Talking iPod Shuffle – innovative, but flawed

March 11, 4:38 PMGadgets ExaminerDan Appleman

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The new remote control looks great, but is bad
news to some.

I’ve always been a fan of the iPod shuffle. There are times when you just want to listen to music and don’t care what order you hear the songs in – for example: while running, taking a long flight, or having a root canal.

The new iPod Shuffle is smaller than ever, has larger capacity (4GB) and now supports playlists that you can set up via iTunes. A new voice-over mode lets you hear the names of songs and playlists.

Whether the new Shuffle has reached the point where its small size makes it more convenient or just easier to lose is debatable, but this is not the flaw in the device.

The problem is the new remote control. At first glance, putting the control on the headphone cord sounds like a great idea. It’s easy to reach and the new control is simple and intuitive to use.

Unfortunately, placing it on the headphone cord means that you are largely stuck using Apple’s headphone. This is bad news for two groups.

Audiophiles who crave higher quality music can’t upgrade to a better earphone. And while not everyone will go for an expensive head set like the Sure SE530, many will have already invested in something better than the standard Apple Ear Buds.

Frequent travelers also lose out with this restriction. While the small size is great for travel, the new Shuffle won’t work well with noise cancelling headsets. That’s a deal breaker for anyone who uses their player on long flights (experienced travelers know that a noise cancelling headset, by reducing the low frequency engine noise, can dramatically reduce the stress of a flight).

Perhaps Apple or someone will come up with a remote adapter cable that will allow use of the new Shuffle with other headsets. Until then, this upgrade is not on my shopping list.