new iPod Shuffle

[Wraith]

In a great feat of innovation, the new iPod Shuffle moves the controls onto the earbud cord. So if you don't use earbuds/headphones made for the new Shuffle (or until someone releases a Shuffle headphone adapter), you can't control anything other than turning it on, in either shuffle or non-shuffled mode.

http://images.apple.com/ipodshuffle/gallery/images/ipodshuffle_image3_20090311.jpg

The new Shuffle does offer 4GB of space, priced at $79 (the 2nd gen 2GB was $69), and they added a feature that speaks the name of the currently-playing song.

Apple Doubles iPod Shuffle's Capacity, Adds New Features (http://www.dailytech.com/Apple+Doubles+iPod+Shuffles+Capacity+Adds+New+Feat ures/article14547.htm) (DailyTech)

http://www.apple.com/ipodshuffle/

[civil]

Apple is the new Taco Bell.

[Suave Peanut]

I just don't understand the iPod Shuffle.

For less, you can get a SanDisk Clip, which has a navigable screen. (And also features shuffle mode!)

[Sandman]

I like to have all of my music collection with me, not just 4GB of it....and I've only got 14GB left on my 120GB classic.

[Hexxagonal]

I agree with Suave Peanut... the non-Apple competitors to the shuffle product are so much better. $80 with no screen or radio?!?

[total]

I just don't understand the iPod Shuffle.

For less, you can get a SanDisk Clip, which has a navigable screen. (And also features shuffle mode!)

But Steve Jobs personally blows his load on each and every one. That alone makes the device worth every penny.

Srsly tho the shuffle is for a very specific market. About the only reason I could see getting one would be for working out. You don't really care what comes up in your playlist then as you've most likely tailored your music for that specific activity. Unless of course this version is larger in size, which it appears to be. In that case I don't get it.

[Grifter]

But Steve Jobs personally blows his load on each and every one. That alone makes the device worth every penny.

That explains why he's lost so much weight.

[biosc1]

I just don't understand the iPod Shuffle.

For less, you can get a SanDisk Clip, which has a navigable screen. (And also features shuffle mode!)

It's made for people like my girlfriend. Born and bred on iTunes. Lots of DRM'ed songs (from before my time ;)). She can plug her Shuffle into the computer, sync it and go to the gym with a tiny device clipped to her arm.

[total]

That explains why he's lost so much weight.

Poor guy needs to start eating more Thai.

[biosc1]

Okay, just read a more in-depth preview of this device.

There are no controls on the device itself. All control is done through a remote on the included headphones. Headphones that we all know to suck. This is unfortunate and pretty much a deal-breaker for anyone that has their own headphones that they love.

[Sandman]

Okay, just read a more in-depth preview of this device.

There are no controls on the device itself. All control is done through a remote on the included headphones. Headphones that we all know to suck. This is unfortunate and pretty much a deal-breaker for anyone that has their own headphones that they love.

I can live with the standard iPod headphones....but I wouldn't want the controls on the headphones because my headphones are prone to some kind of destruction thus rendering the device useless before I can get a replacement which you know will be expensive.

[Sandman]

There is apparently an adapter for using 3rd party headphones that has the remote functions on it.....fuck that shit.

[OldJadedGamer]

I agree with Suave Peanut... the non-Apple competitors to the shuffle product are so much better. $80 with no screen or radio?!?

I have a big problem with these... no/limited Mac support.

[Matthias]

But Steve Jobs personally blows his load on each and every one. That alone makes the device worth every penny.

Srsly tho the shuffle is for a very specific market. About the only reason I could see getting one would be for working out. You don't really care what comes up in your playlist then as you've most likely tailored your music for that specific activity. Unless of course this version is larger in size, which it appears to be. In that case I don't get it.

The new shuffle is actually smaller than its predecessor; though it's very slightly longer, it's thinner and narrower.

Either way, I don't understand why they don't just sell the bloody thing with the adapter and a set of standard apple headphones. It'd be as easy/easier for them to manufacture because they're already tooled for their standard headphones, and people who love 3rd party headphones would be happy, at least to a degree.

[boratika]

Man, I laughed when I saw this. It reminded me of this:
http://s3b.directupload.net/images/090301/wcsd6mrd.jpg
Only that has one too many.

Apple are really pretty bent on ending buttons, aren't they?

I just don't understand the iPod Shuffle.

For less, you can get a SanDisk Clip, which has a navigable screen. (And also features shuffle mode!)

