Apple iPod shuffle 512 MB White (1st Generation) OLD MODEL
by Apple Computer
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Apple iPod shuffle 512 MB White (1st Generation) OLD MODEL
Customer Review: Shuffle Yeas and Nays
Summary: 5 Stars
Yeas and Nays
Yeas:
The iPod Shuffle:
Light of weight
The lanyard -- allowing the listener to wear the Shuffle around the neck is hard to beat
The Shuffle is sturdier than the Nano I have
It has an ease of use and simplicity in that use
The Shuffle has a long battery life -- using my Nano is like driving a vehicle with the air conditioning, stereo, and bright lights running while seeing the gas tank needle plunging toward empty
Sound is incredible in the AAC format
The sound in the Shuffle is preferable to the Nano for audio books
Shuffle can be permanently "docked" in iTunes (Each Shuffle I have is listed and all the items I have loaded onto each one. I can change the programming for each Shuffle so it is ready when I connect the Shuffle to my computer) -- I cannot do this with the Nano and hard drive iPod
The response is speedy when using the controls
No protection is needed as it is for the more fragile Nano -- however, the Shuffle Sport Case is very handy as a shield against the elements
No connecting cable is needed to program the Shuffle or to charge it
My place is saved when I pause play or the Shuffle shuts down -- not so with the hard drive iPod I have
Nays:
The earphones that ship with all iPods hurt my ears after a short time using them. I purchased a set from Philips that features surround sound and are much more comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. The sound that comes out of them is phenomenal.
No display
Additional Comment...
Just guessing, but I wouldn't be surprised if the available space on an iPod Shuffle 1GB is greater than the available space on an iPod Nano 1GB, due to the formatting and extra bells and whistles of the Nano. I have ordered an iPod Shuffle 1 GB, as I've heard it may no longer be in production. When it arrives I can check the available space between the two.
Customer Review: Big hype, lousy performance
Summary: 1 Stars
I got the Shuffle over a year ago. As an engineer, artist, and designer, I found the design of the Shuffle to be very inelegant, clumsy, and impractical. Sound quality is good. The software is one of the best on the market. But there are lots of problem with this thing:
1) The lanyard is cheap and ugly. Mine broke in 3 days.
2) The headphone is below average. Mine went bad after 4 months. Ringing on the left side.
3) White color looked dirty after a few weeks of use.
4) On/off switch on the back very difficult to use if you have wet, oily, or very dry fingers.
5) The USB connection rusted after a few months because I use the Shuffle during workouts.
6) Sometimes the unit just doesn't work/reload when connected to the computer. It takes several tries at times.
7) No belt strap/armband.
8) Battery life is good (I get about 9hrs. on a full charge), but if the battery goes bad (life expectancy 2 yrs, they say), expect to throw out the whole Shuffle because replacing the battery would cost as much as buying a new Shuffle.
And my biggest gripe:
IT BROKE DOWN AFTER 11 MONTHS (ie. 1 month before warrantee was up). But I was backpacking oversea and couldn't mail it in on time. It simply stopped working. The green light came on, but no go. The navigation/play button stopped working. Apple didn't want to deal with a unit that was out of warrantee regardless of when it broke. So, $100 went down the drain. Imagine going thru life if you can only count on things working during the brief warrantee period (mine didn't even last that long).
It's pretty obvious Apple rushed out the Shuffle before it was ready--and didn't even bother to improve it over the pass year. I'm very disappointed and annoyed at the sloppy design and craftsmanship. I won't be buying another ipod any time soon--probably never--not when there so many better mp3 players out there.
As the saying goes: You burn me once, shame on you. You burn me twice, shame on me.
