New iPod Shuffle Lands!
apple.com/ipodshuffle/Posted Mar 11, 2009, 12:51 PM UTC
57236
apple.com
[deleted]
33
[deleted]
-15
[deleted]
5
That's not true.
iTunes will be DRM free for music... not audiobooks, videos, applications, games or TV shows.
And yes, the DRM audiobooks play on this.
3
So now I can't use my good headphones with a Shuffle? Huge misstep.
And the fucking thing really needed to be even smaller?! What is this, an iPod for ants?!
29
The Shuffle has to be at least...three times bigger than this!
13
Introducing the iPod flea.
6
+1 for Zoolander reference.
1
Also called iPod Tampon.
28
Tampod!
12
tamPod™
12
ibleed! /lolz
7
[deleted]
1
ipod suppository.
0
I thought this was a joke like the keyboard-less Macbook.
27
Yeah, seriously. Its like something the onion would do to parody Apple, except its a real product.
Completely WTF inducing - using a voiceover and single button to navigate 4 gigabytes of music sounds terrible. Would it have killed them to add 2 more buttons for back and forward?
4
Seriously, it is that hard to put buttons on the thing?
23
Yay now I have to use only Apple headphones for my shuffle, thank god
17
Even more fun when you want to plug it into your home stereo system!
5
[deleted]
-5
Oh stop it with the free-market fanboyism.
It's fucking obvious they're talking about what they'd have to do if they bought one.
Yes, they can vote with their wallets and not buy one. All hail the free market. But, this is a nice product, ruined for many people by this feature.
7
We're bashing apple here, please leave your logic outside.
1
Who jerked off in your grande tampora cocoa latte?
0
In terms of design thinking, I'm pretty sure that omitting buttons is much harder than including them.
7
What, why?
4
The first, second, and third instinct of the engineer is to include more buttons and more functionality and more features.
(Marketing and the consumer types most likely to give feedback both seem to share that instinct, as well.)
13
[deleted]
3
[deleted]
1
[deleted]
1
[deleted]
15
Blind people have always used Rockbox -- it's talked for years. Also, as well as being available on Ipods, it's also available for mp3 players with buttons that don't suck for tactile feedback.
11
Because they can't read the display on the former Shuffle?
2
[deleted]
7
That's kind of my point. The former Shuffle didn't have any way to communicate to neither blind or seeing people. :)
I'm just being pendantic here. I can see how the technology in this Shuffle could benefit blind kids.
4
Take the guided tour, I'd hit that.
12
"Get the latest quicktime"
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
19
[deleted]
7
She's a dude, dude.
5
seems like you can just go forward ("next") ... why'd they take out the "previous song" button?
0
It's like the iPhone, just double click for next, triple-click for previous.
6
How unintuitive.
Edit: I'm not trying to troll, I really do think such a control scheme is highly uninituitive. Look at the playlist skipping method. "Press and hold the button until you hear a tone. The name of the playlist will be announced. Keep holding the button if it's not the correct playlist." It also conflicts with the "name of the song" function. The old iPod control scheme was good. I had an iPod with a broken screen for a few months, and the controls were good enough that I could navigate it blind. This, on the other hand, seems like they've tried to simplify it to the point where it becomes more complicated to control it.
9
I agree completely. This was the first thing I thought when I actually looked at how the controls work.
It seems that in trying to simplify things, they've gotten way too complicated. I bought the last gen shuffle because it's perfect for the gym/running. I would never, ever buy this one. It's horrible.
6
Wow, I've had my iPhone for close to a year now, and didn't know about the triple-click. Thanks!
2
Can't you "scroll" left and right to change songs ?
1
If it's like the iPhone / iPod Touch then triple click will go back.
2
Single click start/stop Double click next song Triple click previous song
1
Single click to drip trip the lip bip. Double blip to stip the mip fip, jip rip the crip frip.
