Customer Reviews

Apple iPod shuffle 1 GB White (1st Generation) OLD MODEL

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3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(19)
1 star:		(38)

 

 

This is an amazingly small version of an Ipod that can hold a fair amount of music (about 12-15 CDS or so) and play it back with the really great sound that Apple's much pricier Ipod players have. The great thing about an Ipod is that you can essentially load your CDs onto it though Apple's Itunes software and then use your Ipod to access the CDs or lists of songs you create from these CDs on your computer. The negative of this the Shuffle player is that you basically load down a batch of CDs or lists of songs from your computer and have pretty limited control on how you access them - either just shuffling though them on a random basis or skipping through them in order. Is this a bad thing? It depends on what you want. If it is a chance to have a good batch of songs to play through without a lot of need to select specific songs, it is great -- kind of like a super radio station that can play selections you want to hear, either randomly or in some basic order. If you want to create a music library in your pocket to easily select from a mix of songs, the Shuffle doesn't work well.

The unit is great when you want a mix of music (say for a plane trip or for a week of daily runs) or a program in a certain order (say a talking book). The unit is incredibly easy to load up (just plug into the USB port of your computer -- also charges here) and Itunes software is a cinch to use to import music from CDs (or purchase music files from Apple).

Given the price, it is (by the standards of Ipods) a good deal as a way of getting great sounding music in a small unit. It presents a nice alternative to a heavier and much more expensive Ipod -- good things as long as you accept its limitations.

My friend just got his iPod Shuffle and lent it to me for a couple of days. I was'nt ready to buy one myself, but after trying it out, it does seem pretty good. It's just another ordinary flash mp3 player with an iPod logo. I've given a breakdown of some, not all of the aspects of the Shuffle. Here goes:

---Design---
A really neat design(always expect something new from Apple), small and lightweight.Its roughly the size of a keychain and is very light. Navigation is easy, 4 buttons, Next, Previous and volume up/down. A nice tab at the back allows you to shuffle your playlist(not playlists) or play them in order.

---Compact---
Carrying around the iPod shuffle is really easy. No worrying about dropping your iPod and breaking the silver cover or the screen. Really fun and practical to use while jogging or in the gym. The strap which comes with it is a bit tacky and not too useful since the Shuffle can very easily slip into you pocket. Actually, it's so light, that you might even forget that you're carrying it.

---Battery---
Amazingly, I churned out 10 hours of playback on shuffle mode. There are two reasons behind it having a reasonably good battery life. Firstly, since it doesn't use any screen(which really eats up battery), and because it uses flash memory;no hard disk spinning and thus, battery usage is kept to a minimal.

---Cost---
[For a low price] you get an iPod, with 12 hours of playback, with a nice shuffle option, with 1GB of flash memory and no screen. Flash memory is old stuff now...hard disks like the Mini's are small and hold up a massive amount of songs. Then again, this is supposed to lightweight and a cheaper alternative to the Mini and the iPod. Lastly, if you already have a Mini, skip this one. If you have an iPod, and need something light to use at the gym or for jogging, this is a very good backup player.

Breaking news: The price on this recently dropped from $149 to $129. It is now very compelling to buy this 1GB model given the small delta to the 512MB.

This review is for current regular iPod owners that are attracted to buy an iPod shuffle as a second player. I own both a 40GB iPod Photo and one 1GB iPod Shuffle.

Initial reactions out of the box:
Out of the box it is as simple as any other iPod and its documentation is simple yet effective. Loading the songs (on a USB 2.0 PC) is slower than the regular iPod charge, which is blazingly fast. It takes several minutes to load the 240 songs on the 1GB model (mine took more than 10 mins on the initial load). The autofill menu is simple and lets you choose from your library or from one of your playlists, either in sequential order or at random. I'd personally would have liked more flexibility (e.g. to load several playlists into it).

