TUNE DIGITALLY

Review by black velvet:

The headphones that are required to use the new ipod shuffle are probably the poorest example of product design i've ever seen. Based on its size, portability and Apple's marketing, you would think this would be a perfect product for exercising. That is where you would be wrong! The controls on the headphone wire are right up next to your ear, and unless you exercise without sweating, that tiny box is doomed to get filled with sweat. I bought this ipod specifically for running, but after about 3 miles the controls start acting totally erratically, randomly and constantly switching between songs and playlists, or alternatively not playing any music but just talking at me with its annoying computer voice. I can only attribute the behavior to sweat getting on the control box. Today I even tried covering the box with plastic wrap and tape, but to no avail. I was so frustrated with the ipod's crazy behavior on mile 6 that I actually ripped the headphones out of my ears and threw them in the ditch. Not kidding. Looking for some alternative to control it, because I do really like it's size for running, and the new playlist feature is great...but not when it's acting crazy. I'm so irritated that Apple overlooked this crucial aspect of this product.

Review by J. Stafford:

I bought the new iPod Shuffle as a replacement for my 2nd Gen Shuffle (which I loved) which died. I already have a iPhone which I use on a daily basis. The Shuffle is just for use in the gym and when out running.

I have just returned the iPod Shuffle as I have had nothing but problems with it. The first one I bought died completely within a couple of days and was duly replaced. The replacement I was given caused me nothing but headaches and so is now on its way back to Apple. I won't be getting another.

Each time I used it, it either stopped working, wouldn't change tracks or kept on repeating the message "playlist 1, playlist 1..." which was so annoying that I had to stop using it and am now looking for an alternative product.

The reason it does this (so I am told) is because the controls on the headphones are not moisture-proof! Mine died on me during slow jog in which I was hardly sweating at all! So unless you are one of those people who never sweats, this product is completely useless.

I know that Apple are working with 3rd party headphone manufacturers to produce alternative headphones, but why should you have to pay more just to get headphones which actually do what they are supposed to do?

Review by black velvet:

The headphones that are required to use the new ipod shuffle are probably the poorest example of product design i've ever seen. Based on its size, portability and Apple's marketing, you would think this would be a perfect product for exercising. That is where you would be wrong! The controls on the headphone wire are right up next to your ear, and unless you exercise without sweating, that tiny box is doomed to get filled with sweat. I bought this ipod specifically for running, but after about 3 miles the controls start acting totally erratically, randomly and constantly switching between songs and playlists, or alternatively not playing any music but just talking at me with its annoying computer voice. I can only attribute the behavior to sweat getting on the control box. Today I even tried covering the box with plastic wrap and tape, but to no avail. I was so frustrated with the ipod's crazy behavior on mile 6 that I actually ripped the headphones out of my ears and threw them in the ditch. Not kidding. Looking for some alternative to control it, because I do really like it's size for running, and the new playlist feature is great...but not when it's acting crazy. I'm so irritated that Apple overlooked this crucial aspect of this product.

Review by J. Stafford:

I bought the new iPod Shuffle as a replacement for my 2nd Gen Shuffle (which I loved) which died. I already have a iPhone which I use on a daily basis. The Shuffle is just for use in the gym and when out running.

I have just returned the iPod Shuffle as I have had nothing but problems with it. The first one I bought died completely within a couple of days and was duly replaced. The replacement I was given caused me nothing but headaches and so is now on its way back to Apple. I won't be getting another.

Each time I used it, it either stopped working, wouldn't change tracks or kept on repeating the message "playlist 1, playlist 1..." which was so annoying that I had to stop using it and am now looking for an alternative product.

The reason it does this (so I am told) is because the controls on the headphones are not moisture-proof! Mine died on me during slow jog in which I was hardly sweating at all! So unless you are one of those people who never sweats, this product is completely useless.

I know that Apple are working with 3rd party headphone manufacturers to produce alternative headphones, but why should you have to pay more just to get headphones which actually do what they are supposed to do?