6
Now read it as Bill Cosby
4
wonderful
1
[deleted]
1
double click for next, triple click for previous
1
[deleted]
-4
[deleted]
1
[deleted]
12
I spent forever looking for something like that for work - everybody else just wears their earbuds at their desk - I would like to not have to deal with the cord, and to be a little more discrete. Closest thing I could find is a pair of wireless "earbuds" that look like two giant bloothtooth($499). I guess something will come along eventually.
2
[deleted]
1
The battery won't last half a workday, though.
1
A friend of mine integrated his shuffle into a pair of headphone. Not massive ones, just the kind that wrap over the ear and around the back of the head.
He had controls on one ear and battery on the other. Seemed to work pretty well.
1
I really cant see how people are able to justify propriety earbuds.
11
[deleted]
9
Are people seriously trying to defend the fact that you have to buy special headphones from Apple to use this?
Saying that it's a bottom of the line device is missing the point, what if you want to plug it into your car stereo, or use headphones that don't fall out of your ears when you run?
Wouldn't it make more sense if it shipped with an exension cable that has the controller, then your headphone plug in to that?
That being said, does anyone know if you can use cabled handsfree kits with the phone, because they have a button that is used for answering phone calls.
9
I don't care, it will cost 300 bucks, I want it!
1
or use headphones that don't fall out of your ears when you run?
Well, now that we're on that subject, where can I get earphones fitting that description? The stock iPod headphones (the regular ones -- not these new ones) certainly don't fit that description. I sometimes have to loop the cord around over the top of my ear to provide strain relief so it doesn't get yanked out of my ear.
0
Get these: http://www.amazon.com/JVC-HAFX66B-Cushion-Headphones-Black/dp/B000WH83AA
Try the four different sized ear cups on and win. They lock against my tragus(the meaty flap in front of the ear canal) comfortably. I paid $30 for my pair and am happy, and my Apple earbuds are in a drawer gathering dust.
1
[deleted]
1
guh. why not make the device built into the friggin headphones. Then you'll have an even smaller one, due to there being no audio jack
8
I have seen something like that before.
8
haha ew
2
Heh, now if that was the shuffle in there, i'd consider getting one or two
1
I was thinking it would be cool to make a very small pair of headphones, like this size that the shuffle plugs into, or is placed inside of them. It can then provide power and music. Then on the opposite ear you have all your controls. Even though I already have an iPod I would purchase that thing in a heartbeat, just for headphones exactly like those.
You wouldn't have any wires, it would be sleek, and it would fit on my head nicely. I would actually be able to go jogging.
Come on this is consumer demand people! Who wouldn't want that?
edit: I am a moron, well now I will have to wait until they make a pair for the newest shuffle.
1
Hey, don't feel bad, I didn't know about them either. Not as slick as i'd like, but i could live with them. Though these days, the only reason i'd really get a shuffle is for the form factor. I've seen 4GB mp3 players for $30 that include a screen and you don't need to use iTunes
1
there's a "yo dawg" in there somewhere
3
Applying the standard function yodawg(x)="Yo dawg, I heard you like x, so we put an x in your x so can (verb applying to x) while you (verb applying to x)," we obtain yodawg(headphones)="Yo dawg, I heard you like headphones, so we put headphones in your headphones so you can listen to music while you listen to music."
6
[deleted]
8
I was looking to buy one specifically for running, but the headphone/remote made it a non-option.
2
And so continues the Apple tradition of making their devices so simple that they're impossible to use...
7
[deleted]
2
[deleted]
1
Where's the play button, is this a joke?
7
No.
4
The play button is the power button. It has 3 positions:
1)OFF
2)Play (sequential loop)
3)Play (shuffle)
1
Actually, I've now looked into it, and you're wrong. The headphone cord has three buttons, 1. volume up, 2. volume down, and 3. The Center button, click once to play, double-click to advance track, triple-click to go back a track.
