Apple iPod shuffle 1 GB Blue (2nd Generation) OLD MODEL by Apple Computer
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Digital camera reviews of Apple iPod shuffle 1 GB Blue (2nd Generation) OLD MODEL
Digital camera Review: A Good shuffle
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this Ipod after losing my old one, I could not use the new ones because they only sync with the intel macs.
This one was as advertised, it was new, in a sealed box. I like these for playing tunes through the car radio. It works well and I had no problems with it.
The price was a bit steep but they are getting harder to find the second generation models, so it was worth it to me.
Digital camera Review: A Great Buy
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm the type of person who never needed all of the music in my iTunes library with me at all times, so one gigabyte is perfect. The clip is awesome and I love running while listening to my music.Digital camera Review: All this sound from this tiny little device?
Summary: 5 Stars
I was given a shuffle from work as an award, I had never wanted one before, but I set it up today and started listening, the sound is absolutely amazing. It may even be better than my 5G 30Gig video. The big con is that you are at the mercy of the ipod as to what songs you listen to, I like having a screen.Digital camera Review: Apple 1GB Shuffle - New Lower Price, Same Popular Player, Check it Out!!!
Summary: 3 Stars
Apple's iPod Shuffle is a compact MP3 player that's great for working out, running or just plain music listening on the go. The new lower price as of January 2008 makes the relatively high cost of the device a little more bearable. Great as a gift, extra player, or exercise companion.
Pros
- Newly lowered price!!!!
- Compact and functional design
- Nicely integrated clip - No case needed!
- Great family of Apple accessories
- Great for those already used to iTunes
- Included in-ear headphones are great for a starter pair
- Lots of great color options (silver, green, purple, blue)
- Highly durable player
- Apple brand and reputation
Cons
- Still a premium price compared to competing players (total $ and $ per gigabyte)
- Competing products offer more features, including fm radio and voice recording
- No screen to view track names
- Difficult to control / select tracks via playlists
- Proprietary dock / jack for syncing
- Small capacity (1GB) with no expandability
- Limited native file format support in iTunes (MP3, AAC), though you can easily convert
- No drag and drop music control
- Non iTunes fans are still forced to deal with software limitations
The Form Factor
Size has always been the iPod shuffle's greatest asset. The integrated clip is no doubt its second greatest asset. This unit works fine with no extra case, though there are still options. The composite case comes in one of several popular color options, including the silver, blue, green and purple. And of course, the unit's durability is great, probably because of the simple design.
Apple chose to use a proprietary headphone jack for syncing, which most competing players accomplish with a standard USB B port. Overall, still a great design.
Durability
Apple deserves points for the more durable player in this group. Even with the composite body, these guys do hold up to a lot of abuse. Creative's failure rates are too high, but Sandisk's Clip is gaining ground in this area.
Capacity
The 1GB size for the shuffle was the only option from Apple for a long time. The market has been flooded with 2GB players from the competition. In addition to lowering the price in February 2008, Apple finally added a 2GB option available now at Apple stores. Apple iPod shuffle 2 GB Silver (2nd Generation) Still, as Apple finally ups their size, Sansa now has their Clip in a 4GB size. SanDisk Sansa Clip 4 GB MP3 Player (Silver)
Creative Zen Stone Plus 2GB MP3 Player
SanDisk Sansa c150 2 GB MP3 Player (Black)
SanDisk Sansa Express 2 GB MP3 Player (Black)
SanDisk SDMX7-2048 Sansa c250 2 GB MP3 Player
SanDisk Sansa Clip 2 GB MP3 Player (Black)
Features and Software
Competing players over simple screens for track viewing as well as FM radio and voice recording. The Zen Stone Plus by Creative and the Sandisk Clip each offer all three features at better price points. Apple's reliability and brand loyalty has allowed the shuffle to survive with limited features.
Competing players also offer drag and drop syncing using standard USB cables or, in the case of the Sansa Express, via direct USB. Apple still requires the proprietary dock.
For a 1GB MP3 player it seems excessive to have to use iTunes software to sync your software. Competing players have even worse software, but allow you to drag and drop files on these devices like USB thumb drives.
iTunes is both a curse and a blessing, depending on your point of view. For those who are used to iTunes or totally new to MP3s, the interface can be a great plus. For anybody who want more direct control over their music collection, some of the features within iTunes can become burdensome.
Once again, if you LOVE Apple and iTunes, or if you are totally new to MP3s the software will still be a net plus for you.
For those that care about file options, Apple's software allows only MP3 and AAC. You can easily convert other formats to these, but be aware of the limits. This is only a negative for those really loyal to a certain file format, such as the growing group of WMA users. Having to have 2 format copies of all your music can really hurt as your collection grows.
Sound
The sound this unit produces is pretty good though not great. While I still feel the first generation shuffle sounded much better, the tradeoff was worth the smaller size.
Cost
The shuffle's price has finally come down to about $50 for 1GB or $65 for 2GB. While not a bargain, this price makes the sting much less painful for Apple loyalists. On a dollar per gigabyte and absolute dollar cost, Apple continues to charge a premium for their brand.
1GB of flash memory is going for under $10 retail, one fifth the lowered cost of the shuffle. In addition, competing players like the Sansa Clip continue to offer more features at a better prices. If you want a small player and you are open to brands beyond Apple, your options continue to expand. In addition to the Creative Stone and the Sansa Clip, new models from Samsung and Sony have added even more options.
Once again, Apple's reputation is well deserved. This model requires you to pay a premium for it, though a slightly shrinking premium. :-D
Conclusion
If you must have Apple and need a small player for high impact workouts, choose this or one of the new 2GB shuffles. If you want to stay with Apple and can afford it, stepping up to the Apple iPod nano 4GB will cost you $140 but gives you 4 times the capacity and video. Still, if you're not an Apple die-hard, the Sansa Clip and other options deserve consideration.
Research your options and choose the player that's right for you. Overall this is a good player at an improved price.
Enjoy!!!
Digital camera Review: Apple 1GB iPod Shuffle... get a Nano instead
Summary: 1 Stars
I didn't realize you couldn't see the song title playing or control what was playing. Returned the shuffle to exchange for a nano. Much happier! For not much more money you can get a better, more useful product!