Apple’s third-generation iPod Shuffle, offered for $80 in dark or light gray, is already controversial. Not only does it move most controls from the player to a module on the included earphones–meaning that they’re the only earphones, for now, that will work with it–but the controls themselves are different, with odd morse-code like sequences replacing the standard rack.
Apple’s business is built on creating simpler, better user interfaces, so we come immediately to the simple question of whether it’s better than the last model.
The short answer is an equally simple “no.” The new iPod Shuffle is Apple’s worst product in years. Its headphone module-interface fails because it’s really about physical appearances: it does nothing to improve the experience of listening to music, and is in fact irritating until you’ve learned how to use it.
The long answer, however, is that it’s just not that big of a deal, and the worst Apple music player is still not a bad one. Beyond this flash-point issue, the new Shuffle is a tiny and inconspicuous metal sliver with generous storage and at least one cool novelty: Voiceover, an androgynous robot voice that tells you information about the tracks loaded onto the machine. It’s not completely dumb text-to-speech, either: It pronounced Saint Etienne correctly!
With 4GB of storage, it can hold a thousand songs. The looks are fantastic –the clip now has a mirror-finish–and give it a businesslike elegance the last generation lacks. (Still, it’s a shame it doesn’t come in the same range of gorgeous colors as its predecessor, or the current iPod Nano.)
Voiceover, installed as a “kit” when you register the Shuffle with iTunes, reads track and playlist info at a touch. If you plan to fill all that space, you’ll want it — and be glad that you can now use it to navigate playlists, finally transferable to the Shuffle.
In the service of novelty, Apple has turned basic, generic technology into yet another private little ecosystem: you’ll either buy into that or you won’t. If the third-gen Shuffle fails, it will instead result from the irksome practical consequences: adapters that can’t yet be bought, expenses incurred on special headphones, and the “rat a tat-tat” button dances learned just to perform simple functions.
Pros
* It’s tiny and it’s beautiful
* Having it read track and playlist info is cute and even useful.
* Yes, I said playlists. In the Shuffle. At last!
* Generous 4GB of space.
Cons
* Self-parodying interface worthy of a Peter Serafinowicz sketch.
* Until others release theirs, only Apple earphones work.
* Apple’s earphones suck.
* Seriously, screw headphone adapters. What is this, a cheap cellphone?
Can get get a shot of it next to a first and second gen shuffle?
I have a need to acquire one of these and load on several tracks; The first track will be titled “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, …”, etcetera. I foresee … a vast movement of very short but long-titled tracks … and The Author’s Guild doing battle with Apple …
@#LarsBars: When you suddenly realize you’ve heard five songs in a row in an order you’ve heard before, and they continue in previously-heard order, there is something wrong. It happened to me occasionally with earlier iTunes software.
Re: Earbud yammer-
I use the Apple headphones. I bought a more expensive (and, yes, better) pair of earbuds after my factory set broke, but found that I like being able to hear the surrounding world while I listen to music. I got another pair. They fit in my ears quite well, and don’t cause any discomfort if I wear them too long. The sound is slightly different, but if you’re anywhere with surrounding noises, it’s completely irrelevant. It’s not like I use my iPod at home.
Re: Device usability yammer-
The shuffle is, as far as I can tell, marketed almost solely for workouts or other activities where you’re not paying much attention to your device or willing to fiddle with a screen regularly. This is its purpose within the iPod range. It is not marketed for anything other than its size and the simplicity of its interface. Putting the buttons on the headphone cord is, for the targeted use, a major advance: you can now put it in your pocket, and still click!
Of course, there’s no way I want one, but that’s been true of the whole range of Shuffle devices. Clearly, however, some people like it, or they wouldn’t be into the third generation.
Anonymous @ 3
You aren’t expected to purchase this product if you don’t actually want it. Problem solved.
Re: random numbers. Thanks Nosehat, I thought it was only me who had this gripe.
I enjoy listening to my very large music collection on random/shuffle. Someone once tried to tell me that Apple’s Shuffle was different because it only played each song once in a random order. Although it obviously doesn’t, this would be one way to ensure you have an even distribution. Alternatively you can create a playlist, then randomise the playlist and simpy play it back sequentially. Not sure if you can do this in iTunes.
