I have never had any desire to own an iPod. Yes, they are, in my opinion, magnificently pretty and by all accounts so user-friendly, one ends up showering them with compliments then taking them to bed. But I’ve never wanted one. I have wondered whether I might like an MP3 player of some sort though – primarily to liven up the dreaded daily commute. I imagine that the Northern Line would smell so much sweeter with Dolly Parton in my ears. But I wasn’t sure where to start. What drew me immediately to Apple’s recently released iPod Shuffle was the combination of all the things I tend to associate with the brand – innovative design, user-friendly interfaces, value for money – in short, a winning combination of quality and cool. Yes, I am that shallow.
A unique selling point for the Shuffle seems to be the fact that it lacks a screen. That is to say, because you cannot see a playlist of the music you’ve loaded onto it, you surrender control of your aural experience to the machine. You can, of course, rewind or fast-forward, but searching out certain tracks is a cumbersome task without any visual info to help. The idea behind the iPod Shuffle is that you leave your musical experience to chance. You can, in fact, play music two ways with the Shuffle. Once you’ve filled it with music using iTunes, you can play your songs in the order in which they were loaded, or in random shuffle mode. Once in use, you can switch between these modes at will.
But let’s take this back a step… I’m no techno-phobe (contrary of the picture
I may sometimes like to paint!) but I’m certainly no whizz-kid either. If you’re looking for an explanation of what an MP3 player essentially does and how it does it, may I politely direct you elsewhere. This is a jargon free zone, but let’s try and cover the basics:
What does an iPod Shuffle do?
Aha, I know this one! It allows you to store loads of music – over 120 songs (that’s 512mb of data) – on a tiny audio player that you can carry with you anywhere. You can also use this as a memory stick to transport files around from PC to PC, and, if you wish to use your Shuffle to store both music and data files, you may designate how much space you wish to reserve for each in iTunes. It is compatible with PC or Mac and comes in two versions: 512mb or 1G – this review is about the 512mb model.
How do I do that?
There are four simple steps to playing music on your iPod Shuffle. First, you need to install the software that comes with the player on a CD. This is straightforward and takes only a couple of minutes – just follow the on-screen prompts. (Before doing this, it is worth writing down your Shuffle’s serial number which can be found on the back of the player, as you’ll be asked to enter it whilst your player is already connected to the USB port).
When the installation process is over, go to iTunes (www.apple.com/itunes) where you can import music from your CD collection or, with an internet connection, purchase songs from the Music Store (single tracks start at 79p). You can create a playlist of the songs you wish to transfer to your Shuffle or simply select ‘Autofill’ and let the computer fill your player with a random selection from your library.
All that’s left to do is uncap the end of the Shuffle to reveal a USB connector and plug it into a USB port on your computer. The songs will transfer automatically and quickly. The iPod Shuffle supports AAC, MP3, WAV and Audible formats, though frankly that’s all Greek to me.
What features are on the player itself?
The iPod Shuffle is an incredibly minimalist design. Only slightly larger than a pack of gum (it weighs in at 0.78 ounces, is about 8mm thin and measure approximately 9cm x 2.5cm), it is all white plastic except for a pale grey Apple logo on the back and the distinctive iPod-style control ‘wheel’ is a slightly darker shade of off white. Controls are basic. On the front of the player are the buttons play/pause, previous/rewind, next/fast-forward and volume up/down. On the reverse is a switch that allows you to flick between ‘play in order’, ‘shuffle’ or ‘off’. There’s also a button to press to display the battery status.
A pair of white earphones are included. If you remove the USB cap you can connect the supplied lanyard to the USB connector and wear the player around your neck (but remember to put the original USB cap somewhere safe!). This is a good way to carry it as it feels quite secure (and the user guide reassuringly tells me that some sort of specially weighted ‘ball baring’ based technology means it won’t fall off!) and can be worn inside your clothes (obviously a good idea to deter muggers, especially raahnd these parts).
There is no need for anything like a mains charger as the Shuffle’s lithium-ion battery is charged by connecting it to your computer’s USB port. This apparently lasts up to 12 hours per charge (of continuous playback) – I haven’t used mine for 12 hours yet so I can’t vouch… but it must be getting close and it’s still going strong. Should you so desire, there are a number of accessories available at www.ipod.com/store such as USB extensioncables and a protective sports case etc. Various ‘unofficial’ online vendors offer things like multi-coloured protective cases or sticker sets that allow you to personalise your player.
So what do you make of it then?
Although I have no point of comparison (having never listened to any other MP3 player) the sound quality is great – certainly compared to my old CD Walkman! One downside is that there are no buttons allowing you to personalise the audio properties, although you could do this in iTunes prior to importing your songs. I have to say I would’ve liked a bit more bass. But the sound is clear and crisp and the volume is sufficiently adjustable to satisfy most people’s requirements I should think. I’ve not experienced any skipping or jumping (in the sound that is…) even if out jogging (although this could be a technical impossibility for all I know??).
Not being able to select tracks on the basis of on-screen info might be a bit off putting for some, but I don’t mind letting the music take me where it will… It’s one less thing to think about isn’t it? One other niggle is the fact that you're restricted to using iTunes to import your music, but it's a minor and perfectly tolerable irritation. The Shuffle’s appearance seems to divide those who gaze upon it. Some think it looks cheap and plasticky. Others deem it a triumph of minimalism. I’m somewhere in between - it does look a bit flimsy, though I’ve no evidence to suggest it actually is, and I like its clean white lines. Moreover, when you’re wearing it under your coat, who gives two hoots?
Apple’s promo literature would suggest that they hope to capture a new market with the iPod Shuffle – those of us with little interest in the highest-of-specs but with a desire for a reliable and fun little music player that looks kind of cool and doesn’t cost too much: those of us who have never owned something like this before perhaps.
So where can I get one?
It’s available from Apple stores worldwide (in London, there's one on Regent Street), or online at www.apple.com/store for a very tempting £69. Delivery from the online store is free. When I ordered mine, not long after launch, they estimated it would be delivered in 3-4 weeks from the time I placed my order but it arrived - impressively - within the week. A quick look at the website today shows they are currently quoting delivery in 5-7 days.
And finally…
System requirements:
For Mac – USB port, Mac OS X v10.2.8 or v10.3.4 or later. For PC – USB port, Windows 200 (with SP4 or later) or Windows XP Home/Professional (with SP2 or later)
Thanks for reading.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Advantages: Small, no batteries to change, random selection Disadvantages: No replacement batteries if it runs out 5 mins out of the front door, mine stopped working after 6 months
![Apple iPod shuffle - 512MB [M9724B/A]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/123370874.jpg "Apple iPod shuffle - 512MB [M9724B/A]")
Mar 15th, 2005
exceptional by (14%):
very helpful by (79%):
helpful by (8%):