When loading it is useful to select the option to reduce high-resolution MP3 into lower rates. The Shuffle only supports AAC and MP3 files up to 320 kbps, which is much more than what most people use (it also supports MP3 VBR files). However, if you do use higher resolutions, there is an option to load everything on 128Kbps AAC.

Sound quality:
Once I have loaded it fully, I have tried it with several types of speakers and earphones. I first tried it with the standard white iPod ear buds which are very convenient, but come across flat, similar to any iPod. I then tried it with a pair of BOSE Acoustic Noise Canceling headphones. The results with the BOSE headset are pretty good; you can not tell a difference from a regular iPod. The music comes across well defined and bass comes across rich and full. This is at the same level as regular iPod, but I somehow expected a less full sound. Finally, I tried it on a set JBL Portable OnTour speakers and again the iPod shuffle stand up really well related to its 40GB iPod Photo sister.

I used the shuffle for a while and I can tell you, the sound quality is pretty good. Apple has done a great job reproducing the same high quality sound as in any iPod, which is much better than many low cost MP3 players out there.

Synchronizing both players:
Then I focused on Synchronization with iTunes, synchronizing both my regular 40GB iPod and my shuffle intermittently. I didn't notice any interoperability issues. You can own both and synchronize both and run into any issues. Remember that iTunes does not allow you to synchronize two regular iPods into one iTunes library (I guess to provide some protection to the music), unless you buy one of the 3rd-party software programs out there. In this case (iPod and Shuffle both on one iTunes) both players can synch with the same library.

Usage models that best fit each player:

iPod Shuffle:
- Exercise at the gym. It's so light and convenient you won't go back to a regular iPod.
- Trekking and walking.
- Short flights. Even with just how easy is to operate a regular iPod you still have to go through a little procedure to get it out, select your music, put on your headphones, and look for where to put it (challenging if you are in coach). You can easily board a plane with your lanyard and turn it on as soon as you can.
- Reading books in the park, your house. Why bother carrying the big iPod if you are basically going to use if for background?

Regular iPod:
- Long trips (e.g. transcontinental) - you are likely to listen to different types of music within the trip.
- Parties (you do want the flexibility or changing your playlist if the mood of the party changes!).
- Listening to specific songs or albums not in a list. Don't even try on the shuffle - the lack of a screen will definitively frustrate you.
- Car trips.

Use Smart playlists to make shuffling a more pleasant experience.
Use Smart playlists. You can easily organize your library by genre, personal rating, time of publication and many other parameters (or several of them at once). If you have a large music library you can easily build smart playlists for "Top rated Rock", "My top rated Songs", "60's Latin" (Bossa Nova lovers) or "90's Soundtracks". Then when you autofill your iPod shuffle simple pick the music that suits your mood and you are on. Changed your mind in the middle of your flight? Simply use your laptop to reload from a different list.

Definitively a winner as a very convenient second player. If you like shuffling on a regular iPod, don't even think about it and get it as a second player for those times where being light is worth the loss of flexibility.

I bought my iPod Shuffle after spending a week debating between it and an iPod mini. I'm an Mac-user, and I used iTunes long before I thought about buying the Shuffle, so there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to buy an iPod of some type, because I feel from my experience that Apple products are very high quality. Luckily I had two friends: One with a iPod Mini and one with an iPod Shuffle, both of whom were very satisfied with their respective products. I didn't buy the iPod mini because I felt the Shuffle was exactly what I was looking for and the iPod mini was a bit too much for what I wanted, but the Mini's are very cool. However, I have not for one second regretted buying my Shuffle.

For a simple, cool little Mp3 player, the value of a Shuffle can't be beat. First of all, the value of using it as a flash drive is almost alone worth the price. 1GB is a huge amount of storage for something this small. It weighs next to nothing, and if you don't watch, you'll leave it in your jacket pocket and lose it. However, good things come in small packages and the sound quality is just plain awesome.