I actually switched from Winamp to Foobar to try and rectify this problem, but my playlist is in such constant flux that it hardly matters any more – although Foobar can track the number of times a song has been played, which makes it easier to listen to tracks that haven’t been played as often.
Unfortunately the portable players I have owned have never had good shuffle features – neither my old Panasonic MD nor my current SE K750i phone shuffle songs all that well.
@larsbars – setting up the experiment would not be too difficult. Create a set of songs labelled 1-100 or even 1000. Turn on shuffle then keep hitting ‘skip’ and tally the songs that come up.
A few month ago inherited a first generation shuffle from one of my children who upgraded to something much more flashy. This was love at first track. This little wonder accompanies me everywhere and I use it whenever I get a chance. With only 1Gb of memory, there was only room for my absolute favorites, so I got into the habit over weekends to delete some music and add new tracks from my growing i-tune collection.
Fact is, I am now in the market for an upgrade and the idea of an even smaller shuffle with 4Gb of memory sounded almost too perfect. That was until I read that the controls are now built into the earphones. So there goes another sale. the earphones I use sold for more than double the price of the shuffle – in other words they are quite good. I never could use a pair of i-pod earphones for more than about 5 minutes. Apart from the sound quality that is average, the design sucks. They simply hurt my ears.
By now Apple should have realized that nobody with ears would ever prefer to use their shitty earphones if they had half a choice. I am not talking about the demographic that is driven by peer pressure and is so used to listening to shit that they would not be able to know the difference between good sound quality and the generic Apple earphones anyway. The arrogance to build the controls into them is beyond belief.
So even if it can talk, even if it could pour me a drink, I cannot ever use one.
So for the next round, make it a bit bigger, what difference does it make anyway, put the controls where they belong and allow me to use the head/earphones of my choice. Pretty please.
@NoseHat – YAY!! I’m not the only one that feels that way. I hate how not random some of my music playing devices are when on shuffle. I’ve actually thought it would be cool to have whatever algorithm that is used to “randomize” the playlist use the date tracks were last played into account.
Like #5, I also love my Sansa Clip: easy to use interface (on a screen, duh!), plenty of storage, fm radio, playlists, no extra software needed, non-proprietary headphone jack
…. and with the right hand model it could look every bit as sexy as the apple product.
I have a question though. For me, *the* make or break feature on an mp3 player (beyond basic functionality and accessibility) is the quality of the random number generator in the shuffle function! This might seem silly to some, but if I’ve got several hundred songs on my player and I set it to random/all, I get frustrated when the same song (or songs from the same album) plays again and again and again while other whole albums never show up at all. The pseudorandom number generator algorithm seems to be an afterthought in a lot of mp3 players. So here’s my question: Does anyone know of a comparative study or statistical analysis of the way the different brands of MP3 player shuffle their songs?
Or am I the only one who cares a lot about this feature?
@12 “I really don’t see what the problem is? One click, two clicks, three clicks. If you really think that’s hard to learn, you shouldn’t be in technology…”
Wasn’t that the appeal of the iPod itself? That anyone could pick it up and figure out how to use it within five minutes? An intuitive interface is what Apple and all their fanboys have been touting for decades.
Even for the technologically inclined, learning the interface shouldn’t be a problem, but a bizarrely stupid interface is more than anyone should have to bear.
“I regularly plug my iPhone headset into the phone and just click the button / mic once. It starts playing my music….If you really think that’s hard to learn, you shouldn’t be in technology”
really? that’s it? you click once and off you go? some people like to forward songs, maybe jump around to other specific artists, or might even want to rewind a tune little bit. it looks like these headset controls would give a new name to “irritating”.
so, if you really think one click is all there is to listening to music, you really shouldn’t be commenting on the technology.
Just checked my calendar and it is not April 1st yet. I think Apple figured they’d also make some good moolah on proprietary headsets. Good marketing Apple. Get those non thinking fan boys.
After many failed attempts with generic or other brand players on my iMac I will be finally giving in and buying an iPod. I know people like to say there’s other players out there that are better, but not if you use a Mac.
