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Apple unveils flash-based iPod Shuffle

updated 02:00 pm EST, Tue January 11, 2005

Apple unveils iPod Shuffle

, a new flash memory-based digital music player based on iPod's shuffle feature which lets users "experience their music in a million different ways." Smaller and lighter than a pack of gum, iPod shuffle comes with its own lanyard so it's ready to wear right out of the box. iPod shuffle works seamlessly with iTunes' AutoFill feature which automatically selects songs from a user's music library to fill up iPod shuffle with just one click. iPod shuffle is the most affordable iPod ever and is available in two models: 512MB holding up to 120 songs for $100 and 1GB holding up to 240 songs for just $150.

by MacNN Staff

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dece
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Dec 2003

0

01/11, 02:21pm | report spam | close Reply |
Shocked

I mean, so we saw it coming, but I'm still in shock.

Todd Madson
Mac Elite

Joined: Apr 2000

0

01/11, 02:42pm | report spam | close Reply |
Tiny? Miniscule.

It's definetely small. I can see people with less cash
who wanted an iPod or those who didn't feel the need for
thousands of songs on their player would get one
of these.

I don't see myself getting one having been an early
iPod adopter since the first 5 GB unit days.

awcopus
Mac Elite

Joined: Nov 2001

0

01/11, 02:58pm | report spam | close Reply |
sport pod

I will take this thing with me to the gym or to the track or to the park.

My 3G 30GB iPod will come with me on vacations, business trips, road trips, basically any longer excursion where I would want all of those extra songs or HD space. Of course, I'll keep the sport pod (shuffle, whatever) on my key chain in case I get a chance to work out whereever it is I'm going.

Not really into the "life is random" thing, but I like the no-moving-parts thing.

flask
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: May 2004

0

01/11, 03:09pm | report spam | close Reply |
random for me

Since I don't usually listen to music away from my computer, it was hard to justify the cost of an iPod. And even though it would be nice to have my entire collection with me to choose from, I also like the idea of just having iTunes fill it up randomly as I'm heading out the door and having enough music just for that one trip in the car. That's all I really need, all I wanted, and now Apple has provided. Thanks. :)

alfredo
Forum Regular

Joined: Jul 1999

0

01/11, 03:11pm | report spam | close Reply |
You can probably

make CD's as one file. That way you will have random CD's, but not random songs.

DeepDish
Forum Regular

Joined: May 2001

0

01/11, 03:12pm | report spam | close Reply |
My daughtes will love...

My 5 year old wants a portable cd player. This is perfect for her.

Toyin
Mac Elite

Joined: Nov 2000

0

01/11, 03:27pm | report spam | close Reply |
Just bought 2

I use my iPod photo at the gym regularly. The funny thing is I play the same 'Gym Mix' which randomizes the same 40 or 50 songs all the time. This thing is perfect for me and the right price. iPod photo for the car, vacations, trips..etc. iPod Shuffle for the gym.

bobolicious
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2002

0

01/11, 03:42pm | report spam | close Reply |
They'll be giving them..

...away in 2 years... but looks like the right thing 4 me for yard work, gym, skiing, etc 'cause AAC is soooo much better than MP3... Add FM & I'd be even happier...

benhur
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2001

0

01/11, 04:24pm | report spam | close Reply |
cool, I guess

I think it'll do fine because it's from Apple but it's not exactly "new". There are already keychain drives that play music. I know they don't work with iTunes or have the Apple ease of use. We did see it coming from the rumors but the price is much better than expected. Though I personally would pay the little bit extra it may have costs for just a one line display.

There are lot's of practical reasons for it besides showing what track. Apple assumes that everyone won't mind to "shuffle". Personally, I go nuts on my iPod when I don't know what song is on or I want to hear a particular one. Yes, yes, there will be workarounds but that's missing the point.

The display could have also shown the time, battery life, etc. Still very simple but adding a lot more value.

It makes me think of that movie IQ with Tim Robbins when he visits the lab and there is a guy going crazy in a small room with glass windows. He asks what is going on and the scientists says he's doing an experiment on the deprivation of time. The guy is flipping out. Maybe it's just me but sometimes I need to know the song. Some songs start out very soft or slow or whatever.

I'll probably still get one but I'm a little underwhelmed. Well, welcome to the flash market Apple. Go get 'em.

