Apple iPod Shuffle (512MB)
Manufacturer: Apple Part number: M9724LL/A
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The iPod Shuffle, with its ultralow price, its dead-simple design, and its iTunes integration, is virtually guaranteed to be a hit, especially among those looking for a second iPod.
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CNET editors' review
Apple iPod Shuffle (512MB) - Reviewed by: James Kim
- Edited by: Jasmine France
- Reviewed on: 01/25/2005
- Released on: 01/10/2005
The good: Design is dead simple and compact yet stylish and wearable; excellent integration with iTunes; solid sound quality; affordable.
The bad: No LCD; no extra features such as an equalizer; slow transfer speeds.
The bottom line: The iPod Shuffle, with its ultralow price, its dead-simple design, and its iTunes integration, is virtually guaranteed to be a hit, especially among those looking for a second iPod.
Editor's note: We have changed the rating in this review to reflect recent changes in our rating scale. Click here to find out more. Zero LCD, USB 2.0 built right in, and wearable--the concepts aren't new. Still, as a white plastic strip with only a few buttons, no LCD, and a touch of bright green, the Shuffle is a visual masterpiece. It's only 0.3 inch thick and less than an inch wide, and it weighs a feathery 0.8 ounce. A simple, round controller features all-tactile buttons and makes the Shuffle feel more like a wireless remote than an MP3/AAC/WAV/Audible player--there's no learning curve.
On the back, you'll find a cute, wide sliding switch that powers on the Shuffle either in Playlist repeat mode or Shuffle mode. Underneath the switch is a tiny battery-indicator button that lights up green, orange, or red depending on what's left of the charge; green is good. The main physical features are rounded out by a headphone jack on the top and a removable (and losable) cap for the built-in USB 2.0 plug on the bottom.
All's not perfect, though. The power switch can be difficult to activate, as just the right amount of friction is needed. We often found ourselves squeezing the Shuffle with force just to turn it on. At 3.3 inches at its longest, the Shuffle isn't as small as everyone likes to think--it's just superthin. But after operating it for a couple of weeks, we realized it was the proper length to hold and that having the built-in USB is well worth the extra size.
The most critical drawback, though, is the lack of an LCD. A display is certainly not a requirement for the Shuffle and its surrounding philosophy that you listen to it as you would an Internet radio station. You can move onto the next song or let it pick a song randomly. People have used LCD-less Walkmans for years, and Creative's original MuVo started the craze for MP3 players. Other examples include the BeoSound 2 and the Mubie. While we understand and appreciate the concept of no LCD and random play, we like the modern LCD and its ability to display track, EQ, battery, and other "biological" info. Occasionally, you'll hear a good but anonymous song, and you'll find yourself going back to your PC to find out the track's artist and title.
The Shuffle does speak, but in a language of color-coded flashing LEDs. Flashing green means you're paused, and orange means you're in Hold mode, which you can also activate by depressing the center play/pause button for 3 seconds. Red on the battery indicator means you'd better stick the Shuffle in any available USB port to juice it up (if you want to charge the Shuffle using a power outlet, get one of these). Apple even includes a meticulously designed card-size at-a-glance guide with the Shuffle.
Obviously the Shuffle is intended for the day-tripper or the athlete who probably already owns a bigger iPod. It's meant to be recharged daily (its rated battery life is 12 hours), and while it's docked into your computer, iTunes will help you refresh your content with its new autofill feature. It won't skip, it's utterly portable, and it can even be worn stylishly around the neck with the included lanyard, though beware the mess of wires. In addition to the lanyard, you get the standard iPod earphones, a manual, and software, but we're not so sure MP3 newbies will warm to the Shuffle, given a wealth of other feature-filled, albeit more expensive, flash-based models to choose from. Then again, a lot of prospective Shuffle owners are mainstream buyers looking for affordability and simplicity.
The Shuffle works seamlessly with the latest iTunes 4.7.1, which includes the mentioned autofill feature that automatically loads the Shuffle player with an optimal number of songs based on user preference. Our first 512MB autofill stats: 488MB, 103 songs, 7.5 hours. We're wondering why iTunes wasn't able to cram another 4MB-plus of audio (the amount of space left for audio data) onto the Shuffle. For those who will use the Shuffle as a storage device, iTunes will allocate a specific amount of space for dedicated data storage. You can direct iTunes to swap out the Shuffle with brand-new songs and/or load them randomly from the playlist of your choice, as well as manually transfer the songs yourself. And remember, if you're an iTunes Music Store junkie, the Shuffle is the only flash-based player that will play your FairPlay-protected AAC files.