I would love to be corrected on this if anyone knows of good free music software for macs that can make playlists and sync to a player (I know about the mac plugins for iTunes and songbird but they have not worked for me either)
“Voiceover is generated — it doesn’t do anything to the files.” – Awesome, thanks a lot for clarifying that!
Hahahaa, my 299.00 Shures will not be replaced by this garbage. Im buying another old Shuffle just in case mine dies or ends up in the laundry again. Yea, you ever try running with the crap earbuds Apple sells? LMAO…I guess if they stay in your ears you really are not running!
Wow, first Apple product for a while that I have been ashamed of. Who they hire in their Creative Engineering Dept, ex-Winblows employees?
I just want to know the rationale that lead to no buttons. “Well what do people hate? BUTTONS, PEOPLE LOATHE THEM SO SO MUCH” I can understand wanting to experiment, but it seems like that form would not suffer at all to throw on three damn buttons. But hey what do I know, I just like functional electronics.
@gadgetgav
I don’t think anyone is saying they hate apple, they are just indicating that this is a bad idea, but I guess that its easier to make pithy comments that way.
I love Apple – an absolute apologist. But I cannot get behind this product (yet, heh)… although I was dubious about the shuffle G1 until I lived with one.
Since there are only three buttons, and no way to rewind, this is targeted at a certain type of listener. Podcast listeners? Not for you. At the gym/running with control-less headphones I could dig this (if they work), but that usage also makes the playlist option sorta moot.
Am i right in assuming if you flick it from off to shuffle or straight-forward play that it kicks off automagically? You don’t need to click the middle button?
And VoiceOver from the PC sounds like a weird girly-dominatrix-bot, from OS X it sounds like a concussed Marvin. But the latter is still smoother. I wonder if they’re somehow tapping into the Oses built-in txt2speech facilities. The OSX voice is clearly from their collection, and the PC on isn’t. This is the most intriguing part of the whole package.
So many words for such a diminutive bit of… whatever. I’m really sorta confounded by this product.
At first I thought this was an early April Fools’ Day joke as well. Does someone at Apple need to be warned that they’re becoming a living, breathing example of The Onion’s satire?
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/apple_introduces_revolutionary
I just bought a shuffle for a gift for my going to be 50 year old sister who hasn’t a clue about computers, or ipods, or anything to do with electronic anything. I know she could never figure out the process to get music on a shuffle, as she still doesn’t know how to turn on a computer, much less deal with itunes….so I preloaded it with audio books and 550 songs. After a few days of making very clear playlists, the shuffle is, in my opinion a fantastic little ipod that with the correct instructions on how to use it, should be easy enough even for the “elders” out there that haven’t a clue on how things work. It could be frustrating if your playlists aren’t in good order. I love the voice over, although some things are pronounced a bit oddly, it only takes getting used to the voice. Love it! I may have to buy one for myself.
The poor thing is so small that I would loose it at least once a week in the bottom of my bag. Until it’s implantable, smaller is not better every time. Also, by making the controls part of the earphones, what happens when you loose them? Can’t just wander into a Walgreen’s and get a 6 dollar pair to tide you over.
So if you want one, great-but I will never want one.
Something I haven’t been able to figure out quite yet: how the heck do you plug it in to your computer? Does it use a cable? Does a USB plug magically appear out the bottom?
But what if I want to use different headphones? Have you ever tried running with those things?
Here’s the deal (at least as how I see it).
The iPod shuffle is a device targeted at a very narrow segment of the market: People who need a ridiculously small music player, and don’t have the time/ability/desire to have to look at it to operate it.
I have a buddy that’s a carpenter, he uses his shuffle at the job. It’s so small he can clip it to his hard hat just let it rip.
I’m sure the same applies to runners, etc.
The genius of the much ballyhooed headphone interface is that once you get used to using it, you’ll be able to navigate with out ever having to even look at the device.
Plenty of headphones to choose from, search before you post.
Wow, fast forwarding and rewinding would be a real drag. I mainly listen to podcasts and not music, so I rewind a lot. triple click and hold… what is this, guitar hero?
Here’s another Apple product I’m going to have to sit out.
I agree with relaxedguy (#21) and wish to expand.