Review by black velvet:

The headphones that are required to use the new ipod shuffle are probably the poorest example of product design i've ever seen. Based on its size, portability and Apple's marketing, you would think this would be a perfect product for exercising. That is where you would be wrong! The controls on the headphone wire are right up next to your ear, and unless you exercise without sweating, that tiny box is doomed to get filled with sweat. I bought this ipod specifically for running, but after about 3 miles the controls start acting totally erratically, randomly and constantly switching between songs and playlists, or alternatively not playing any music but just talking at me with its annoying computer voice. I can only attribute the behavior to sweat getting on the control box. Today I even tried covering the box with plastic wrap and tape, but to no avail. I was so frustrated with the ipod's crazy behavior on mile 6 that I actually ripped the headphones out of my ears and threw them in the ditch. Not kidding. Looking for some alternative to control it, because I do really like it's size for running, and the new playlist feature is great...but not when it's acting crazy. I'm so irritated that Apple overlooked this crucial aspect of this product.

Review by J. Stafford:

I bought the new iPod Shuffle as a replacement for my 2nd Gen Shuffle (which I loved) which died. I already have a iPhone which I use on a daily basis. The Shuffle is just for use in the gym and when out running.

I have just returned the iPod Shuffle as I have had nothing but problems with it. The first one I bought died completely within a couple of days and was duly replaced. The replacement I was given caused me nothing but headaches and so is now on its way back to Apple. I won't be getting another.

Each time I used it, it either stopped working, wouldn't change tracks or kept on repeating the message "playlist 1, playlist 1..." which was so annoying that I had to stop using it and am now looking for an alternative product.

The reason it does this (so I am told) is because the controls on the headphones are not moisture-proof! Mine died on me during slow jog in which I was hardly sweating at all! So unless you are one of those people who never sweats, this product is completely useless.

I know that Apple are working with 3rd party headphone manufacturers to produce alternative headphones, but why should you have to pay more just to get headphones which actually do what they are supposed to do?

Review by black velvet:

The headphones that are required to use the new ipod shuffle are probably the poorest example of product design i've ever seen. Based on its size, portability and Apple's marketing, you would think this would be a perfect product for exercising. That is where you would be wrong! The controls on the headphone wire are right up next to your ear, and unless you exercise without sweating, that tiny box is doomed to get filled with sweat. I bought this ipod specifically for running, but after about 3 miles the controls start acting totally erratically, randomly and constantly switching between songs and playlists, or alternatively not playing any music but just talking at me with its annoying computer voice. I can only attribute the behavior to sweat getting on the control box. Today I even tried covering the box with plastic wrap and tape, but to no avail. I was so frustrated with the ipod's crazy behavior on mile 6 that I actually ripped the headphones out of my ears and threw them in the ditch. Not kidding. Looking for some alternative to control it, because I do really like it's size for running, and the new playlist feature is great...but not when it's acting crazy. I'm so irritated that Apple overlooked this crucial aspect of this product.

Review by J. Stafford:

I bought the new iPod Shuffle as a replacement for my 2nd Gen Shuffle (which I loved) which died. I already have a iPhone which I use on a daily basis. The Shuffle is just for use in the gym and when out running.

I have just returned the iPod Shuffle as I have had nothing but problems with it. The first one I bought died completely within a couple of days and was duly replaced. The replacement I was given caused me nothing but headaches and so is now on its way back to Apple. I won't be getting another.

Each time I used it, it either stopped working, wouldn't change tracks or kept on repeating the message "playlist 1, playlist 1..." which was so annoying that I had to stop using it and am now looking for an alternative product.

The reason it does this (so I am told) is because the controls on the headphones are not moisture-proof! Mine died on me during slow jog in which I was hardly sweating at all! So unless you are one of those people who never sweats, this product is completely useless.

I know that Apple are working with 3rd party headphone manufacturers to produce alternative headphones, but why should you have to pay more just to get headphones which actually do what they are supposed to do?