Speaking of supported file formats, the Shuffle will play back AAC up to 320Kbps, MP3 up to 320Kbps, MP3 VBR, WAV, and Audible files. It does not support AIFF, Apple Lossless, and of course, WMA.
Die-hard Shuffle fans will appreciate Apple's nice set of accessories, each costing $29 apiece. These include an AAA battery pack, a miniature dock, a USB power adapter, an armband, and a cool protective carrying case. More will surely come from third-party vendors.
We were able to get 15 hours out of the Shuffle, which is considerably less than some other flash-based players out there, such as the 40-hour iRiver iFP-800 series but plenty more than Apple's claims of 12 hours. But realize that most other players lasting more than 20 hours typically use a replaceable battery--good for convenience, though bad for the wallet. The Shuffle takes two hours to charge to 80 percent and a full four hours to charge completely. If you're traveling with it, you'll need to have a computer or the optional power adapter (which is several times larger than the Shuffle itself) nearby. Transfer time was 1.4MB per second, noticeably slower than a hard drive-based iPod's and disappointing for a USB 2.0 device.User reviews
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Strength in Weakness
by maverickmartin on June 28, 2005
Pros: Smal, lightweight, long battery life, simple to operate
Cons: Limited formats
Summary: I don't understand the folks who complain that this iPod has no LCD or fancy features. It's not supposed to! That is where it's strength is. I ...
Summary: I don't understand the folks who complain that this iPod has no LCD or fancy features. It's not supposed to! That is where it's strength is. I have had mine for a couple of weeks now. You can store over 24 hours of music on it and you have the choice of listening to it in the playlist order or random shuffle mode. If you put the songs on it you already know who performs it, if you don't then simply go back to your computer to find out. By eliminating the LCD you gain portability, you have one less thing to to get scratched or broken, and you aren't distracted by information overload. You get to enjoy music for the shear sake of enjoying music and maybe work a brain cell or two by trying to remember who did that song.
Also, this little device has plenty of fidelity. Just how much do you need when you are out jogging, walking, or riding in a car? Even if you are in a quiet environment you will be pleased with the sound. Want better sound quality? Buy a nice set of headphones. The iPod Shuffle will deliver.
I have read reviews that say the battery life is not great. Mine goes for many, many hours without a charge. I have probably listened to 15 hours of music without charging it.
The simplistic design is elegant and functional. It just plain looks cool. A simple switch on the back allows you to choose playlist or shuffle modes. The controls on the front are intuitive. I especially like the feature that allows you to lock the controls so that buttons aren't inadvertantly pressed while in your pocket.
The only down side I have is not with the iPod itself but with the iTunes software. It is a little quirkey, it took me a while to figure it out. Once I figured it out the transfers went smoothly. It may take a while to transfer files if they are not already in mp3 or acc format. It would be nice if other formats were supported but really it is not necessary.
Overall I give the iPod Shuffle high marks for doing what it was designed to do and doing it quite well.27 out of 30 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Apple's iPod rip-off reaches new lows
by sleepydad on May 31, 2005
Pros: Sleek style and simple operations
Cons: One hundred bucks for the replacement battery
Summary: Let me preface this review by saying that I'm an avid Apple/Macintosh user. I own two Macintosh computers and tons of Macintosh periperals. That having been said ... I ...
Summary: Let me preface this review by saying that I'm an avid Apple/Macintosh user. I own two Macintosh computers and tons of Macintosh periperals. That having been said ... I have a HUGE beef with this and other iPods that, had I known prior to purchasing, I would not have wasted a hundred bucks. Apple has put it's own battery, warrantied for one year with the option to purchase an extended warranty, in the iPod. You MUST send your iPod to Apple for the battery to be replaced. Bad enough, but you haven't heard the price yet -- $99. Yes, you spend $99 for the iPod then you have to buy a new battery within a one to two year span for $99, then another battery, then .. you get the picture. And, you have to send it to Apple to have the new battery installed meaning that you will be without your iPod for a week or two. Could it be any more inconvenient?! Buy any other brand of player than Apple. I have a Rio that I purchased for myself last year, and LOVE it! Tons of features (including replaceable AAA batteries available at your local drugstore or supermarket) for a few bucks more than this rip-off piece of garbage.
