iPod I am so gonna get this!!!!

-Can't use iTunes
-Can't play AAC
-I wouldn't imagine sound out of something that tiny would be all that good
-That tiny screen is borderline useless
-I can't make out the user interface but I can't see how trying to press buttons on a tiny cube is going to be all that fun.

My vote would be no.

(edit) forgive the over-zealous use of the word "tiny" cause that thing is really small (/edit)

if you dont care how functional it is then totally go for it.

It's so small I might lose it somewhere in the crevices of my body.

a little bit smaller and i could shove it into my ear. no need for headphones anymore. the cool thing is it's usb 2.0. what i couldn't see is do you need a usb cable? because thats what i like about the shuffle. no cable needed to recharge it or to use it as memory stick.

andi

that's awesome. i'd definately get it, if you don't have too many iTMS songs.

someone commented on the screen's small size...i wholeheartedly disagree with this. i was really surprised when steve put down the small screens on some flash players, i just like them. imagine how cool the iPod shuffle would look with and OLED display sandwiched between the plastic.

The thing I don't like about it that it's a box. I like how my Shuffle fits in that change pocket on my jeans. It can do it because it is flat. That thing would be awkward in a pocket when you sit down. Nice concept, but I think that it is only cool in an academic sense where the Shuffle is cool in a usability sense.

That machine looks like a laundry mishap waiting to happen.

Why would you want it, or the shuffle? Grab a mini or a real iPod and you'll be much more happier.......

I think it's a decent concept, but the whole box design in my eyes sucks. Just makes it to bulky to fit in my pockets.

I'd like to point out that, while this may be small, volume wise it's only a bit smaller than the shuffle. And the shuffle has a built in USB connection. Those two things, plus the fact that it would be awkward to stick this in a pocket and not have it look like you're cultivating a small tumor, plus the lack of AAC support kinda kills it for me. It's neat, and I wish the shuffle would have a screen built in, but if I had to choose I'd take the shuffle.

id say go for it. on paper its much better than a Shuffle, which really isn't that great a machine (only thing going for it is the decent sound quality and its price tag everything else is a minus, IMO).

okay, that one you can eat.. LOL!

iMeowbot said:

That machine looks like a laundry mishap waiting to happen.

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shuffle is the same way.. heck, i've seen plenty of ipod mini threads about that too.

If you fell over with that in your pocket you'd get inflicted with a dead-leg worse than any set of keys could do .

Jedi128 said:

Why would you want it, or the shuffle? Grab a mini or a real iPod and you'll be much more happier.......

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agreed. I would jump off a cliff if i wasted money on a flash mp3 player, especially one that is :
1. a cube, pyramid, or whatever geometric shape they decide next
2. has no screen or one so small it's almost useless
3. such a price that a mini or regular iPod is not out of reach

how in the world are you not supposed to lose that thing during everyday use? Another thing, ergonomics! given that the iPod shuffle isn't perfect it atleast makes a decent attempt of fitting in your hand comfortably for one-handed use. This cube thingy seems to require one hand to hold and another to operate. Form over function at its best (maybe). And, of course, no AAC or iTunes support... its a no brainer for me.

Knock yourself out and get it. I've got a shiny new turd if you're looking for something else to buy.

If you sell your shuffle for this I bet you will regret it. My advice is to hold on to the shuffle and see what Apple has up its sleeve for next year.

taeclee99 said:

I love my shuffle but I so want this new player from mobiBLU. The DAH-1500i supports mp3, wma, wma(drm) and has a built in fm tuner + recorder. as well. Not to mention that it is only 24 milimeters per side. It comes in both 512 and 1 gig models at $99 and $129 respectively. Should I sell my shuffle and get this thing? The only thing holding me back is the lack of AAC support.

http://www.mobibluamerica.com/dah1500.html

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This and a Shuffle?....maybe. This instead of a Shuffle? No.

iMeowbot said:

That machine looks like a laundry mishap waiting to happen.

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Oh dear, we don't need another one of those

tech4all said:

Oh dear, we don't need another one of those

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It's the latest fad!

First, to the people who knock the shuffle: you couldn't be more wrong. It's an excellent product. I prefer mine to my wife's 10gb 1gen iPod, but I also prefer my sisters mini to my shuffle. (Although her first gen mini gets pretty crappy battery life, especially compared to my 12+ hour shuffle).

These little cube players are slick, but other than the little screen (the shuffle could surely use one of these) they've got nothing on the iPod. The form factor is all wrong, as mentioned. I keep my shuffle in my breast pocket all day at work, etc and no one notices, nor can I feel it in my pocket. The extra width of this thing would be very uncomfortable to me.

At a certain point it isn't about making something smaller than it is about keeping it the right size/shape to be usable. I'm hoping the rumors about Apple doing a 2gb shuffle with a small screen are true. I think a screenless 512 at about $80 new, a screenless 1gb at $100, a 1gb w/screen for $130 and a 2gb for $150 would all sell well, especially if they went to a 6/8gb mini model line (dropping the 4gb).

ok well if you were using windows i would say go for it, but since you are using a mac i would definitely keep the shuffle. the shuffle(and ipods) are the best portable mp3 players for mac users, simply because its all made by apple, so to get that other one would probably be down-grading. the only real benifit would be the screen, and thats not a huge benifit if you ask me.

iMeowbot said:

That machine looks like a laundry mishap waiting to happen.

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LOL, that was my thoughts exactly. It is a great "style" exercise; but does not seem particle for carrying around. Not to mention the lack of iTunes compatibility!

Duff-Man says....kinda cool as a concept piece but in real life I would find it to be not very practical....hey, is that a borg cube in your pocket or are you just glad to see me....if I wanted a flash-based drive I would get the iPod shuffle...may not look as cool but functionally more practical....oh yeah!