The list of Rob’s Cons are four points saying the same thing “I don’t want to have to use apple’s headphones”. And you don’t.
a quick google search reveals:
http://www.ipodnn.com/articles/09/03/13/v.moda.avc.ipod.shuffle/
http://www.slipperybrick.com/2009/03/klipsch-plans-earphones-for-3g-ipod-shuffle/
http://techblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/03/first-adapter-for-ipod-shuffle.html
As many have pointed out, this all stems from knee-jerk reaction that apple’s headphones “suck”. Well, okay, if you don’t like them, get anothe pair or an adapter for a pair you already have. But don’t blame apple for providing base line headphones. Can Rob or any of the other naysayers list a <100$ mp3 player that comes standard with a “great” set of headphones?
This is apple’s ‘cheap’ (in the relative sense) portable music player. In order to keep it cheap, they provide cheap headphones that the vast majority of consumers are going to be fine with.
I’m not sure how the interface is seen as complicated, or, a “Self-parodying interface worthy of a Peter Serafinowicz sketch”. It’s one button, five functions. these are achieved by single click, double click, triple click, hold, and hold longer. This is no more than, for example, a mouse on a windows system, which has single, double and triple click for the left button, click for the right button, a scroll wheel and a click for the scroll wheel. Maybe you don’t want to learn all of them from the get go, but you don’t need to for the player to work.
BTW, for the comment that the apple headphones hurt, you are DEFINITELY doing it the wrong way.
I’m worried that synthesized track listing will ruin the market for artists reading out the track listings of their own work.
I just got this Ipod. I should have waited for others and read how they felt. I just bought the Second generation Ipod 2 months ago, but wanted something with playlists that was just as small, clip on, and convienent. With a 4 year old, I hate having to shuffle through songs until I find mine when she isnt with me!
I am NOT HAPPY with this Third Generation Shuffle. I am even more unhappy that I have to pay a 10% fee to restock it, especially since it sucks.
First off, the controls are cumbersome to deal with. I use it alot, and it still doesnt always read what I have punched in. They are very high on the ear phones, and it is uncomfortable to be running and reach up and grab them.
Secondly, I cannot control the Ipod when plugged into my car. With the controls on the earphones, I have no way of fast forwarding, searching, nothing. The whole reason I upgraded was for this feature, and I am now REALLY unhappy.
I already wrote to Apple, but I am sure nothing will come of it. The only solution is to suck it up, bring both back (I bought one as a gift for my father’s birthday), and get the Second generation for him.
This looks like a terrible product. Like legit no fooling bad. Like worst in it’s class bad. Like trying to be bad bad. It seems like a prank.
Anybody have the Pin-outs for the short usb cable used to charge and sync the shuffle? I stupidly lost mine which makes it useless of course There are none in stores yet… so.. time to transform my old 2nd gen usb shuffle cable into one that will work with the new 3rd gen shuffle. Anybody do this yet? I’ll hit it tonight let everybody know how it goes.
It always amazes me how conservative a lot of technologically savvy people are.
The comments here make for a quite an interesting little study of this phenomenon!
I am so sick and tired of hearing people say “apple ear buds suck”. First off they don’t suck, not even remotely. If your some kind of “audiophile wannabe” than sit in your living room and listen to your home stereo NOT a mp3 player!
98% of buyers of Apple’s ipods DO NOT buy different headphones UNTIL they break the first pair.
So boingboing’s review is not worth much except bashing Apple just to bash Apple, that’s it.
@NoseHat and Anonymous: I don’t think you understand random numbers very well. See, for instance, this article by Steven Levy and this article on the birthday paradox.
Hey! A 1N34 diode, earphones, no battery, a chunk of wire and you have a radio. Mount an earphone jack on a match box and you have the ijunk. Expands your vision by hearing all radio stations at once. For tuning get the ijunk 2.
This looks like a huge mistake to me.
You can’t ffwrd or rewind? am I right?
I too often listen to podcasts and audio books – They are required functions.
Also I like holding the player in my hand or in my pocket and just clicking to change the settings. I don’t want to be lifting my hand up to the contols every few minutes – or even every few seconds when I’m out and about and have to adjust the volume eg for safety when I want to cross the road etc.
