Apple iPod Shuffle Review

[admin]

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 trendsetting. Ultra-light, ultra-small, ultra-cool, and less than $100. You have not seen anything like it.

Discuss "Apple iPod Shuffle Review" here. Read the article.

 

[SilverMK3]

*sigh*
So many parts of this review made me grind my teeth. First off, the iPod did not "write the book" on portable mp3 players. They were actually late-comers to the game that companies like RIO and CREATIVE started a few years before the first iPod. The iPOD, especially the Shuffle, is the product of Apple's BOSE-esque strategy of: taking an existing product and dumbing it down for the mass market while sacrificing features and quality and simultaneously positioning it as a "premium" product and pouring millions into marketing.

If the Shuffle is setting the trend for feature-reduced Digital Audio Players burdened by DRM but with pretty colors then I want nothing to do with the industry.

For my $100 I'd rather get an mp3 player that has an LCD that displays detailed song information, allows linear navigation through my music collection, and does not require me to load my existing music into its proprietary software (iTunes) so that it can be crippled with copy protection before allowing me to listen to it.

Granted I'm probably not in the target demographic for this device, but giving it such a glowing review when there is such little value or Bang:Buck seems unusual for this site.

 

[avaserfi]

While Apple came after Creative and Rio they redesigned the whole idea of the portable mp3 player and were not entirely late comers. About a year before any ipod existed I bought myself a Creative portable mp3 player. The thing was all cheap plastic and had a crappy LCD display. Along side of that it was huge, it took a regular sized hard drive and the thing measured around 4 inches x 5 inches x 2.5 inches.

While I dislike the ipod solely because of the need for itunes they did introduce this to the mass market and because of that better products have been designed.

I do have to agree, such a shining review is rather surprising given the extreme lack of features and forced user interface.

 

[jonnythan]

The iPod *did* write the book. The iPod has led the industry at every turn. It wasn't the first MP3 player or the first hard drive MP3 player. It was the first quality MP3 player that was really accessible for the average person. iPods have always struck the perfect balance between usability, features, capacity, and form factor. The iPod is responsible for creating the MP3 player market as we know it.

BTW, iPods are not "burdened by DRM." My collection is exclusively MP3s (other than iTunes Store podcasts). You only get DRM on files you buy or download from the iTunes store.

The shining review for the Shuffle is warranted. The thing is incredibly cool and incredibly good at what it does. It's the *ideal* MP3 player for working out or snowboarding or whatever. The thing oozes cool, it's extremely usable, and the form factor and wearability are really astounding. It sounds great too.

 

[birdonthebeach]

this is going to be fun....

 

[avaserfi]

this is going to be fun....

The subject of ipods seems to be one debated greatly. I currently own a photo 60gb since that was all the place I worked at carried when I wanted an MP3 player and all my friends gave me hell for it (creative people).

The review does make sense, they are good players, I think I have just been soured after having itunes forced down my throat for a few years.

 

[westcott]

Any chance we can get some more detailed information like some frequency response testing. I have heard the linearity is pretty good through most of the frequency range, except for the lower frequencies and the sound floor is amazing for such an inexpensive and small device.

As soon as they improve on these, even I will be tempted to buy one and load lossless music for convenience. A docking station for the AV reciever would be a nice feature to get my music from my computer to the main system.

 

[xerotope]

I didn't know you could set aside some of the Shuffle's memory for storage... but I'm wondering how useful that actually is. Unlike the first-gen shuffle, you no longer have a built in usb plug, and the usb port has been integrated into the headphone jack. This means you need to bring the dock with you if you want to transfer files to another computer.

I think the shuffle is a product that fulfills a specific niche nicely. It's perfect for working out, and that's about it. While running I can't focus on a screen when changing tracks anyway, and being able to clip it to my shirt or shorts rather than getting an arm case is a definite plus.

Otherwise, I'd say take your $79 and get a iAudio U2 or similar. Almost as small, standard USB port, radio, screen. Done.

 

[jonnythan]

My girlfriend has an iPod video for hanging out, using in the car, watching shows between classes at school, etc.

She also has a shuffle she uses for working out, snowboarding, biking, etc. She also keeps it in her jacket pocket so it's always on her no matter where she goes

 

[ddubb]

This is going to be fun, indeed.

My first player was a Creative (probably same as one previously mentioned). It was slightly thicker and maybe a tad heavier than the competitor ipod, but it cost was about 38% lower. When carried in the leather holder/belt clip (provided) I could access all nav and volume buttons. One dumb prob was the case covered the lcd display so I had to unsnap open to view it. Later I got an updated cover with a vinyl window. Regardless, with the player still on my belt and in the case I could pause/play, turn it off/on, adjust volume and nav forward and back. This was way before ipod covers capable of this came out.

The major selling point was that the sound quality was noticeably better on the Creative. It was built solid and took years of heavy use in a factory environment. I later upgraded from the 30gb to the 40gb. I eventually gave the second one to my bro in Iraq and it continued to hold up when others failed. Customer replaceable battery.

Now I use a direct competitor to the Shuffle. I got it over a year and a half ago for $109. Its a 1gb Samsung YP-F1. Again its slightly bigger than the Shuffle but not enough to matter. Like the Shuffle, the headphone jack is also used for charging the battery and transferring music. It also has a clip - slide-on style metal, very tight and strong. BUT WAIT! This player also loads files by drag-drop folders if not the proprietary app; has a voice recorder; FM tuner; and most importantly missing from the shuffle, a display.

The Samsung displays letters a bit small for my middle aged eyes but its loaded with info: battery charge (12-14 hrs); track number and title, time, eq setting, play mode. My wife and I share it so it is real nice to have his and hers folders on it. Two downsides: 1) battery forms memory so you're supposed to totally discharge before you recharge; 2) doesn't support Audible books file format.

To work around the battery memory issue, when it gets low I put it on settings that will drain battery quicker (bright display, display always on, faster scroll on title, etc). Even so, by now the battery life is closer to 10 hrs on full charge, because there have been too many times when I charged it before it was fully drained. Also, now the toggle switch is starting to give out. I'm glad I got the $30 2-yr protection plan at Best Buy.

Also the Samsung has easy to find and use exterior volume and nav buttons for easy no-look control. One friend of mine says with his Shuffle its easy to move forward/back but its a bit harder to get used to controlling volume. Maybe that's just a personal issue. Sound quality is adequate, not as nice as the Creative, probably no better than the Shuffle.

Another hugely important plus for the Samsung is that it was on market before the shuffle. The downside is I don't think its available any more.

But by now there are plenty of adequate 1gb players for under $80.

But the ipod just looks so coooool. And the commercials are so cool. So anyone supporting Apple, Inc must be soooo coooool and feel really cool wearing that brand.

I wouldn't say I'm an ipod hater but will gladly admit to being a iTunes hater.

 

[Geno]

I just recently "drank the Kool-Aid" and got an iPod 30G after my Archos GMini died. I previously had a Creative Zen. As much as I'm a contrarian when it comes to fads, I must admit the iPod has the rest beat. That interface and form factor, the display, and the ease of transferring data just can't be beat.
I don't use iTunes, since I have a large CD collection, and rip them at 256VBR. I use a set of Etymotic ER4i canalphones, and the sound quality is excellent, IMHO. There's a reason Apple owns this market.

 

[KC23]

I bought both my daughter and wife nice nano creative lab 6 gig mp3 players a year ago.

First my wife and then my daughter both replaced them with the shuffle and have been overjoyed with the shuffle. Small, lightweight and inexpensive won out easily.

Me, I still like my Nano.