Giveaway: The Official iPod shuffle Opinions Thread

[Wulf]

This is my first post and I think its a wonderful way to start. I've owned an iPod for a year and a half and have enjoyed it immensely. My wife who also enjoys music would love to have one herself but we can't justify spending another 300 for a 20 gb 4th gen (even thou they are hella cool). The shuffle on the other hand seems to be right up our alley. I like everything about it except one thing, no screen to tell you what your listening to. I have a horroable memory and trying to remember song names, albums or even the time is a lost cause for me. Hopefully they will include a screen in the next version of the shuffle because I for one see the shuffle being a mainstay in Apple's aresnal of incredible audio hardware.

[allsaxisgoodsax]

I think the Ipod Shuffle is a good idea on Apple's part. My brother, sister-in-law, and several money concious friends have purchased and loved it. I'm wanting an Ipod but my biggest problem is money so this seems to be the perfect product.

[NAMOR]

I think the Shuffle is a great idea for active types (ie runners, mountain bikers, etc). Hard drive and vibrations = bad. My BIG problem, with the shuffle is the lack of an LCD screen.

[iPodB]

Shuffle is perfect. I usually memory about 30 to 35 songs at a time. Ridin mountain bike.. just focus on action and listen.. don't look at ipod shuffle while you do!

[Barista]

The iPod shuffle is Apple's cheapist iPod. The only thing about it that kind of bothers me is that it does not have a screen, but the good thing about that is that it consumes less power, and it is more portable and can take more wear and tear.

The controls are very simple, it is very lightweight (you won't even know you are carrying it), it has very long battery life, and you can buy an external 3 AAA battery pack for it if you run out of battery life on it's Lithium Ion internal battery. It also plugs right into your USB port and is integrated into iTunes (which is a must for me).

Apple has done it again, another great product and at a reasonable price for a 512MB for $99, and 1GB for $149.

[Fenwick]

The Ipod Shuffle breaks free from the ordinary. We've all seen run-of-the-mill 512 MP3 players looming around local electronic stores for about 3 years. However the prices remain generally the same. 200$ for 512 MB? I'm not a bank! I dont have 200$ just to shuck out on companies that i don't know and trust. That's why i choose the shuffle. Who needs a screen? You can tell what the song is if you have it in your library right? And anything over 1 Gig is over my limit, I dont have that much time to listen to music in about a week. Every time I use my CD player, I have to change CDs so i dont listen to the same thing over and over. This is a problem because i lose precious time which is precious in this day and age. Recently, i have put my CD player on shuffle, but CDs only hold about 15 songs. Now I can listen to a lot of songs without the irritation, and focus on what I'm doing. The shuffle is perfect for me. Low cost, functional, durable, and perfect storage, not to mention good and interesting looks with a hint of mystery. And it's from Apple, a name I trust ( this coming from a Windows user )

[Kite]

this MP3 player is soo cool , i need it a lot , usefull for time in the bus , every where

[texmex1]

The Ipod Shuffle is EXACTLY what I had been looking for in moble audio on a Motorcycle, compact, and shuffles music, a perfect combo!

[hobo]

Wow, where can I start? The iPod shuffle is a great incarnation of an item in a line of products that have had their name go from being unknown to being the leader in their market and having a name synonymous to being the best in the industry. Apple is a company who knows what they are doing, and they know how to interpret the buying patterns of the consumers. A great example of this is the Mac Mini. Many people have computers already and many of them bought the "$500 Best Buy Special Package". As has happened to many, these computers fail after being used for even a short amount of time. When they have problems, the user tends to lose trust in that company and want to look for the alternative. Consumers are becoming more educated and informed before they buy new products. The internet sites that these people see tell them how vast the mac community really is and how strong of a bond the users have to each other. The iPod shuffle is another good example. The people are looking for a cheap mp3 player that they know works well, regardless of what features it has. Sure, the iPod shuffle costs about the same as an mp3 player with similar size and a few other features, but it is well known that Apple makes their products well and makes them worth the extra few bucks. It may not have a screen, which I get asked about a lot: "You paid $150 for that? It doesn't even have a screen!". I think the appropriate response would be something along these lines: "Well, I think that it was worth it anyway. I have about 2500 songs in my library, and I don't need to carry them all around. Do I really need to keep Weird Al's entire "Dare to be Stupid" album with me at all times? I didn't think so. As for the lack of a screen, why do you need one? You wouldn't criticize it for not having one if Apple hadn't made it popular on the larger iPods. Also, I know what all of the songs on it are called because I know them. That's why I put them on it. I know what they are all called, and I like to listen to them, so I think I don't need to find out the information about them. It should be in your pocket because it's made for listening to music. You shouldn't need to worry about what song is next or about making an On-The-Go playlist. This baby is essentially one superb On-The-Go. Literally". People also say things to me like "But it doesn't have games!" I don't think these would help the iPod shuffle at all, because this is meant to be an ultraportable player, and it certainly is. It's made to be with you without you noticing it, so you can continue with your activities. All you think about is what you're doing, not how your pocket is full from holding an iPod and your wallet.
Really, this iPod is made for someone who needs a very portable mp3 player with good features for what it is used for. It makes a great player for a teenager or for an adult making the jump into the mp3 player market. Apple is a highly reputable company that has a great level of trust with its users. I think the iPod shuffle may have been an even better purchase for me than a 15GB iPod.