Other minuses
• Relatively huge price jump from the previous gen Shuffle
• Requires iTunes 8.1. and at least OSX 10.4.11. Probably simply because of the silly VoiceOver whizz-bang. While this probably seems like no big deal to this bleeding-edge crowd, an amazingly large chunk of regular, daily Mac users won’t be able to use this new Shuffle. Yes, believe it or not, many people don’t automatically upgrade simply because it’s there.
As for the cord-mounted controls…I run and I use my previous-gen Shuffle. I clip it to the hem of my shirt. It’s a SINGLE click to perform any function. And it’s right there at hand level as I run. This multiple-clicks-to-do-anything interface, handing up alongside my head, just seems very non-intuitive, intrusive, and, frankly, non-Apple. At least what I’ve traditionally expected from Apple.
@LarsBars– I do understand random numbers quite well thanks; I’m not just saying “OMG my player just played the same song twice, it must not be random!”
I also understand pseudorandom number generators quite well, and especially the problems that can occur if they are poorly seeded. Chrs hits the nail on the head when he talks about repeating strings of random numbers. It sounds like he’s got a shuffle function that can only be seeded a small, finite number of ways (like the least significant 4 bits of the clock time for example, or a 16 bit number that the designers didn’t realize would only have a small number of preferred states). It sounds like Chrs listens to his music enough to become familiar with this limited number of possible seedings. Maybe. That’s why I was asking if anyone was aware of any actual statistical analysis–that way we’d know for sure.
Algorithmically produced “random numbers” can only ever just approximate something truly random like coin flips, and if the algorithms are poorly implemented even casual users will notice the problem over time.
If there’s anyone out there taking or teaching a statistical analysis class right now, assessing the shuffle feature on common mp3 players might make an awesome class project.
Since the controls plug in the the headphone jack, does this mean you can now easily wire up a remote control for the iPod? If so, it could possibly make a great music/sound source for Arduino projects…
Apple Apologetics?
If this doesn’t fail it is another nail in the coffin of the smart consumer.
How about a mention of the any number of (superior) USB drive style players
gosh, have we reached a tipping point?
This is so off the mark.
i wouldn’t buy anything that didn’t let me choose my own phones, because all thrown-in phones suck, it’s axiomatic, there are no exceptions to this.
plus, i don’t want to hear announcers. i get plenty of that on what’s left of radio and the podcast universe. I want to hear MUSIC.
apple, you fucked with the best control system for a screenless portable device, EVER. How colossally idiotic. you made it stylish and so very dinky. and who could ask for a nerdier gimmick than AI yammering at you? who knows, you may move millions for that. but in terms of design for its INTENDED purpose: unqualified FAIL. hopefully it will go as gently into the night as the newton did. though a newton is much cooler than this thing.
Coincidentally, my first-generation Shuffle bit the dust today. I was thinking about picking up a new one, but I like to go running with my Shuffle — it’s why I love it so much. It’s all solid-state and can clip on my waistband with no hassle.
I hate Apple’s ear buds though, because they always fall out while I run. I prefer the over-the-ear Sony sport clips. I guess this means I need to look for a new player outside of Apple; since the controls are on the ear buds.
At least the PSP, which used this same idea four years ago, allowed for non-Sony headphones…
@FERRY, Form would certainly suffer if the objective is to make it as small as possible. Look at the iFixit take apart. Anything added would make it bigger. Apple said that the headphone clicker opened up the possibility of no buttons on the device, not the other way around.
@ZANDAR, You work in the iPod design department? You must do to know that it has failed its intended purpose. And you do realize that you have to press buttons to get the Voice Over to “yammer” at you, right? You don’t have to hear it if you don’t like it. Without it, the interface is just random, like all previous Shuffles.
And for everyone with their favorite earbuds, there will be adapters, or you can DIY your earbuds onto the Apple cord, or you can just keep on with your existing player. No one has to buy this. If people don’t buy it, Apple will kill it soon enough.
@JFRANCE, I don’t think you even need to do that – I think plugging the headphones in starts it.
For all those folks promoting Sansa’s, I stopped buying them when their early Sansa 240 series models bricked up. Sandisk still has not acknowledged any problems to date about the issue.
