Apple Releases Smaller 4GB iPod Shuffle in Black and Silver

[Toe]

How Apple thinks

Here's how Apple thinks:

1. They don't want you to buy a Shuffle in the first place. They'd much rather you pony up for the iPod Touch or if you really can't go there, then maybe the nano.

2. If you just aren't cool enough to have a ton of money for a music player, then, well... fine, get a Shuffle. But look cool while you're doing it. That requires an Apple hedset anyway, since that's part of the chic they want you to promote.

3. If you are so utterly uncool as to not be able to pony up even $80 for a music player or to not want to wear the fashion-ear-buds, then, well, fine... go ahead and buy the old Shuffle and get whatever headphones you want. At least you're still giving Apple some money and probably paying more for iTunes music, so you're OKish.

 

[TheNorthWaves]

Apple just made a horrendous mistake, unless they want to start including a little adapter cord with buttons on it, so I can use my real headphones. I imagine a replacement set of headphones with proprietary controls costs a lot of money. Clever way to make money... from... 12 year olds?

 

[tallyho]

Different voices....

The first time it spoke on the demo video I actually laughed out loud, but it was even funnier when they played what it sounds like if you use a PC. Why is the PC voice so...camp? Er is the PC supposed vice to be female?

 

[happydude]

How do I use my running headphones, Apple earbuds are worthless for exercise since they fall out. Shuffles are THE iPod for running so this doesn't make sense.

exactly!! the only time i can run with apple earbuds are in the winter when i wear the running ear warmers that keep the earbuds in place. in the summer, i have to put them back in every 10 steps. the shuffle is the best ipod for exercising and they've just killed that real world function! not gonna get one of these!

 

[SydneyDev]

I don't know about the rest of you but i often skip back and fourth between songs on my shuffle. So with this new shuffle if i want to skip seven songs back do I have to tap the center button twenty one times?

Triple-click to go back a song, same as on the iPhone. The iPhone 3G already has a little clicker on the headphones.

 

[Cloudane]

The first time it spoke on the demo video I actually laughed out loud, but it was even funnier when they played what it sounds like if you use a PC. Why is the PC voice so...camp?

Apple's way of saying PCs are teh ghey?

So are they the guys from the Mac/PC adverts or something?
Countdown to when all the "how do I change the voice to the other platform" questions appear...

 

[PCMacUser]

The earphones are $29.
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB770

Yep, good point. Still way too much for terrible sounding earphones though.

We have the Shuffle here at NZ$155
Standard earphones with remote NZ$59
In-ear earphones with remote NZ$138.

 

[Ploki]

it would be so easy to put a minijack on the controls... SO EASY.

 

[organerito]

The controls are on the earbud cord! WTF what if i dont want to use the crappy white earbuds??!!!!!

I know! it is painful, isn't it?

 

[legacyb4]

Funny, I thought I was looking at a spoof ad (like the MacBook Wheel); this is a real product?

Trippy...

 

[JoeDMD]

The controls are on the earbud cord! WTF what if i dont want to use the crappy white earbuds??!!!!!

Apple or most likely a 3rd party will release an inline adapter for the controls,
so you can use whatever headphones you like.

 

[Kar98]

Apple or most likely a 3rd party will release an inline adapter for the controls.

Thus neatly negating the whole microscopic form factor thing.

 

[pavenger]

Triple-click to go back a song, same as on the iPhone. The iPhone 3G already has a little clicker on the headphones.

Yeah I understand that. but that is for one song. so for multiple songs do you have to click it three times each? ie six clicks for two songs?

 

[ddTaylor]

and i think its clear apple is marketing this to people who: exercise, are busy on the go and cant play around with the actual device (leave it in their pocket or purse). this is not geared for someone at home reading a book with the actual device in their hand..

No they are not as ANYONE so exercises can tell you the stock headphones will make you stop the workout because they FALL OUT ALL THE TIME! This is the worst idea from Apple since I have been on this forum. What a colossal bone-headed move! It is clear those who designed this have NEVER WORKED OUT or they would have passed on this! Also - I use my 2G shuffle in the car, how do I change songs through my tape adapter? Oh, that's right - I CANNOT!

D

 

[retroneo]

Hmm. iTunes VoiceOver via Windows version has vastly more natural voice without any of the 'clipping' that the Mac voice has. Hope Snow Leopard comes with better voices...

 

[instaxgirl]

The main problem I see here is that not only are the headphones crap they break pretty easily (generally within a year from what I've seen) so what happens then? Having to pay another £30 to apple for new crappy headphones'd leave a sour taste.

And the thing fell down the ugly tree.

 

[tallyho]

I don't know about the rest of you but i often skip back and fourth between songs on my shuffle. So with this new shuffle if i want to skip seven songs back do I have to tap the center button twenty one times?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gk8k2fzCVY4
"For Z I press it, you guessed it, 26 times..."

 

[lftrghtparadigm]

Total crap. Unnecessary.

 

[swarmster]

People complaining about the controls need to realize one thing: this is clearly just an interim update. Look at the new shuffle. Now look at the iPhone bluetooth headset. Stick an ear nub on the shuffle, add VoiceControl to the VoiceOver feature set, and boom!

 

[the skunk king]

Uggh. Not good.

First off...I think that is a pretty ugly looking device. Perhaps the ugliest Nano ever made. Has the problem really ever been that the Nano was too big? Come on now, I can barely push the buttons with my big fingers already. What's next a nano rice grain that you control with a tweezer. The form factor is really unimpressive. Why not put the apple logo on the outside of the player rather than by the clip. Strange. IT's so plain, like a matte zippo lighter shrunk down and without the nice lines. This looks like a crappy Toshiba product.

The voice over thing seems like the most annoying over design I've seen in years. Why would I need a computerized voice mis-pronouncing every song in my itunes to break the flow of my music. Eeek.

But most of all. The controls. Idiotic. Truly misses the boat. I don't want to have to use apple headphones exclusively. Ever. They are terrible, uncomfortable, and don't last that long. I'm a marathon runner and the idea of reaching up and controlling the device by tugging on the ear switch while running is a complete recipe for pulling the headphones out of your ear and tripping over the cord. Take the controls off the device and you lose me forever. Totally unimpressed by the lack of foresight. I'll never buy one of these. Ever.

Please Steve. Get better soon. This portends some bleak times ahead.

But I do love those mac pro benchmarks. Wow!

 

[aprilfools]

I Don't Like it at All

I don't like it all. I don't like the controls only on the cord

 

[Macintown]

only 10 hours of battery life... the old one got at least 12

 

[mrkgoo]

This is dying for touch controls on the blank surface. Swipe up and down for volume and taps to navigate. It would suit their touch philosophy and be way better than the buds control (they're pretty muh just as accessible)

 

[Evangelion]

Clearly you've never driven a BMW. A Ford might get you to Point B, but a BMW will get you to Point B with a huge grin and give you the desire to just keeping going to point Infinity.

Clearly, you have at some point in your life had your sarcasm-glands surgically removed....

 

[msheldrick]

I'm waiting for the site to say this is a joke... please?