Review: iPod shuffle

**ScottW** · #1 February 12th, 2005, 01:12 AM

MY HISTORY & iPod Background

As a long time Mac and prior to that Apple II user, I have had a case of "late adopter blues" when it comes to Apple products. I was late migrating to the Macintosh from the Apple II, I was late adopting to the Newton, and the iPod ranks up as a late adopter.

In fact, only did I become an iPod user in the last 5 months. I enjoy music, but I am not a hard core music guy. My new job gives me the opportunity and almost demands that I listen to something in my headphones. Helps me focus when things get a little loud, especially when your easily distracted like myself.

Only having a 3GB music library, my 2G iPod (10GB) had more than enough space for all my music. Battery life was 4-6 hours, lasted for 2 days usually before I needed a new charge. Once I got the 4G iPod (20GB) I was even more in love. Much better batter life, nicer screen, plus it was new, my 2G was heavily loved - scratched to no end by the previous owner.

The thing I dislike about the iPod is the "gold" it is made of. It is like a little baby you carry around. You have to have a little basket to put it in and strap it in, a car seat for it. When you put it in your laptop bag, it has it's own compartment. When you pull it out and lay it on the desk to jam at work, you find yourself looking for something soft to put it on. When you get up to leave, you take it or hide it. When you go to swing around in your chair to answer a question or jump into a conversation, you have to pick it up and hold onto to it, cause it's heavy and who wants it to fall on the floor when your headphone cord isn't 12 ft long. I don't want to put it on while doing yard work... it's so precious.

I also find that I have what I call, My Favorite song list. It has 80 songs, about 350 mb worth of space. I listen to it all the time. I also turn my iPod on, it's already set to shuffle, I select the same playlist each time, and hit play. I never look at the screen again. On rare, and I mean rare occasions, I have listend to an old CD I hadn't listened to in a long time.

THE IPOD FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME... SHUFFLE AND GO!

When Apple released the iPod shuffle, the price grabbed my attention first. $99. WOW. $149, WOW. Secondly, it was a USB drive, 2.0 no less. Being the owner of 128mb 1.1 USB Flash drive, I have horror flashes when I pull it out to use it for something. Recently a co-worker had a 1GB flash drive USB 2 and I copied some stuff over for him and fell in love. It was fast. So, for only $30 more than a 1GB USB drive, I could have an Apple iPod that did what I do on my regular iPod, how could anything be any better?

So, I bought two. A 512 and 1GB, one for my wife, one for me.

We both love our iPod shuffles. So much I sold my other two iPods. I have yet to charge it, still shows a green light. I can wear it around my neck and spin around in my desk chair for hours in 100 different directions and I don't even notice I have it on me. I can now forge ahead on yard work or house work and jam along without fear.

No screen? Perfect for me. Hard to use? Not at all. Best of all, it plugs into my windows laptop at work and I can copy files to it, and then bring it home and copy files off on my Mac. Something I couldn't do with my Mac formatted iPod (2G & 4G).

Heck, I even might just go outside and throw my shuffle as far as I can just because I can. It probably won't even get a scratch (assuming it landed in the grass). Try that with the any other iPod.

Dorn · #2 February 12th, 2005, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottW

Heck, I even might just go outside and throw my shuffle as far as I can just because I can. It probably won't even get a scratch (assuming it landed in the grass). Try that with the any other iPod.

First night of owning mine, I set it next to the bed. Had the lanyard attached to it btw.

Woke up the next morning and couldnt find it. Turned out the cats were playing with the shuffle all night, grabbing the lanyard and hauling ass around the house with it playing a feline version of catch.

Not a mark on the shuffle (hardwood floors and stairs were involved). Then again, I'm convinced they wanted to hear the Mingus and Monk and were on the shuffle... they just didnt have thumbs.

Now I'm a jaded Mac user, my job itself puts me in contact with a TON of Apple products, but the shuffle is probably the first "device" that really makes me think "this is cool".

Regards,

Dorn.

Ceroc Addict · #3 February 13th, 2005, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dorn

First night of owning mine, I set it next to the bed. Had the lanyard attached to it btw.

Woke up the next morning and couldnt find it. Turned out the cats were playing with the shuffle all night, grabbing the lanyard and hauling ass around the house with it playing a feline version of catch.

Funniest thing I've heard in ages.

This iPod shuffle is definitely the best iPod I've ever used.

What's great about it:

The buttons have been beautifully designed and manufactured. Very easy to press (but at the same time the buttons don't get pressed accidently in my pocket - as was the case with the 3G iPod - so I never have to worry about using "Hold" mode at all) and very intuitive.

I can use the iPod shuffle without even having to take it out of my pocket (e.g. when I want to go back a song) - moreso than with any other iPod I've ever used.
It's ridiculously light. When I do want to take it out of my pocket, I can just pull it out by tugging the earphone wire.
The battery life is great. It hasn't it run out on me before the end of the day yet.

What I think could be added/improved:

Separate playlists
The time gap for fast forwarding/rewinding is way too short - makes scrubbing through an audiobook a bit painful
Ability to automatically repeat a single song
Add a cap that allows you to attach the iPod shuffle to your keyring (I do this now, via cutting the lanyard and threading a string, but this solution is a little clunky. I'd prefer some kind of metal ring).
The fit of the iPod shuffle to my USB1.1 ports is a little off - it doesn't charge unless I use a USB extension cord (that I luckily just happened to have).

Kap

diablojota · #4 February 14th, 2005, 05:14 AM

I just bought an iPod Shuffle 512 for my fiancee. She'll be a novice user, so I think this would be a perfect device for her, especially for her visits to the gym (daily). Scott, that was a perfect review. Exactly the kind that answers the questions that I have. So thank you for posting that.
I am now considering getting one for myself to go along with my regular iPod.

quiksan · #5 February 14th, 2005, 11:20 AM

Not thatthe Shuffle really needs much more praise, but here's my 2 cents anyway

I didn't even WANT a Shuffle. My mother in law picked hers up (along with one for my dad in law, brother in law) the other night, and they had a couple extra that hadn't been claimed that night. so she got me one too.

I was grateful, and stoked because it was Apple. Woohoo!
I am SO IMPRESSED with this thing. I like it better than my #g 30gb iPod even.

Imagine the sales Apple will get once the nay-sayers like myself get into the...Shuffle... tee hee.