New iPod Shuffle

[thrice]

Not sure if anyone here cares, but there's a new iPod shuffle out today.

iPod shuffle - Apple Store (U.S.)

Apparently the controls are in the earbud wires.... so that kind sucks as it locks you into Apple's earbuds. I doubt 3rd party companies will even bother to come up with something that you can use with this iPod.

I like the size and form factor though. It would be nice if they kept up the color scheme. I still like my orange shuffle

[en480c4]

Ugh.

I liked the original remote for the first few generations of the iPod, but it had a female plug so you could use it with any headphone. This is just bad news. Looks like I'll be hoping my current Shuffle holds up.

I am curious how the voice prompts turn out. I have a Phatbox in my VW, and I use the AT&T Natrual Voice of Audrey to generate those promts. It's always nice to have a woman's voice with a Brittish accent tell me what's playing. I doubt the Shuffle will have this option!

[n_maher]

Wow, pure fail on the controls part. I'd never own one for that reason alone.

[thrice]

I watched the video for the new shuffle. If you sync it with a Mac you get a dude's voice... sync it with a PC and you get a woman's voice.

Yeah the lack of 3rd party headphone use or ability to use it as a source seems to be a non-starter for the Mac-faithful over at MacRumors. Of course, that's not who this is for, it's for the masses; people who want something small and easy to use and forget about while working out...etc.

And despite the fact that most of us hate the Apple earbuds, I see them all over campus. Very few students have 3rd party headphones.... most use the white buds.

[thrice]

Better pick up one of the previous generation shuffles now:

iPod shuffle - Apple Store (U.S.)

$29 for the 1GB, can't beat that.

[en480c4]

Better pick up one of the previous generation shuffles now:

iPod shuffle - Apple Store (U.S.)

$29 for the 1GB, can't beat that.

No you can't. Ordered! Might be for me, might be a gift.

[Duggeh]

Now supports apple lossless. Good. But the controls on the wire? Daft. That'll be undone for the 4g I'm certain, a bit like the non-fluid sidestep they made on the 3g ipod with 4 buttons above the wheel.

[thrice]

No you can't. Ordered! Might be for me, might be a gift.

Yep, at $30 it's tough to pass up as a backup or a potential gift. They've had the silver 1GB up on the refurb list off and on for the last few weeks.

[Hopstretch]

Interesting that it now appears to charge through the headphone jack, too.

I assume someone will shortly sell a little 3.5mm cable adapter with control buttons that you can plug any other phones into. Still, typical Apple/Jobs: "Less buttons! Less buttons!" I bet they'll go to 100% voice control eventually.

[aardvark baguette]

The cynic in my can't help but wonder why the prices never seem to drop for these devices, yet you can pick up an 8GB thumb drive for like $15 now.

[thrice]

Interesting that it now appears to charge through the headphone jack, too.

I assume someone will shortly sell a little 3.5mm cable adapter with control buttons that you can plug any other phones into. Still, typical Apple/Jobs: "Less buttons! Less buttons!" I bet they'll go to 100% voice control eventually.

The previous generation shuffle charged and synced through the headphone jack as well. Looks like this new cable is proprietary though

[Hopstretch]

The previous generation shuffle charged and synced through the headphone jack as well. Looks like this new cable is proprietary though

I didn't know that. And of course it is, silly rabbit.

[jinp6301]

I wonder how well it can pronounce some of my indian music tracks

[Cankin]

that stock iBud comes with a mic? so the new shuffle probably compatible with etymotic hf2?

Apple Earphones with Remote and Mic - Apple Store (U.S.)

Etymotic Research, Inc. - hf2? Earphones

[Hopstretch]

that stock iBud comes with a mic? so the new shuffle probably compatible with etymotic hf2?

Should be. I suspect at least part of the design motivation with the new shuttle is to try and pressure more 3rd-party manufacturers to support the pickup-and-controls-on-the-wire model that Apple has established for the iPhone/Touch.

[Dash]

Are the controls on a dongle? with a female in?

[thrice]

Are the controls on a dongle? with a female in?

They are built into the included earbuds.... thus locking you into using Apple's earbuds (or ety's as someone just posted) or waiting for 3rd party manf. to make a headphone with the controls on the wire.

[GPH]

Better pick up one of the previous generation shuffles now:

iPod shuffle - Apple Store (U.S.)

$29 for the 1GB, can't beat that.

Is it possible to play an album in order or does it always shuffle the tracks? At 35$CAD, the temptation is high as it would make the perfect player for gym.

[aardvark baguette]

my guess is they figure most people interested in other buds/phones/cans aren't in the shuffle market?

I know I'm not.

[Hopstretch]

... or waiting for 3rd party manf. to make a headphone with the controls on the wire.

Or a control dongle with a female in. Sure there'll be plenty, though they'll probably cost $30.

[Hopstretch]

Is it possible to play an album in order or does it always shuffle the tracks? At 35$CAD, the temptation is high as it would make the perfect player for gym.

You can play in order or shuffle the tracks.

[grawk]

I still have 3 of the gum pack shuffle 1gbs.

[thrice]

Is it possible to play an album in order or does it always shuffle the tracks? At 35$CAD, the temptation is high as it would make the perfect player for gym.

It doesn't really operate at the album level.... You load it via playlists or by randomly taking tunes from your library. You could construct a playlist with all the tracks in album order and then sync that.... just drag whole albums to the playlist. The unit can either play the playlist from beginning to end or shuffle the playlist.

It's not really designed around listening to albums in order. Really it's designed for track level listening. Dump a bunch of songs you like, hit shuffle and go.

[aardvark baguette]

I had an older shuffle at one point, as a grocery store giveaway/prize thing. It was far too fussy about how it synced, and wouldn't allow multiple computers to sync without first deleting everything loaded from another computer. None of my other ipods ever did that, so I lost interest and gave it to my cousin.

[thrice]

You know, this iPod is so small it kinda makes me wonder why Apple hasn't paired up with a headphone manfac. and come up with a combo headphone/iPod all in one device. I mean, this thing is practically that but with a cable. Senn PX100 with an iPod Shuffle built in.... I'd buy that.