1
They should have just added a USB connector instead of having to use a cable. That would make it one expensive 4 Gb thumbdrive.
7
Like the first generation Shuffle? Best design so far, imo.
7
I got one as a gift and I loooove it. Only 512 MB but I don't care: the audio quality is super, controls are intuitive and it's not microscopic. And I can plug in my sennheiser cans, it's loud enough to drive it.
2
I completely agree. Something like the connector on the Kingmax Super Stick would be especially good. I cannot believe that it is $80 and still only 4GB when similar capacity SD cards or thumb drives are about $10. I don't think the battery and player hardware justify another $70, even with a healthy profit margin.
1
But then they could not charge extra for a patented usb headphone connector in the shape of a standard headphone jack.
1
boooo!!! The controls FORCE you to use those lame ass white earbuds!
7
[deleted]
2
"budget" mp3 player by apple's standards. last time i checked, 4GB mp3 players can be found for half the asking price.
2
It's not April fools yet...
7
All I could think about was the clip from Futurama where Leela asks if Amy's swallowed her phone again.
6
That's a big fail to me.
Is this Apple's way of creating their own proprietary headphones/earbuds? I don't like this one bit. What if I break them? How can I control the playback with out the earbuds? Buy a new pair I guess, and we know Apple would love that. No thanks, Apple.
This would be kind of neat if IT WASN'T FUCKING RETARDED. WHAT FRACTION OF PEOPLE USE THE SHITTY APPLE EARBUDS?
What the fuck are they thinking?
They are shitty, but most people use them.
A lot of people buy iPods for the white earbuds-- they've been a "fashion statement" for the past 3 years.
My roommates love the stupid things. I don't know why. I bought a shuffle, and an iPhone, and each time my roommates hounded me for the ear buds that came with them because theirs break all the time.
They don't even fit in my ears properly.
Branding.
I sent my iPhone 3G earbuds through the washing machine AND the dryer and they still work just fine. I also still use the earbuds from my third generation iPod (january 2003) and they still work flawlessly.
What the heck is everyone doing to their earbuds that they are breaking so often?
Does this include your roommates' choice of roommates?
Theirs*
Tell them to get Koss Portapros. They have incredible sound, they're durable, they come with a no-questions-asked lifetime warranty (register the phones, and if they somehow become broken, you can send them to Koss along with $6 S&H to fix them for free), and they have a special small plug that fits normal sockets and the older iPhone's stupid recessed one.
[deleted]
I bought the Bose in ear headphones, and they break like clockwork every six months. However, if you go to a Bose store or mail them in, they will replace them for free.
Similar product lifetime, muuuuch better service.
edit: oh wait, iphone... my bad...
You could just get them replaced for free, since they're covered under your phone's warranty.
There are alternatives. I bought vibes and haven't needed to replace them. They're great and they sound great too.
http://www.v-moda.com/collection/modaphones/vibe.aspx
I bought a pair of those and didn't like them so much - the cord transferred a lot of vibrational sound, the fit wasn't great, and overall the sound lacked clarity. But I don't tend to like in-ear phones in general, so I'm likely not the best person to ask. But then again, I emailed them telling them I didn't like them, and the VP of customer service basically told me I was wrong and if I had a problem I could take it up with the retailer - so kind of an asshole.
Not to sound like a salespitch, but this works pretty decent for the 1G (and 3G, and newer iPod) and lets you use your controls and whatnot with any headphones you want.
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/smarttalk
[deleted]
IBM owns the patent
When hasn't Apple made something proprietary under the guise of "innovative"?
There are pleny of companies that sell compatible earbuds. You can get a set of Ultimate Ears that have the inline volume control.
Granted, it's kinda lame that you have to buy stuff that is specifically FOR the iPod, buy it's a shuffle...
it's not just a volume control, I don't think ... ?
You're right, it's not JUST volume. It also controls the playlist selection, next/previous track, and also the voice talkback that informs you which track and playlist you're on.
