not only does it play great music, it's cute enough to sit on my blouse. And does get some ooohs and aaaahs!
Now how about blue, red and pink metal shuffles...I need to color coordinate them with all my outfits! ;-)
Update Feb 28, 2007: So Apple listened to me (!) and they do have these in nice colors now...love that orange..
PS If you like the review, check out my new Shuffle pics in the customer images. Please rate my review too and let me know if it was helpful for you.
Buy Apple iPod shuffle 1 GB Pink (2nd Generation) OLD MODEL Now
NEW:
-Thinner
-Square
-Aluminum
-Clip instead of lanyard
-Docked USB instead of strait plug
-Slightly lighter
GOOD:
-Very compact
-Great looking design and button layout
-Excellent sound quality
-Much more durable (and less flimsy, I always felt like I'd break my old shuffle in half if I sat on it)
-No external cap to loose
-Clip is very useful
-iTunes Sync
BAD:
-No battery life improvement (still 12 hours)
-Still no screen
-Clip is a little stiffer than I'd like
-Cheap headphones
-Still no FM tuner, mic, voice record, or line-in
-No accessories for it that aid in your workouts, yet (like the Nano)
-1GB is the largest capacity
BOTTOM LINE: At a price point impossible to ignore, this excellent sounding MP3 player continues Apple's great line of electronics. The perfect starter player or for workout enthusiasts. For those looking for a great compact MP3 player, look no further.
Read Best Reviews of Apple iPod shuffle 1 GB Pink (2nd Generation) OLD MODEL Here
I received my Shuffle straight from the manufacturer today (took 3 days to arrive to DC from China, according to FedEx tracking). I had to update my iTunes to 7.0.2, but other than that, the device was ready to sync right out of the box. The packaging is exactly the same as the Nano, very efficiently packed, and no install CD.
I'd love to give it 5 stars like I gave the Nano, but my one complaint is big enough to deduct a star: The Shuffle does NOT come with the new, updated earbuds that come with the Nano, but instead ships with the old, round ones with the foam covers. I mean, really Steve Jobs, how bougie is that? Hopefully, this will change with later orders.
Personally, I much prefer the updated earbuds and never got a good fit with the old earbuds. I remain mystified by the functionality of those foam covers. Also, I feel it's a bit dodgy for Apple to sell the new ones for $29 separately and include them as a pack-in for every other new iPod model except the Shuffle. Granted, the Shuffle is the cheapest, but previously, all the iPod models came with the same janky earbuds standard, so to unload the leftovers on the Shuffles now hardly seems fair.
All that said, the Shuffle itself is fantastic. Sound quality is great. The USB-integrated docking system is genius, no more USB nubbin coming out of the player, though you CAN still drag and drop files onto the iPod on your desktop -just like a thumb drive or regular iPod.
Finally, the design is super! It looks a lot like the radio remote, a little wider and thicker, the major difference being that the Shuffle is cased in alumninum vs plastic. Its clip is also made of aluminum and non-removable. The Shuffle has a little light on the top that flashes either green, yellow or red and in various patterns, depending on whatever Morse code thing it's trying to tell you. Like everything Mac, it's very intuitive, and you'll figure it out quick.
I was never into the old Shuffle, but I really like the look and feel of this one. It's tiny enough to take anywhere, but solid enough to throw in your purse (or for guys, pocket/European carry-all) without being afraid it will break. The clip is a big design improvement as well. As much as I love Mac, iPod necklaces don't really go with everything.
Want Apple iPod shuffle 1 GB Pink (2nd Generation) OLD MODEL Discount?
The Shuffle returns with a brand new invention....
I had the first generation 512MB Shuffle, which was small enough for me to carry and use everywhere. The second generation IPod shuffle is 1/3 the size with twice the memory of the 512MB, and at a lower initial price point. This is the first IPod product that has come out which was an immediate buy for me. My need for musical portability is limited. I use it in the gym or the library. I don't need a 2GB or larger Nano, and only have a 80GB IPod for video use and music storage. The Shuffle fits the perfect niche for me. I preload multiple playlists, thrown in some utterly random goodness, and I'm walking out the door. Some don't like not having a screen or having to move forward through the track order or the randomness of the music when it plays on shuffle, but for me that's the appeal. This 2nd generation Shuffle is as simple and inexpensive as it gets, and does its job incredible well (which is to play music). The only major drawback are the hideously bad earbuds, which you may want to consider upgrading.
One note, check the pricing before you buy on here. Some days Amazon is fulfilling the order at list price, and other days third party vendors are ripping people off charging between $99 and $115. If you don't see it at the list price of $79, Apple has it on their own website for $79, so pick it up there or in big box chain stores. This 2nd Gen Shuffle will dominate the low cost, low memory end of the portable music spectrum, and continue Apple's dominance in the market. At this price point, there are few who can't afford it, and plenty who are going to add it to their existing IPod collection. Highly recommended, and the perfect holiday gift.
A.G. Corwin
St.Louis, MO
At a time when most portable electronic devices seem to be engaging in feature wars, it's truly refreshing to see Apple go back to the basics. With this redesigned Shuffle, they've remembered what's important: it's portable, and it plays music.
The design of the new iPod Shuffle is elegant in its simplicity. The player itself is tiny and sleek, with a simple 5-button arrangement to start and stop playback, skip backwards and forwards, and adjust volume. The buttons are so intuitive that they can be manipulated without even having to look at them, a feat most portable music players can't seem to manage. Toggle switches for power on and off, and selecting sequential playback or "shuffle" mode (random playback order) complete this tiny package. A small docking station is included as well, which allows you to hook up the Shuffle to a computer via a USB connection, to transfer music files and to recharge the player itself.
As to function, the new iPod Shuffle plays music, and lots of it. With about 1 GB of storage capacity, you can usually get around 200 songs on it easily. There is no visual display to show song information, no capacity for video playback, and no options to plug in the various toys and accessories that other iPods can do. But here's the thing: none of that is needed. The new iPod Shuffle is a portable music player, and it accomplishes that goal handily. The earbud headphones that come with it aren't the greatest, but you can use whatever headphones you want instead. Playback of classical, rock, or electronic music all sound good, and that's all I really care about in a portable music player.
The new iPod Shuffle looks great and sounds great. It merges simple, elegant design with a good dose of technical wizardry to create the perfect blend of form and function. If you're looking for a portable music player that just plays music and gives you a compact package, this may well be your best bet.
I had been kicking around the idea of buying a camcorder for a couple of weeks and bought this model just two days before going on vacation. I didn't do a whole lot of research, I just liked the look and the price. It is small and sleek and super easy to use. It can use regular 8MM tapes, Hi8 or Digital8. I used it for recording live music performances in Nashville and was happy with the quality of the video and audio on playback. There are 8 effects for shooting (sepia, stretch, etc.), along with three fade-ins/outs. So I have more options than I really know what to do with at this point but I'm sure I'll get into them as I use it more. The display is sweet and can rotate around.
