I picked the Shuffle for my wife because she wanted an simple music player, had no interest in pictures or videos, and needed a device that was easy to sync with straightforward software. I have experience with several MP3 players used on Windows platforms, and I knew she would be frustrated with the downloading issues. The Shuffle works perfectly. It is easy to sync with iTunes, it is very compact and can be clipped to a T-shirt, it holds plenty of music for her purposes, and the sound quality is great. If you want just music, a compact device, and simple operations, the Shuffle is for you. Apple iPod shuffle 1 GB Silver (2nd Generation) OLD MODEL
BACKGROUND: I am an experienced mp3 player user, and my current other unit is a SanDisk Sansa Clip 2 GB MP3 Player (Black). I bought a silver 1 Gb iPod Shuffle primarily to use at the gym; however, I will also comment about general usage as well. This is also the only Apple device that I have owned of any kind.
SETUP: There are two things to note about the setup process for the iPod Shuffle. Neither of them is complicated, but they are annoying. Unlike most other mp3 players that use a mini-USB cable for charging and transferring music, the Shuffle requires the use of a proprietary docking station. As such, I wasn't able to reuse any of the myriad of mini-USB cables that I have from other devices. So you either have to buy a second docking station or take the one that comes with the Shuffle with you for charging away from home.
The other thing about the Shuffle that I found frustrating was that you are limited to using iTunes for music transfer. Further, you can only transfer music from a single computer. This is a very restrictive requirement for such a low end device. Finally, I was surprised by how slow iTunes is. Believe me; the last thing I expected was for iTunes to perform slower (by a significant amount) that Windows Media Player. I am no Microsoft lover or apologist by any means (I actually prefer Linux).
SOUND QUALITY: This is the area where I give the Shuffle its best marks. The sound is great whether I am playing m4p formats from iTunes or mp3s that I have ripped from CDs or purchased elsewhere. It is equal in dynamics and range to my Sansa Clip, and it even sounds good plugged into the AUX jack for my car stereo.
Of note, however, I am not using the headphones that came with the Shuffle. I have never thought of myself as having small ears, but I found that the headphones that come with the Shuffle seem rather large and hurt my ears immediately after putting them on. For my workouts, I am using a pair of Skullcandy Buds Ink'd Earbuds - Dark Gray because they are inexpensive, and the in ear style have a secure fit while active. While these ear buds will not win any awards, the Shuffle still sounds good even using these.
USAGE/NAVIGATION: This is the area where the Shuffle is way behind the competition. Without a display, you essentially have one giant playlist that is in the order that you put songs on the device. You can either play straight through the list, or you can "shuffle" your music. However, I noticed that between 30 and minute minutes into shuffling, the first song gets repeated. This was with over four and a half hours of music on the device. Unlike every other CD or mp3 player that I have ever had, I was surprised to find that the Shuffle repeats songs before going through the entire list.
If you decide that want to find a specific song, best of luck to you. You have skip and reverse navigation, and you'll need a good memory of what order you synced things to your device. Ultimately it is not worth it to try to use the Shuffle this way. It seems that it is really geared toward the gym/active user who doesn't need a lot of control over their music. With this in mind, I can hardly see the point of even having a unit larger than 1 Gb. It would seem to make sense to have a 512k offering to better match the functionality.
In short, it's great for working out, but it would be extremely frustrating to use this as your portable music collection.
OPTIONS: Really, the only option that you have on the device itself is the toggle between continuous or shuffle play. From iTunes, you can update the software for the Shuffle and change a few settings that most people won't alter from their defaults.
COST: You are paying a premium for the Apple name, but you probably already knew that. Creative and SanDisk both have competing offerings with more functionality at a lower price.
CONCLUSION: The iPod Shuffle as an expensive offering that really only makes sense to a specific subset of mp3 player users. While the sound quality is good, it is really only for brand loyalists looking for a player to use at the gym.
Apple iPod shuffle 2 GB Silver (2nd Generation)
Apple's iPod Shuffle finally has a higher-capacity big brother. This compact MP3 player was always great for active users who enjoy working out, running or music listening on the go. The new 2GB model offers consumers an Apple version of capacity the competition has been offering for a year. Great as a gift, extra player, or exercise companion.
Pros
- New 2GB provides better capacity at a lower price per gigabyte!!!!
- Enlarged capacity allows for more song storage and less swapping in iTunes!
- Compact and functional design
- Nicely integrated clip - No case needed!
