I thought the same thing!
Either way the voices are kind of creepy.
Love the idea behind the product though!
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Releases Smaller 4GB iPod Shuffle in Black and Silver
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I thought the same thing!
Either way the voices are kind of creepy.
Love the idea behind the product though!
WTF !! Was the old Shuffle really to heavy for anyone? Anyone? Come on hands up. . . .
Why this would be considered a good change is beyond me the last shuffle clipped anywhere and made the controls easily accessible, now they're half way up the chord (which I normally keep under my shirt) and probably a bit fiddly to use. Not to even go to the fact that you now have to use their ear buds.
A step back in my opinion, I'll be getting a spare of the old style just in case they're discontinued.
Why this would be considered a good change is beyond me the last shuffle clipped anywhere and made the controls easily accessible, now they're half way up the chord (which I normally keep under my shirt) and probably a bit fiddly to use. Not to even go to the fact that you now have to use their ear buds.
A step back in my opinion, I'll be getting a spare of the old style just in case they're discontinued.
Hmm... then it's kind of rude to edit the other persons words to match your own reaction.
Hmm, not amazingly impressed to be honest. Yes, it's gorgeous looking but the controls on the earphones? not a smart move in my opinion. Okay most people use the white buds but what about plugging it into a stereo or dock with a line in connector or what not?
As previous posters have said I am sure there will be an aftermarket version available. Hopefully the colours will come soon as I have a purple 2G shuffle and love the colour!
not a smart move in my opinion. Okay most people use the white buds but what about plugging it into a stereo or dock with a line in connector or what not?As previous posters have said I am sure there will be an aftermarket version available. Hopefully the colours will come soon as I have a purple 2G shuffle and love the colour!
Oh, sorry. In that case yes you would. You could mitigate it a little by making pairs of playlists in iTunes, with the same songs but in reverse order to each other.
My opinion as well. At work I sell zillions of iPods a week and the shuffle sells almost exclusively to 10-year-olds who have been saving their allowances for months. Yeah, you have to use Apple's crappy white earbuds with these (which is pretty ridiculous) but then again 10-year-olds tend not to be audiophiles who have their music library in Apple Lossless or FLAC format. Anyway, IMHO the screenless shuffle has always been goofy...32GB iPod touch FTW!
Addition by subtraction - the new shuffle is NOT like the old shuffle as it HAS NO BUTTONS ON THE UNIT AND THE OLD SHUFFLE ALLOWS YOU TO USE HEADPHONES OTHER THAN THE CRAPTACULAR APPLE EAR BUDS! Can you not see that? They did not ADD ANYTHING to the product line - the SUBTRACTED one items and added an item WITHOUT THE SAME FUNCTIONALITY! Keep kissing the ass of Apple. Maybe you will get a free Shuffle and a set of ear buds that actually FIT and sound good!
D
wow, this is the first time I've given a new product a negative. You HAVE to use apple's ear buds (for now) which are really uncomfortable for me. Then you have another proprietary cable in order to charge it.
I'm still a fan of the original ipod shuffle. has a usb port you just plugged into the computer. no special cables needed or anything. Although it usually ended up being so wide it blocked adjacent ports.
I'm still a fan of the original ipod shuffle. has a usb port you just plugged into the computer. no special cables needed or anything. Although it usually ended up being so wide it blocked adjacent ports.
What The Hell..
It is more expensive yet you get LESS features. Look what's missing:
* Go to PREVIOUS SONG
* SKIP BACKWARDS of same song
* GO FORWARDS in same song
Not necessary? Ever listened to a mash up from a DJ like tecno, trance, dance or something like that? It's usually a mix lasting for an hour or so... how would I navigate through that? Not I guess..
Also, I find the mini jack output a bit nasty. The only reason it's there is so you can buy the more expensive Apple In-Ear buds.. there is no other product you can use with the new Shuffle.
Oh and for the design "slash" usability: when I'm at fitness or running outside, I usually put the cord UNDERNEATH my clothing, not on top. How am I going to use those controls when it's beneath my clothing? Using TelepathyOver?
What has gotten into Apple lately? Is there a correlation between not having Jobs present at the moment and the release of the underpowered iMac and a bit weak Mac Mini upgrade that is more expensive and this, in my view, downgraded product?
It is more expensive yet you get LESS features. Look what's missing:
* Go to PREVIOUS SONG
* SKIP BACKWARDS of same song
* GO FORWARDS in same song
Not necessary? Ever listened to a mash up from a DJ like tecno, trance, dance or something like that? It's usually a mix lasting for an hour or so... how would I navigate through that? Not I guess..
Also, I find the mini jack output a bit nasty. The only reason it's there is so you can buy the more expensive Apple In-Ear buds.. there is no other product you can use with the new Shuffle.
Oh and for the design "slash" usability: when I'm at fitness or running outside, I usually put the cord UNDERNEATH my clothing, not on top. How am I going to use those controls when it's beneath my clothing? Using TelepathyOver?
What has gotten into Apple lately? Is there a correlation between not having Jobs present at the moment and the release of the underpowered iMac and a bit weak Mac Mini upgrade that is more expensive and this, in my view, downgraded product?
I agree with some of what you're saying. For some the headphones requirement will be annoying (although hopefully there are still enough old shuffles around to get one now!).
However its not Apple's job to make one of every type of MP3 player possible - its a bit silly to complain to Apple if your specific requirements aren't met. And it is specific - lots of storage, small size (have you SEEN how small a Nano is by the way?!) and a very low price. It's not true that you can't have everything - but you can't expect Apple to make it all.