Very pretty, very small. But the Sansa Clips are still waaay more functional and a better value.
Two connected questions that have been nagging me: Does VoiceOver embed its speech snippet into the song file itself or does it create an extra file for that? And if it does embed, does it do so only while syncing to the Shuffle (so that only the files on the Shuffle are modified), or will it convert your entire local library?
@46: Actually, I already have controls on my mp3 player that I don’t even need to look at … because they provide physical feedback. No touch interface or wheels.
Even better, since I need my tunes during Canadian winters, I don’t have to take off my gloves ever to change a song or adjust the volume.
1st generation: 3.3 x 0.98 x 0.33 in
Volume: 1.07 cubic inches
Weight: 22.1g
2nd generation: 1.62 x 1.07 x 0.41 in
Volume: 0.71 cubic inches
Weight: 15.5g
3rd generation: 1.8 x 0.7 x 0.3 in
Volume: 0.378 cubic inches
Weight: 10.7g
Second-generation adapters that bypassed the dock don’t work with the third generation.
MacWorld has a photo comparison.
Since VoiceOver is purely software, can we longtime loyal customers get it in a firmware/software update? Or do we have to drop another $79 and throw another $150 worth of accessories in the trash?
In my opinion, it’s suit my lifestyles.
I have an iPhone. And over a year I discovered that what I always do when listen to music in iPhone is open it up, select playlist, having it set shuffle, put it in phone bag and never touch it again until I want to stop playing.
I does like Apple headphone. Although it is not so comfortable but the sound is soft and I’m not a headphone geek. Actually if I break the current headphone I still would not get the others’.
So for me, there’s no wrong about the new shuffle. I bought it right away when I first saw and review its spec.
And for the people who misunderstanding things, please read:
1. The new iPod shuffle can go to the next song with DOUBLE-CLICK the remote, and go back to last song with TRIPLE-CLICK. You can even fast forward with double click and hold or rewind with triple click and hold.
2. Voiceover is really good pronounced if you have a Mac (with Mac OS X Leopard) because it relies on Voiceover technology come with the OS. Unfortunately those who have Windows and OS X Tiger cannot afford this.
Voiceover can pronounced Chinese and Japanese and so on accurately.
The fact above should not be asked if you take a glance at apple website.
3. If all of your songs are Track 01 Unknown and Unknown you should not complain because that means you’ve already know the song name. With screen you still can see track 01… etc. either. Oh and if you want screen, get a Nano!
4. Don’t hope that Apple will put this ability through the firmware. Apple never do this. They want you to buy a new one. Even the new gorgeous 24″ screen will work with only new Mac families. If Apple does not care people with the old Macs, why will they care with iPods?
What I don’t like here is the VERY short USB cable I’ve ever seen in the world. If you have USE port in the back of your computer you have to get an extension or get your hand dusty everytime you connect your Shuffle.
A.H.
@LEGO7 – I just don’t see how this is a “bizarrely stupid interface”. It’s something that’s been used on other iPods and no-one was complaining then…
@FIVE – I’m not saying all I ever do is one click and that’s it. I’m saying that if I just want to continue from what I was doing last time (which might well have been shuffle all songs) all I NEED to do is plug the headphones in and click the button.
Since the shuffle only has SHUFFLE, that’s all you ever need. If you want to rewind the track a little, pick a particular song or artist, obviously this isn’t the iPod for you. But then neither was the first or second generation shuffle as neither allowed you to pick a particular artist. That’s not who this is aimed at, Buy a nano if that’s the level of control you need – they have a screen.
Or buy a Zune or Sansa if you hate Apple.
can anyone pls pls pls tell me is it good or bad???
i seriously need to know …. n n n can sumone pls take a pic of the headphones …. i wanna see it
@19 “…Until it’s implantable, smaller is not better every time…”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmkTs995w-U
@Larsbars:
I guess it would take a lot of clicks on the [forward/next song] button. But I’d still bet it’s very doable with a roomful of students.
A statistician would be able to tell you exactly how many clicks would be needed to get meaningful results, given x number of songs.
It would be a good class project because the students could figure out things to control for in the study.
