- CONFESSION -
Two confessions actually, the second more embarrassing than the first: I'm more loyal to Apple products than most people. Being a Mac user in a Microsoft world has made me defensive, if not paranoid.
Second, I love music, but hate predictability. This prompted bizarre ... Read review
Music players dont get much tinier than the iPod Shuffle 1GB. Smaller than a matchbox, the ... more
beauty of the silver iPod shuffle lies not only with its smart durable aluminium exterior, but also in its simplicity. Theres the straightforward centre button t...
Postage & Packaging: Free Availability: Stock On Order
The world's smallest digital music player, the 1GB iPod shuffle lets you wear up to 240 ... more
songs on your sleeve. Or your lapel. Or your belt. Clip on iPod shuffle and wear it as a badge of musical devotion. You know what they say about good things and sma...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
The world's smallest digital music player, the 1GB iPod shuffle lets you wear up to 240 ... more
songs on your sleeve. Or your lapel. Or your belt. Clip on iPod shuffle and wear it as a badge of musical devotion. You know what they say about good things and sma...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
power tip A46 for select mobile phones, smartphones/PDAs, Bluetooth accessories, MP3 ... more
players, digital cameras, portable DVD players, and portable GPS systems.Deliver the right amount of power to your mobile device using this interchangeable tip with iGo power tip technology. Compatible with the latest models - no need to buy a new adapter when you upgrade Automatically configure to ensure each device gets the precise amount of power Portable and lightweight - eliminates the need to carry multiple adaptersNOTE: Please check compatibility to ensure you select the correct tip for your device
Postage & Packaging:£3.99 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: High-quality sound; long battery life; like the best radio station ever Disadvantages: Expensive; headphones come loose, don't block out noise; slight impracticalities
...first: I'm more loyal to Apple products than most people. Being a Mac user in a Microsoft world has made me defensive, if not paranoid.
Second, I love music, but hate predictability. This prompted bizarre behaviour in the past. Don't tell anyone, but I used to compile cassettes of random tracks from randomly-chosen CDs, taping them with my eyes closed so I didn't know what tracks I would hear, or in what order.
Little ... ...mine. That was direct from Apple (including free delivery) in April 2005. The price has since dropped to a more reasonable £89 for the 1GB version. Give it a year, and they'll be free in packets of Cheerios.
For full technical spec, details of accessories and extensive marketing guff, go to www.apple.com/uk/ipodshuffle
Two confessions actually, the second more embarrassing than the first: I'm more loyal to Apple products than most people. Being a Mac user in a Microsoft world has made me defensive, if not paranoid.
Second, I love music, but hate predictability. This prompted bizarre behaviour in the past. Don't tell anyone, but I used to compile cassettes of random tracks from randomly-chosen CDs, taping them with my eyes closed so I didn't know what tracks I would hear, or in what order.
Little did I know that within a few years, my favourite computer company would guess at my shameful secret and give me an easy way to automate my musical perversion. Apple-haters may deride it, but the iPod Shuffle is, for me, close to musical heaven.
My flimsy justification for buying one was that, in an attempt at exercise, I occasionally trudge the damp streets of Hull. How better to enhance that experience than by wondering whether Rufus Wainwright will be followed by The Ramones or Respighi?
I didn't need the capacity of a proper iPod. Nor would a screen on the front be much use, as the thing would reside unseen in a coat or trouser pocket. The 1GB Shuffle can hold 16 hours of music - enough for several weeks of aimless pod-plod.
- DESCRIPTION -
The all-white, shiny plastic Shuffle comes with Apple's once-distinctive white earbud headphones and matching cable. This colour scheme is now copied by every £20 mp3 player in Sainsbury's. So it no longer has its former designer cachet. It might even make the iPod owner less of a mugger-magnet, but I'm sure that round here, street bandits aren't that fussy.
The headphones deliver impressive sound quality, with ample bass. But they are clearly designed for sedentary listening. They work loose as you walk, let alone jog. They also click a little as I move, and don't exclude the sound of passing cars very well. At the risk of damaging my hearing further, I may upgrade to a pair that fit better and block out ambient noise.