With their "Life is Random" slogon, it is amazing that Apple has launched such a great advertising campaign based upon what many see as a flaw: the lack of a screen. I feel that this actually benefits from the lack of a screen. It wouldn't be as light and the battery life wouldn't be as long if it had a back-lit LCD screen, and in my opinion the screen on most flash Mp3 players (telling you only the name of the song that is playing) is kind of useless and pointless. I've had my Shuffle for a month, and I've never felt that I once desired a screen. Sometimes I let the iTunes software fill it up with autofill and it's cool to listen to it on shuffle mode and get surprised with what comes up. iTunes will also let you set up a playlist in order which you can play straight through.

Other flash players in this price range do not have this much storage. I'd honestly take the extra space over a un-necessary screen anyday. All of my friends with non-Shuffle flash-based Mp3 players are jealous of my Shuffle.

Some people sometimes complain that the only way to charge the Shuffle is through a USB port unless you buy an adaptor from Apple. To be honest, there are computers everywhere today, and almost any one around will be able to charge the Shuffle. The battery life is really 12 hours like they say it is. The fact that the USB port is right on the Shuffle is much nicer than a real iPod if you want to use it as a flash drive. If you want to use a real iPod to transfer data, you need to carry a USB cable with you. The shuffle is much more convenient because it plugs right in. The connection may or may not be as fast as firewire, but if you've got USB 2.0 ports on your computer, it's plenty fast enough.

The only downside to any iPod is that while the earphones sound great, they're not the most comfortable earphones. Some people I know complain that they always fall out. I don't have this problem, but I find that they feel uncomfortable after a couple hours of being in my ears. It's not enough to make me buy a different set, but it's sometimes a bit annoying. Still, if you factor in an extra $20 for the cost of different set of earphones, it's still well-worth the price.

This is a great Mp3 player if you want something to run with, fit in your pocket at work, listen to on the subway, or use also as a quality flash drive to store data on. This is NOT for people who want to put all of their music on it with 70 different playlists to choose from and keep a calendar and everyone's addresses on it. Get a real iPod if that's what you want. If you want an ultra-portible, great-sounding, good-value-for-your-money music player that is easy to use, doubles as a convenient flash drive, has good software, and has good battery life, by all means go for the Shuffle and you'll love it.

When the Shuffle came out early in 2005, it had its day as the newest and coolest in the iPod lineup. I was an early adopter. Since then, the Nano and the video iPod have arrived. So how tempting is the Shuffle almost a year after its introduction?

I remain a Shuffle fan. I would buy it again even given the choice of the newer models. It's not just that it costs less -- I prefer it even without factoring in the price.

The Shuffle is a real workhorse and a tough unit -- there's no need to worry about scratches. I've used mine without a case, keeping it in pockets and bags with keys, pens and other sharp objects, and have never obsessed about keeping it pristine. Despite this, it still looks good. A case for a Shuffle is completely unnecessary. With a Nano, by contrast, a case is, by all accounts, a necessity if you want to avoid scratches that spoil the look and, moreover, reduce the functionality of the tiny screen (which is a pity because a case hides the Nano's good looks and adds to its size).

I use the Shuffle for audiobooks and podcasts as well as for music. It is an excellent device for these purposes. And the sound quality is just as good as on a bigger iPod.

Battery life has been good. I get the rated 12 hours, if not more. (I did buy Apple's AAA battery adapter for use on long journeys, but have never actually had to use it. That said, the fact that you can use AAA batteries is a plus over the other iPods.)

I also I like the fact that one can plug the unit directly into a computer without wires. Wires, like cases, complicate the iPod experience - more "stuff" means more mess and more not to have with you when you need it.

The absence of a screen does not bother me. I regard iTunes on my computer as my way of looking inside the Shuffle -- there, I can decide what to manually place on the Shuffle and in what order. There is no need to have iTunes randomly fill the device with the "autofill" feature, although that can be fun when you are in the mood. Likewise, there is no need to have the Shuffle play what is on it in a random order -- if you prefer, you can play it in the order you established using iTunes.