Oh man, the Clip is really the gem of the Sansa line. The thing that blew me away about them was just how good they sound. So much better than any other DAP I've heard. It's ridiculous. And that that honor would go to such a cheap player. The other good thing about them is that the firmware is ground-up and not a variant of the one the other Sansa's have, so it isn't riddled with usability-killing bugs.

One thing people seem to dislike about them is that they are really light and I guess they feel flimsy, but the way I saw it was they have a really low terminal speed when you drop them and so are really hard to break by dropping. Though they're probably pretty susceptible to crushing.

The main problem is the capacity. If they just had an microSD slot it wouldn't be an issue (or mostly wouldn't be) but I guess they don't want them competing with their more expensive players. Of course it would help if their "better" players were actually better. If they revise them with an SD slot I'll buy one in heartbeat.

I have a big problem with these... no/limited Mac support.

You have perhaps been misinformed. They work with macs, just not with iTunes. The afore mentioned clip is an MSC device, which means when you plug it into your computer it just comes up as a mounted drive, like a usb flash drive would. You just copy the files you want on to it and when you detach it, it compiles a database of everything on it.

While you can't use iTunes to put your music on it, there's plenty of other media players that you can use instead, that will handle that for you (and impr0t your library from iTunes.)

The only thing to note is to make sure if you ever connect it to a windows computer that it is set to MSC mode and not MTP. (which I'd recommend anyway to any windows user.)

Either way, I don't understand why they don't just sell the bloody thing with the adapter and a set of standard apple headphones. It'd be as easy/easier for them to manufacture because they're already tooled for their standard headphones, and people who love 3rd party headphones would be happy, at least to a degree.

This is where I cynically rub my thumb against my fore and middle finger. Come on, as a gamer you should be used to accessory gouging by now. Imagine how high the mark up on those things will be.

[Wilkz07]

didn't they just make the shuffle 'better' when they turned it into that little square thing with a dial?

get a zune.

[Sandman]

you know what this thing reminds me of? a lighter

I've thought of a use for this too....I could use it to keep my iTunes "recently added" playlist on it's own player.

[MagGnome]

I don't see the point of this new Shuffle. There's no clip, so where would I put the damn thing? It's almost too small to go into a pocket.

Really, this seems like something they released just because they could. It doesn't fill any market gap that I can think of.

[axion]

I don't see the point of this new Shuffle. There's no clip, so where would I put the damn thing? It's almost too small to go into a pocket.

Really, this seems like something they released just because they could. It doesn't fill any market gap that I can think of.

Psst, there's a clip on the back.

[Whunpo]

Does anyone think that theres a point where a gadget becomes too small? I thought that the old shuffles were pushing it, but when you move controls off of the device I think you've crossed the line.
Not to mention 4GB for $79 is absolutely preposterous.

[Everyone vs Dinosaurs]

Everyone knows that Shuffles are just for Hipsters that want to match their MP3 device with their shoes.

[MagGnome]

Psst, there's a clip on the back.

Shush you. :p

[Matthias]

Man, I laughed when I saw this. It reminded me of this:
http://s3b.directupload.net/images/090301/wcsd6mrd.jpg
Only that has one too many.

Apple are really pretty bent on ending buttons, aren't they?



Oh man, the Clip is really the gem of the Sansa line. The thing that blew me away about them was just how good they sound. So much better than any other DAP I've heard. It's ridiculous. And that that honor would go to such a cheap player. The other good thing about them is that the firmware is ground-up and not a variant of the one the other Sansa's have, so it isn't riddled with usability-killing bugs.

One thing people seem to dislike about them is that they are really light and I guess they feel flimsy, but the way I saw it was they have a really low terminal speed when you drop them and so are really hard to break by dropping. Though they're probably pretty susceptible to crushing.

The main problem is the capacity. If they just had an microSD slot it wouldn't be an issue (or mostly wouldn't be) but I guess they don't want them competing with their more expensive players. Of course it would help if their "better" players were actually better. If they revise them with an SD slot I'll buy one in heartbeat.



You have perhaps been misinformed. They work with macs, just not with iTunes. The afore mentioned clip is an MSC device, which means when you plug it into your computer it just comes up as a mounted drive, like a usb flash drive would. You just copy the files you want on to it and when you detach it, it compiles a database of everything on it.

While you can't use iTunes to put your music on it, there's plenty of other media players that you can use instead, that will handle that for you (and impr0t your library from iTunes.)