Customer Review: Even the most budget-priced of iPods very good if you want to join iPod nation
Summary: 4 Stars
I finally broke down and acquired my very first iPod (from a credit card rewards program) after my SanDisk MP3 player stopped functioning. Originally I was going to replace it with another SanDisk, but then decided on joining iPod nation. Even though the SanDisk had an FM receiver and a voice recorder, the primary use was MP3 playback, and even though they offered a good product for the money, it wasn't the easiest thing to navigate and use in a pinch. I figured millions of iPod users can't be that wrong, but I didn't yet want to get a more happening iPod with 20 gig memory, photo playback, or even a Mini iPod. So I went for the most entry-level Apple offers and hoped for the best. Honestly, it could almost not be any easier to use and enjoy. The iPod Shuffle is a great example of very good product design and user-friendliness. Granted, you don't get an LED readout of the tracks or any info, so you have to make do without that. No FM, voice recorder either (no iPods have that...yet). No equalizer or tone settings (guess you have to set that from your playlists when loading the files into the iPod). Those are not the worst of cons. The pros outweight them - great quality sound (then again I don't use those awful bud headphones, always use Sony MDR's on all portable CD/MP3/radio devices), real simple to operate and load tracks into the unit. Plus it's so lightweight and portable, if you wear it around your neck, it's like wearing an ID badge - you barely notice you have anything on you. The 'shuffle' of course is its big selling point - not that big a deal but it can produce interesting radio-station-ish results if you pick a certain set of songs for your daily commute or workout. Overall, I believe the iPod Shuffle is a good choice for anyone willing to join the cult of iPods but wants to spend around $100 and really doesn't need anything fancy (no photos, videos, not even a way to see what track you're playing), this is the one to get (unless you shell out some more money and get the 1gig version).Customer Review: A Poor Introduction to Apple Products
Summary: 1 Stars
There's not much more to be said about this product. It does what it advertises. And with the newest iTunes, Windows support is better and not as completely annoying to install compared to a year ago. But this cheap player doesn't really have much to offer. You are locked into using iTunes to "organize your media" which is very annoying for Windows folks. I guess this is "personal preference" as most people are willing to jump on the iTunes bandwagon.
Other than the software annoyances, the player itself really doesn't impress. Battery life isn't that impressive compared to most other flash players. From what I hear, the battery also dies within 1-2 years AND its not user-replaceable. The biggest problem for most people is that there is no navigational display because Apple wanted to save money on manufacturing. That's inexcusable. The headphones that come with it are terrible and should be replaced immediately with something more comfortable/better sounding.
The manual and website are confusing even for the technologically inclined. The website is terribly managed and you have to walk through several screens before getting to wherever you want to go if you're looking for technical support. Don't expect to get much help there.
All-in-all, if you want to "look cool" and do the ipod thing, this isn't the player for you. You probably will want an iPod Nano instead. If you're a Windows user and you want a good, cheap mp3 player, save yourself the trouble and don't bother with this one. As cheap as it is, its not worth it. iAudio makes some good cheap players that act as a USB Mass Storage device instead of using proprietary software, but you can also sync it with whatever as well.
Frankly, I don't know who this player appeals to.
Customer Review: It's all about Usability
Summary: 5 Stars
On the merits of hardware alone, the Shuffle would be a mediocre MP3 player at best. What makes it stand apart from it's competition is:
1) The usability of the device. No training necessary, no manual required. Press a button and go.
2) Seamless integration with iTunes. Creating Smart Playlists is a snap, synching the Shuffle using a Playlist or manually is effortless.
One can argue endlessly about Apples marketing and manufacturing brulliance / stupidity, but one thing is certain; Apple knows how to create simple, usable products. They have a User-Centered Design group that was in place before anyone knew what UCD was, and it shows in the products that they make (disclaimer here: I'm no Apple fanboy; I'm a veteran of the Apple / Commodore wars).
If you already have a HD-based iPod, the Shuffle is a natural extension for you, either as a hardened device for workouts, or, like I did, as a gift for your spouse, kids.
If you're new to the world of MP3's, I'd recommend the Shuffle as a cheap introduction that you'll surely find simple to use and easy to update with songs from iTunes.
Side note: If you do buy one and have lots (and I mean lots) of Hard Drive space, then encode your current CD's using Apple Lossless. The Shuffle will automatically down-convert to 128bit AAC files when transferring. The Lossless format is truely Lossless, and you'll save having to re-encode the disks later when we're all carrying around Terrabyte players (Moore's Law will probably put us there around 2010.)
Side note 2: Shuffle doesn't HAVE TO shuffle songs; you can play them back sequentially. This makes it a brilliant device for playing back books. Great for adults or for keeping kids quiet on those long car rides.