The 1GB capacity is plenty for the way in which I use the device. I keep my library on my laptop and, using iTunes, simply decide what I want to have on the Shuffle at any given time. I don't see the need to keep everything on an iPod at once so long as it is on a computer to which the Pod connects.

In short, the Shuffle's simplicity and elegance define its appeal. To complain about the features it lacks is to miss the point. It's like complaining that the Mini is a small car. Simplicity is the Shuffle's whole point. In a world of clutter, the Shuffle is a tidy device that works. The fact that it is the least expensive iPod is a bonus.

I fully enjoyed this product. I'd even go so far as to say I loved the shuffle. Up until the day it stopped working...

13 months of bliss only to reside in a landfill. There appears to be a defect with this product that Apple doesn't seem to acknowledge. Basically it stops playing music, computers refuse to recognize the USB device, and any button pressed on the shuffle results in blinking green/amber lights. For more information on the problem see: discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=823. 400+ complaints of broken shuffles.

Luckily I had an extended warrenty on the device and replaced it with a 1G nano.

It was quite the utilitarian product. Loved the USB drive + music player idea; however, this is pretty much a buyer beware product.

I was a bit skeptical about the shuffle at first, but I decided to go buy the 1GB version and just try it out. I immediately fell in love with how small it is, which is a huge selling point for me because I only use it for when I'm walking around campus or when I'm at the gym. The iPod MINI is still too heavy for me-- I don't want it weighing down my pants (I'd put it in my pocket) when I'm at the gym, and I just don't want to deal with the belt-clips. The Shuffle doesn't weigh anything-- you could even just let it hang from the headphones if you wanted.

I don't need to listen to every single song that I have, so the 1GB gives me more than enough room for my favorite 130+ songs. I've had it for just over two weeks and I'm still not tired of the songs on it. You could also use the random-sync mode in iTunes to add songs at random to the player so that you get a surprise you turn it on.

Also, what's really incredible is that other than transferring the music to the device initially (it got a slight charge on the first day), the battery light still reads as "green." It's supposed to go "green, amber, red" to let you know how the battery is holding up. This thing has an incredible battery life, since I have been using it every day since I bought it for several hours a day. The specs say 12 hours (I think) until the battery goes dead, but I'm sure I've been listening to it for way more than that. My best friend bought one the same day (also the 1GB) and his battery has lasted a long time too. We love the shuffle.

The only complaint that I have is that you have to use iTunes to get the music onto the device. I'm not sure if there is any 3rd party software out there that will let you get around this, but I hate iTunes and so that's my only complaint. The way I see it though, I'm only going to sync it every once in a while, and it's something that I'm happy to put up with in order to use this awesome MP3 player.

My other complaint is about the white iPod headphones that come with the Shuffle. How can I put it nicely-- THEY SUCK. They have absolutely NO bass response and they flatten out the tone of almost every song. At first I was disappointed with the sound quality of the MP3s through the shuffle, but I switched to my good Sony headphones and there was a tremendous difference. The songs sound so much better, and I felt relieved that it wasn't something wrong with the player itself (because there is no equalizer on the shuffle, but it's not needed). Despite the fact that the iPod earphones look good and they have a short cord that doesn't get all tangled up all the time, I think that they are uncomfortable and don't sound good at all.

I've been looking for a great MP3 player for years, and this one definitely wins me over. If you are in the market for an MP3 player, and you want something for the gym or something active, or if you just want to be discreet and not have some clunky player attached to your waist, this is definitely the way to go!

This is an excellent product that I would recommend to anyone wanting a hassle-free way to take music on the go. I'm not going to write a full account of how the thing works. You will find all you need to know in the product blurb above.

But there are a few issues that need to be addressed.

