iPod Reviews

Overview:

Pros:
•    Extremely light
•    Macro size
•    Synthesized voice feature
•    Improvised support for podcasts and audio books

Cons:
•    The tiny remote control on the headphone is the only means of operation
•    Battery life is not great
•    Very few features

Review:

Usually an official announcement related to any of Apple’s products is preceded by a wave of rumors and speculations, accompanied by at least a couple of spy shots. However, surprisingly, that was not the case with the 4GB version of the iPod Shuffle from Apple, which was officially unveiled in March 2009, with very few rumors related to the MP3 player hitting the internet before this date. No, Apple has not branched out into making MP3 tie clips, the minuscule tablet of anodized aluminium is in fact, the 3rd gen Shuffle. Apple’s third generation shuffle is a radical revision of an entry level iPod. The controls have been moved to the cable under the right hand ear bud, with just the Shuffle, Continuous Play, Off switch on the device itself. While this 3rd generation Shuffle is available for just around 100 USD, it is the smallest MP3 player you will be able to buy right now. Though the unique size and uncommon, remote-controlled design of the latest Shuffle will not be everybody’s cup of tea, consumers looking for the next best thing to an invisible iPod will thank the minimalistic style of the iPod.

Design:

A tie clip MP3 Player?

At the very first look, you might feel that the iPod Shuffle 3rd Generation looks almost like a practical joke, as though somebody is simply trying to prank you that their tie clip plays MP3s. The 3rd generation of the shuffle takes things a bit further than the previous two models though, and now even their last iPodian relic, the circular controller, has been removed. This shuffle measures a macro bit larger than a paper clip; (H x W x D) 18 x 46 x 8mm, and does not have a hint of button, knob or screen. This minuscule device could easily get lost in your pocket or bag if you’re not careful. Available in a range of colors including silver, black, pink, blue and green, the anodized aluminium shell has a brushed finish, with a completely plain front. There is also a special edition stainless steel shuffle. The sides are rounded and the whole device feels like a solid metal bar. You will find the headphone jack sitting on the top edge, along with a switch that controls playback modes shuffle or consecutive, followed by the power. The slider on top is small and it’s easy enough to hit if you have any degree of dexterity. Just be glad that, Apple does not expect you to control the volume and playback of the Shuffle using mind control that is not yet, at least. Finally, there is a tiny battery status LED between the earphone jack and switch.

The Evolution:

It is quite funny to see how the iPod Shuffle has evolved over the years. To be honest here, we would pick the 4 year old original shuffle as our favorite; only because it has a built in USB connector for charging. We also loved the second gen shuffle for our love of the metal case. The latest iPod shuffle seems to almost be a merging of the two. It retained the metal body, but has reverted back to a vertical form. No USB connector though.

The clip:

The clip, probably the best feature of the 2nd generation device, is back. A hinged, chromed metal clip runs the length of the shuffle on one side and includes a slot for attaching a lanyard or key chain. This clip is a sturdy one and it should not have any issues staying attached to whatever you decide to attach it to. Being mirror polished, it gives the model a bit of flash that was not present in the 2nd gen model and it seems to grasp onto things a bit stronger than before. An Apple logo is engraved on the clip, and you can also have some custom engraving done on orders placed via Apple’s online store. We really wish Apple would fire the person responsible for using chrome accents on their products. Yeah, we have a personal issue with chrome. Excuse us for a moment while we polish our smeary fingerprints off the clip for the billionth time.

Controls on your Headphone:

The stereo earphone jack is a standard 3.5mm size, but you will not be able to use any old ear buds with this shuffle. The ear bud style headphones that are bundled with the shuffle include a remote control on the cable, just below the right ear. The controller is basically a 1.125 inch long plastic piece that hangs about 4.5 inches from the end of the Right earbud. As you can imagine, the remote has three controls, two for volume control that is up and down, and a central button with multiple functions. If you press the centre button once, it pauses the music playback, pressing it twice, you can skip forward and three times to skip back. Fast-forwarding within a track can be done by double clicking and holding. Using the multifunction button for playback is not difficult, but it might take some time getting used to. It is not Apple’s typical intuitive system, but it is not exactly rocket science.

The headphone cable offered is about 90cm or say, 3 feet long, and this should be more than enough, considering that the shuffle is meant to be clipped to your clothing. Yes, you guessed it right, if you happen to loose this headphone-controlled design, you also lose control of your iPod. However, there is no real panic here as you can always purchase Apple’s own replacement ear buds for a shuffle cost, but it is also possible to grab third party headphones and adaptors for even less.

Features:

As you can expect from most upgrades and versions, the third generation version of the shuffle too offers a set new features over previous models.