John F.
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2004

0

01/11, 04:31pm | report spam | close Reply |
Apple did it again

The iPod shuffle is nice for people who exercise a lot. All they want to do is hook up the iPod Shuffle, add songs randomly from a couple of specific workout playlists, and then go on working out! iPod shuffle is perfect for those people. And I think the audience who work out is rather big. So Apple did it again. For those people, the iTunes/iPod integration works miracles and is not to pricey.

RTiMac
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2004

0

01/11, 04:44pm | report spam | close Reply |
I just got back...

from Steve's keynote and took a quick look in the Apple store here in SF. People are buying them 3, 4 and 5 at a time, and there is a huge line at both the upstairs and downstairs cash registers.

Looks like Apple has another hit on it's hands.

flask
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: May 2004

0

01/11, 04:45pm | report spam | close Reply |
don't forget...

...despite 'shuffle' being in the name, you don't *have* to set it to shuffle mode. And if you want a specific playlist to be copied from iTunes to the iPS, you can do that too. And as others mentioned, it doubles as a USB-powered flash drive.

flask
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: May 2004

0

01/11, 04:48pm | report spam | close Reply |
re: don't forget

...though I will agree with others that it would've been nice to have *some* sort of digital readout, even if it's just one line of scrolling text like pagers have, to tell you what song is playing. But, that would increase the size, weight, and cost. It's good enough for me as it is.

Monstermind
Junior Member

Joined: May 2000

0

01/11, 04:53pm | report spam | close Reply |
General Question

Doesn't flash memory go "bad" after a while? Like those 128mb CompactFlash cards that slowly lose their capacity? Or is this something else?

sayonaraML
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

01/11, 05:01pm | report spam | close Reply |
Saw it, bought it...

Not very impressed reading the news but after going down and seeing it at Macworld I was sold. Went up to the Apple Store and bought one and have to second what another poster said. Lines (two!) out the door and people were buying them in multiples.

mactalent
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2000

0

01/11, 05:12pm | report spam | close Reply |
Great for workouts

When I worked at an Apple Store there were a few customers who worked out vigorously who had problems with their iPods and had tem replaced under warranty more than once, the vibration apparently caused them to fail. The flash memory based Shuffle has a better chance of surviving being dropped.

lurkerdude
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2005

0

01/11, 05:23pm | report spam | close Reply |
What file system?

There doesn't seem to be a Windows/Mac differentiation. Does this mean the file system is FAT or something else? Or does it need to be reformatted like the current iPod? If it's interoperable I would definitely buy one.

I don't mind the lack of a display. $99 is a great move by Apple. Actually very surprising. I always like it when Apple makes stuff for "the rest of us" and not the "I drive a Lexus, la dee da" crowd.

chabig
Addicted to MacNN

Joined: Jun 1999

0

01/11, 05:38pm | report spam | close Reply |
It's DOS formatted

"There doesn't seem to be a Windows/Mac differentiation. Does this mean the file system is FAT or something else? Or does it need to be reformatted like the current iPod? If it's interoperable I would definitely buy one."

You better run buy one then. I just plugged mine in and did "Get Info" on it. It's MS-DOS formatted. So it's fully compatible with both Mac and PC.

lurkerdude
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2005

0

01/11, 06:37pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: It's DOS formatted

"You better run buy one then. I just plugged mine in and did "Get Info" on it. It's MS-DOS formatted. So it's fully compatible with both Mac and PC."

Awesome!

Monstermind
Junior Member

Joined: May 2000

0

01/11, 06:38pm | report spam | close Reply |
The iPod Skinni

Too bad Karen Carpenter's dead; she could have had her own "Special Edition" iPod...

kidatari
Junior Member

Joined: Dec 2000

0

01/11, 06:48pm | report spam | close Reply |
Apple's sense of humor

Did anyone notice that on Apple's iPod Shuffle page at the bottom it says "Do not eat iPod shuffle." But it looks so tasty!!

ovrlrd
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2004

0

01/11, 08:55pm | report spam | close Reply |
Two things.

1) Am I the only one who though "huh? no display? I guess that means we will be using some clever iTunes Applescripts with this thing." I am thinking something along the lines of CK's Put Speech on Your iPod script ( http://www.malcolmadams.com/itunes/scripts/scripts08.php?page=2#cksputspeech ) where it basically does some quick text-to-speech using iTunes info. One idea for instance is to have it just create sound files of every album. So when you want to put a bunch of albums on your iPod shuffle (instead of autofill) you can have a track to start each album which contains the info about that album. Your iPod will speak out the album name. That makes it easier to find which album to listen to on "sequential" mode or whatever. It also serves as a good separator between albums. Well I think someone could really make this idea happen pretty easily. The only problem I saw immediately with the script was that it outputs AIFF, which the iPod shuffle doesn't support (sadly). Ah well just imagine what people will come up with! Anyone can feel free to use my idea, it's not like I have an iPod shuffle to play around with it on anyway.

