iPod Shuffle review

[ January 18th, 2005 @ 12:59 pm ] ... [ Vic DaSilva ] ... [ 420 views]

I have had a lot of requests for any good iPod shuffle reviews the one good source I read was from the ipodlounge by Jeremy Horwitz. They always like doing two reviews one for new users and another for power users.

Here is the quick summary for New users

The Good: Ultra-simplified and stylish iPod music devices at industry-leading price points, sized and weighted to be worn or carried literally anywhere. A $99 box with everything a new user needs to enter and enjoy the world of digital music.

The Bad: Limited features (particularly the lack of a screen) will turn off some potential users, high price-to-storage capacity ratio, requires powered USB port to charge battery and doesn’t include standalone charger.
Ranking: A-

Here is the quick summary for Power users

The Good: Apple’s smallest, lightest, and cheapest iPod yet, with an industry-leading price point and enough music playback features to satisfy some users.

The Bad: Major compromises on features (especially the absence of a screen) will suit new iPod users more than experienced ones, and force old users to adapt to the shuffles limited ways of organizing and playing back music. By no means a must-have product for current iPod owners; not an innovative product in any way except bottom line price, size, and aesthetic style, which are of less interest to savvy iPod and competing product owners than new and mainstream buyers.
Ranking: B

Both reviews are quite thorough with lots of great pictures. It will be interesting to see if the iPod shuffle will become a top three choice for the uber-review in a couple of months. The Uber-Review for flash MP3 should be done by the first week in February, the Uber-Review for Micro Hard-drive MP3 players should be up on the website by the end of the week. Enjoy

PS: Apple is reporting there is already a four week backorder so I hope you are in no hurry to do the shuffle.

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