The first issue I would like to address is the lack of a screen. Many people have criticised the iPod Shuffle for lacking a screen. In my experience this is not such a big deal. The displays on players of this size tend to be as useful as those on portable CD players: that is to say not very useful at all. Apple has decided to make the Shuffle as simple as possible: load it up with music and go - that's it. No fiddling about with playlists and selections, just go. While you can play songs in a predetermined order, in practice the Shuffle feature is actually a lot more fun. It is essentially like a radio station tuned to your own taste and without the annoying DJs or advertising. The controls are the simplest and most efficient of any player of similar capacity.

Other companies decided to make a digital version of the Walkman/Discman with similar interface conventions and expectations. Apple did not. In my view Apple understands that the rules have changed for digital music and that this means a whole new kind of portable player, not some smaller version of a discman. Apple has realized that, for a player that will transport only a fraction of your music library with you, the management aspects are best offloaded to the software you use to transfer the music to the player. That is where you really need the organizing features, not in the player itself. As I'll point out in a minute, in this aspect of use Apple is currently unbeaten.

The sound quality is surprisingly good for a portable device - in fact that's faint praise - it's great. Note that it is worth encoding from your CDs in the iTunes (default) AAC format rather than mp3 as AAC files just sound a whole lot better. If you don't know what this means, don't worry. iTunes is already set to do this when you first install it. However, you can change it any time you like.

The supplied earbuds are very very good, but like most portables you can obviously get better sound quality if you upgrade to a more expensive set of headphones.

The build quality is robust, although you might wish to buy one of the sport cases or skins to protect it from scratches. The thing looks pretty cool too. I have had people stop me in the street to ask what it is.

The price is excellent for what you get, which is both surprising and pleasing given that it is sold by Apple.

But now for the most important feature: it's the software, stupid.

A digital music player is next to useless unless the software that organizes and transfers the music to your player is simple to use and actually works. Other companies have produced fine players, but their worth is marred by the fact that the software they supply for music management is outrageously bad, and in many cases simply too difficult for ordinary users to operate and troubleshoot. I know many people who have bought or been given digital music players who have simply put them in a draw because they could not get the software to work (Sony is the worst offender in this regard).

Apple's iTunes is still the best music management app available for the regular user. As its fans are so fond of pointing out, it just works. Filling the IPod Shuffle from iTunes works exactly as advertised, and iTunes is simple and easy to learn in a few minutes. The best strategy for the Shuffle is to use the "Smart Playlists" feature to automatically select music in various groups that you might like (e.g. dance for "Workout"; mellow for "Walk in the park"; and Pink Floyd for "Quiet Desperation on the Subway"). You can make five or six smart playlists like this in a couple of minutes. Then plug the Shuffle in, select the particular list you want and press "Autofill". In a few minutes it is done and you can leave.

If you are thinking about trying the iPod Shuffle, you can download iTunes for free from Apple to see if you like it. Technophiles sometimes complain that iTunes lacks some features that they (and only they) want, but is irrelevant to the ordinary user: iTunes is simple, anyone can use it, and it works. End of story.

If you want a simple solution to carry a reasonable subset of your music with you during any activity, it is hard to beat the iPod Shuffle. I'm really enjoying mine.

My shuffles got delivered last weekend. I ordered a 1GB for myself, and a 512MB for my wife. Since the 512MB version is for my wife's B-Day, I had to keep them hidden through the weekend. I set up both, and I will discuss the 1GB since it's the one I've spent time with.

Packaging: True to form, this is another example of excellent Apple packaging. The green box is distinctive, and obviously will be the color of choice for all shuffle related packaging. One interesting note is the package has a "loop" plastic closure tab, so these things are meant to be hanging on a display rack. I imagine we will eventually see these things for sale everywhere. Opening the box revealed a simple set-up... laynard, earbuds, and the shuffle. Beneath the contents was a small CD folder containg iTunes and instructions. I actually haven't read the instructions yet, but intend to once I don't have to keep the thing hidden from my wife.

