Apple Releases Smaller 4GB iPod Shuffle in Black and Silver

[Goona]

Form seems to have taken over from function at Cupertino! I'm got to admit it's a bold move, but I think it's a mistaken one. The usability of the product has been seriously hampered.

Forcing consumers to only be able to use one brand of headphones (yours) with your product.....

You are not forced to use anything, you don't have to buy it if you don't like it or you can even purchase an adapter to use your 100 dollar headphones with your 60 dollar shuffle.

 

[Goona]

It guess it's a case of "Plus ca Change" with people's responses - here's a selection of quotes from these very forums from when the original iPod was launched...

This is why I said you can't use this forum to judge what will happen in the world, most people here think their needs equals everyone else's.

 

[Goona]

I know I remember the uproar when the new MBs and MBPs came out! I bet I will still see a stack of these floating around uni in the next couple of months as well as in the general public just like the supposedly "bad" MBs and MBPs

Same cycle with every product launch, funny to read.

 

[Schizoid]

Mistakes!

MacBook - no firewire
MacBook 15" - shiny screen that photographers can't use
Mac Mini - slightly quicker, more expensive
New USB Keyboard - complete dogegg
Mac LED Display - nice display, 4 times the price of everything else
iPod Shuffle - change the shape and remove the buttons

God, are they going to do anything right this year?
When's Steve Jobs back?!

 

[jackfrost123]

aren't there "buttons" on the new headphones? look at chord of the right headphone piece.

Turns out apple will be using propriety tits for the shuffle too.

 

[Goona]

MacBook - no firewire
MacBook 15" - shiny screen that photographers can't use
Mac Mini - slightly quicker, more expensive
New USB Keyboard - complete dogegg
Mac LED Display - nice display, 4 times the price of everything else
iPod Shuffle - change the shape and remove the buttons

God, are they going to do anything right this year?
When's Steve Jobs back?!

Yawn, I'm sure they started making all those products as soon as Jobs left.

 

[mickbab]

Are there any pics of the charger? I assume it will be similar to the current/previous generation.

Shame the battery life was cut. But for such a small machine I guess that is understandable.

As for the design, I'm not a fan. As has been pointed out many times, the restrictions on earphones will not go down well. Would something like this (attached) be too standard?

As for me, I will stick with my 2nd Gen. Plus iPhone and Mini.

 

[Schizoid]

Instructions

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3458

No joke now, Triple click and hold centre button for rewind...

Octuple Click and perform 5, double clicks on centre button to power on or sleep (with 4 nontuple clicks in sleep mode)

 

[SeaFox]

 

[Schizoid]

Yawn, I'm sure they started making all those products as soon as Jobs left.

They're ignoring all his requests for things like buttons, matte screens and cheap Macs, it's hard to shout from a hospital bed.
...At least I think it is, I'll try it now...

 

[Phil A.]

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3458

No joke now, Triple click and hold centre button for rewind...

I don't see what all the fuss about multiple clicks on a single button is - it's not exactly difficult to remember the combinations. Many of them are the same as currently exist on the iPhone (e.g. double click for next track) and I've not seen any complaints about those

 

[SactoGuy18]

In my opinion, if you own a Windows XP/Vista-based computer it's not likely you will get the new iPod shuffle.

Not when you have the SanDisk SANSA Clip I mentioned earlier as its competition, especially nowadays when you can get the 4 GB model for around US$50. Just the fact you can use any headphone with the 3.5 mm stereo phone jack and its small size (it's about the same size as the 2G shuffle) makes it quite desirable (small wonder why SanDisk has trouble keeping up with demand).

 

[diamond.g]

I don't see what all the fuss about multiple clicks on a single button is - it's not exactly difficult to remember the combinations. Many of them are the same as currently exist on the iPhone (e.g. double click for next track) and I've not seen any complaints about those

I think it has something to do with being able to control the iPhone/iPod Touch via other means. With the shuffle, that is the only way to control it.

 

[Ubuntu]

I don't see what all the fuss about multiple clicks on a single button is - it's not exactly difficult to remember the combinations. Many of them are the same as currently exist on the iPhone (e.g. double click for next track) and I've not seen any complaints about those

I find it pretty buggy, to be honest. Like, on my iPhone, when I'm doing a triple click, half the time it just registers as a double click (next track) and then a single click (pause), and I do it fast enough. I keep trying, and no luck, so in the end I just pull out my iPhone and do it in seconds. It almost defeats the point of having a remote. Also, in cold weather, the remote is a nightmare for me.

