- 2 GB capacity for about 500 songs
- Up to 15 hours of audio playback on a single charge
- Easy-to-use control pad for playing your music, audiobooks, and podcasts
- Support for AAC, Protected AAC (iTunes Store), MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible, Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV audio formats
- One-year limited warranty
Just to correct some of the previous reviews...the big problem with the 3rd gen shuffle was not that it was "too small" or even that the controls were not on the unit itself, but instead were on the headphone line...the problem was if those controls got even the SLIGHTEST (and I do mean slightest) bit of moisture on them it would totally jack up the shuffle. Now, what kind of activities would most people buy the tiny shuffle mp3 player for versus a nano or standard iPod? Oh, maybe jogging or working out? And what do you do with physical activities like this? That's right, you sweat! So it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the problem with the 3rd gen shuffle...a problem that should have been seen before they ever even produced it. Just read all the reviews for the 3rd gen and you'll see that this was not just a minor issue, but a huge one that the majority of the users had to deal with. It is good to see they came to their sense and we can once again use the shuffle during exercise.
Now as for this one, I absolutely love it. It will vary with your bit rate, but the 2GB of storage will still hold a few hours of music which is more than adequate for most workouts. The provided clip on the back makes it easy to put anywhere that is comfortable for you and you don't have to buy any "holder" or even have a free pocket to carry it around. It is so light and small I actually just hold it in my hand as a jog so I can control it easily and it's barely noticeable. The full size button is very easy to operate. The battery life is great and while I have never measured it exactly, I usually work out about 3 times a week for an hour and a half and it's usually 2-3 weeks before I hear the "battery low" voice reminder from the unit. I think the simplicity of design, great functionality, small size, easy to access controls, and light weight make this player quite possibly the best one out there to use during a workout.
UPDATE: Dec 2011 It's been well over a year and I'm still using my Shuffle every time I go to the gym or jog. It still works great. While I have had some issues with my iPod classic locking up and not even responding to a reset, this one has always worked perfectly.
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I bought the iPod shuffle to replace my itouch during workouts (run, bike, hike). The ultra light weight and not-too-small size is very nice. Switching playlists with the VoiceOver announcements is handy. I'll keep fewer lists on this device and reduce the fiddle-time needed to switch playlists.
I like everything about the Gen 4 iPod shuffle except the sound quality. During workouts, I listen to songs with bass-driven beats with Klipsch S4 head plugs. On my itouch with equalizer settings, the bass beats sound rich and pure which impacts my workout. Sadly, the iPod shuffle sounds thin by comparison with the same songs and same head plugs.
I grab my itouch for gym workouts. I prefer the "full sound" and simply rest the unit in the bottle holder trays.
I grab my iPod shuffle for outdoor runs. The benefit of "less weight" is wonderful even if it means adjusting the ear buds regularly to get a bit more bass to drive my stride.
Other plus/minus points:
+ Battery life is great right now
"Mini-plug to USB" cable is a liability waiting to be misplaced
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I have two of these iPod shuffles and after using them for about 3 months I decided I would write a review. To start off I came up with a list of cons and pros of the iPod shuffle.
Pros (+)
* Small and Lightweightthis makes it a perfect mp3 player to exercise and/or work out.
* Durable ClipBoth the iPod itself and the clip seem durable and strong. You don't have to worry about a screen breaking on these and since it is so small and lightweight it can survive falls.
* Buttonsthe buttons on the shuffle are very easy to use and it they work perfectly.
* AppleWhen you buy an iPod you have to remember you are buying a quality product. All of apples products tend to be of great quality.
* BatteryYes, it is true that this iPod has an outstanding 15 hour battery! This is what makes this iPod so much better than its rivals.
Cons (-)
* The priceconsidering that you are paying for only 2 GB of music storage for around $50 it does seem quite over priced even if it is an Apple product.
* headphonesI would recommend buying some different headphones aside from the ones that are included, because the ones that are included are usually very simple and most people tend to not like them as much a dither Headphones.
* ChargerDue to the fact that this is a small iPod the charger is small. In fact the charger uses e same port thatbyou use to listen to music; therefore, you can NOT listen to music and charge the device at the same time.
Overall:
Overall I still think that it is a bit overpriced, but considering it's an apple product most people buy it anyways. If you want something small and durable I would definitely recommend this iPod as it has a stunning 15 hour battery! Hope this review helped you out.
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My old shuffle finally died after a couple years, so I bought the newest model. I have a decent size library and frequently buy new music, so I thought being able to identify songs on the go would be a plus. It is, but that's the only plus on this model over the old one. Every other aspect in design and function is worse.
To start with, they've made it shorter. On the old model, there was enough room to easily get ahold of it and clip it to clothing There's about an eight of an inch between the back button and the edge, so now if it becomes unclipped while I run, I have to very carefully make sure I've gotten ahold of it perfectly, or else I'll accidentally hit the back button and start my song over. I don't have big, thick fingers. I'm 5'5, 125, so my fingers are probably best described as delicate. This sort of precision was not necessary on the old model.
Next, let's go to the software. On my old model, I never once had to consult the Apple forums. I keep going back on this one. It wouldn't play podcasts. The forums said that it's set to skip podcasts in shuffle mode. Turn it off shuffle. Done! Podcasts still won't play. Back to the forums. You have to uncheck "Skip While Shuffling." Done! Podcasts still won't play. I finally ended up having to uncheck Skip While Shuffling and change the type to music from podcasts. Now they'll play. Harder to find, but they'll play. On my old model, they just played.
I sometimes carefully choose each song for when I run. Other times I use Genius. No matter what I choose, it won't play in order. It always organizes songs by artist. Back to the forums. I have to create a playlist. Still playing only in order of artist. I have to click Copy to Play Order. Still playing only in order of artist. There goes my running playlist. Might as well only use Genius and keep it only on shuffle and hope for the best.
On the bright side, sound quality is fine, battery life is fine, headphones are fine. Otherwise, I wish my old model's battery hadn't finally died.
I got the new shuffle strictly for working out (and to replace my 2nd generation shuffle). I particularly wanted the playlist feature so that I could have more control over the songs I wanted to listen to (I have different playlists for different types of workouts, plus I include some podcasts). I am basically satisfied with the new version. It does what it is supposed to do. Switching playlists is relatively easy (although the instructions weren't clear). The new software based battery-indicator feature is very helpful and a nice improvement over the previous version. The shuffle is almost perfect for those of us who want a very small, lightweight MP3 player for (hard) workouts.
My only criticisms are minor..
First, as many reviewers have indicated, the new 4G shuffle is almost too small. I'm not a big guy at all, but I have trouble with the controls on top; plus, when clipping and unclipping, you cannot help but press the buttons on the face. This is not really a big issue, but I didn't have the same problems with the 2G version.
Second, this is not really a fair criticism, but by changing the size, my old accessories--especially my armband--are now too big to fit the shuffle. So far, there still don't seem to be any third-party products (armbands) for the 4G. This is a bit of a hassle, as I don't like clipping it to my shorts are shirt.
Third, the placement of the headphone jack on the same side as the top controls is inconvenient. I use headphones with an "L-shaped" connector, which partly blocks the top controls. Not a big deal, but to me it would have made more sense to keep the headphone jack on the other side.
