Apple iPod Shuffle (third generation, 2GB, green)

Manufacturer: Apple Part number: MB522LL/A

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CNET Editor rating:
3.0 stars Good
Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 2 reviews

More product information:: Editors' review; User reviews; Specifications; Product series; Manufacturer info

Bottom Line:: If you like your music playback simple and your device nearly invisible, the third-generation iPod Shuffle will suit you well. But absentminded users should steer clear of this easy-to-misplace player.

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CNET editors' review

Apple iPod Shuffle (third generation, 2GB, green)

price range: $66.99 - $69.99

Reviewed by: Jasmine France
Reviewed on: 09/12/2007
Released on: 09/07/2007

The good: The competitively priced iPod Shuffle has a dead-simple user interface with satisfying tactile controls, and its integrated belt clip provides a handy way to keep track of the player. The Shuffle is available in five, metallic colors, and the package includes a cute little syncing cradle.

The bad: The iPod Shuffle has no screen, so there's no way to navigate easily among artists, albums, or playlists. And it only offers so-so sound quality. The player might be too small for some users, and nonstandard USB syncing takes away from its plug-and-go appeal.

The bottom line: If you like your music playback simple and your device nearly invisible, the third-generation iPod Shuffle will suit you well. But absentminded users should steer clear of this easy-to-misplace player.

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Apple iPod Shuffle

Editor's note: The following review was originally written for the second-generation Apple iPod Shuffle. The latest series of the Shuffle is functionally identical to the second-generation series, although the color options have changed.

It's true: The third-generation iPod Shuffle (1GB) is the lowest-profile MP3 player we've laid eyes on. Apple may have been slow out of the gate, but the company has succeeded in launching perhaps the tiniest and simplest player on the market--and it sports a price tag to match: $79. The new Shuffle is appealing in its elementariness, too, but the itty-bitty device is far from perfect. Its screenless design means you get few navigational options and no extra features. And how small is too small?

Even the Shuffle's box is small.

At 1.6x1x0.4 inches and 0.6 ounce, the iPod Shuffle is one minuscule music player. In fact, it's so inconspicuous that we have trouble keeping track of it--if you're constantly misplacing your keys, this player probably isn't your best option. If you just can't help yourself, go for one of the brighter color options. The red, green, purple, and blue models will probably be easier to spot on a cluttered desk than the muted silver one is. That said, the integrated belt clip on the back of the Shuffle helps keep the player within easy reaching distance. Some users have complained that the clip isn't very durable, but it seemed fairly sturdy during our testing.

The Shuffle is a little longer than the MobiBlu Cube2, but it's smaller overall.

Like its predecessor, the third-generation iPod Shuffle has no screen for navigating through music or other options (of which there are none). Instead, you get a simple and amply sized five-way control pad on the face of the player: play/pause in the center, surrounded by volume up/down buttons and track shuttle keys. There's no way to navigate among specific albums or artists, but you can click play/pause three times fast to skip through playlists. The bottom edge of the player houses two switches: one for powering the unit on and off and the second for toggling between shuffle and repeat modes. A standard-size headphone jack--which doubles as the Shuffle's USB syncing port--rests on the top side of the device. There's also a tiny LED indicator that lights up different color combos (orange, red, and green) depending on the status of the player

We're rather fond of the teeny cradle.

To charge and sync content to the iPod Shuffle, you'll need to use the included cradle. It's a rather cute little piece, but we'd prefer a standard mini USB port or the older Shuffle's built-in USB interface. However, some users may prefer the 3-plus-foot cable attached to the dock for easy USB access. Apple also includes a pair of the newer iPod earbuds now; initially, the Shuffle was packaged with the older, less-sleek set. For music management, you'll need to download the latest version of iTunes (currently, 7.4) from the Apple Web site. As with all iPods, the Shuffle supports MP3, WAV, AIFF, Audible, and both protected and unprotected AAC files. And like the previous Shuffle, you can click Autofill in iTunes to automatically replace contents with music from your music library or playlists.

As you might expect from such a small player, the Shuffle's rated 12-hour battery life is nothing impressive, though CNET Labs tests proved that Apple underestimated the player: we eked out a decent 15.8 hours. In cursory testing, we found the Shuffle's audio quality to be decent through the included earbuds, but bass was lacking, and we could detect some light static when we twisted the headphone plug during quiet moments. Swapping in a pair of Shure E4cs improved the bass situation, but overall, music was still too bright and lacking in warmth for our tastes. We could also detect noticeable background noise during silent segments. Suffice it to say that the newer Shuffle doesn't sound as good as the older one.