They’d maybe want to control for different directory structures. If you have 200 songs distributed unevenly in 15 directories, does the algorithm first choose a random directory 1-15, then choose a random song within that directory, or does it make a table of all 200 songs and choose a random song 1-200? A good statistical study would be able to answer that question.
They could control/test for a host of other things if they wanted. Maybe file length too? I could imagine a shuffle feature that chose a random memory location, then backed up and played whatever song was at that location, thus favoring longer songs. Although this would be a silly way make a shuffle feature!
Did you transfer songs from both PC and MAC? Does it really read off titles in a different voice depending on the OS of the system it came from?
Unfortunately for a lot of my friends the Voiceover function would an endless repetition of ‘Track01 Album Unknown Artist Unknown’ which is mind-bogging in this age but… there you go.
What’s going on with Apple these days? Their designs are becoming more about form over function. I just got a new MacBook and rather than a nice comfortable rounded edge where your wrists rest, it’s a sharp 90° – all, I imagine, so it will look more finished when the laptop is closed. Now this. Do they have a new design team?
Does the voice over feature work with non-itunes mp3s? Or is it taken from data embedded by the store?
@asiajunk
Apple ever acknowledge the sucky batteries on their early iPods?
I’m using a PC (Vaio P) with it, and the voice is just a kind of stern robot tenor, vaguely feminine.
It does do some odd things, though — like pronouncing Saint Etienne’s name correctly (French accent) but then also pronouncing the song titles (English) in a french accent.
I have the 1GB iPod Shuffle, (2nd G) and it is THE best ultra-portable mp3 player, bar none. I’ve used Sansa and iRiver.
I use mine for the GYM, beotches! Mp3 Players for use w\heavy GYM use have unique requirements.
And one of them is headphones. Headphones at the gym get abused, big-time. They wear out from being used a lot, and from the sweating. This iPod FAILS the gym test automatically because of the headphone issue. I’ll upgrade to the 2GB 2nd generation player. No WAY would I buy this for real exercise usage.
@nosehat: Fine fine fine, you got me. But you still should have made it clear it what way it wasn’t random! Anyway, how would you go about examining the shuffle feature? Wouldn’t it take forever to get a large enough set of samples?
Do gadget writers EVER like included earbeads? I just paid a fair amount for a DAP, I am not about to throw down an additional fair amount for earbeads that I will destroy, lose, leave in a pants pocket through the wash, etc.
Who’s doing your nails nowadays, Rob?
what about listening through speakers
Very appropriate tag, btw.
Just got back from running with the new shuffle and love it!! The 2nd gen shuffle was heavy enough when fastened onto the bottom of my shirt that it would bounce up and down when running. This shuffle is so light my shirt stays flat. Also really love having the volume on the cord, very easy to adjust vol compared to the older one were I would have to fumble around with it to make a volume change. So thumbs up as a runners ipod but I must say the looks are very boring. How about engrave a design on the front or something to give it some personality. But aside from that I love running with it.
#10: Whoa. Does it pronounce the English basically correctly, or does it use French pronunciation rules?
The click interface is fantastic. I’ve loved the primitive version on the 1G iPhone since I got it.
Just like almost all smartphones work with the same click/mic headphones now, eventually this kind of control will be standard.
People criticised the first screen-less shuffle. I think this will catch on, provided consumers can be bothered to read the little card. Big if there.
I completely agree with GADGETGAV. Nothing bad about click-to-play interface.
“Apple’s worst product in years” – really? Just because of the click to play interface??
Have you used a recent generation iPod, or the iPhone? I regularly plug my iPhone headset into the phone and just click the button / mic once. It starts playing my music. I don’t have to turn on and unlock the phone, no need to navigate to the iPod function. It just plays.
I really don’t see what the problem is? One click, two clicks, three clicks. If you really think that’s hard to learn, you shouldn’t be in technology…
Happy Days and Jon Hein gave us the phrase “jump the shark” for TV shows that run out of ideas, mess with the formula that made them a success and then fail.
In the future when a tech company looses its way in this fashion, shall we call it “doing one too many shuffles”?
Voiceover is generated — it doesn’t do anything to the files. How exactly it works isn’t clear, but my guess is that iTunes generates it when you copy a song over, and that it exists as a separate file.