iPod shuffle Review

Posted on October 14th, 2009. Written by Rico.

The third-generation iPod shuffle is the tiniest portable audio player Apple has ever come out with. Does its size belie value-for-money functionality? Mostly yes, if it weren’t for one critical flaw.

You probably know that there are no playback controls on the iPod shuffle itself; they’ve been moved to the earphones that come with the iPod shuffle, effectively limiting you to that pair. If it breaks or stops working, you’ll have to buy an expensive replacement from Apple, paying whatever price they set for the new pair of earphones.

Otherwise however, the iPod shuffle is much easier to use than its predecessor, despite still lacking a display to aid navigation. Playing and pausing a track, browsing through songs and even playlists are made possible by pressing the button between the volume up and down keys one or more times. I’ve tried jogging with the shuffle, and while listening through playlists can take some time, moving to the next or previous track wasn’t really that difficult.

When you stop using the shuffle though, you must remember to turn it off! After a quick 30-minute jog, I wrapped the earphone cords around the shuffle and tucked it away—only to discover a couple of days later that it died because I accidentally left it on!

For its size, the iPod shuffle is surprisingly affordable. The earphones that come bundled with each iPod aren’t known for their audio quality, but those that come with the shuffle are decent enough, treble- and bass-level wise. Just make sure you never lose those earphones, or the USB charger that plugs into the earphone port, otherwise you’re left with an unusable gadget.

Pricing info available here: iPod shuffle (3rd Gen, 4GB) First Impressions