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SF Chronicle, CNET rank iPod shuffle, mini

updated 11:40 am EST, Mon February 14, 2005

iPod shuffle, mini review

The San Francisco Chronicle and CNET look at four "featherweight" digital music players, including the . The review gives the shuffle 7 out of 10, citing good sound quality, a stylish design, and affordable price point. However, the review picks Creative's MuVo Micro N200 over Apple's shuffle because, "a simple MP3 player with no extra features (or even a screen) appeals to some people, but we prefer a device with a little more bang for your buck." The iPod mini receives a higher rating of 8.7 out of 10, for its "impressive graphical interface and sound specs" and "excellent design." The mini loses points, however, for not including "FM radio or recording" and having a non-user-replaceable battery.

by MacNN Staff

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Lyra
Forum Regular

Joined: Jul 2000

0

02/14, 12:05pm | report spam | close Reply |
Morons...

I mean come on, who the h*** needs FM Radio in an iPod which was designed to play mp3? If I want a FM AM Radio, then some one should make one that makes sense. I have an FM radio in my phone, do you think I use it? NO!

Most of my friends have Radio in their phones, and NO ONE uses it!

It is like a car loosing points for NOT being Able to Fly! (cause we are in the year 2005 and we have small planes with wheels)

What's next? A digital camera in the iPod? just cause they have the iPod photo?

Keep it simple ! And let the technology be advanced enough to produce outstanding sound and picture...

jasonsRX7
Mac Elite

Joined: Jul 2003

0

02/14, 12:21pm | report spam | close Reply |
no big loss

I guess I can kind of see the appeal of an FM tuner... but really, if you put 10 of the popular pop songs on your iPod, you pretty much have every FM station playlist anyway. Radio sucks.

Luke Chastain
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2002

0

02/14, 12:24pm | report spam | close Reply |
FM Radio?

Has anyone used a portable FM radio lately? They're really great when you're not in a city or withing 2 miles of the transmitter.

JeffHarris
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Oct 1999

0

02/14, 12:25pm | report spam | close Reply |
Radio? Why not?

An FM radio would be a nice feature. Being able to listen to NPR would be a nice option, too. It's not an unreasonable request.

Personally, I'd like to see Griffin come up with a combo FM receiver/transmitter. Listen to the radio or transmit your tunes to a radio. THAT would be nice!

The thing with the iPod that sets it apart is that they do NOT have every feature under the sun. A radio iPod would be nice, too. But then you start having dozens of models. Which to choose? Confusion appears. With the iPod the question of what to buy is relatively simple... shuffle, mini, standard or photo? ... what size? which color? It's a simple choice.

This is what's so fantastic about the iPod add-on market... pick one of 3 iPods and customize the bejeezus out of it... or not. It's YOUR choice. Isn't that what the Mac has always been about?

EMC
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jun 2002

0

02/14, 12:36pm | report spam | close Reply |
slow transfer speeds?

did this reviewer try to upload songs using a computer without USB 2.0?

moron.

OsakaBill
Forum Regular

Joined: Oct 1999

0

02/14, 12:46pm | report spam | close Reply |
I Don't Get It

So what is the big deal about an FM reciever? I never listen to the radio when I am at home, only listening to it when I am in my car. When I do listen to radio in my car, it is either NPR for news and info or sports. (And listening to sports while driving is a bad idea!)

I hate DJs. I hate the banter and the silly contests that waste my time. I hate most pop music and the repetitive playlists. Most of all, I hate commercials.

Since I purchased an FM transmitter for my iPod, I listen to my iPod now exclusively.

So tell me again why I need or want an FM receiver in my iPod? So tell me again why I would want to pay for a feature I would not want. need, or use?

Ganesha
Senior User

Joined: Jul 2002

0

02/14, 12:51pm | report spam | close Reply |
Who own SF Chronical?

Perhaps the reviewers paper and shares a common parent with many FM radio stations.

testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

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02/14, 12:54pm | report spam | close Reply |
Screen?

They like the Muvo for it has a screen, yet their main complaint? Screen's not big enough! Also, even with a screen, there's no playlist support, no sorting by anything (it does it by file name) and they recommend using Windows explorer to put your music on there (rather than an MP3 software). And you gotta love their eco-friendly review, where they'd rather have a bunch of dead AAAs laying around then using a rechargable.

Oh, and don't forget to bring your adapter cable with you, can't plug theirs right into a computer...

mugwump
Junior Member

Joined: Feb 2000

0

02/14, 01:15pm | report spam | close Reply |
they forgot something

Um, the shuffle does have a screen, and it's called iTunes.

Seriously, any review of a digital music player must also include the software that you interact with it. These are not standalone cassette players.

