Should I buy a IPod Shuffle?

[akahoshi]

Hi all,

I am in a dilemma. Having counted around $150 ang-bao money (probably the record low amount anyone gets in singapore), I am thinking of getting myself an Ipod Shuffle. I am going to use this MP3 player MAINLY for working out (exercising). Now before you guys say "but got NO screen!!" and recommend a better player, pls see if the player you are going to recommend has all this features..

- 0.78 ounces (woah, not even an ounce).

- super skip-proof for me to do workouts and jogging.

- cost less then $180.

- doesn't jump around when you jogging.

My views on the disadvantages..

- no screen (who looks at his ipod screen when he's trying to get best timing for 2.4km?)

- looks like a bubble gum stick (how many people actually show their MP3 players in public while listening to their music?)

- only 1GB (Approx. 240 songs, and thats is good enough for me, I am not all those music-physo that want to listen music for a week!)

- no equalizer (thats a real disadvantage!!)

These are all my views on the IPod Shuffle. Now, do give more advantages or disavantages that you think this player has..

Pls note that I am looking for a player less than $180.

One of my main concerns are that the prices might drop as it has just hit the market.. But.. $178 is already very cheap isn't it?

Do tell me your views on whether i should buy it or not.

[jonathan543]

hi me oso deciding whether to get ipod shuffle... one thing to take note is dat $178 is the 512mb... 1gb costs $268... to me no tuner & no equalizer are a big nono... plus it's using integrated batt... meaning if ur batt is exhausted during the day ur stuck. plus an external AA batt unit is available seperately so gotta fork out $$$ if ur like me, oni charging the batt when it's exhausted. and should the integrated batt should fail in time, gotta send to apple to replace it too.

on the plus side, it's tiny & light. and since it lack almost all of the customisable functions, one can expect it to have a gd batt life. and for the price, it's pretty value for money too! but i would want to hear it personally be4 i buy it as i'm those whom wan to feel the bass massaging my eardrums heheheh *iriver rocks!*

[SpiderOne]

sorry . now that i think properly i realise my post was out of place . /me slaps face

Edited April 5, 2005 by SpiderOne

[firestream]

short ans : NO

Long Ans: Ipod don't offer a a straight forward replacement battery like other mp3. I think the $$ will be better spend on Creative product. At least I can go to any 7-11 to get some AAA when my battery run out.

[gothia]

no screen very jialat one...

first u must do house keeping on all ur mp3 files.. you got to rename the tags according to the artist name then the song title ...or else it will be in a mess when u dl into ur player...

try dl the itune program from mac and see.... cos u gonna use this progarm to upload songs to ur player..

[akahoshi]

Ok, few questions..

How much is the replacement battery for the ipod shuffle?

What is the lifespan of the battery? (How long you can use it till you have to get a replacement)

Well, I guess i have actually hear the thing first..

Geez.. 1GB for $268? Now thats not really under budget..

[gothia]

alamak..

i happen to have a ipod mini..so i called up apple to check earlier for u...

its 400 times rechargeable...if u were to change the battery.. it will be 200 plus per replacement (might as well u buy a new ipod shuffle better lah)

so...how?

*Die..now i oso regret of getting the iPod min*

[hotlemond]

even when I use the ipod mini, choosing songs is a hussle. You got to really do your house keeping by name, album, genre... otherwise you will always be scrolling and scrolling.

The batt issue also a pain in the a**.., must switch on pc to recharge via USB2.0. And forget about buying thier assesories, one plain plastic condom cover for ipod mini is $50.

Conclusion: the ipod shuffle may be worse. Go Sim Lim get a cheap Korean brand like JNP.

[gothia]

all i can say is over priced product

[akahoshi]

IPod Mini is over priced, or IPod Shuffle is over priced??

So the battery problem lies in EVERY IPod product... thought it was justa Shuffle thing.

Anyways, lets say i get the AAA battery pack for the Ipod shuffle, do i still need to change the main battery?