18 out of 22 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Shuffle didnt meet my Expectations
by bonghodrum on July 16, 2005
Pros: Creative AutoFill feature, Good pricepoint, and stylish look.
Cons: Worst designed Apple product that I have ever purchased. Missing some essentials like a power adapter. Forget Using it to listen to Audible Books.
Summary: I am a gadget freak and I normally respect Apple products because they are well designed. Just look at the elegant Powerbook power adapter and you can see that Apple'...
Summary: I am a gadget freak and I normally respect Apple products because they are well designed. Just look at the elegant Powerbook power adapter and you can see that Apple's product development team puts a tremendous amount of thought into every design detail.
That's why I had pretty high expectations for the Ipod Shuffle. Afterall I've owned several hard-drive based Ipods, and was accustomed to their brilliant user interface. The Ipod is not as feature rich as some of the other MP3 players, but it is unmatched in usabilty, design, and style, which makes it such a wonderful product.
However the Shuffle dissapoints because of its appalling lack of usability. I hate it not because of its simplicity, but because of its poor design.
I have four major annoyance with the Ipod shuffle which I find to be inexcusable.
First, The Shuffle was designed to be charged via a powered USB port. This may sound okay to some people, but apple really should include a power adapter at the very least. I dont want to keep a computer on for hours each day just to charge it.
Second, you can not sync songs from 2 different computers onto the shuffle. If you try to sync the shuffle to a second computer, all the music content on the shuffle will be erased before allowing any song to sync to it. No other Ipod has this limitation. Apple needs to get rid of this restriction.
Third, You cannot listen to the Shuffle while it is charging. It's unbelievable that Apple didnt envision that some of their users would want to do this.
Finally, listening to audible files on the Shuffle is pure torture. Apple has to come up with a better way of forwarding and rewinding through these long files. The forward and rewind functions are incredibly slow. I hope to see this fixed.
I like the simplicity of the Ipod Shuffle. I also really like the Autofill feature, where I-tunes can fill your shuffle with random songs from your music library if you want it to. I like the dimensions of it as well. I just hate the annoying details that Apple has completely overlooked. I like the Shuffle in concept, but its production is a subpar offering from Apple.14 out of 15 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Simple, small, random??
by Cnet_Jin on February 24, 2005
Pros: The design is simple...simpler than other iPods.. SMALL...about the size of a small gumpack! Great for people who look at the price...only 150$$ for 1GB great deal!!
Cons: the only way to listen to your music: shuffle..and on top of that you can't pick what song you want to listen to..you have to search through all your songs to get to your favorite song
5 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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You can get better for the money
Pros: No USB cable necessary
Cons: No screen, unresponsive controls
Summary: The Shuffle is Apple's latest attempt at milking money from the wannabe fashion-conscientious and the slow of mind.
If you think getting a $100 flash player will give you ...Summary: The Shuffle is Apple's latest attempt at milking money from the wannabe fashion-conscientious and the slow of mind.
If you think getting a $100 flash player will give you the same prestige as a $300 HDD player from the same brand, think again.
$100 may seem like a good price-point, but remember that this player doesn't have a screen so you can't see what you're playing. Furthermore, the controls got hard to press after a few weeks.
The Shuffle doesn't have a screen, so forget being able to tell someone what you're listening to if you don't have the world's greatest memory.
Last thing, the stock Apple earbuds leave something to be desired. They are uncomfortable in my ears, and don't sound anywhere as good as a pair of Shures. Well okay, that's a bit unfair. Stock earbuds are never that great.
Still, these white earbuds will have people mistaking you for an I-Pod owner, and downtown your chances of getting mugged are high.
The Sony NW-E105 is a better bargain for $100. It has a screen, too - which is always a good thing.4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Love it, but it's not for everyone
by geekzilla on March 3, 2005
Pros: Ease of use, low low cost
Cons: Not a full functioned unit, but then not meant to be
Summary: Just like a bazooka isn't great to hunt mosquitos with, the Shuffle isn't everything for everyone. If you are looking for an inexpensive way to get into MP3'...
