IPod shuffle (1st generation)

The diminutive, screenless iPod shuffle was introduced on January 11, 2005 at the MacWorld conference in San Francisco as a simple, inexpensive alternative to USB pen-drive-style MP3 players. It made use of flash memory storage, required no additional cables or software (other than iTunes), and showcased a use feature, or mode, that was to be eponymous to the model &mdash; the shuffle.

Initially, the Shuffle was offered in two variants, differentiated only by storage capacity. Both the 512MB and 1GB versions shared the same case form factor and connectivity. When introduced, the 512MB variant was $99 USD and the 1GB was $129 USD.

The gloss white plastic case was the model of simplicity and elegant design amongst competitors ever-trying to cram as many switches and controls onto as small a shell as possible. Apple counted on the aura and passion that music listeners held, eliminating a screen from the design. This not only reduced the required size of the unit, but increased battery life. The battery reservoir, in this instance, was an internal powercell, recharged via USB connection. Most users wouldn't need a screen, because they'd either "know their music" and the playlist they had loaded, or they'd be captivated by the shuffle feature &mdash; setting the Shuffle to play through the loaded songs randomly.

It was a rousing success, and not only spawned numerous accessories, but also became an accessory in its own right. Frequently, iPod and notebook (laptop) owners would purchase a Shuffle in order to reduce the size of the "device footprint" that they had been using for music listening. It appealed greatly to the activity-conscious crowd, used during physical activity, for example, because of its small size, light weight, and near-indestructibility. It virtually became a fashion accessory, worn on a lanyard, or on an armband or wristband, or slipped discreetly into a pocket.

The iPod Shuffle comes in two models, differentiated only by storage capacity. The 512MB model can hold 120 songs and retails for $99 USD; the 1GB model holds 240 songs, and retails for $129 USD. (As usual for iPod statistics, the song count is based on four minute AAC format songs at 128-Kbps quality.) Apple dropped prices on February 7, 2006 to $69 for the 512MB model and $99 for the 1GB model. At this time a new flash-based 1GB iPod nano was introduced at the $149 price-point vacated by the 1GB iPod shuffle.

Apple Computer, Inc. introduced the second generation (2G) iPod shuffle at a special invite-only media event called "Showtime" on September 12, 2006. iPod shuffle is now a single 1 GB model that is approximately half the size of the original iPod shuffle. The new aluminum-clad iPod shuffle is more square in shape than the "stick of gum" shaped original iPod shuffle. The new iPod shuffle includes a built-in clip and lacks a USB connector eliminating its use as a flash drive. The 2G iPod shuffle has a battery life of 12 hours (continuous playback).

Charging and filling the new iPod shuffle with songs must be done using the bundled dock, which has a USB 2.0 cable and connects through a multi-purpose audio-capable jack on the bottom edge of the unit. Price point for the iPod shuffle is now $79 with free laser engraving as an added option.

iPod Shuffles provide much less "storage per dollar" than more expensive iPods, and for this reason many consumers looking for a low-priced iPod initially preferred the 4GB iPod Mini which retailed for $199 USD.

According to Apple, the iPod Shuffle is "smaller than a pack of gum and much more fun".

The shuffle is, like most other iPods, completely white. It has no screen, only a simple set of controls, a power button on the back, and a switch. The switch tells the iPod whether or not the user wants the songs shuffled. According to Apple, the Shuffle weighs less than one ounce and is the size of most packages of gum. Shortly after its introduction, the Apple website politely reminded users not to eat iPod Shuffle.

The feature that gave it its name - Shuffle. It shuffles your songs automatically. As Apple says on their website, "Your songs. A million different ways." To activate it, just move the switch at the back to the Shuffle position.

This feature was actually the point of the iPod shuffle. Steve Jobs said at Macworld that the most popular feature on an iPod was the shuffle function, so they made an iPod just for it!

If you just got a new album and want to listen to it, or for some other reason that you don't want your music shuffled, you can use the Playlist mode. This allows you to listen to playlists created on iTunes. Just bring the playlist to the top of the list in iTunes. To use it, flip the switch at the back to Playlist position.

Like other iPods, hold mode is for when you don't want to press buttons while in your pocket and such. Hold mode can be activated by pressing the Play/Pause button for three seconds. To turn it off, do the same thing.

As an alternative, many people have a lanyard for their Shuffle, so they do not need to use hold mode.

Navigation is purely elementary. + for volume up, - for down. << for previous song, >> for the next song. The middle is play when not playing, and pause when playing. It can also be used as the hold function (listed above).

Unlike the other models, you can't scroll by moving your finger around the circle, as there is no navigation menu to navigate, and the volume controls are already taken care of.

A shuffle user can choose from two ways of uploading songs: Autofill or Drag and Drop. Using Autofill, iTunes can either randomly choose songs or choose higher rated songs and then completely fill the Shuffle. Drag and Drop allows the user to choose songs or playlists to upload to the Shuffle, which then can be played back in the same order thusly eliminating the shuffle nature of the Shuffle. The Shuffle is very similar to USB Thumb Drives, as it only has a USB connector.

For people, who for some reason don't want to use iTunes to upload songs to their Shuffle, there is a python script available, which allows the user to use the Shuffle like any other USB flash player. The user just copies the MP3 files onto the Shuffle, whilst rebuild_db.py generates a new playlist containing all the songs on the Shuffle on execution.

Product Images

 * iPod shuffle Gallery