Apple iPod Shuffle Review

There is a reason that Apple owns the market when it comes to portable MP3 players. Not just the fact that the iPod wrote the book, but how every new iPod continues to pave the way. The completely redesigned shuffle continues the Apple tradition of trend-setting. Ultra-light, ultra-small, ultra-cool, and less than $100. You have not seen anything like it.

If you have purchased an iPod you completely understand where the buzz comes from. Apple stuff is just cool. From the moment you see the packaging for the $79 iPod shuffle, you want one. The styling begs you to open it up and check it out.

Unboxing Apple products has become the stuff of fetish for some, and the shuffle does not disappoint.

Included in the clear, compact plastic box is the shuffle itself, a pair of distinctive white earbuds, a USB docking station, and a small instruction card, pamphlet, and Apple stickers.

This is one very attractive package.

Design & Operation

The Apple design team has hit another home run with the shuffle. It is less than half the size of the original, and comes in five colors: silver, green, blue, orange and pink. The casing is rock solid, and appears to be very durable. The rear of the unit has a spring loaded clip that snaps tight, and easily attaches to your collar, pocket, sleeve - anything or anywhere you would want to wear it. And it is very wearable.

The headphone jack on the top doubles as the jack for the dock connector. There is also an indicator light. On the opposite side of the unit is the on/off button, next to which is another indicator light. The lights appear orange when charging, green when fully charged, and can also give system and battery information. The only other button is the "shuffle songs" or "play in order" selector.

The front of the shuffle has a familiar round multi-switch, which is extremely thumb-friendly. The ring has volume up (top) and down (down), and skip or fast forward (right) and back or rewind (left). The center is the play/pause button.

When the shuffle is inserted into the included USB docking station, iTunes automatically launches. The iPod Setup Assistant opens and asks you to name your new iPod. Once you type the name in and hit the "done" button, iTunes chooses songs at random from your library and fills the shuffle to capacity. On my MacBook Pro, it took less than 3 minutes to fill the Shuffle with 240 songs.

You are then given the opportunity to register your iPod with Apple, which is quick and easy - the serial number is filled in for you, and if you already have an Apple ID, so is your name and address. Next you are taken to the iTunes Music Store, and offered the opportunity to begin purchasing music. Of course, any music you have ripped from your CD collection into iTunes is available to sync as well.

The shuffle is a 1GB flash-based MP3 player that will hold up to 240 songs. It has no display - but that is what makes it a "shuffle." The concept of the shuffle is that you are carrying around your own "DJ" who spins you a mix of songs from your iTunes library. And after years of other iPod models (with displays), I must admit that shuffling songs is really great. If indeed your iTunes library is filled only with songs you love (and if it isn't that is YOUR fault..), you are treated to one great song after another, never knowing what is coming next.

The battery life is rated at 12 hours on a full charge (about 4 hours), and as best I can tell in my use this is pretty accurate. You can get an 80% charge in just 2 hours. The base station doubles as a charger, using the USB 2.0 port on your Mac or PC. There is an optional AC adaptor available from Apple.

A great feature that I had not expected is the ability to split the 1 gig of storage space between music and files. From within iTunes you can tell the shuffle how much space to make available for data. The shuffle will appear on your desktop as an external device, and you can drag and drop data files.

Conclusion

My only complaint is the same complaint I have always had with iPods - the cheap earbuds. Earbuds never work for me. They never fit my ear correctly, and they sound like, well, you know... I'm sure Apple earbuds don't sound any worse than any other MP3 player manufacturer's included earbuds, but bad is bad. There is no good way to put it. Invest in some great headphones - whether it be in-ear, on-ear, or over-ear, and you will enjoy your iPod so much more.

Overall, I am blown away with this iPod. I thought it looked cool when I first saw it on the Apple website, but didn't feel like I needed one. After actually seeing one, holding it and using it, I find it to be an incredible value. If you work out, or like to listen to music while riding your bike or walking, it is a perfect second iPod, well worth every penny of the $79 MSRP. Apple continues to keep one step ahead of the pack - this time with their entry-level model.

PRICE: $79
A bargain!

Media:
music-focused

Form Factor:
small

STYLING:
way cool!

what's so great about it? just clip it on and go!

what's not-so-great? um…..

Specs:

• 1GB
• Mac or PC
• USB 2.0
• 1.62" x 1.07" x .41"
• .55 ounce
• Mac or PC

For More Information

Apple
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014-2084
408/996-1010
www.apple.com

About Audioholics Gear Corner
Welcome to the Gear Corner, where we give you a quick but comprehensive look at consumer electronics from several different categories. All products in the Gear Corner have been individually evaluated through hands-on testing by our reviewers in order to give you a quick but detailed overview that we hope will help you in your purchasing decisions.