- Nice battery performance for long use
- Great family of Apple accessories
- Great for those already used to iTunes
- iTunes also good for inexperienced MP3 users
- Included in-ear headphones are great for a starter pair
- Same great color options (silver, green, purple, blue)
- Highly durable player
- Apple brand and reputation
Cons
- Still a premium price compared to competing players in total $ terms
- Competing products offer more features, including fm radio and voice recording
- No screen to view track names
- Difficult to control / select tracks via playlists
- Proprietary dock / jack for syncing
- No expandability
- Limited native file format support in iTunes (MP3, AAC)
- No drag and drop music control
- Non iTunes fans are still forced to deal with software limitations
The Form Factor
The long awaited 2 gigabyte iPod Shuffle has the same body that has captured a large audience of fans. Size has always been the iPod shuffle's greatest asset. The integrated clip is no doubt its second greatest asset. Big intuitive buttons make fast learners out of new users.
This unit works fine with no extra case, though there are still case options. The composite case comes in one of several popular color options, including silver, blue, green and purple.
Apple's proprietary headphone jack is still used for syncing. Most competing players use a standard USB B port. Still a great overall design.
Durability
Apple deserves points for the more durable player in this group. Even with the composite body, these guys do hold up to a lot of abuse. Creative's failure rates are too high, but Sandisk's Clip is gaining ground in this area.
Capacity
The 2GB is LONG OVERDUE!!! Amazon's long wait times will surely have some going to Apple stores.
The 1GB size was Apple's only option for a LONG time. The market has been flooded with 2GB players from the competition, as well as shuffle lookalikes. Still, as Apple finally ups their size, Sansa now offers the Clip in a 4GB size, though with long backorder waits. SanDisk Sansa Clip 4 GB MP3 Player (Silver) Still, expanding options makes the current starter MP3 market very good for consumers right now.
Creative Zen Stone Plus 2 GB MP3 Player (Black)
SanDisk Sansa c150 2 GB MP3 Player (Black)
SanDisk Sansa Express 2 GB MP3 Player (Black)
SanDisk SDMX7-2048 Sansa c250 2 GB MP3 Player
SanDisk Sansa Clip 2 GB MP3 Player (Black)
Features and Software
Competing players over simple screens for track viewing as well as FM radio and voice recording. The Zen Stone Plus by Creative and the Sandisk Clip each offer all three features at better price points. Apple's reliability and brand loyalty has allowed the shuffle to survive with limited features.
Competing players also offer drag and drop syncing using standard USB cables or, in the case of the Sansa Express, via direct USB. Apple still requires the proprietary dock.
It still seems excessive to have to use iTunes software to sync 2GB of songs. Competing players have even worse software, but allow you to drag and drop files on these devices like USB thumb drives.
iTunes is both a curse and a blessing, depending on your point of view. For those who are used to iTunes or totally new to MP3s, the interface can be a great plus. For anybody who wants more direct control over their music collection, some of the features within iTunes can become burdensome. Not to mention, it seems every week iTunes requires a new software update.
Once again, if you LOVE Apple and iTunes, or if you are totally new to MP3s the software will still be a net plus for you.
For those that care about file options, Apple's software allows only limited MP3 and AAC music formats. You can easily convert other formats to these, but be aware of the limits. This is only a negative for those really loyal to a certain file format, such as the growing group of WMA users. Having to have 2 format copies of all your music can really hurt as your collection grows.
Sound
The sound this unit produces is pretty good though not great. While I still feel the first generation shuffle sounded much better, the tradeoff was worth the smaller size.
Cost
The shuffle's price has finally come down to about $65 for 2GB or $50 for 1GB. While not a bargain, this price makes the sting much less painful for Apple loyalists. The dollar per gigabyte cost is at least approaching that of competing players. The absolute dollar cost is still a premium when you factor in features.
Players like the Sansa Clip continue to offer more features at this capacity. If you want a small player and you are open to brands beyond Apple, your options continue to expand. The Creative Stone Plus, Sansa Clip, and new models from Samsung and Sony are all worth a look.
Once again, Apple's reputation is well deserved. This model still requires you to pay a premium for it, though a slightly shrinking premium. :-D
Conclusion
If you must have Apple and need a small player for high impact workouts, this new 2GB shuffle is it. If you and can afford it, stepping up to the Apple iPod Nano 4GB will cost you $140 but gives you twice the capacity and video. Still, if you're not an Apple die-hard, the Sansa Clip and other options deserve serious consideration.
Research your options and choose the player that's right for you. Overall this is a good player at an improved price.
Enjoy!!! - Mp3 Player - Ipod - Shuffle - Apple'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