The iPod's abilities are enhanced by iTunes: Autofill options, convert large formats to 128kb on the fly, easy music store, simple playlists using any criteria you need, etc.

spacefreak
Addicted to MacNN

Joined: Feb 2002

0

02/14, 01:20pm | report spam | close Reply |
Hey fools...

People are allowed to like things made by companies other than Apple. Seriously.

umijin
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jun 2004

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02/14, 01:21pm | report spam | close Reply |
I need a radio, dude!

That article hit it on the nose for some of us. Yeah, a radio! Want one! I sometimes like to hear the freaking news or some decent broadcast programming on my iPod once in a while. It sometimes beats recording morning edition or other radio show (or PodCasts) in advance.

And my rechargeable batteries (AAA) for my old Rio player are quite environmentally friendly... AND they give me more battery life than the freaking shuffle. Oh yeah, that 3 year old Rio flash player has a radio and screen and playlist support and clips anywhere with it's included holder and clip. Much better for exercise than the sharp-edged Shuffle.

The biggest problem I see with that article is that its choice, the Muvo, doesn't seem to play nice with the Mac or iTunes. So - it doesn't really help me personally. However, most of the computer users in the world (like it or not) are Windoze users, so the article probably serves them quite well.

Stop being sheep and realize that Apple's current music players aren't the best for everyone.

umijin
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jun 2004

0

02/14, 01:22pm | report spam | close Reply |
I need a radio, dude!

That article hit it on the nose for some of us. Yeah, a radio! Want one! I sometimes like to hear the freaking news or some decent broadcast programming on my iPod once in a while. It sometimes beats recording morning edition or other radio show (or PodCasts) in advance.

And my rechargeable batteries (AAA) for my old Rio player are quite environmentally friendly... AND they give me more battery life than the freaking shuffle. Oh yeah, that 3 year old Rio flash player has a radio and screen and playlist support and clips anywhere with it's included holder and clip. Much better for exercise than the sharp-edged Shuffle.

The biggest problem I see with that article is that its choice, the Muvo, doesn't seem to play nice with the Mac or iTunes. So - it doesn't really help me personally. However, most of the computer users in the world (like it or not) are Windoze users, so the article probably serves them quite well.

Stop being sheep and realize that Apple's current music players aren't the best for everyone.

FeralCat
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Feb 2005

0

02/14, 01:27pm | report spam | close Reply |
Muvo

Two things:

1) Is a tiny, unusable screen better than no screen at all?
2) The iPod Shuffle gets knocked for slow transfer speeds, but the Muvo is also USB 2.0!

I guess I don't get it. This review looks like it was thrown together in 5 min.

Kenneth
Addicted to MacNN

Joined: Mar 1999

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02/14, 01:38pm | report spam | close Reply |
I don't need any reviews

I just got the 512mb iPod shuffle 2 days ago. Love it! Meanwhile, my PowerMac G4 doesn't come with USB 2.0, but the transfering speed is good enough. I really love the size of the iPod shuffle compared to my 10GB iPod (2G).

testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

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02/14, 01:58pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: I need a radio

Hey, I'd like a radio too. But unless its AM/FM, then its pretty useless for me. Most of the stuff I'd want to listen to a radio for are generally on the AM dial (news, weather, traffic, ball games, etc). The FM dial is basically four different playlists on 30 different stations. Little worth listening to, and little to care for an FM only player.

misnomer
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Oct 2003

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02/14, 04:00pm | report spam | close Reply |
Gym

Does noone here work out at a gym? That's what makes FM receivers in a portable player critical as the audio for the TV you choose to watch is transmitted.

jasonsRX7
Mac Elite

Joined: Jul 2003

0

02/14, 04:18pm | report spam | close Reply |
radio earphones

So until Apple makes the perfect iPod with radio, camera, phone, and tanning bed integrated, why not use some of those earphones that have a radio built in? It works between the iPod and the earphones, so it's not as much like carrying around two devices.

http://great-well.en.alibaba.com/group/50050454/Radio_Earphones.html

Forbodium
Forum Regular

Joined: Mar 2000

0

02/14, 04:19pm | report spam | close Reply |
If iPod wants my vote...

I currently workout with a personal radio. I don�t listen to sports, but I get my news, weather, and traffic just fine on FM stations. I don�t listen to the stations with endless repetition of playlists. There ARE other choices on the FM dial. However, I find that there are certain days of the week which I would rather choose my stored content, and THAT�s where my interest in the iPod comes from.

I am currently looking at certain non-iTunes-compatible players because I want a built-in radio, and because I want to be able to choose on the fly what songs I listen to on a flash-based player. Many of them also come with expansion slots, which adds BIG selling-point differential between them and Apple�s offerings. 512MB SD-cards are currently under $30 USD and getting cheaper. By the time my media increases to where I�d need three of those, the 2GB capacity ones should be affordable.

I want to buy something that has iTunes compatibility, but not if my needs are ignored.

