MacMost Now 214: New iPod Shuffle

Check out the new iPod Shuffle, with 4GB of storage and a smaller size. Also uses text-to-speech technology and supports multiple playlists. But it fails to offer alternatives to using the included earbuds because the controls are a part of the wires.

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On this episode,let's take a look at the new iPod Shuffle.
So here are the facts about the new iPod Shuffle: 
First thing is that it has 4 giga storage, that's twice the size of the old one, 
taking a lot more songs.
Next thing is the new form-factor, it's vertical as you can see,
instead of kinda square rectangular shape and that make it half the size of the old
iPod Shuffle, that's pretty small.
Next thing is, that its got controls now that aren't on the device it self, but actually 
on the ear buzz. they're on the right wire, for the right headphone.
Next thing is, that its got the new thing called, "Spoken Words",
that actually isn't quite new. (We'll talk about that in a second)
And finally,we've got a new price point: $79, more expensive than the old shuffle.
It also comes in a two different colors: white and black. kinda like the iPhone.
So on the buddy of the shuffle, are still the switches for off, shuffle and play in order.
But, on the remote,we've got this new set of switches: it's actually 3 buttons:
There's volume up and volume down and than a middle button.
Now, the way the middle button works, is, you click it once, and it will simply pause or play.
Click it twice and it will skip to the next song, click it three times and it will return to the previous song.
In addition, if you click and hold it will tell you, using voice over, the name of the song that's playing the artist.
If you click and hold even longer, it will start naming all you play lists, 
click during the play lists to jump to that play list.
So, a big new feature is the ability to have multiple play lists on your shuffle not just one big play list.
So the voice over technology isn't actually new at all, it's on the 4th generation of the iPod Nano.
And the way it works really isn't that magical on the iPod. It's all done on you Mac, or you PC,
through ITunes, it's using the voice speech technology on your computer, that actually
record the track names and play list names, of all the different things on you iPod, and than
it sends to the iPod as MP3 files, so all that stuff is really done on your computer and it's just kinda enabled by a little tiny bit of technology on the shuffle it self.
In addition, there's one big drawback so far to the new iPod shuffle: it's the fact that those controls on the ear buzz! Looks like you're stuck with those ear buzz, you can't use your own headphones, like the noise canceling over the head I like to use,
and what happens when you try plug it in into your stereo or car? How do you control it for that?
Now imagine Apple is going to release some sort of cable that's got remote on it that will allow you to plug in other headphones, or perhaps use can use a wide cable to plug in both the ear buzz and another set of headphones or into you car.
So far there has been nothing on the web site, and the question on the discussion forum of apple
have gone unanswered. So we're gonna wait and see if it is a major drawback or just a minor set back for the iPod Shuffle.
So, Until next time,this is Gary Rosenzweig with MacMost Now.

Comments: 3 Responses to “MacMost Now 214: New iPod Shuffle”

BOB

15 years ago

when are you going to lower the price of the new mac pro $2700.
I CAN NOT AFFORD......

rosenz

Me? I'm pretty sure it isn't up to me.

Taina Dolle

14 years ago

I love my ipad so much, its a little awkward to type on but it doesnt matter, the other features more then make up for it.

Comments Closed.

MacMost Now 214: New iPod Shuffle

Comments: 3 Responses to “MacMost Now 214: New iPod Shuffle”

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