Clearly none of this rant has anything to do with why this idea is terrible, but you're thinking at least...
Locking you into earbuds for controls? Terrible.
Using voice commands at all? Terrible. No one wants to control things this way. The actual percentage of people who find voice prompt to be "cool" and not just a silly distraction, is tiny. Any and every product with voice recognition gets old and frustrating really fast.
Yet another bad move in Jobs absence. I'm keeping quite the log of stupid marketing decisions by Apple with Jobs not on board, and in a few short months, its already very discouraging.
Although I do enjoy other headphones and I do see the issue with making the headphone use proprietary, I think this is minor.
This is a shuffle, it is not a flagship iPod model. This is ultra portable; gym, exercise, etc where bulky headphones will not do. When I'm at home I use my bigger headphones laying in bed and what not but when I'm out and about and they need to tuck into my pocket, the white earbuds are the only way to go.
However, I will agree that making it so that you HAVE to use the headphones that Apple sells is suspect and not a huge fan but that is what we've come to expect, is it not?
In closing, I am not an audiophile so I do not criticize headphones, I just want to listen to music and I think this new shuffle is an interesting offering.
This is a shuffle, it is not a flagship iPod model. This is ultra portable; gym, exercise, etc where bulky headphones will not do. When I'm at home I use my bigger headphones laying in bed and what not but when I'm out and about and they need to tuck into my pocket, the white earbuds are the only way to go.
However, I will agree that making it so that you HAVE to use the headphones that Apple sells is suspect and not a huge fan but that is what we've come to expect, is it not?
In closing, I am not an audiophile so I do not criticize headphones, I just want to listen to music and I think this new shuffle is an interesting offering.
Did they learn nothing from the iPhone 3G headphone jack issue though...
People don't want to be told what headphones they can use. Simple as that.
I'd buy one of these tomorrow if it wasn't for this feature.
Well, at least my first reaction was well covered by everyone here!
(A) the controls married to those headphones is a problem for me as well because of exactly what everyone else pointed out: the 2nd gen shuffle was just about the best running/exercising iPod ever, and those standard headphones do not stay in. Soo, this is a problem.
(B) those controls stink anyway. stupid touch controls -- 3 taps to go back a song? yikes.
Let's hope the 2nd gens aren't going anywhere ....
Generally I agree with that sentiment, but my experience (like the person earlier) is that at my gym, with iPod shuffles, most people appear to have gone with third party headphones, especially ones with an ear hanger.
This is soo dumb -- how do you iPhone people just deal with stuff like this? That would frustrate me on the first song I wanted to "rewind."
No doubt!
The other great thing about 2nd gen shuffle is that there was no weight in the middle of the cord -- at all -- to swing around during a workout. It's not such a problem for me since I route the cord behind me, and I don't think this little control thing looks heavy enough to be a problem ... oh wait. I route the cord behind me! How the heck am I going to reach these controls? Now I really, really hope that the second gen isn't going anywhere, for when mine eventually dies.
(A) the controls married to those headphones is a problem for me as well because of exactly what everyone else pointed out: the 2nd gen shuffle was just about the best running/exercising iPod ever, and those standard headphones do not stay in. Soo, this is a problem.
(B) those controls stink anyway. stupid touch controls -- 3 taps to go back a song? yikes.
Let's hope the 2nd gens aren't going anywhere ....
Generally I agree with that sentiment, but my experience (like the person earlier) is that at my gym, with iPod shuffles, most people appear to have gone with third party headphones, especially ones with an ear hanger.
This is soo dumb -- how do you iPhone people just deal with stuff like this? That would frustrate me on the first song I wanted to "rewind."
No doubt!
The other great thing about 2nd gen shuffle is that there was no weight in the middle of the cord -- at all -- to swing around during a workout. It's not such a problem for me since I route the cord behind me, and I don't think this little control thing looks heavy enough to be a problem ... oh wait. I route the cord behind me! How the heck am I going to reach these controls? Now I really, really hope that the second gen isn't going anywhere, for when mine eventually dies.
I love how in only a few years time, the iPod has managed to go from being intuitive and user friendly to obscure and kinda creepy. I get the feeling that if Jobs finds the fountain of youth, or clones himself, we'll all be standing in front of the monolith interfacing using our brains.
Surely the next thing will be to remove the shuffle altogether and just have the headphones with flash memory built in the cord. I always thought they wouldn't limit the headphones like that, but they've done it here.
Imagine a decent pair of in-ear headphones with voiceover and 4GB built in the cord.
Eliminate the shuffle completely!
Imagine a decent pair of in-ear headphones with voiceover and 4GB built in the cord.
Eliminate the shuffle completely!
It's hilarious that apple Just parodied itself.
I would want the charcoal one, its like a micro 2001 obelisk.
Not convinced by the earbud controls though, people often use these things for running companions, and you really need ear clip style headphones for running.
I would want the charcoal one, its like a micro 2001 obelisk.
Not convinced by the earbud controls though, people often use these things for running companions, and you really need ear clip style headphones for running.
You do have a go back control by the way - triple click the button in the middle. Shuffle might help you navigate through hour long mixes - although having said that are you sure a shuffle is for you? It MIGHT not actually be designed with you in mind - shocking idea I know.
However I agree that making a more expensive model, and not giving us a cheaper 2gb for example is a bit silly. The whole point of the 2nd gen shuffle was its cheapness. But it'll come down, undoubtedly.
The previous generation silver 1GB shuffle is available for $29 still on the Apple website under refurbished products. Your daughter can buy that and have $20 left over for music.