The controls are, as one would expect from Apple, minimal and intuitive. The main one is a convex button towards the top of the front of the Shuffle. This acts as a one-push pause/play control; press twice to lock it, to avoid accidental operation. The button has an outer concentric raised ring. Pressing the top or bottom of this raises or lowers the volume. Clicking left or right moves you on, or back, one track. It is easy to navigate by touch alone, even through the fabric of a coat pocket. But it's not so sensitive that it's accidentally activated all the time.
A tiny battery-test button on the rear has a miniscule LED. It glows green, yellow or red when pressed. This is almost impossible to see in daylight or in a brightly-lit room, but is perfect for the crepuscular murk of a summer day in Humberside.
The only other control is a slider on the back enabling you to choose to listen to tracks in sequence, randomly, or to turn the iPod off. This smooth flush rectangular panel is an example of Apple's tendency to sacrifice practicality to style. It's difficult to grip: a few ridges on the button's surface would have made it much easier to use. But of course that would have spoiled the minimal look. So you have to squeeze the player firmly to move it, often pressing the front control button accidentally as you do so.
At one end of the player is a 3.5mm jack socket - for headphones principally, although I have played the Shuffle through my normal hi-fi by plugging a suitable lead into the amplifier's auxiliary input. At the other end is an integral USB plug. The latter fits neatly into the sockets hidden annoyingly on the back of my iMac or, more conveniently, on the front of my G5 tower at work. A plain white cap covers the plug, or you can use the alternative supplied cap threaded with a loop of white cord (Apple call this a 'lanyard') and hang it round your neck.
- INSTRUCTION -
While plugged in, the Shuffle draws power from the computer to recharge its integral, (and non-removable) battery. Apart from the initial charge, I've never plugged the player in for more than an hour, and have not suffered a flat battery yet. I'm sure Apple's claimed 12-hour battery life is possible - with no moving parts or screen to drain the power, it's no juice-guzzler. But I'd put actual battery life at 10 hours, depending chiefly upon how loud you play your music.
Plugging in to your computer is also necessary to load files onto the iPod. Loading time varies according to bitrate and format of source files. I use it to play mp3s at 128kbps (ie 'good' quality). It takes about 20 minutes to load a full complement of these.
If you ask iTunes to squash higher-quality tracks down to 128kbps as it squirts them onto the Shuffle, loading time rises substantially. The number of tracks you can cram on varies according to the quality, and thus the size, of the files you prefer. The Shuffle will also play music in Apple's own AAC format as well as WAV files and of course the m4p 'protected' files sold by the iTunes store.
You can select tracks either automatically, randomly or manually via iTunes. This application is supplied for Mac or PC on a CD with the Shuffle. I find iTunes very easy to use for this purpose. It's simply a question of opening the application. When you plug in the iPod, it appears as an icon in the playlist menu. Clicking on this shows you the iPod's current contents and enables you to choose how to transfer tracks (you can also use a variable amount of the Shuffle's capacity for data if you wish).
To playback simply push the play button. A green LED blinks briefly through the translucent casing above the main control to show it's working. If you set the rear slider to play in order, it will play the tracks in the sequence you placed them in iTunes. Select 'random', and the Shuffle chooses the order in which they play.
It is not true randomness though. If you have, say, tracks A,B,C,D E, and F, the Shuffle may play them in the order B,F,A,C,E,D. Once it has gone though all the tracks, though, it will repeat its original order of selection, so you'll be faced with the same 'random' track sequence over and over again.
- CONCLUSION -
Those minor reservations hardly detract from a product I still find miraculous. Like a caveman gaping slack-jawed at a steam engine, I still marvel that so much high-quality sound can fit into something weighing less than an ounce, which is only one-third of an inch thick and three inches long.
Which means that I thought it expensive but ultimately worth the £99 I paid for for mine. That was direct from Apple (including free delivery) in April 2005. The price has since dropped to a more reasonable £89 for the 1GB version. Give it a year, and they'll be free in packets of Cheerios.
