Apple iPod shuffle 4 GB Black (3rd Generation) LATEST MODEL

The third-generation iPod shuffle is the talk of the music world. Not just because it's incredibly small--half the size of the previous generation. And not just because it holds up to 1,000 songs and supports multiple playlists. It's the talk of the town because it's the only music player in the world that talks to you. The new VoiceOver feature lets iPod shuffle tell you what song is playing and who's performing it. It also tells you the names of your playlists. With VoiceOver--and with the controls conveniently located on the earbud cord--it's even easier to navigate your music. You can do it without taking your eyes off your run, your ride, or whatever you're doing.

Customer Reviews
Overlooked Innovation, March 17, 2009
By David Pigg
For what it's worth, I actually own one of these.

THE GOOD:

Most people seem to prefer the $50 price tag of the previous model, and I can't say that I blame them. I mean, other than the much smaller size and the higher-capacity flash drive, what does this new model have to offer that the old model didn't? The answer: it supports multiple playlists, which make up the primary essence of every higher-caliber iPod.

Let's be blunt: if you have owned a higher-caliber iPod, such as an iPod Touch or an iPod Nano, how many times have you really used it to watch videos or to finger-pick a song from your list of thousands? My guess is a few...but that most of the time, you have found yourself listening to music via...playlists. My guess is that most of the time, you pop those earbuds in, turn on your iPod, select a playlist according to your mood, and listen to it. Guess what? You can do exactly the same thing with this baby--for only$80 as opposed to $150 and up.

I find the audio quality of this model far superior to that of the previous model.

THE BAD:

The "VoiceOver" feature is definitely nice to have when you're changing playlists; however, if you don't listen to much classical music, you may find the song-and-artist naming feature useless. You can deactivate VoiceOver if you want; but be aware that you will then be unable to navigate through your playlists--which, in my opinion, is the primary reason to buy this model.

THE UGLY:

I admit it: I'm not a audiophile. I don't know, but this may be why I've always appreciated Apple earbuds. In fact, I think the earbuds that came packaged with this model are great! But, if you are an audiophile--or just prefer different earbuds or headphones--stay away from this model...for now. Since the navigation controls for this model are located on a small control pod on the earbud cord, you don't really have the option to use other earbuds or headphones--which naturally don't have this pod. In fact, there is currently only one alternative to using the packaged earbuds: the Apple In-Ear Headphones. They also have the control pod.

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