Shuffle: Man, this thing is light. Almost disturbing at first, it just doesn't feel like anything. However, I got past this once it was in my pocket. It's great because you don't know it's there... ie there when you want it, not in the way when you aren't using it. The slider switch for Off, Playlist, Shuffle was stiff at first, but after moving it a few times it became easier. (Of note, this was hard to operate when my hands were cold, so be aware of this). The navigation ring is very simple and obvious. Play/Pause, Forward, Back, Vol Up, Vol Down. That's it. The battery button is cool, I would like to see some times for how much juice is left when it is amber, but otherwise cool idea.

Setup: Taking the cap off of the USB connector, you see either 1GB or 512MB printed on the connector. I have an older mac, so I only have USB 1.1. This wasn't a big deal. The mac recognized the player, asked me to name and register it, and we were ready to go. iTunes has a new window for the Shuffle, giving choices on Auto-Fill or Manual, Source for autofill, and a few other settings. Hitting the iPod button gives more advanced settings such as auto-conversion to 128kbs AAC from other formats, and setting aside memory allocation to use as a data storage device.

I set mine up for 256MB data storate, 744 MB of music. I chose a specially designed playlist as my source, and hit Auto Fill. iTunes picked approx 190 songs from this list randomly, and started to transfer. USB 1.1 transfer time was approx 15 minutes (glacially slow compared to firewire), but really, this was OK since I'm going to use USB to charge the thing anyway, which takes 4 hours.

Use: I got to use it for the first time yesterday on my walk to work. I use my 40GB iPod in shuffle mode while walking anyway, so this was no different. Sound quality is excellent. It fits in any pocket, and while I haven't used the lanyard yet, it does look like a great solution for occasions where you don't have pockets. I'm sure it will look a little dorky at first, but I have a sneaky feeling that everyone will be wearing these things like jewelry very soon.

As a flash-memory key, it is formated in FAT-32 (windows) format, which is handy. You can use it effortlessly between mac and windows, transfering files, pictures, etc. Very useful, and it is plug and play ready for this purpose.

Two thing that I really appreciate: 1. Weight. It's so light, as discussed earlier. Just perfect for walking / biking / working out. 2. Navigation ring. Far superior to scroll wheel for use while in my pocket. Very easy to get to by feel through my coat, pants or shirt. Easy to change volume, fast forward, pause, etc. Just brilliant, simple engineering.

iPod -vs- Shuffle: The shuffle isn't for everyone. The lack of a screen makes it a tough primary player unless your only use is for working out / walking around. Not usefull at all as a source of listening for a home stereo, maybe usefull in the future in the car. However, I doubt I'll every use my 4th gen, 40GB iPod as a portable device again. I think it's found its permanent place in my home stereo, as a complete substitution for CDs. The shuffle is perfect for my mobile needs... I'm not just saying this as an Apple fan... it is PERFECT as a mobile MP3 player. Just music, long battery life, low cost, and seemless integration with iTunes. Even USB 1.1 transfer times are tolerable since you have to charge the thing anyway.

I was hesitant when the shuffle was announced, but now I see the light. I can't wait to give my wife hers, I'm sure she will absolutely love it. It looks like her mini is going to find a permanent home in the car.

Despite what some might says, this iPod fills my need for a portable MP3 player. It's just about how you want to use it. For me, it's put it on my laptop USB port, clic Autofill, which selects my favorite songs in my librairy, and go. When do I use this iPod ? Sport training, metro and much more.

The lack of a LCD screen ? It is disturbing for about 10 seconds. Think about it : a one line LCD screen (about all you could fit on this tiny tiny iPod) would only show the current song, and I'm sure you know you library song when you hear them.

iPod 'classic' idea is to bring your entire music library with you. Shuffle idea is to bring "Music for today". Select which one you need, it's up to you !