For full technical spec, details of accessories and extensive marketing guff, go to www.apple.com/uk/ipodshuffle
Advantages: Battery life is strong; appearance; small and light Disadvantages: No screen; lacks a hold switch; 1GB memory is small
== APPLE iPOD 1GB REVIEW ==
== INTRO ==
I absolutely adore iPods, and I'm a HUGE fan of Apple and their products. I have several iPods myself (check out my other reviews on the iPod Classic and iPod Nano 4G), but don't always get round to reviewing them all. When the iPod Shuffle first arrived on the scene, it was tall and white, and I remember it cost around £40. I owned one of these and thoroughly enjoyed owning one, but loathed the fact it ... ...sticking with the plain colours Apple used to favour (black, white, silver). The iPod Shuffle still has the 'trademark' wheel at the front, including the centre button for play/pause, and you are able to switch tracks using the buttons on the left and right, and the top and bottom buttons alter the volume. And well...that's it. Am I disappointed it lacks a screen? In a way, yes. I like to be able to view my music, and feel as though I am properly ...
Sonic4290 17.09.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Apple iPod shuffle 1 GB
Advantages: Sound Qaulity and Very Interesting Features!!!... Disadvantages: Maybe a little to low a memory to store all of your tracks!!!...
...my iPod , there were apple stickers with the apple logo where i stuck one of the two on my nice little box where i kept my small cute shuffle in for safety. As I explored quickly through the small plastic box, i found my white apple earphones to equip to my shuffle. The white earphones were arranged in a small, plastic transparent bag, wrapped around the wires of each ear plug, tied round with a small grey wire to keep them safe. As i sorted through ... ...the iPod Shuffle. I studied the charging wire and the slot where the iPod will be placed, and I noticed on one end of the short white wire was the USB connecting device that you will use to download all of your favorite songs onto your tiny little iPod. The other side of the wire was a very small and thin bar to put into your iPod, which will lay in a small plastic bed when you connect your iPod to the small bar to connect to your computer!. I was ...
Jordan2493 30.08.2008 (31.08.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Apple iPod shuffle 1 GB
Advantages: Small and Great Clip Disadvantages: Song Selection Random
...own the Ipod Nano from Apple but I really didn't like the idea of using it whilst out running as although it's small its still not ideal so I decided to invest in an Ipod Shuffle the next best thing but a lot smaller in size and much more mobile than my Nano. I bought a 1Gb Shuffle in blue from the Apple website for £55 and even had it engraved with my name for no extra cost. After placing my order it arrived on my doorstep the next day which I was ... ...the software downloaded from the Apple website and all my favorite tracks were there ready to be loaded onto my shuffle. I simply plugged the shuffle in via a USB cable and a small docking station which is included in the price, once this has been completed all I had to do was choose my songs to download and away they went transferred in minutes I managed to squeeze 260 tracks onto the shuffle.
The Shuffle Functions
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...
bazzaoleary77 08.03.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Apple iPod shuffle 1 GB
Advantages: Quite inexpensive, hard wearing, attractive, tiny, good quality Disadvantages: Only comes in one colour, doesnt have usb connector attached like older model
...shuffles brand new from the apple site for just £55, and they will even engrave your name (or anything you want on it!) free of charge. Ebay are selling them slightly cheaper so always check before you buy to make sure you're getting the best deal. If you're after the old style however, these are now available for around £40 from ebay for a 1GB version. To conclude…
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The new generation shuffle is in my opinion great stuff. It is so tiny ... ...with the new shuffle. Apple employees have taken all of the best parts of the previous shuffle and improved on the bits that needed improving, for example making it smaller and better looking and the overall effect is extremely satisfying.
The only disadvantage to this ipod is that it only comes in the one colour - silver. There are an increasing number of silicone cases becoming available however and I'm sure that as it increases in popularity ...
ice_pink 18.01.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Apple iPod shuffle 1 GB
Advantages: Tiny, stylish, clip on Disadvantages: overrated, costs to much, lack of features, itunes
...longer battery life.
