Paul Merrill
The new iPod Shuffle was released on September 1st. It might look familiar… it is nearly identical to the model two generations back. (In the photos, the next-to-latest is on top and the newest is on the bottom.)
You see, the gum-stick model was not easy to use. The controls were tiny – tucked onto the headphone cord. Not a good idea. So Apple went back to the model that did (and does) work well.
I haven’t seen a public apology… yet.
Top photo is from Wikipedia and bottom photo is from Apple.
Yes, Apple just came out with a new iPod Shuffle. As always, it’s cool. As always, if you’re into tech stuff, you want one.
Pros:
+ Very cool size – smaller than ever.
+ Voice Over feature, where you can hear what songs you are listening to. This is by far the biggest innovation. Funny enough, if you have a Windows computer, it speaks to you in a female voice and male if you have a Mac. (An “alpha” thing?)
+ 4 gb capacity (2 gb was the previous high).
Cons:
– 10 hour battery life. (The current Nano has 24 – and the $29 Shuffle I’ll mention in a minute has 12.)
– You can only use the Apple-provided headphones, which don’t fit every set of ears. (They don’t fit mine!)
Suggestion: Buy a 1 gb Shuffle from the Apple Refurb store for $29 or $39, depending on availability. Get a great set of headphones and sing all the way to the bank. (Update: Now there are 2 gb models for $39, if you keep checking back.)
Big users’ tip: always leave the headphones plugged in. If you take them out, this puppy is so small you’ll lose it within minutes.
