53 of 61 people found the following review helpful:
Great Portable iPod, but could use better headphones
When I first got the new ipod shuffle, I knew about the problems that some were having with exercising and sweat causing the ipod to malfunction, so I also bought the Belkin Headphone Adapter to go with the ipod. Using it with the adapter, I have had no problems and the player works wonderfully. I love the size and the fact that this ipod can be clipped onto your shirt...
263 of 268 people found the following review helpful:
Headphones suck!
The headphones that are required to use the new ipod shuffle are probably the poorest example of product design i've ever seen. Based on its size, portability and Apple's marketing, you would think this would be a perfect product for exercising. That is where you would be wrong! The controls on the headphone wire are right up next to your ear, and unless you exercise...
The headphones that are required to use the new ipod shuffle are probably the poorest example of product design i've ever seen. Based on its size, portability and Apple's marketing, you would think this would be a perfect product for exercising. That is where you would be wrong! The controls on the headphone wire are right up next to your ear, and unless you exercise without sweating, that tiny box is doomed to get filled with sweat. I bought this ipod specifically for running, but after about 3 miles the controls start acting totally erratically, randomly and constantly switching between songs and playlists, or alternatively not playing any music but just talking at me with its annoying computer voice. I can only attribute the behavior to sweat getting on the control box. Today I even tried covering the box with plastic wrap and tape, but to no avail. I was so frustrated with the ipod's crazy behavior on mile 6 that I actually ripped the headphones out of my ears and threw them in the ditch. Not kidding. Looking for some alternative to control it, because I do really like it's size for running, and the new playlist feature is great...but not when it's acting crazy. I'm so irritated that Apple overlooked this crucial aspect of this product.
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I bought the new iPod Shuffle as a replacement for my 2nd Gen Shuffle (which I loved) which died. I already have a iPhone which I use on a daily basis. The Shuffle is just for use in the gym and when out running.
I have just returned the iPod Shuffle as I have had nothing but problems with it. The first one I bought died completely within a couple of days and was duly replaced. The replacement I was given caused me nothing but headaches and so is now on its way back to Apple. I won't be getting another.
Each time I used it, it either stopped working, wouldn't change tracks or kept on repeating the message "playlist 1, playlist 1..." which was so annoying that I had to stop using it and am now looking for an alternative product.
The reason it does this (so I am told) is because the controls on the headphones are not moisture-proof! Mine died on me during slow jog in which I was hardly sweating at all! So unless you are one of those people who never sweats, this product is completely useless.
I know that Apple are working with 3rd party headphone manufacturers to produce alternative headphones, but why should you have to pay more just to get headphones which actually do what they are supposed to do?
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The only way to control this mp3 player is through controls on the headphones. I like to use my own headphones, so this unit is basically unusable.
Even with the Apple headphones, the controls don't work very well. Do yourself a favor, and get a different product. I don't know what Apple was thinking.
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The headphones stop working when they come into contact with sweat. It's been a widespread problem. (Google new apple headphones sweat)
The volume controls and tracking controls stop working. Since there are no controls on the Shuffle itself, you cannot change the volume or change songs while running.
The Shuffle is useless for runners. I am very disappointed.
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I am about to return my second new iPod shuffle. I wasn't fond of the new design with controls on the headphones because I like to use 3rd party headphone (like those that sit on the ear and not in it), but as it turned out that was the least of my concerns. Sweat just a little bit and the thing starts to go haywire -- sometimes I cannot change the volume at all, or the voice over randomly pops on to tell me the song or the playlist, or sometimes it just stops working altogether. The first time I thought I had a lemon and returned it. But my second one has the same problem.
From reviews I've read on Apple's official Support page, *lots* of people are having the same problem. I guess that controller in the headphones cannot handle any moisture.
I just paid a lot more money for an older shuffle that has only half the memory. Sometimes Apple screws up, and this is one of those times.
If you plan to use your iPod for exercise, do *not* buy this model until Apple fixes the problem.
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This is my first real review on Amazon and I'm making it because I'm ridiculously pissed that I spent money on this piece of crap.
Like most people here, I bought this specifically so that I could take it to the gym. After a few trips to the gym it didn't matter how fully charged the main body of the shuffle was because the control box was useless when sweat got into it. The light would blink, the playlist would skip/cycle through all the songs and the volume control was useless.
I had purchased another unit for my gf and "borrowed" her headset and for the moment I'm satisfied that I can use mine again - but I'm really annoyed at the idea that when this headset goes, both shuffles will be useless. I'm definitely not getting another and I hope that this review discourages anyone else from buying one.
I generally love Apple's products but I'm really REALLY disgusted by this one.
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It looks great, the size is great, but if you sweat this is the worst product on the market!!!!!! If the remote gets wet, which it will if you workout, the thing starts acting crazy, and until it dries out, it will not work. Belkin makes a $20 adapter, but you would think Apple would have tested it on someone that sweats! There are rumors that it is going to be recalled because the reviews.
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This is the kind of product that comes down the production line when a company thinks that it is infallible. What a shameful product. Putting the controls in the earphones? Surely you jest. Have had the product for less two weeks, the headphones have worked as they should one time. Remember Apple...you were once on the fringes of bankrupcy, don't think that it cannot happen again.
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I'll keep this short. I liked the fact that you could create playlists and, once you get the hang of the controls, it was easy to select the music you wanted to hear. The headphones on the other hand are complete garbage. One earbud is nearly silent, it's like I'm just wearing an earplug in one ear. So, basically this thing is putting out mono quality sound. I haven't even used this while exercising so my problem isn't the result of getting moisture in the control. This is the worst $50 I've ever spent. I read the bad reviews before buying and thought I'd still give it a chance because I might get lucky. Do yourself a favor, save your money becaues odds are you're going to get burned.
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I agree with those who complain about the design of the control apparatus (which they call a 'remote') which is too close to the earbuds of the head phones and thus awkward to use. And, worse, the controls may become unreliable or simply stop working if you sweat on them -- and I'm willing to bet that many of us got a Shuffle primarily to use when we work out. But like Mr Johnson says in his review, I've solved the problem by adding a Belkin accessory Belkin Headphone Adapter with Remote for iPod Shuffle which puts the controls next to the iPod itself which, of course, can be located further away from the headphones clipped, say, to your shirt. With that adjustment, I like the iPod, but whoever designed the iPod's controls ought to be fired.
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