[deleted]
I have a Griffin Smarttalk adapter.
I agree that they should have added the basic controls to the device itself but as Jomtom points out at least there is an alternative to the earbuds.
[deleted]
[deleted]
Timpaco- what about my home stereo playback, or car adapter, or my studio headphones? help plz.
I can help. It's a fucking shuffle: bottom of the line, with minimal features. It's meant for people who want something small & light to clip on and go work out. If you want something to use with your home stereo and "studio" headphones, let me give you a clue, this ain't it. Open your wallet and go buy something that actually suits your needs. Quit bitchin' that you can't put jet fuel in your Yugo.
The little rubber arround Apple's earbuds gets dry and broke up within the year, then they turn really uncomfortable. The first thing I did when I got an iPod nano was to change the earbuds to a sony in-ear earbuds.
You keep your iPod for more than a year? LOL
Yeah, it makes it seem like one of those CD Walkmans of yesteryear.
Those cd walkmen were awesome. The batteries would last forever.
Only if you used MP3s instead of CD-Audio. Otherwise they would eat batteries like crazy.
I appreciate the fact that they're trying to innovate. I feel like the one-button thing is a neat idea, if implemented properly. I don't like the fact that you NEED to use THEIR headphones, which always break.
You don't NEED their headphones... there are a number of headphones that have the button, and a number of companies make adapters for those headphones that don't.
I agree, this is dumb. Not only is it overpriced for the size (walmart sells an 8GB sansa with a screen for the same price as the 4GB shuffle with no screen), but it makes all current accessories useless. The whole point of the shuffle is to be cheap. I don't understand how they are still at the 4GB mark for a NEW product cycle. I mean for goodness' sake you can get an 8GB SDHC card for $15 these days. My ipod touch 32GB was $400 - which is considerably less expensive per GB than the NEW shuffle. And the touch is considerably more complex than the shuffle, so I don't see how apple expects this "refresh" of the shuffle not to be laughed off the face of the earth.
What they should have done was put a motion sensor in it and done gesture-based controls if you don't want any buttons. And make it 8GB. That could have been cool because you would actually be able to navigate through your music by, for example, waving the shuffle in the shape of the letter of the alphabet you wanted to jump to.
The dick waving around his arms on the subway to change track or navigate is almost as crazy a prospect as Nintendo expecting you to yell like a retard into your DS. At least the DS asks you if you are alone so you don't look like a complete tool.
Your other points were better, but keep in mind that SDHC cards have a slower transfer rate, and the reason you can buy such cheap flash anything is mainly because Apple stepped up volume production on flash and made worldwide prices drastically cheaper. Sure, some other company would have done it if they hadn't, but its good to keep in mind that Apple was the main cause of such cheap flash.
The shuffle has never been about features or value, always about size and simplicity. In this regard its right in line with the natural progression of the shuffle line.
No its not a great value, but it does offer something unique, and Apple needs a low end simple mp3 player in its lineup because it will always sell well as a 2nd iPod to joggers or people on the go.
Then why does the nano have gesture-based controls?
Plus, the 8GB nano is $149, $10 less than the price of two 4GB shuffles, plus you get a screen, oh - and a way to navigate through your music. I'm not saying simplicity and size aren't good design goals - but it just seems way too expensive for a 4GB player with just about zero ways to navigate effectively through your music, especially given the pricing of their other models. Toss in the proprietary headphone controls and the whole thing leaves a sour taste in my mouth - it's like hardware DRM.
Apple is all about innovation - and there is not a lot of innovation here. They didn't get rid of buttons - they moved them, and in such a way that makes you re-purchase new headphones if the apple ones are not satisfying. If they want to impress me, they should put their minds to work on finding a way to navigate your music library without buttons. Gestures are just one possibility; I'm sure there are many others, but since I'm not working for them I'll leave that to them to figure out.