Ps. - I still cannot find another mp3 player lesser than $180, mostly likely getting ipod shuffle, who cares anyway - it's ang-bao money..haha!!

[gothia]

IPod Mini is over priced, or IPod Shuffle is over priced??

So the battery problem lies in EVERY IPod product... thought it was justa Shuffle thing.

Anyways, lets say i get the AAA battery pack for the Ipod shuffle, do i still need to change the main battery?

Ps. - I still cannot find another mp3 player lesser than $180, mostly likely getting ipod shuffle, who cares anyway - it's ang-bao money..haha!!

you cannot use normal AAA battery with iPod Shuffle..

iPod Shuffle have built in proprietary rechargeable battery ( recharge up to 400 times ) ...after that if spoil, one battery cost $200 plus to replace (might as well get a new ipod shuffle ) ... this thing applies to Ipod Mini, Ipod & Shuffle (all apple MP3 player) somemore dun have FM receiver...

Go down to Sim Lim to have a good look at JNC ....

[akahoshi]

Why can't you use AAA Battery if you buy the battery pack accessory?

Battery Pack Accessory

Now, my question still the same.. using that battery pack... must still change the main battery?

[gothia]

that is an external battery pack....for extra battery life (up to 20 hrs) ---> this one you can put AA battery

w/o will be 8 hours oni with the built in iPod proprietary battery ..u still have to change the built in battery after (+/-) 400x charges...

seems that u have alot of queries on iPod shuffle..why not pop by their care centre to check with their sales people? they can tell u more about it..

[jonathan543]

hmm from wad i can c, $178 is pretty a gd buy for it's 512mb storage. $268 for the 1gb model is hard to beat for the price. look around other brands & i think no one can offer dat much storage for the same price. of course u weigh the pro & the cons of the price against the lack of tuner, equaliser, long term battery issues & etc, all dat matters is ur personal preferences.

for me, the downsides are: lack of tuner, equaliser & battery replacement issue. i can tackle anything elses except these!

however for the good news, look wad i've copied from apple's webby:

Maximum Battery Life

iPod can play up to 12 hours and iPod mini can play up to 8 hours on a full charge at original capacity. Apple runs a number of tests for battery life using songs encoded in various formats, including MP3, AAC and songs purchased from the iTunes Music Store. The songs are played continuously through a playlist without interruption, with backlight and equalizer off, using factory default settings.

Charge Cycles

A properly maintained iPod battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity after 400 full charge and discharge cycles. You may choose to replace your battery when it no longer holds sufficient charge to meet your needs.

so in a nut's case, the maximum quoted playback time for ipods might not be correct as most of us would be switching on the backlights & equalizer while listening. and since ipod shuffle is a flashmemory player & dun have lights & equalizer, 12hrs playbacktime is pretty realistic. 12hrs playbacktime is very impressive liao. most of those flashmemory players can oni managed 8hrs+ on a AAA batt. and u can choose not to replace the batt after 400charges as oni the batt capacity is reduced to 80%, still can use. or can wait till the batt can oni managed few hrs of playback nia then change. i think if u charge one time a day, the batt will last quite sometime, though after the 1st yr plus batt capacity will be reduced abit. or by the time the batt is wasted there're beta players u can buy, and since shuffle is pretty cheap to buy u wun feel heartpain when u upgrade =)

[jonathan543]

hey i might be getting one after all... look:

Optimize Your Settings

There are a few features that use your iPod battery more quickly. If you don’t use these features, your iPod will play tunes longer.

Backlight: Setting the backlight to “always on” will significantly reduce your battery life. Only use the backlight when necessary.