Maclectic
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2002

0

02/14, 04:50pm | report spam | close Reply |
Expected from CNET

Most reviews are semi arbitrary. We know however, that anything from CNET will be slightly or greatly slanted against Apple.

They put the weight on factors that will make Apple look worse than they should. If FM reception built-in were such a big deal and an influential factor, then iPods would not be so successful, but you wouldn't know it from the reviews. Apparently the great organizational synergy of iPod and iTunes is also easily overlooked when you want to overlook it.

The iPod (regular, mini, shuffle) will show what ratings they deserve by their performance in the marketplace. Unlike OSes, you aren't forced to use a WMA media player at work or school.

kw99
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 2001

0

02/14, 09:30pm | report spam | close Reply |
Survey irrelevant

I read the review and it does look like they wrote the article based on specs instead of actual user experience. Besides, the iPod shuffle is in its own category so the review is irrelevant. It has no screen and no radio because its designer chose to NOT include those features. Instead, Apple focused on simplicity, price (value for the amount of storage), and physical size. Based on sales, Apple got it right once again. Adding a tiny screen and FM radio, along with the larger physical size, higher price tag, and reduced battery life (needed to accomodate those extra features) would not have made it more successful.

kw99
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 2001

0

02/14, 09:57pm | report spam | close Reply |
Somewhat off-topic...

but I wonder how Creative can make any money. I just looked at their web site, and they make no less than 25 different models of MP3 players. At least one of them (the Zen Micro) comes in ten different colors. That means they have to manufacture and stock at least 34 different players (there may be more variations I did not count). Many of the models compete with each other in terms of features.

In contrast, Apple with its majority share of the MP3 player market has these current models.

iPod shuffle - two storage capacities
iPod mini - 5 colors
iPod - 20GB and 40GB
iPod U2 - special version of iPod 20GB
iPod photo - 40GB and 60GB

That's a total of only 12 models to manufacture and stock. Each model (except the U2) is carefully designed to target a specific portion of the market with minimal overlap. That's got to make a huge difference in terms of efficiency and profit margin.

I appreciate how much thought Apple puts into the design of all its products (not only does it help Apple's business - it also helps customers make a simple choice).

cooner
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2003

0

02/14, 11:58pm | report spam | close Reply |
shuffle = simplicity

Yes, it's a very valid point that some people could use an iPod with an FM radio. Unfortunately, that segment of the market is not what Apple is going for; in the meantime, you'll have to make do with third-party solutions or players.

I was unsure about the Shuffle's lack of screen when it was announced, but after ordering a 512MB model and playing with it for a few weeks, I realized what it's all about: Simplicity. Elegance. The iPod Shuffle only has a few key features, but does them so well, that you can literally operate ANY function there is without looking at it, without even taking it out of your pocket. When they start adding niche features like a radio, they not only add to design and production expense, but also take away from that elegance. A reviewer who takes points off for "lacking" a radio receiver misses this point entirely.

If a radio receiver was or were to become an all-important feature to attract hordes of new buyers, Apple would find a way to incorporate it; but just like the video iPod, that time has not come yet. In the meantime, other products or third-party solutions beckon.

Saint_Stryfe
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2001

0

02/16, 01:54am | report spam | close Reply |
uhhh...

I remember, when I was a kid, seeing a verrry tiny FM radio - a 1/5th the size of a Shuffle - for 10$ at Eckerd's Drug Store. This is not a major investment people: if you need it, buy one of them. There's no need to invest more space, battery usage and engineering into putting this crappy little radio in any iPod.

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SF Chronicle, CNET rank iPod shuffle, mini

updated 11:40 am EST, Mon February 14, 2005

iPod shuffle, mini review

Morons...

no big loss

FM Radio?

Radio? Why not?

slow transfer speeds?

I Don't Get It

Who own SF Chronical?

Screen?

they forgot something

Hey fools...

I need a radio, dude!

I need a radio, dude!

Muvo

I don't need any reviews

Re: I need a radio

Gym

radio earphones

If iPod wants my vote...

Expected from CNET

Survey irrelevant

Somewhat off-topic...

shuffle = simplicity

uhhh...

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SF Chronicle, CNET rank iPod shuffle, mini

updated 11:40 am EST, Mon February 14, 2005

iPod shuffle, mini review

Related Articles

Recent Articles

Morons...

no big loss

FM Radio?

Radio? Why not?

slow transfer speeds?

I Don't Get It

Who own SF Chronical?

Screen?

they forgot something

Hey fools...

I need a radio, dude!

I need a radio, dude!

Muvo

I don't need any reviews

Re: I need a radio

Gym

radio earphones

If iPod wants my vote...

Expected from CNET

Survey irrelevant

Somewhat off-topic...

shuffle = simplicity

uhhh...

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