So consider this your first complaint I wouldn't mind volume control on my headphones though.

 

[Ubuntu]

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3458

No joke now, Triple click and hold centre button for rewind...

Octuple Click and perform 5, double clicks on centre button to power on or sleep (with 4 nontuple clicks in sleep mode)

Man, I actually thought I misread the link for some sort of practical joke. That is ridiculous.

 

[swingerofbirch]

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3458

No joke now, Triple click and hold centre button for rewind...

Octuple Click and perform 5, double clicks on centre button to power on or sleep (with 4 nontuple clicks in sleep mode)

Take away message: If in doubt, just keep clicking. Something will happen you intended to eventually.

 

[vanamp]

At the end of the Apple Walk through video the gal says you can listen to it while commuting.

Are they suggesting you have your ear buds in while driving?

I thought that was illegal

or are they selling an audio cable with the controls on it?

 

[guzhogi]

I was looking at how to control fast forward, rewind, next song, previous song, etc. and looks overly complicated. Click the center button for one thing, click & hold for another, 2 clicks, 2 clicks & hold, 3 clicks, etc. IMO, I like the previous version of the shuffle w/ the click wheel way. I don't mind having an extra set of controls on the earphones, but as I said, EXTRA set, not ONLY.

I think some people would like the Voice Over thing, but I'm with those people who would also like a small screen. Just a small one that says song name, artist, album. Something simple. While I wouldn't buy a shuffle for myself (way too many songs to fit on it), my dad has the previous model and it works for him.

Anyone know what the transfer speed is like when syncing? I heard that the previous version is a little slow. Hopefully iTunes 8.1 would help a bit.

 

[Tallest Skil]

Are they suggesting you have your ear buds in while driving?

I thought that was illegal

On what planet?

 

[drewsof07]

On what planet?

Ohio for sure, I believe New York as well.
On that link, search the page for "earphones" and you will see the info below:

 

[Tallest Skil]

Ohio for sure, I believe New York as well.
On that link, search the page for "earphones" and you will see the info below:

Blasphemy. I suppose they forbid Bluetooth headsets, too.

I'm going to drive over there and do it, just because I can get away with it (once) for living out of state.

Absolute nonsense.

 

[JonHimself]

Blasphemy. I suppose they forbid Bluetooth headsets, too.

I'm going to drive over there and do it, just because I can get away with it (once) for living out of state.

Absolute nonsense.

Well no, the reason that it's illegal because if you're using headphones (two) you're more likely to block out all sounds around you, whereas a stereo would have to be turned up considerably louder to block out all sound (horns, sirens, etc.. so sirens could technically be seen, you're probably more likely to hear them and look around).
A bluetooth headset is generally used for phone conversations and usually (there are exceptions) in one-ear. A persons voice will not block out all sound around you. Of course if you're using a bluetooth headset to listen to music (and assuming that your bluetooth headset - not ad2p headPHONES - has only one earbud) then I guess you're "beating" the system.

 

[billysea]

I think if Apple wants to take the minimalist approach with the Shuffle, they should look at their own MIGHTY MOUSE. Imagine turning the Mighty Mouse hidden click and apply it on the Shuffle. You don't see the button, but you can click on the whole body of the stick. That way it will still be button-less, and will be much easier to use than this new Shuffle.

Alternatively, if they don't want to put the button on the flat surface of the body, hide it on the side of the shuffle then?

 

[PeterQVenkman]

This thing can hold 4 GB. That's quite a large number of songs with no convenient way to tell what you have on there. I think they're creeping out of the territory of usefulness with the shuffle.

The interface with that button on the headphones is very non-apple like.


Oh well, it's not like I was going to buy that anyway. it just seems like someone dropped the ball in the design dept.

 

[PeterQVenkman]

I think if Apple wants to take the minimalist approach with the Shuffle, they should look at their own MIGHTY MOUSE. Imagine turning the Mighty Mouse hidden click and apply it on the Shuffle. You don't see the button, but you can click on the whole body of the stick. That way it will still be button-less, and will be much easier to use than this new Shuffle.

Alternatively, if they don't want to put the button on the flat surface of the body, hide it on the side of the shuffle then?

That's a better idea than the headphones.