Apple iPod Shuffle (512 MB) MP3 Player -Good Things Come in Small Packages!-
Written: Jan 23 '05
Product Rating:
Sound:
Ease of Use:
Durability:
Portability:
Battery Life:
Pros: Tiny, Easy to use, Attractive, Long Battery Life, Reasonably Priced
Cons: 512 MB, Limited included accessories, Available in only one color
The Bottom Line: If you want a good player for the price with decent battery life, read on about the iPod Shuffle. It may be exactly what you are looking for!
bluehawq's Full Review: Apple iPod shuffle 1st Generation (512 MB) MP3 Pla...
Apple iPod Shuffle (512 MB - M9724LL/A) MP3 Player
Why I Bought it and Why I wish I Had Not!:
Okay, so it sounds as if I do not recommend the iPod Shuffle. That could not be further from the truth because I do recommend it, just not the 512 MB version. And not if you already have the original iPod to begin with as I do.
I was going to order on-line but went to the Apple store instead. I just couldn't wait to get it. Since I had the iPod Mini (but gave it to our son while he was in Iraq) and replaced that with the 20 GB, I thought that I would enjoy the simplicity and smallness of the 512 MB Shuffle. And I did, for a few days. It got old quickly!
I've always been one who could listen to a song over and over AND OVER again when I really liked it. That was in my teen years and let me tell you that was a long time ago. Things change as do our likes and dislikes. I find that I can no longer hear something 100 times and still like it. Even though the Shuffle will hold more than 110 to 120 songs (depending on the length of the song, I had 115 on it), it can get very boring after a while. Personally, I have retreated back to my iPod and hubby now has the iPod Shuffle at work with him. He's country and I'm not, so it has worked out well for us. I replaced my songs on it with his and he's happy as a Lark now.
iPod Shuffle Ins and Outs:
The iPod Shuffle is very tiny and can fit just about anywhere on your clothing (with a clip or case) that you'd like. It comes with a lanyard so you can wear it around your neck. That's fine if you aren't banging it into stuff.
Words of advice: If you put this thing in your shirt pocket and button the pocket, don't expect it to stay there. It is so small that it can slip out the side of the pocket when you bend over. It's something to keep in mind. You can get a pocket clip like they use for ID cards and wear it that way.
You'll find a standard set of earbuds in the box much like the one's you get with the iPod and they work well but really cannot deliver the sound quality that the iPod (any of them) is capable of giving. Sound quality given the right headphone/earbuds is exceptional and you really cannot get anything better than the iPod.
The Shuffle has a dial on the face of the unit. Don't get excited because all you can do with it is play, skip, pause, shuffle, repeat and hold. It has similar functions as the regular iPod and I like the way it feels the same too. You can just lightly touch it and have it do as you want.
On the back of the Shuffle you'll find a new type of feature. A slide that controls the mix of the tunes. The number one position is off and then two is on. Move it to the third position and that one will mix your music. When you slide the control to the "on" position, your music will play in the order they’re supposed to be in. If you get tired of that, just slide on down and let the Shuffle scramble everything at random. You never know what will play next. You will find that if you get tired of the current shuffle, just slide it up and back down to have them reshuffled. I really enjoy being able to mix them in that way.
Also, on the back side is the battery indicator light. And the iPod logo. Personally, I feel the logo would look better on the front of the unit simply because it seems so plain to look at.
The headphone jack is located on the top and the USB connector is on the bottom. It comes with the cap for the connector to hide it and protect it from dirt and such. You’ll use the outer part of the wheel to adjust the volume and skip from song to song.
Batteries and PC/Mac Connections:
The iPod Shuffle only comes with the USB cap, lanyard, earbuds, iTunes software, and manual. I really feel as though they could have sprung for an AC adapter like the one that came with the other two iPods we have had or have now but it does not and if you get one, it’s considered an optional accessory and so is the USB cable. You charge the Shuffle right from the USB port on your computer. It takes four hours for a full charge and that is what they recommend. Actually, charge time really depends on how much juice you have left before you begin to charge the unit.
Life of the batteries is really quite impressive when I compare it to the Mini or 20 GB. I took the shuffle to Kansas City when we went and it lasted there and back (driving time only) and that figures to be about 10 hours. It was very low by the time we got home but I would have never made it there and back with either of the other two. I can’t complain about the life span. You must know that the batteries have a limited number of charges before they fail and need to be replaced. So far, we’ve charged about six times and they are still charging just fine. I wish I could say the same for the life of our handheld phone batteries.
What’s Missing?:
As you probably already know, there is no LCD screen. Although this would be a feature one absolutely could not do without on the other iPod versions, the iPod Shuffle is the exception. All you’re doing to loading so many songs and either using the slide to play them in order or shuffled at random. Considering that is all it will do, I really see no need for a screen. But that is just my personal opinion on that.
What’s NOT Missing?:
You download your music in the same manner as you do with other iPod versions. I love the auto fill you get using iTunes and since winning $250.00 worth of iTunes back in September, it’s all I use. You can’t download any faster than here. iTunes is compatible with Mac and Windows. Songs are .99 each there and I don’t feel you can find a better deal than that. Not for what you get anyway. Just load the included iTunes software and then plug your iPod Shuffle in as you would to recharge the unit and start downloading. On our 20 GB, I downloaded 150 songs in less than two minutes. Amazing! You can find just about any song you want there too. We have songs dating back to the 40's loaded on ours. If you do not want to use the auto fill feature, you can still drag and drop your songs onto the Shuffle. Your iPod shuffle will automatically charge while syncing.
The iPod Shuffle supports most all common files. MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Music Store, M4A, M4B, M4P), Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4) and WAV ( copied from manual)
The manual is very easy to follow should you have any problems and if the player stops working, be sure to trouble shoot it using the directions in the manual. We had to trouble shoot on the Mini we had but I followed the instructions and all went well.
Warranty and Support:
The iPod Shuffle comes with a one year limited warranty and a 90 single incident telephone support. You can purchase a two year-extended warranty through Apple. The Shuffle can be upgraded for future audio formats.
Some Optional Accessories:
Things you may want to consider purchasing when you get your iPod Shuffle. I do not necessarily recommend getting any of them other than the AC adapter but there are many that feel the accessories are something they would rather not live without.
Cool armband the Shuffle connects to, sport case to change the look slightly and protect the iPod from the weather and abuse, dock connector, battery pack, USB power adapter, in-ear headphones, Belkin TuneCast II FM transmitter (connect this to your stereo or car stereo to pick up an FM frequency), Sony Car Cassette Adapter, or a Monster iSplitter (you can connect two sets of headphones to the iPod with this).
Overall:
Overall, I cannot say I do not like it or do not recommend it. I prefer the 20 GB or Mini over the iPod Shuffle but my husband loves it and does exactly what he could ever want it to do. If you can’t afford any of the other versions, then the Shuffle would be great for you. At $99 for the 512 MB, you can’t go wrong. It only comes in white so forget getting it in frog green. I would suggest one with a larger capacity but it’s great for the bucks. You can get something for less elsewhere. I wonder if you’ll get the same quality. My first experience (with MP3 players) was with and still is with Apple and I love it. I recommend the iPod Shuffle completely for those looking for the quality and the name for less.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 99.00 Recommended for: Athletes - Lightweight and Portable, Perfect for the Gym
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