The only thing to note is to make sure if you ever connect it to a windows computer that it is set to MSC mode and not MTP. (which I'd recommend anyway to any windows user.)



This is where I cynically rub my thumb against my fore and middle finger. Come on, as a gamer you should be used to accessory gouging by now. Imagine how high the mark up on those things will be.

You can actually still use iTunes (at least on a mac, I dunno about on windows), because when you drag 'n' drop a selection of songs from iTunes into a Finder window, it copies the song files into the appropriate directory. All you'd have to do is set up the playlist you want to go on there, and drag the list entry of your playlist onto your player's icon on the desktop.

and as to the accessory gouging, I figured that's the expectation, but I don't really think too many people are going to buy that accessory- they'll just complain about not getting to use the headphones they want, and stick to the crappy stock earbuds- the majority of kids I see with iPods of any sort running around campus or at the rec all use stock headphones anyway.

[Shadowstorm]

What I really cannot stand about this and what seems to be missing from all the discussion I've come across regarding this hardware is this:

Even as it attacks DRM on music, Apple is continuing to add more DRM to its own hardware (we recently documented (http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/01/apple-shows-us-drms-true-colors) all of Apple's various hardware DRM restrictions). The latest example is the new iPod Shuffle (http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/03/apple-adds-still-more-drm-ipod-shuffle). According to the careful reviewers at iLounge (http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/reviews/entry/apple-ipod-shuffle-third-generation/P6), third-party headphone makers will have to use yet-another (http://www.twice.com/article/CA6524155.html) Apple "authentication chip" if they want to interoperate with the new Shuffle.

Normally, of course, independent headphone makers could simply reverse engineer the interface. The "authentication chip" is there so that Apple's lawyers can invoke the DMCA (http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/11/apple-confuses-speech-dmca-violation) to block those efforts. So this shows us, yet again, what DRM is for -- not stopping piracy, but rather impeding competition and innovation.

iLounge sums up what this means for consumers:This is, in short, a nightmare scenario for long-time iPod fans: are we entering a world in which Apple controls and taxes literally every piece of the iPod purchase from headphones to chargers, jacking up their prices, forcing customers to re-purchase things they already own, while making only marginal improvements in their functionality? It’s a shame, and one that consumers should feel empowered to fight.
Couldn't have said it better myself.

One final thought: why have so many of the reviews of iPods failed to notice the proliferation of these Apple "authentication chips"? If it were Microsoft demanding that computer peripherals all include Microsoft "authentication chips" in order to work with Windows (or Toyota or Ford doing the same for replacement parts), I'd think reviewers would be screaming about it.Sorry, but I won't ever buy an Apple product. That's ridiculous.

Source (http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/03/apple-adds-still-more-drm-ipod-shuffle).

[Bingley Joe]

If that turns out to be the case, then I wouldn't blame you, but it's still just a rumour at this point, Shadowstorm.


Here's a bit more on the situation over at Boing-boing:

http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2009/03/14/we-found-the-chip-in.html

[Sandman]

I don't get the hate on the iPod headphones. I like them myself. They serve my purposes well and if I were to get one of these I'd only use it on the go and keep my larger iPod with my whole collection in the car where it gets most of it's use anyway.

[Wraith]

I don't get the hate on the iPod headphones. I like them myself. They serve my purposes well and if I were to get one of these I'd only use it on the go and keep my larger iPod with my whole collection in the car where it gets most of it's use anyway.I'd guess some people don't like the quality. (Though I suppose high-level audiophiles avoid portable players entirely.) Some people don't like the telltale white cord that advertises to thieves that you've probably got an iPod/iPhone on your person. Some people don't care for in-ear headphones. Some people probably are just most comfortable with their own headphones and don't want to use something different. Some people might want something with a longer cord (or no cord, if there are bluetooth adapters available). Some may prefer having a cheaper/smaller player in the car. Some may only have a Shuffle.

There are a lot of legitimate reasons beyond personal opinion on sound quality of Apple's headphones.

And maybe Apple's earbud quality fluctuates between releases. (I know this was an issue in Zune reviews. I thought I remembered this in iPod reviews, but I may be mistaken.)

[LarsenNET]

(or no cord, if there are bluetooth adapters available).

Speaking of wireless...any recommendations on wireless headphones for an ipod touch? I use it when I mow the yard and I hate it when the cord gets caught on branches or whatever and rips it out of my ear.