Equalizer: Adding EQs to playback uses more of your iPod processor, since they aren’t encoded in the song. Turn EQ off if you don’t use it. If, however, you’ve added EQ to tracks in iTunes, you’ll need to set EQ to “flat” in order to have the effect of “off,” because iPod keeps your iTunes settings intact.

haahaa! u can actually add eq effect to the songs using itunes! onz! oh & btw the cost of replacing the $200batt... think of it as an installment for ur cost of buying a batt a day... less than $1 a day.... haahaa! woohoo... think ipod shuffle is on my wishlist liao....

[akahoshi]

Ok, check this out, Creative MuVo TX FM. 512MB for $199.

Got 5 band equalizer, FM radio, voice recording, and LCD display.

SO how people?? which one should i choose?

(I am not sure if the creative player and go jogging or not... might skip during playback)

[akahoshi]

Sorry all, wrong model.. it's Creative MuVo V200. $199.

FM Radio, LCD Screen, 5 Band Equalizer, Voice Recording..

I think I am going buy this one..

Just found out that i can bring it for jogging, won't skip.

[shiraz]

all in all, i find apple stuff SEVERELY overpriced!

i guess you're paying for the brand only and design thats all! nothing worth a shout abt! sheesh!

or maybe im just very very VERY anti-apple!

btw, im getting the muvo tx fm 512mb... can serve as a flash drive as well.. and it's creative... a company with a good history and rather good customer service in my humble opinion

and oh ya... i don't think rechargeble batts cost over $200 be it as slim as the kind of batts they use in Longines watches!

apple.... (green apple )

whoops.. sorry built up anger being released.. previous apple owner la thats why

[madmac]

I love macs.... I luv apple products... they've made my life so easy, to concentrate on other more impt things in life. The iPod Shuffle is a very good buy for what you're getting... its gonna be another standard product that many accessories makers will target for.... Soon you'll be use your iPod Shuffle for your car, home stereo sets, TVs, bicycle, motobike helmets, etc.

Don't forget iTunes software, its the best software for managing your music... it so easy to use, you'll love the features available for it... have you downloaded iTunes and played around with it? It presents the best available choices for music formats... Creative's no match for it.

Other players have difficult to use interfaces, you can scream your head off using them. Simplicity is key in life... don't rush to buy those other until you've done you dd.

this article was released yesterday and it says that the iPod shuffle use quality components when compared to its competitor's product. http://neasia.nikkeibp.com/neasia/000854

Don't worry about battery life, 200 charges for 12 hours is equal to 2400 hours of use.. by the time comes, you'll be after another device already.... take my humble advise go the apple product.

[jonathan543]

haahaa... tried my friend's creative... sound not up to my expectations... so far i find the iriver's ultrabass eq the most shiok... can really feel the bass extending & filling my earbuds while having the punch & control without sounding too bloated... using normal earphones will distord the sound so now using sony's model 71smt.

me oso think apple sucks but the feedback about the sound quality is the best ba... from wad i read. plus the fullsized ipod had one of the most highest powered amp.... dunno bout the shuffle...

[madmac]

all in all, i find apple stuff SEVERELY overpriced!

i guess you're paying for the brand only and design thats all! nothing worth a shout abt! sheesh!

or maybe im just very very VERY anti-apple!

btw, im getting the muvo tx fm 512mb... can serve as a flash drive as well.. and it's creative... a company with a good history and rather good customer service in my humble opinion

and oh ya... i don't think rechargeble batts cost over $200 be it as slim as the kind of batts they use in Longines watches!

apple.... (green apple )

whoops.. sorry built up anger being released.. previous apple owner la thats why

you know whats the trouble with Creative... they are hardly creative... they don't innovate, they don't bring new things into this industry... they prefer to copy...

I've heard very bad QC was done on Creatives products... there were many returns. But don't believe me, go check it on web... its not too difficult...