Summary: Just like a bazooka isn't great to hunt mosquitos with, the Shuffle isn't everything for everyone. If you are looking for an inexpensive way to get into MP3's and listening to podcasts, this is the unit for you. If you MUST have a display, or want to hold every song you own in your hand, then get something bigger and more expensive.
4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Fits my needs perfectly!
by Patrickh on April 18, 2005
Pros: Shuffles my music. Lightweight package. Great sound.
Cons: It's from Apple.
Summary: Probably the lightest unit out there. Sounds great with my earphones or theirs. PC Magazine found it had better sound than most of the larger units.
I like it!Summary: Probably the lightest unit out there. Sounds great with my earphones or theirs. PC Magazine found it had better sound than most of the larger units.
I like it!3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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stupid only popular because its an apple ipod
by koala72 on June 19, 2005
Pros: is there anything?
Cons: no SCREEN, bad battery life
Summary: my friends owns it i played around with it for a few hours and i relised this is a load of rubbish the only reason why its popular because its ...
Summary: my friends owns it i played around with it for a few hours and i relised this is a load of rubbish the only reason why its popular because its made by apple! if it was an iriver shuffle everyone would mock it! and the battery life is rubbish you would think it would be good because theres no lcd screen but its still not good! get a mp3 for the same price that actually has a screen and battery life can be up to 20 hours
3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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The best for its price
Pros: Very good sound quality, has a good emphasis to the bass region and mid range region. It is really impressive for a gadget so light and small to produce good quality sound. Very easy to operate
Cons: you have to use itunes as an interface to your shuffle.
Summary: I got my 512 mb shuffle 3 days ago and im really impressed. Maybe it doesnt have any LCD but i really dont think its a disadvantage because common you ...
Summary: I got my 512 mb shuffle 3 days ago and im really impressed. Maybe it doesnt have any LCD but i really dont think its a disadvantage because common you buy mp3 players to listen to it right?? not to look at the LCD and see the title shift from left to right. Besides youre the one who decides what to put in your play list meaning, you do know the songs inside your shuffle...before the LCD flashes the title you already know what is playing so what's the LCD for? For those who decided to go with creative muvo... man do u really rate mp3s because of features? I really cant believe you go for features rather than sound quality. I also have a creative muvo but its bass and nid range region are weak and the high frequencies are too prominent. it may have an equalizer but those are artificial sounds and a good basis for reviewing sound is setting the equalizer flat. Relatively I do own a descent home theater system and I really can tell what is good sounding and not. Ipod shuffle is a good buy.
3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Perfect for its intended function
by sting7k on April 28, 2006
Pros: does what it was designed to do perfectly
Cons: none, if you don't expect this to be a stand alone player
Summary: I think several reviewers really missed the purpose of the ipod shuffle and have unfairly tried to rate it based on jobs that it is not designed to do.
The ...Summary: I think several reviewers really missed the purpose of the ipod shuffle and have unfairly tried to rate it based on jobs that it is not designed to do.
The shuffle needs no screen or tons of features crammed into it because it is supposed to just be carried and listend to and not messed with, other than skipping songs and play/stop.
The shuffle is not intended to be a stand alone player. The shuffle is for the person who already owns a hard drive player but does activities that could be dangerous to their expensive player. If you work out everyday, run, or even if u have a long subway commute or walk in the city and want a player you can just plug into your computer and fill with songs then go and listen while you do those things, then this player is for you.
I already own a 30gb ipod photo that i use everyday, but i also run everyday and running with your hard drive ipod can damage the internal moving parts from the intense repetative motion. So i finally decided to ditch my cd player which i had been using to run with even after i got my ipod(to much critisim i might add) and get a nice cheap flash player i could use. The shuffle is perfect, its cheap, small, works with itunes, and does what i need it to everytime.
So now that you know what the shuffle is intended for i will say it does all this flawlessly. When you are running(etc.) how often are you really going to be switching songs and looking at the screen or viewing photos, probably not very often. So i already have a 30gb ipod photo that does all that so why would i buy a more expensive player with tons of features i don't need. I only ever use this when i run and i know others that only use it for similar workout purposes or only on their daily commute. The autofill feature is sweet, i plug it in and it makes sure i have a new batch of songs everday and the most i ever run at one time is maybe for an hour so battery life is never an issue. The size is also awesome it feels like im not even carrying anything.