[deleted]
The cost of manufacturing an MP3 player is not solely based on the storage media. There are a lot of other components, and the reason 'price per GB' is lower for the touch and higher for the shuffle is because in the shuffle, the storage media cost is a significant percentage of the total cost of the device, making it difficult to go lower than that threshold.
I bet it costs $25 to make.
Super. Apple is forcing us to use their crappy earbuds. Urgh!
don't buy a shuffle?
Well obviously. Would you have preferred it if he said
I think that was implicit.
Yeah, pretty nervy of them to force you to buy their products by holding a gun to your head. If it's that big of a deal to you, then here's an idea: don't buy it! Or maybe you could fork out more cash and get a full-size iPod. Or maybe you should protest by buying a really crappy MP3 player from another company, that'll show em! Sheesh. I mean C'mon, the fricken thing costs a third of my first 5GB iPod (3rd gen) and it TALKS!!! To quote Luis C.K., "Everythings amazing, nobody's happy."
Rockbox has talked for years. It's no big thing.
Rockbox is great, but it doesn't run on the Shuffle.
Whats the company that sells MP3 players with Rockbox? It seems to have slipped my mind.
Fuck. That. They've finally taken the clean exterior too far.
yeah, how am I supposed to use it without headphones?
I rarely listen to my ipod with headphones. Its either hooked up to my car or home stereo.
Get another mp3 player... the shuffle is designed for mobility.
I guess you already have an ipod, and don't need one. I'm sure someone will come out with a 1/8th inch cable with the controls that will work in your car though.
I just had a feeling of buyer's remorse when I saw this... Now I feel fine because I listen to my shuffle with studio headphones. And in the car, and my home stereo. New shuffle is a niche product not for me.
I just saw the price - $79 for a 4 GB shuffle? Really? I bought a 4 GB Creative Zen V for $30 a year ago... it has a screen so you can actually make/manage playlists, show pictures, use it as an alarm, etc.
The Zen V is the size of a Zippo lighter, the shuffle is half that size... but when you're already as small as a Zippo, size doesn't really matter (fits in a pocket, fits in a headband, fits in an anus).
Why would someone pay more than double for something that does so much less?
Well, smaller size always increases cost. Go look at any of the full-featured super-tiny laptops they have these days. You can get underpowered netbooks for cheap, or you can get heavy and bulky but powerful laptops for cheap. But you cannot get something that is both tiny and powerful for cheap. Miniaturization costs money.
Second, it could actually be worth it for a few people. If you're a jogger, the little clippy iPod shuffle is small and light enough clip on your shirt. You don't need an armband or anything like that. With something as big as the Creative Zen V, you can't do that. It will bounce around very annoyingly because of the additional weight.
The same reason someone buys a Smart Fortwo and not a Honda Civic. Or why someone buys a 2 bedroom condo instead of a 5 bedroom house... even though they cost the same.
Because they live in Southern California?
oh I think some people could fit the 1st generation iPod in their anus no problem...(I'm looking at you goatse man.)
I bet I could fit 100 iPods in my anus.
[deleted]
I bet that if Apple advertised the Shuffle's ability to fit inside an anus, they'd receive about a 60% increase in orders from San Francisco.
I wish I could weakestof this comment.
Haw haw! Because there are a lot of homosexuals in San Francisco who would be interested in anal play!
I agree. Controls on the cord are nice (iphone cords have a play/pause toggle) but I have a set of travel speakers I use with my old timey ipod shuffle, I hook mine up to an electronic drum set and frequently use over the ear headphones (not a fan of ear buds or in-ear phones). It's not Apple forcing you to use their headphones as there are or will be plenty of alternative headphones with the on cord controls, it just seems Apple took their minimalist approach one step too far.
I HATE the ipod earphones. There is no way I will even buy this thing as a gift for someone. They'll think it sound like shit because the earbuds are a pile of shit. The earbuds also malfunction quite frequently, I'd guess adding those buttons increases the cost of a replacement.