[Mike631]

I make this short and simple to read. I needed something that was light and small for playing sports, been searching for mutiple MP3 players and none of them meet the standards like the Shuffle.

[podeluxe]

I'm amazed. I just had my first 'close encounter' with the Shuffle at the Apple Store nearest my house yesterday. After having seen pictures online I knew it was small, but when seeing it in person it seemed somehow even smaller than I had imagined.

I guess I was also half-expecting there to be a crowd of people- even a small one- around the display, jostling their way around to sample the newest addition to the family. But I was wrong- there were two that were sitting there out in the open, so I scurried over to one before anyone else noticed them.

I held the earphones up to my head (trying to forget about the countless strangers who had done the same thing - those with questionable hygeine standards). I was very surprised at the quality of sound, and looking down once again at the Shuffle, I started fantasizing about having one on my own.


My initial rationalization for buying my 20GB last year was to use as a companion during my struggle to lose the 20 or so pounds that have snuck up me like a bad egg salad sandwich. But the 20GB isn't as workout friendly as I once thought. And apparently it can be a target for muggers that would notice a distracted, petite female jogging alone in an urban area. Being hypervigilant almost to a fault, that possibility makes me nervous.

I have fallen in love with the Shuffle- mostly for its lack of size and price. I will get one, too. I keep using my Discover Card (paying it off every month), because in doing so you earn cash back dollars, which you can redeem for a gift card from Sharper Image, and I just happened to notice that they are now carrying the 1GB Shuffle. Charge!!!!!

[ciprol]

With the change in price point across the iPod line, iPs now makes even more sense. For those who cry for a screen, then jump by $50 and get that $199 iPm. For the rest, iPs is perfect as an entry machine for those who just wanted some music to accompany them. Less can be good or bad, depending how it's designed. iPs is definitely on the right side of that equation.

[SchwerTalk]

I love my 1G iPs. You should know that it is my first iPod, but not my first MP3 player (let us forget those other devices for the moment).

I'm hoping the case makers start thinking differently. They all copy Apple. With that I mean that they all feel that the iPs should be suspended upside down (in my view of course). What I do not like about this is that the headphone wire starts at what is then the bottom, and needs to run up to your head, while the standard lanyard starts at the "top" and runs around our neck.

In my current (home made) case the iPs hangs as God intended it: with it's headphone connector at the top (closest to my head).

In this way all wires are at the same side of the iPs, the wire to suspend the iPs and the headphones wire are at the same (top) side of the iPs.

The only thing I can think of that would put people of from using the iPs in this position, is that all controls are "upside down" from Apple's position. Works for me though.

Call me different, call me weird, but I like my way better.

Whatever works best for you brothers and sisters, but I do hope some case maker sees the logic of my approach and makes a beautiful, practical and protecting case for my beloved iPs which puts my iPs in the upright position and allows me to bundle the headphones and supension wires in a logical fashion.

For those into religion, you could actually make a cross of your iPs in this way, but I digress. Think different !!!!

geef ze maar volle gaaas manneuh.

[Underground D]

Entry:

Just recently I got a new 4th gen 20GB pod, and I love it. When I went to get a case for it, the apple store was demonstrating the shuffles - small and beautiful they are. They weren't packaged with the needed accessories I think, but they were so appealing, like an Alienware PC. There was a USB lead under its cap, and no clickhweel. Only one color, but its white theme is marvelous, just liek all the other ipods. Its also a good thing to take around with you instead of a regualr ipod, sicne these are hanging from your neck, and are harder to break, or so I think becuase they're smaller. The $99 is great for a small music collection, and the $150 is a slight upgrade to a colleciton of 1 gig or so.

[dj_boy]

frankly speaking it is the worst product by apple....to be frank. but
they are really creative of coming out with something that is so stylish and small. here in singapore ppl consider buying it because of their capacity and price which is cheaper then some other branded mp3 players. i would say that ipod shuffle is more a style accessory which plays song then a real mp3 player..of course it does not have a screen which is one of the dissappointing thing.it is not for those who always wanted an ipod.