So in conclusion this player does what it was designed to do and nothing more, be a secondary player or for someone who wants to ditch their cd player they use to workout or something and doesn't want to spend alot and doesn't need tons of features. So if you buy this expecting it to be your main everyday player i will tell you to expect to be dissappointed and get a player with a screen, if not then buy this player because it is perfect!2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Apple
- Part number: M9724LL/A
- Description: Time to mix things up. Meet iPod shuffle, the unpredictable new iPod. What will it play next? Can it read your mind? Can it read your moods? Load it up. Put it on. See where it takes you. Welcome to a life less orderly. As official soundtrack to the random revolution, the iPod Shuffle Songs setting takes you on a unique journey through your music collection - you never know what's around the next tune. Meet your new ride. More roadster than Rolls, iPod shuffle rejects routine by serving up your favorite songs in a different order every time. Just plug iPod shuffle into your computer's USB port, let iTunes Autofill it with up to 240 songs and get a new experience with every connection. The trail you run every day looks different with an iPod shuffle. Daily gridlock feels less mundane when you don't know what song will play next. iPod shuffle adds musical spontaneity to your life. Lose control. Love it. iPod shuffle weighs as little as a car key and makes a tuneful fashion statement. Just throw the included lanyard around your neck and take a walk. Or run. Or ride. There's nowhere your skip-free iPod shuffle can't go, and with up to 12 hours of continuous playback time, it keeps going as long as you do. A neat little cap protects the USB connector, and those signature white earbud headphones tell the world you love to listen in style. Ready for anything from a transatlantic flight to a weekend at the beach, the iPod shuffle makes the perfect, low-maintenance pal. Good things really do come in small packages. The controls on the iPod shuffle feel as intuitive and easy to use as those on every iPod model. Play, pause, skip, repeat, shuffle and hold at the touch of a thumb: The circular, ergonomic controls and one-click slider make it simple to listen without looking.
General
- Product type Digital player
- PC interface(s) supported USB
- Flash memory installed 512 MB Integrated
- Digital storage None
- Weight 0.8 oz
- Dimensions (W x D x H) 1 in x 0.3 in x 3.3 in
- Included accessories Carrying strap
- Software type Apple iTunes
- iPod Generation 1G
Carrying Case
- Case type None
Digital Player / Recorder
- Supported digital audio standards MP3 ,
Audible ,
AAC ,
WAV - Playback modes Random play / shuffle,
Playlist - Edit functions Erase
- Response bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
- Supported bit rate 8 - 320
- External hard drive function Yes
- Additional features Variable bit-rate compatible
Audio Features
- Sound output mode Stereo
- Amplifier response bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
- Additional features USB 2.0 compatibility,
Upgradeable firmware CD System
- Playback modes Repeat one/all
- Digital audio standards supported MP3,
MP3 VBR,
AAC,
Apple Lossless,
WAV,
AIFF,
Audible - ID3 tag support No
Equalizer
- Equalizer type No
Remote Control
- Remote control None
Microphone
- Microphone type None
Headphones
- Headphones type Binaural Ear-bud
- Sound output mode [Sep 14, 2011 from CDS: Audio Output] Stereo
- Response bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
- Impedance 32 Ohm
- Connectivity technology Wired
Connectivity
- Cable(s) included 1 x USB cable -
- Connector type 1 x Headphones Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm,
1 x USB 4 pin USB Type A Battery / Power
- Battery Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
- Mfr estimated battery life 12 hour(s)
- Recharge time 4 hour(s)
- Power device type None
System Requirements
- Peripheral / Interface devices [Jul 2, 2008 from CDS: System Requirements] USB port,
CD-ROM - Operating system Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4,
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP2,
Apple MacOS X 10.2.8 or later,
Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2
Product series
-
Manufacturer: Apple
Specs: 512 MB,
MP3,
Audible,
AAC,
WAV,
Player battery - Rechargeable,
12 hour(s),
Digital player -
Manufacturer: Apple
Specs: 1 GB,
MP3,
Audible,
AAC,
WAV,
Player battery - Rechargeable,
12 hour(s),
Digital player
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Apple products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:Apple
- Address:
One Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014 - Phone: 1-408-996-1010
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