The Apple iPod Shuffle is tiny and has a little clip on it so it is easy to put it on your trousers or your shirt. This makes it a doddle to carry around, the player is so tiny and you will probably forget it is there because it is so small. Also it will not drag on your shirt as it only weighs a tiny amount. Basically the shuffle is great for just putting anywhere on your body as the clip is just about the right size to clip ... ...Of course as with every apple product the design is impeccable and it can be used as a fashion accessory as it is a very cool player. The player is very small and at just 16 grams weighs virtually nothing but despite this it is fairly hard and durable which is surprising. I guess it is because it's made of a hard plastic and there isn't much in it to damage and the fact that it is very compact. So don't worry if you drop it as it is unlikely to brake.
...
sifair 14.06.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Apple iPod shuffle 1 GB
Sound Quality
Ease of Use
Look & Design
Range of Features
Value for Money
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Advantages: small, lightweight, 1GB, good battery life, cool looking! Disadvantages: only chargeable via PC, no display screen
Can't decide? Then don't! Let the shuffle decide for you. As the name suggests the new ipod shuffle jumbles your songs playing order so you never know whats coming next. You can feel fruity with an 80s pop hit one song and down and depressed with a power ballad the next. If the thought of this drives you crazy, the simple flick of a switch allows you to play your songs in the order they are arranged on your itunes software.
Now what makes this so different from the previous ipod shuffle? It's still 1GB yes (which allows you to hold approximately 250 songs), but the crucial difference is in the design. Its tiny!
The second generation shuffle has a small, sleek design with a handy clip to rear which allows you to attach it to your clothing hassle free. I feel this is very good for runners/power walkers as it means they do not have to ...
Advantages: Very strong and portable. Extremely good value for money. Disadvantages: Some may prefer a larger capacity. Other than that, no disadvantages at all.
, like belt-loops, tracksuit trousers, shirts, jackets, backpacks etc. The clip is very strong, so the iPod won't just fling off of whatever it's attatched to.
It is extremely easy to use, with very simple buttons; play/pause, volume controls, track skip/fast-forard and rewind all neatly together in a circle and the repeat/shuffle and on/off sliders at the bottom of the iPod.
You could probably find other 1GB MP3 players cheaper, but I guarantee you the quality will be nothing in comparison to the Shuffle, which is around £30.
Like I said, best MP3 player I've ever owned. Most usually last me a month or 2 before they break, but I've had my iPodShuffle since March 2008 and it's still going perfectly. ...
Advantages: Tiny, lightweight, does it's job Disadvantages: Can't detatch clip at back
I received this item free from a reward website last month, soon after this model was released. I was actually supposed to recieve the 1st generation ipod shuffle, and was extremely happy to find that they had in fact sent this newer model of the ipod shuffle, a third of the size and weight of the old model, yet it holds the same number of songs (1GB= 240 songs approx).
This particular shuffle, has a small unnatachable clip on the back so it can easily be clipped onto jeans, pockets, tshirts, ties etc. The only downfall, I would say, is that the clip makes the ipod shuffle twice as thick, so it would be favourable if you could remove the clip and perhaps wear the ipod shuffle around your neck, as you can with the old model. Unfortunately this isn't the case, so if you have nothing to slip the ipod to, the clip just adds extra bulk to ...
1 x headphones ( mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm ), 1 x headphones ( mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm )
1 x USB ( 4 PIN USB Type A )
System requirements
OS Required
Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2 or later, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP2 or later, Apple MacOS X 10.4.8 or later
Software Requirements
iTunes 7.4 or later, iTunes 7.7 or later, iTunes 7.2 or later
Peripheral / Interface Devices
USB port (compatible with 2.0 specification), USB port, CD-ROM, USB port
Manufacturer's product description
You know what they say about good things and small packages. But when something 1.62 inches long and about half an ounce holds up to 240 songs, "good" and "small" don't cut it. Especially when you can listen to your music for up to 12 continuous hours. In fact, iPod shuffle just may be the biggest thing in small. Clip it to your coin pocket. Clip it to your bag. No matter where you clip your skip-free iPod shuffle, you'll have instant access to music. In gray, blue, red, green and purple, iPod shuffle goes with everything. Put it on, turn it up, and turn some heads. The first step to wearing 240 songs is downloading iTunes - free. Then drop your iPod shuffle into the included dock, plug the dock into your Mac or PC's USB port, and sync in minutes. Got more than 240 songs? No problem. Let iTunes autofill your iPod shuffle and get a new musical experience every time.