In final analysis, the iPod Shuffle is a decent player that offers a sleek, compact form factor, an excessively simple user interface, and a low price. Fans of ultraportable gadgets will no doubt be drawn to it. But audiophiles, beware: this is not the player for you. If you're discerning about audio quality or tend to misplace things easily, steer clear.

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Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 2 reviews
My rating: 0 stars

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8 stars

Consider the iTunes connection

by D-Lysid on July 1, 2008

Pros: Integration with iTunes for easy syncing & track management; integrated clip; small size; incredible build quality; great battery life

Cons: No display; absence of integrated USB connector makes it less handy for file transfer

Summary: The integrated clip, very well designed & firmly attaching to any part of your clothes, does much to counter the supposed risk of easy misplacement mentioned in the review.

The

...

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Summary: The integrated clip, very well designed & firmly attaching to any part of your clothes, does much to counter the supposed risk of easy misplacement mentioned in the review.

The build quality in amazing, and the metal shell makes it very durable.

Best of all, and not covered by the review, is it's the lowest cost iPod which gives entry to the full use of iTunes' track management features, making it very easy to keep track of what's on the iPod and to remove and add tracks.

I've tried lots of other mp3 jukebox/media player applications on Mac and Windows -- overall, iTunes has them beat, especially in the clarity, flexibility, and ease of management of playlists. An Apple iPod integrates into this system perfectly and extends its advantages to your portable audio environment.

The lack of a display is less bothersome than one might think -- after all consider the personal CD and cassette players we used happily for years, which have no display.

Also if you listen to a lot of podcasts on it, as I do, there's less need for a display. The only time I miss a display is when listening to individual tracks of music and I forget or don't know the details of a song, I can't just look and see them.

As for sound quality, I had the 1st generation iPod shuffle before, and I don't hear any difference in sound quality with this one. Sounds great to me!

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8 stars

Brilliantly simple

by royauty on May 19, 2008

Pros: Small, light, well-designed

Cons: No other features (eg, radio)

Summary: The price is right, the quality is high and the design is brilliant. Even the battery life is surprisingly reasonable. There are no other cool features (radio, active noise reduction), ...

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Summary: The price is right, the quality is high and the design is brilliant. Even the battery life is surprisingly reasonable. There are no other cool features (radio, active noise reduction), but it does what it does exactly the way you'd hope it would.

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Specifications

Manufacturer: Apple
Part number: MB522LL/A
Description: The popular iPod shuffle is just half a cubic inch in volume, weighs just half an ounce, features an aluminum design with a built-in clip. The 2GB model lets music lovers bring even more songs everywhere they go in the impossibly small iPod shuffle.

General
Width 1.6 in
Depth 0.4 in
Product type Digital player
Height 1.1 in
PC interface(s) supported Hi-Speed USB
Weight 0.6 oz
Color Green
Flash memory installed 2 GB Integrated
Digital storage None
Dimensions (W x D x H) 1.6 in x 0.4 in x 1.1 in
Body material Anodized aluminum
Included accessories Docking station
Packaged quantity 1
iPod Generation 2G
Digital storage media type None
Digital Player / Recorder
Digital player supported digital audio standards WAV, AIFF, Audible, MP3, AAC
Digital player response bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
Digital player supported bit rate 8 - 320
Digital player additional features Variable bit-rate compatible
Carrying Case
Case type None
Battery
Rechargeable Battery Rechargeable
Battery Enclosure Type Integrated
Technology Lithium polymer
Recharge Time 4 hour(s)
Battery Lithium polymer Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Mfr estimated battery life 12 hour(s)
Audio System
Sound output mode Stereo
Additional features USB 2.0 compatibility, Battery level indication
System Requirements
Peripheral / Interface devices USB port (compatible with 2.0 specification)
Min Operating system Apple MacOS X 10.4.8 or later, Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2 or later, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP2 or later

Connections
Connector type 1 x Headphones Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm
Power
Power Supply / Device None
Manufacturer Warranty
Service & Support 1 year warranty
Remote Control
Remote control None
Headphones
Headphones type Binaural Ear-bud
Sound output mode Stereo
Response bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
Impedance 32 Ohm
Connectivity technology Wired
Battery / Power
Power device type None

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Apple iPod Shuffle (third generation, 2GB, green)

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