You're not the first, I come across to be anti-Apple, thats fine but remain objective, if you have something bad to say about the company and it products do so... but pls don't point out that its overprice therefore it a bad product... BMWs are just as overprice too... oh wait but BMW use inferior components and are difficult to operate as a car...

ppl pay a great deal for brand and design in case you haven't already known... and the market will speak of it.. if its good it will triumph... let the market decide... you'll soon know how well iPod shuffle do.... by the next two weeks... apple will announce... we can compare to Creative's sale then.

shiraz... no hard feelings... I'm not poking at you... I just wished this world would give everyone a chance to be heard be with you.

Shiraz.... beautiful aroma, deep colouration, intense flavour, long on the palette...

[shiraz]

you know whats the trouble with Creative... they are hardly creative... they don't innovate, they don't bring new things into this industry... they prefer to copy...

I've heard very bad QC was done on Creatives products... there were many returns. But don't believe me, go check it on web... its not too difficult...

You're not the first, I come across to be anti-Apple, thats fine but remain objective, if you have something bad to say about the company and it products do so... but pls don't point out that its overprice therefore it a bad product... BMWs are just as overprice too... oh wait but BMW use inferior components and are difficult to operate as a car...

ppl pay a great deal for brand and design in case you haven't already known... and the market will speak of it.. if its good it will triumph... let the market decide... you'll soon know how well iPod shuffle do.... by the next two weeks... apple will announce... we can compare to Creative's sale then.

shiraz... no hard feelings... I'm not poking at you... I just wished this world would give everyone a chance to be heard be with you.

Shiraz.... beautiful aroma, deep colouration, intense flavour, long on the palette...

i added emoticons so that it would not be too harsh actually... didn't actually mean to offend u la..u are right on.. as i was thinking of linking Apple products to BMWs but i thought that BMW drivers here might get alittle offended..

ok anyway i'll do it now.. bmws are higher tech, have better everything, look better and sound better than any other european car.. right? so does apple products.. but then personally, even if i had the resources, i'd never buy a bmw.. i'd rather go for a merc that is more practical, that has a stronger engine, that is cheaper to mantain... same goes for apple products... i'd rather get creative... AAA batt, simple design, though not more robust than Apple but then... nvm

btw bro, Shiraz is actually my real name... and i didn't know it was a name of a wine until i was 15, didn't know it was a name of a city in iran until i was 16, and didn't know it was a brand of very expensive Persian carpet used by royalties around the world in palaces until i was 17! and my parents didn't know all these facts when they named me at birth...

i think liao leh..

ok back to topic!!!

[gothia]

haahaa... tried my friend's creative... sound not up to my expectations... so far i find the iriver's ultrabass eq the most shiok... can really feel the bass extending & filling my earbuds while having the punch & control without sounding too bloated... using normal earphones will distord the sound so now using sony's model 71smt.

me oso think apple sucks but the feedback about the sound quality is the best ba... from wad i read. plus the fullsized ipod had one of the most highest powered amp.... dunno bout the shuffle...

the sound quality for iPod is so so only ... the best is still iRiver...

[jonathan543]

haahaa.... the eq for itunes zia or not ar? any eq boost the bass till normal earphones sounded distorded by the bass beats? iriver too damn ex liao... using imp550 now, damn gd until i drop it few times then now reading errors liao... super sian. ya iriver gd for bass idiots like me but too damn ex! heard the latest ones have playback time of 24hrs on a single AAA! cool!

[firestream]

Sorry all, wrong model.. it's Creative MuVo V200. $199.

FM Radio, LCD Screen, 5 Band Equalizer, Voice Recording..

I think I am going buy this one..

Just found out that i can bring it for jogging, won't skip.

Get the N200 model. I remember it is better than the V200. can't remember the different already but both selling at the same price in Sim Lim Sq.

see, you manage to find a better replacement for Ipod shuffle right. Who said that 512MB @ $178 is hard to beat ?

The battery pack for Shuffle add the overall volume & weight. I might as well get a normal MP3 player than accept AA or AAA. One AAA 900mah Sanyo rechargeable battery should last you 12~15 hrs on the creative N200 already. Beside, creative support wma which Ipod are not.