Voice Over:

For one, this is the first shuffle that tells you what you are listening to, which is certainly not a small accomplishment, considering the player does not have a display. The iPod Shuffle 2GB/4GB 3rd Generation has employed a synthesized voice to announce artist and song title info whenever the headphone clicker is held down. iTunes automatically downloads and installs the software and uses its own text-to-speech engine to generate the voices. This VoiceOver feature of the Shuffle has support for fourteen languages, so if you have a large collection of French pop, for example, it will pronounce the song and artist with the correct accent. The voice quality depends on the type of computer and operating system you are using. Now, do not come to a conclusion that since the shuffle can speak, it can respond to your voice, it cannot. So, we recommend you not to go talking to your iPod like a crazy person.

The voice feature will come in extremely handy useful when a great song pops on and you could not identify, but it is good that the Shuffle does not announce each song automatically. The voice does a good job of pronouncing song and artist names. It is not very helpful with confusing names, but for something like “Saturday” by Fall Out Boy, it is more than adequate. It talks on the fast side but once you get used to its quirks it should be OK, even if you just use it to get to your podcasts. If you just cannot stand the thought of a talking iPod, it is possible to turn off the feature with the help of Apple’s iTunes software. To activate it, you just hold down the centre switch on the controller for a couple of seconds.

Compatibility:

The third generation Shuffle is a pure, unadulterated digital audio player. You will not find any FM radio, voice recording, and, obviously, no photo or video playback. The audio formats supported include MP3, AAC, Audible, WAV, AIFF and Apple Lossless, but not WMA or FLAC.

Memory:

The diminutive iPod shuffle packs a generous 4GB of storage. Out of the box, the shuffle has 3.77GB of available space, with no option for storage expansion. While added storage is always appreciated, consumers complained that they would have liked to see some 2GB shuffles available at a lower price. And, Apple has given ears to this and has released the model with 2GB capacity too. For one thing, 4GB might be too much for people expecting to use their shuffles only at the gym or while running errands. As far as the numbers go, the 4GB 3G shuffle can hold about 1000 tracks. Other than the addition of 2GB models in the market, the shuffle is unchanged from the player that debuted in March. And that is no bad thing.

Sync:

Yet another latest 3rd Generation iPod shuffle feature is its ability to sync and navigate between multiple playlists, audio podcasts and audio books. To accomplish this feature, Apple makes use of the VoiceOver feature and headphone remote, announcing your playlists, podcasts or audio books one by one if you hold down the clicker for approximately 3 seconds. Once VoiceOver starts listing your content, just press the clicker again to select the content you want to play. If you simply have a tonne of playlists, you can make use of the remote’s volume keys to quickly skip back and forth through the list.

Audio Books Playback:

Note that the shuffle handles the playback of audio book and podcast content differently to playback of music files, and assumes you might prefer to always play this type of content sequentially , that is even if the playback switch is set to shuffle. Audio book and podcast content is always kept out of the start-up music mix of the Shuffle, ensuring that a stray chapter never ruins the mood of your workout. But, if jogging to classic literature is your kind of thing, you will be glad to know that any audio book that has been synced to the shuffle is treated as a separate playlist. Podcasts all get thrown into a shared podcast playlist, and play in order of show title, not release date. Like any other iPod or eBooks for that matter, the shuffle automatically resumes your podcasts or audiobooks where you last left off, allowing you to enjoy them in small doses without the hassle of scanning back and forth to find your place.

Transfers:

It is also worth mentioning that the shuffle can be used on your computer in disk mode, allowing you to store and transfer files without interfering with the audio content on your iPod. Yes, you guessed right, you cannot access the music files stored on the shuffle without going through iTunes, which means the iTunes version 8.1 or later is a required download for the shuffle. The moral of the story being that you will not be able to escape iTunes.

Performance:

In our tests, the iPod Shuffle seemed to be working fine, but there was a complaint from most users. Since most people use the Shuffle for running and working out, they say that the volume of the device progressively maxes out and, in addition to this, the remote would fail to respond. For instance, when the volume is attempted to be reduced, there will not be any response. Our theory is that, since the remote control bumps against the neck as you run, it causes the + volume to continuously be activated. Thus not allowing other input to be given because the + has been hit so many times that other inputs are not accepted. Now, this is nothing less than pure frustration.

Audio Quality:

The audio quality of 3rd gen Shuffle has improved noticeably better than that of the previous generation, and even sounds comparable to that of the fourth generation iPod nano and second-generation iPod classic. Older-generation shuffles have sounded a bit tinny, but the third generation is an improvement. It sounds fuller, and the bass is deeper and stronger. The sound has a fuller range, with better bass response and less background hiss. The shuffle had a signal-to-noise ratio of 75dB (where the higher the number indicates a cleaner sound). The improvement in audio quality is hard to notice using the bundled ear buds, and standard headphones lack the remote control that is essential for adjusting volume and skipping tracks. However, a consolation here is that, when the shuffle is connected to a standard pair of headphones and then powered on, it automatically starts playing music at the volume level it was last set to.

