[napacab]

Apple=proprietary: no subscription services work with it (buy from iTunes or else) and now with proprietary headphones. People are suckers for Apple's fantastic marketing department, believe they are following the latest and greatest, and paying through the nose.

[LukeWilson]

jonro said:

I'm waiting for an iPod Shuffle small enough to stick in your ear. Who wants bulky earphones?

Love it... haha. What an awesome idea!

[that1guy]

Hurley42 said:

* and I don't want to wait for some adapter to add to an overpriced digital player, as suggested by someone above. Amazon lists several small digital players under $20 - and most even have a display! Glad Apple got me to look back into other companies who are making the same product for a lower price.
There are people who like Apple's design style and there are people who like bitching. You fall into the latter category.
Enjoy your $20 plastic Chinese knockoff.

[missinglina]

Paying through the nose? The price seems right. Is there a battle b/w Windows control vs. Apple control vs. who knows what else. Yes. Buy from iTunes or else? Almost none of my music if from the iTunes store, but iTunes is a great platform for managing my music and it syncs with my iPods flawlessly. That's where you have a point: Have an iPod, gotta use iTunes. But what if you actually like iTunes and wouldn't care to use anything else? Subscription services not compatible, you're right. If that's what you're after, iTunes/iPods doesn't play that game yet. But why does that make me a sucker? Since when is renting music better?

[that1guy]

napacab said:

Apple=proprietary: no subscription services work with it (buy from iTunes or else) and now with proprietary headphones. People are suckers for Apple's fantastic marketing department, believe they are following the latest and greatest, and paying through the nose.

Who let the troll in? Music from amazon works just fine on iPods, but you already new that. If you don't like it, don't buy it. I'm sure one of the many other companies with 'iPod killers' would be very happy to make a sale this month. Meanwhile Apple will continue to sell these by the boat load.

[schief]

I love apple products but in the case of the shuffle, the Sansa clip is better. Apple, please get a small screen to view the songs. Then you can do away with the voice over ...

[KBeat]

Hurley42 said:

Good thing there are other digital players on the market. TIme to start shopping.

Including the 2 GB model Shuffle which Apple still sells. Isn't it great to have choices!

[Scott_Gardner]

Since the Shuffle plays unprotected AAC files, fixed- and variable-rate MP3, AIFF, WAV, and Audible files, I don't know why you'd be locked out of using subscription services, unless they use some proprietary/locked format (and that's hardly Apple's fault). Sure, you'll need to use iTunes to manage the contents on the Shuffle, but you don't have to buy your music at the iTunes store.

Also, I just noticed that the new Shuffle supports Apple Lossless, which is very nice. With 4 GB of storage, I could still fit more than enough music for a long workout, and iTunes won't have to convert my songs before transferring them to the Shuffle.

[MacKayaker]

Interestingly enough - I think many of us (including myself initially) are missing a key point.

4 GB for $79!

Yeah, I know you can get other players with more storage and cheaper - if so inclined, go for it - no one is limiting your options.

Back when this started - how much were people willing to pay for a 5 GB iPod? Think about it . . . Yeah, I know it doesn't have a screen, etc. i get that - but it still is pretty cool and for exercising, I don't switch between stuff much, so I don't need a screen - would I make use of one, sure - but the inclusion of playlists really helps with that. I still tend to use my Classic 80GB iPod, since I may want a book, etc. or any of a pile of songs - it's light enough and I get all the choice I want. And for me, when light is in order, 2 GB is still penty of space for three or four books and a small pile of music, so the last Shuffle serves me just fine - and I can use the headphones that work for me, since the Apple buds never have.

[gramos]

Wow, SNL was right when it spoofed the iPod...guess it wasn't a spoof after all! :)

Next, we'll have the iPod Tic Tac, then maybe the iPod Flea! heh heh heh

And azabache, I think the author did mean CHORD, as the next generation iPod will no longer have iPod controls on the headset cord. Rather, the device is being prepped to tap into the user's SPINAL CHORD. Oy!

[missinglina]

I looked it up. I agree. The Sansa looks fantastic and even cheaper, amazing. I guess that company manufactures flash memory eh? Sigh. I would go get a Sansa clip today but I just don't want to have to manually manage my music, which I've tried before. But yes, I fully agree, for playing your music, it looks like a better product and value, with the FM radio and voice recorder thrown in. It seems as if those 2 features just come standard with other products, no matter how cheap they are. So if you don't iTunes integration, the Sansa Clip rocks. For being totally mobile though, as in running, I can see where the Shuffle has an advantage though b/c you never have to look at the device. You just reach for your earphones. But of course, Apple could have made the shuffle like the Sansa and sill added "voice over".

[KBeat]

Also, keep in mind that the new Shuffle is considerably smaller than the Sansa Clip. Now, the Clip may be small enough for you, but Apple is clearly making size the priority over extra features like voice record that many won't use.

[baldy]

Not me; I'm waiting for the next gen ipod shuffle, which comes in the form of a rectal suppository, and requires the user to perform a Kegel exercise to skip songs. Now THAT would be unobtrusive!

[stsk]

Of course there will be 3rd party adapters soon... which will make the whole package bulkier and more expensive and eliminate any advantage of the smaller package. I use $500 Shure in-ear-monitors with my shuffles at the gym or anyplace I don't need my Touch. I won't be buying one of the new generation shuffles because it's a step backward in convenience. Perfect example of answering a question no one was asking.