I received my Shuffle straight from the manufacturer today (took 3 days to arrive to DC from China, according to FedEx tracking). I had to update my iTunes to 7.0.2, but other than that, the device was ready to sync right out of the box. The packaging is exactly the same as the Nano, very efficiently packed, and no install CD.
I'd love to give it 5 stars like I gave the Nano, but my one complaint is big enough to deduct a star: The Shuffle does NOT come with the new, updated earbuds that come with the Nano, but instead ships with the old, round ones with the foam covers. I mean, really Steve Jobs, how bougie is that? Hopefully, this will change with later orders.
Personally, I much prefer the updated earbuds and never got a good fit with the old earbuds. I remain mystified by the functionality of those foam covers. Also, I feel it's a bit dodgy for Apple to sell the new ones for $29 separately and include them as a pack-in for every other new iPod model except the Shuffle. Granted, the Shuffle is the cheapest, but previously, all the iPod models came with the same janky earbuds standard, so to unload the leftovers on the Shuffles now hardly seems fair.
All that said, the Shuffle itself is fantastic. Sound quality is great. The USB-integrated docking system is genius, no more USB nubbin coming out of the player, though you CAN still drag and drop files onto the iPod on your desktop -- just like a thumb drive or regular iPod.
Finally, the design is super! It looks a lot like the radio remote, a little wider and thicker, the major difference being that the Shuffle is cased in alumninum vs plastic. Its clip is also made of aluminum and non-removable. The Shuffle has a little light on the top that flashes either green, yellow or red and in various patterns, depending on whatever Morse code thing it's trying to tell you. Like everything Mac, it's very intuitive, and you'll figure it out quick.
I was never into the old Shuffle, but I really like the look and feel of this one. It's tiny enough to take anywhere, but solid enough to throw in your purse (or for guys, pocket/European carry-all) without being afraid it will break. The clip is a big design improvement as well. As much as I love Mac, iPod necklaces don't really go with everything.