2) Where is the keychain cap for the iPod shuffle? I think a lot of people would love to keep the thing on their keychain. There are tons of USB memory stick keychains out there. I hope someone comes up with something like this, it would sell like crazy. The lanyard is cool and all, but if I could wear it on my keychain, i'd go out and buy the iPod shuffle tomorrow.

Thats all I got for now.

Kirke
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Oct 2004

0

01/11, 09:38pm | report spam | close Reply |
Ordered mine already

I have a 10gig Gen 2 iPod and I just ordered the 512 shuffle to replace/complement it. When I use my iPod (on my 2 hour train commute) it's on my belt in a case and I control it with the remote. I never look at the screen except to switch playlists (which most days I don't do). So when I get on the train I have to clip the iPod on my belt, clip the remote on my shirt and try not to get tangled up in cords. With the shuffle, I can drop it in my shirt pocket and I'm good to go. And since I rarely look at the screen, I'm not losing anything. Also, I'm more likely to use it because it's more convenient and lighter. It's perfect for me.

It's funny, if Apple had introduced this a year ago it would have been a flop, but now that we have experienced the wonderful iPod/iTunes combination it makes sense.

I noticed that a few days ago Virgin introduced a "silver dollar sized" player with no screen. It comes in 128M for $79 and 256M for $99. And you add song "by simply dragging and dropping the files you want onto it." The iTunes integration with iPod shuffle will make it infinitely more usable AND the iPod is cheaper. Apple's got a winner here.

"Expected ship date on or before January 19th." It will be long wait.

brentsax
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2002

0

01/12, 12:25am | report spam | close Reply |
Don't eat it.

Anybody seen the disclaimers at the bottom of the iPod Shuffle page at Apple? http://www.apple.com/ipodshuffle/ --Kinda funny. Apparently it isn't edible...

velocitychannel
Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: Sep 2000

0

01/12, 08:59am | report spam | close Reply |
Cool

This is EXACTLY what I wanted. Not to mention my son has been dying for an iPod lately and this will be perfect for him. Way to go Apple!

PHILVID2

Joined:

0

01/12, 08:47pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Free iPod Shuffle?

Want an iPod Shuffle? Get one for free at
http://www.FreeiPodShuffle.com/?r=13897142

z10n
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Oct 2003

0

01/13, 10:35am | report spam | close Reply |
Done Deal

I bought the low end one, and the armband. I have a 1st Gen iPod but the damn thing is too bulky most of the time. The Shuffle is absolutely perfect for use as a work-out iPod. I only need a day's worth of songs- I mean, unless you are traveling, do you really need your entire library with you at once? Let the shuffle give you a random taste of your library, or just grab your highest ranked songs. Perfect.

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Apple unveils flash-based iPod Shuffle

updated 02:00 pm EST, Tue January 11, 2005

Apple unveils iPod Shuffle

Shocked

Tiny? Miniscule.

sport pod

random for me

You can probably

My daughtes will love...

Just bought 2

They'll be giving them..

cool, I guess

Apple did it again

I just got back...

don't forget...

re: don't forget

General Question

Saw it, bought it...

Great for workouts

What file system?

It's DOS formatted

Re: It's DOS formatted

The iPod Skinni

Apple's sense of humor

Two things.

Ordered mine already

Don't eat it.

Cool

Free iPod Shuffle?

Done Deal

Login Here

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Apple unveils flash-based iPod Shuffle

updated 02:00 pm EST, Tue January 11, 2005

Apple unveils iPod Shuffle

Related Articles

Recent Articles

Shocked

Tiny? Miniscule.

sport pod

random for me

You can probably

My daughtes will love...

Just bought 2

They'll be giving them..

cool, I guess

Apple did it again

I just got back...

don't forget...

re: don't forget

General Question

Saw it, bought it...

Great for workouts

What file system?

It's DOS formatted

Re: It's DOS formatted

The iPod Skinni

Apple's sense of humor

Two things.

Ordered mine already

Don't eat it.

Cool

Free iPod Shuffle?

Done Deal

Login Here

Register for our weekly email newsletter:

Connect tools:

Subscribe

to our RSS

Follow us

on Twitter

10 Most Read

10 Most Discussed

MacNN Marketplace