Side note, I'm not willing to spend $300 :)

[Wraith]

I won't be any help there.

The only headphones I've used in recent years are my 10+ year old Sonys that are about falling apart. (I think my 2nd gen Nano came with earbuds, but I've never used them. I guess they're still in the case.)

[Sandman]

I may actually pull the trigger on one of these later today....I've been wanting a smaller player to put my newer music on for on-the-go listening when I don't want to take my larger iPod out of my car.

[boratika]

You can actually still use iTunes (at least on a mac, I dunno about on windows), because when you drag 'n' drop a selection of songs from iTunes into a Finder window, it copies the song files into the appropriate directory. All you'd have to do is set up the playlist you want to go on there, and drag the list entry of your playlist onto your player's icon on the desktop.

Well, I guess the thing that I thought was the only problem isn't even a problem after all.

and as to the accessory gouging, I figured that's the expectation, but I don't really think too many people are going to buy that accessory- they'll just complain about not getting to use the headphones they want, and stick to the crappy stock earbuds- the majority of kids I see with iPods of any sort running around campus or at the rec all use stock headphones anyway.

See below:

What I really cannot stand about this and what seems to be missing from all the discussion I've come across regarding this hardware is this:

Sorry, but I won't ever buy an Apple product. That's ridiculous.

Source (http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/03/apple-adds-still-more-drm-ipod-shuffle).

Now can I cynically rub my fingers together?

If that turns out to be the case, then I wouldn't blame you, but it's still just a rumour at this point, Shadowstorm.


Here's a bit more on the situation over at Boing-boing:

http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2009/03/14/we-found-the-chip-in.html

I guess not...


...yet...

[Raen]

I may actually pull the trigger on one of these later today....I've been wanting a smaller player to put my newer music on for on-the-go listening when I don't want to take my larger iPod out of my car.

Well let us know how it is. Personally since moving from Shuffle to a Nano (and then to another, newer, Nano) I couldn't stand having something without a screen. It's not so much the size thing (although it was a pain), but it's more I like to hop about between podcasts and songs. Very difficult on a Shuffle.

[Wraith]

A bunch of pics here (http://www.winsupersite.com/alt/ipod_shuffle_3g_photos.asp).

http://www.winsupersite.com/images/alt/ipod_shuffle_3g_08.jpg

http://www.winsupersite.com/images/alt/ipod_shuffle_3g_09.jpg

http://www.winsupersite.com/images/alt/ipod_shuffle_3g_13.jpg

[Sandman]

I'm gonna wait till the next paycheck to get one I think. I won't be putting podcasts on it and 4GB is perfect size for my recently added folder in iTunes.

[Disgustipated]

The latest from Crapple is another overpriced, underperforming lame product. I can't believe anyone would want to buy a player that doesn't even let you select what music you want to hear at any given moment. Buy a fucking Sansa, Zune, or Creative player.

[Bingley Joe]

You can actually still use iTunes (at least on a mac, I dunno about on windows), because when you drag 'n' drop a selection of songs from iTunes into a Finder window, it copies the song files into the appropriate directory. All you'd have to do is set up the playlist you want to go on there, and drag the list entry of your playlist onto your player's icon on the desktop.

Well, I guess the thing that I thought was the only problem isn't even a problem after all.


You can do that, but who wants to muck around with dragging 'n' dropping when iTuneMyWalkman (http://ilari.scheinin.fidisk.fi/itunemywalkman/) will automate all that for you (and more):

iTuneMyWalkman is an open source application that will help you synchronize the contents of iTunes playlists to your mobile phone or other portable device. The purpose is to make the process as easy as possible, almost like it is with an iPod. The application is able to detect when you connect your phone and can start the synchronization automatically.

Features

- Synchronizes the contents of specific iTunes playlists to your mobile phone.
- Creates M3U playlists on the device.
- Detects automatically when the device is connected.
- Creates directory structure according to artists/albums, playlists, or genres.
- User can define how much space is left on the memory card.
- Copied files can be re-encoded on the fly to save space.
- Play counts can be incremented automatically when songs are transferred.
- Pictures and videos taken with the phone camera can be automatically moved to a user-specified location on your hard disk or imported to iPhoto during synchronization.

It's free, works as advertised, and has supported every device I've thrown at it so far :)

[Wraith]

http://imacshuffle.com/

[MagGnome]

That iMac Shuffle is amazing! I'm going to buy one right now.