Op-Ed: Reviewing the talking iPod shuffle Special

It talks to you, is less than two inches in length and barely over half an inch wide. It holds up to 1,000 of your favourite tunes and lets you sync playlists. It is the new generation of the iPod Shuffle. But has it improved?

Music aficionados on the go like their personal music players compact and with lots of space for their favourite tunes. For some who just want music without all the visual fluff, the iPod Shuffle seems to have the market niche. In March of this year, Apple announced just that when it released the smallest music player that talks. But how does it compare to the previous generations of the Shuffle? The third generation iPod Shuffle stepped up the pace by implementing a "revolutionary" ability to sync entire playlists, tell you the name of the song and artist as well as status information in 14 different languages and all from a device that is 1.8 inches long and .3 inches thin. Compared to its slightly shorter and wider 1 and 2 GB older sibling, the new generation Shuffle gives listeners 2 hours less music time on its 4 GB storage capacity. As a fan of music without all the video hype due in part to my love for exercise and motivating tunes on the go, I purchased the new Shuffle only a few days after it was released in stores as an upgrade to my first generation iPod Shuffle, which managed to have a myriad of its own issues. So far, reviews of my experience are mixed. As far as pricing, which tends to be a dominate factor for many, the $75-$80 price tag wasn't horribly painful, especially when compared to the colorful iPod Nano and all of it's video and gaming glory. I could still purchase a generation 2 Shuffle for around $45, but this one talked to me, right? Out of its tiny box, both the charger/port and shuffle were so small. I hooked it up and it immediately recognized the device. Charging was quick at about 2.5 hours for a full charge compared to the generation 2, which takes about 4 hours. The clipping device allowed for easy wear. The most notable change in specs for me was that the controls, with the exception of the on/off and shuffle switches, were located not on the device itself, but on the earbuds. After a few hours of downloading my favourite playlists and enjoying the pleasant voice reminding me of the song name, I was ready to take it for a true test drive: a nice slow-paced jog. As a relatively active individual, I rely heavily upon music to keep me motivated during exercise. A device like the iPod Shuffle is the perfect motivational medium for me. Within seconds of stepping out of my vehicle and taking to the beat, the Apple Earphones with remote slid right out of my ears. I was forced to go from a slow jog to a stumbling walk in order to repeatedly replace the tiny buds in my ear. But yet, a minor inconvenience for this little device, or so I thought. I purchased covers for the buds to assist their holding ability, to no avail. Sadly, there are currently no alternate choices of headphones for the device either. Remember, the controls are located on the headphones and not on the device itself, making play, volume and song/playlist selection impossible without the specific earbuds. I managed to overcome the frustrating occurrence of slippage by tying a bandanna around my ears, holding the buds in place. Problem solved? Less than one month of having the new Shuffle, I noticed a tiny problem: the controls on the headphones were pulling apart, exposing wiring! Since I am very protective of my gear and had guarded the device religiously, I was utterly shocked by this exposure. One phone call to Apple, Inc. got me a new set of earphones delivered within a couple of days, free of charge. No problems, or at least not so I thought. In a review written by Geek.com, the headphones are a problem, leaving users:

"stuck to Apple’s earbuds (which many of us cannot stand) until other companies release their models, or you will soon be able to buy a converter (a poor solution)"

Strapping the new buds onto my head using the self-purchased bandanna and tiny black bud covers, I was ready for a nice walk in the cool morning environment. Within 10 minutes into my walk, the iPod Shuffle's volume began self-decreasing. Despite the device being clipped inside a protective case (again, self-purchased) and the environmental requirements being well within range of the suggested

Operating temperature: 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C)

Nonoperating temperature: -4° to 113° F

(-20° to 45° C)

Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing

Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet (3000 m)

i was once again perplexed and disappointed. I quickly abandoned my walk so I could check on my device. Charge was good. I gave up for the day in utter frustration. The next day, the device worked great although I didn't leave the confines of my home. However, the moment I got outside with it and began mowing the lawn, the volume self-decreased once again giving me that "aaaahaaaa" moment that it must be outside related. Apparently, this problem isn't new to the remarkable device. Within weeks of its release, iPodNN wrote a piece about the device's sensitivity to any exercise. As a matter of opinion, this device is a fantastic purchase for anyone who just wants music, is relatively inactive, likes to stay inside and has big ear holes. The talking aspect and ability to download entire playlists is a great feature of the next generation of iPod Shuffles but the lack of "options" and "accessories" is a major thumbs down and for me, a serious waste of about $100 US. Hopefully, Apple will release some headphones for this device that can be used in situations not involving only the sedentary. For now, I will keep on borrowing my children's 1 GB generation 2 iPod Shuffle, constantly dumping their music for mine. Sure, I don't have the mystery male piping in relative information about song and battery life, but I can complete a walk or a jog without wanting to stomp on every iPod I see!