CrazyOne

Regarding above questions about resuming and audiobook suitability, my understanding is that it does resume exactly where you left off at any given time (which is sometimes unlike the other iPods), but that you can't fast wind through a given track, which would be bad for audiobooks because the track size can sometimes be a full hour or so. I guess that last bit might be somewhat mitigated by the resume part, but it would mean you couldn't switch from one thing to another and then back to the audiobook mid-track. (Admittedly, the desire to do that might be very small anyway.)

It was a third-party site (and I don't remember which one) where I read about the inability to fast wind within a track, so that info could be erroneous.

ScottC

Apple products in a nutshell:

http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/images/iProduct.gif

WHOAitzChRiS

im really happy with my 1.5 PowerBook G4 with iSight and AirPort Express and 20 GB iPod also. I just bought the apple wireless mouse on sale yesterday from Pasadena Apple Store with the World Travel Adapter set. I'm just waiting for the new Mac OS X 1.4 Tiger . yippee! no need for the mini Mac or the iPod shuffle.

kluau88

Can't wait for Tiger Did you notice built in flight tracker amongst other things?

swise

I'm sure Konfabulator has a flight tracker widget out right now if you can't wait.

Konfabulator is basically the same thing as Dashboard.

CPRich

As others have said, the Apple name is exactly what this will sell on. UI? There is none. Useability? Stop, PLay, Forward, Back. I think others have the same usability. Cache? I assume you mean cachet? Exactly - It's white and 'cool' - that's why people will buy it. Other iPod's do have differentiators that make them nice. This is like the original Lexus ES - an unremarkable, rebadged Camry to take advantage of the name.

It's no worse than other flash players, no better, and has "iPod" stamped on it, so I'm sure it will sell bunches.

alanw

Please also see: http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/porta...shuffle-029509

nmenaker

thanks for the kudos and speel check. I type faster than I can think actually. :-)

As for my comments, UI, useability, etc., I meant for apple products in general. Ipod, iMac, APE, they just work well, and people can interface well with them.

As for a phone, I think that the don't THINK they can do it well enough to keep up with this track record.

jfe

I have nothing against ipod, bought my wife one for xmas, and she absolutely loves it

They have a great interface, are cool looking, reason they are the best seller out there.

And now, Apple comes out with a new product, and everybody that is a loyal minion is eagerly awaiting. And it's normal, we have a loyalty to the products we buy, creating a rivalry between brands is a great way to keep a consumer base (I also have a degree in marketing )

But trying to be objective about it, this product is nothing to be excited about. It's just a run of the mill flash memory MP3 player. And if stripping a LCD out of it is a sign of genius, so be it. But this is a plain, boring, nothing extraordinary about it "new" product.

It's hard to be creating revolutionary, cutting edge products all the time, even for Apple

jumpmonger23

True, it's not moving mountains in innovation, but show me another flash based mp3 players in 512mb/1gb capacities that weighs less than an 0.78 ounce (with battery).

Even players like the Muvo Micro that was billed as one of the lightest weights in at 0.8 ounces (not including the AAA), though it does have more features overall.

Of the current crop of 512mb flash based players, only 2 or 3 out of 15 or so players break the sub-$100 price mark.

Most other flash based 1gb players are running around $175 as well, and none are as small as the Shuffle.

The shuffle isn't for everybody, but I think apple has done enough differentiation to make a case for itself in the current market - but we'll see what happens, since flash memory continues to drop down in price. 1gb players should be sub-$100 by years end.

Tummy

Looking at it in a slightly different way, I was planning on getting a USB flash stick in any case, so will probably get the 1gig Shuffle instead

ScottC

Fighting words from the CEO of Creative:

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000343027143/

jwalkabout

Hopefully the Shuffle will force other flashplayer manuf to drop their prices.

Personally I don't care for the Shuffle as it offers no features. I like the Iriver flash players much better.

I also like to play certain songs at certain times depending on my mood so the random play thing does not really work for me.

Funny thing is that you will spend more on a quality pair of earphones(shure,etymotic) for the player than the actual cost of the player.

jwalkabout

I agree with him wholeheartedly. There is nothing special about the ishuffle aside from the rechargeable battery. Personally I can care less about the battery part. batteries are pretty inexpensive these days.

ScottC

The battery does worry me too. They made it sound like AAA batteries are a bad thing, but I think it's easier to find a 4 pack of AAA's than it is to find a spare USB port when on the road.

Of course, you can always get the Apple battery extender... Just like with the iPod, to get the thing working like you want you need to spend at least $100 in accessories.