Additional expense:

Some third party accessories like replacement headphones, headphone adaptors and remote equipped auxiliary cables had hit the stores for the third generation shuffle as soon as the actual device came into the market. Now that Sony, Klipsch and others have announced compatible headphones, and Belkin and Scosche are making adaptors for other third-party headphones, that’s no longer as much of an issue. If you expect to use the shuffle with an existing pair of headphones, a home stereo or a car stereo, please do keep in mind the additional cost of some of these accessories to be added to the purchase price. Replacing your headphones is expensive and because the inline aftermarket option will inevitably be $20+ a lot of people who are particular about their headphones will be ending up skipping the shuffle and moving up to the Nano.

Package contents:

The package contents of the third generation iPod Shuffle includes the controversial ear buds, USB charge cable, quick start guide and Mini Apple stickers.

Battery and Life:

Coming to the all important charging part, the shuffle comes with a short 10cm, that is, a 4” USB adaptor that connects between the headphone output and your system USB connector. This means, you will charge the Shuffle the same way that you charge the previous version, through the 3.5mm headphone jack. This time there is not a small dock included though. As soon as the Shuffle is plugged in, it charges the internal battery and syncs content with iTunes. The shuffle has been rated at ten hours of playback time, which is unfortunately two hours less than the previous generation, but still, it has enough juice to get you through a week’s worth of casual use, and as always, it will charge 80% of the way in 2 hours and it will be fully charged an hour after that.. The short USB cable will not take up much space in your gear bag, but the fact that you have to carry around a proprietary charge cable when you travel, is a bit annoying.

Warranty:

Apple iPod Shuffle comes with one year manufacturer’s warranty for parts and labor.

Conclusion:

In comparison to the other sub $100 MP3 players on the current market, like the SanDisk Sansa Clip or Creative Zen Stone Plus, the microscopic design of Shuffle is just not enough to make up for the limited features, relatively high price, diminished battery life, quirky navigation and a headphone remote system that reeks of planned obsolescence. MP3 players like the shuffle that are directly aimed at the gym and jogger crowd are particularly susceptible to issues of headphone fit, comfort, and wear and tear, and Apple’s headphone remote needless to say, complicates the process of replacing or upgrading the shuffle’s earbuds. This is not to say that the headphone control is a bad feature, but also having controls on the actual device would help avoid navigation related confusions and improvise the usefulness of the product in the long term.

The third generation Shuffle has plenty of positives going on its pros site, such as the aluminium and steel construction, which is quite sturdy, the unobtrusive design, a whopping 4GB of storage, and the VoiceOver technology which allows you to control playback without taking your eyes away from what you actually doing. However, sacrifices have been made elsewhere to achieve the small size and minimalistic design, and we having a hard time giving the third generation shuffle a whole hearted “Recommended”. Determining if this iPod shuffle is better than the last one will depend on whether you can deal with the controls or not. It is certainly not something that will have existing shuffle owners throwing out their device to buy, but for $80 you get a beautiful device that can hold 1000 songs, play podcasts, and speak to you.

iPod Shuffle 3rd Generation – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Apple
Model Name	Apple ipod shuffle third generation
iPod Type	Shuffle
Generation	Third
Dimensions (W x H x D)	0.7 in x 0.3 in x 1.8 in
Weight	0.38 ounce (10.7 grams
Body material	Anodized aluminum
Colors available	Silver, black, pink, blue and green
Interface	USB dock
Audio formats supported	AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), HE-AAC, MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV
Memory capacity	2GB or 4GB Holds up to 500 or 1,000 songs in 128-Kbps AAC format
Ports	3.5-mm stereo headphone jack
Play back modes	Playlist , Skip playback , Random play / shuffle
Audio	Skip-free playback
Response bandwidth	20 – 20000 Hz
Supported bit rate	8 – 320
Sound output mode	Stereo
Remote control	Player remote control – Cable
Headphones type	Binaural Ear-bud
Impedance	32 Ohm
Voice recording	No
Connector type	1 x Headphones Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm
Cable(s) included	1 x USB cable – External 2 in
Additional features	VoiceOver , USB 2.0 compatibility
Operating System	Microsoft Windows Vista , Apple MacOS X 10.4.11 or later , Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP3 , Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP3
Environment friendly	BFR-free, PVC-free and Highly recyclable
Box content	iPod shuffle, Earphones with Remote, iPod shuffle USB Cable (1.8 inches/45 mm) and Quick Start guide
Battery	Lithium polymer Rechargeable Player battery Integrated
Battery life	10 hours
Charge time	80% charged in 2 hours; fully charged in 3 hours
Warranty	1 year

other Apple iPod Reviews

• Apple iPod Classic 160GB 6th Generation Review
• Apple iPod Classic 80GB Review
• Apple iPod Shuffle 2GB 4th Generation