Review by black velvet:

The headphones that are required to use the new ipod shuffle are probably the poorest example of product design i've ever seen. Based on its size, portability and Apple's marketing, you would think this would be a perfect product for exercising. That is where you would be wrong! The controls on the headphone wire are right up next to your ear, and unless you exercise without sweating, that tiny box is doomed to get filled with sweat. I bought this ipod specifically for running, but after about 3 miles the controls start acting totally erratically, randomly and constantly switching between songs and playlists, or alternatively not playing any music but just talking at me with its annoying computer voice. I can only attribute the behavior to sweat getting on the control box. Today I even tried covering the box with plastic wrap and tape, but to no avail. I was so frustrated with the ipod's crazy behavior on mile 6 that I actually ripped the headphones out of my ears and threw them in the ditch. Not kidding. Looking for some alternative to control it, because I do really like it's size for running, and the new playlist feature is great...but not when it's acting crazy. I'm so irritated that Apple overlooked this crucial aspect of this product.

Review by J. Stafford:

I bought the new iPod Shuffle as a replacement for my 2nd Gen Shuffle (which I loved) which died. I already have a iPhone which I use on a daily basis. The Shuffle is just for use in the gym and when out running.

I have just returned the iPod Shuffle as I have had nothing but problems with it. The first one I bought died completely within a couple of days and was duly replaced. The replacement I was given caused me nothing but headaches and so is now on its way back to Apple. I won't be getting another.

Each time I used it, it either stopped working, wouldn't change tracks or kept on repeating the message "playlist 1, playlist 1..." which was so annoying that I had to stop using it and am now looking for an alternative product.

The reason it does this (so I am told) is because the controls on the headphones are not moisture-proof! Mine died on me during slow jog in which I was hardly sweating at all! So unless you are one of those people who never sweats, this product is completely useless.

I know that Apple are working with 3rd party headphone manufacturers to produce alternative headphones, but why should you have to pay more just to get headphones which actually do what they are supposed to do?

Review by Philip R. Heath:

BACKGROUND: I am an experienced mp3 player user, and my current other unit is a SanDisk Sansa Clip 2 GB MP3 Player (Black). I bought a silver 1 Gb iPod Shuffle primarily to use at the gym; however, I will also comment about general usage as well. This is also the only Apple device that I have owned of any kind.

SETUP: There are two things to note about the setup process for the iPod Shuffle. Neither of them is complicated, but they are annoying. Unlike most other mp3 players that use a mini-USB cable for charging and transferring music, the Shuffle requires the use of a proprietary docking station. As such, I wasn't able to reuse any of the myriad of mini-USB cables that I have from other devices. So you either have to buy a second docking station or take the one that comes with the Shuffle with you for charging away from home.

The other thing about the Shuffle that I found frustrating was that you are limited to using iTunes for music transfer. Further, you can only transfer music from a single computer. This is a very restrictive requirement for such a low end device. Finally, I was surprised by how slow iTunes is. Believe me; the last thing I expected was for iTunes to perform slower (by a significant amount) that Windows Media Player. I am no Microsoft lover or apologist by any means (I actually prefer Linux).

SOUND QUALITY: This is the area where I give the Shuffle its best marks. The sound is great whether I am playing m4p formats from iTunes or mp3s that I have ripped from CDs or purchased elsewhere. It is equal in dynamics and range to my Sansa Clip, and it even sounds good plugged into the AUX jack for my car stereo.

Of note, however, I am not using the headphones that came with the Shuffle. I have never thought of myself as having small ears, but I found that the headphones that come with the Shuffle seem rather large and hurt my ears immediately after putting them on. For my workouts, I am using a pair of Skullcandy Buds Ink'd Earbuds - Dark Gray because they are inexpensive, and the in ear style have a secure fit while active. While these ear buds will not win any awards, the Shuffle still sounds good even using these.

USAGE/NAVIGATION: This is the area where the Shuffle is way behind the competition. Without a display, you essentially have one giant playlist that is in the order that you put songs on the device. You can either play straight through the list, or you can "shuffle" your music. However, I noticed that between 30 and minute minutes into shuffling, the first song gets repeated. This was with over four and a half hours of music on the device. Unlike every other CD or mp3 player that I have ever had, I was surprised to find that the Shuffle repeats songs before going through the entire list.

If you decide that want to find a specific song, best of luck to you. You have skip and reverse navigation, and you'll need a good memory of what order you synced things to your device. Ultimately it is not worth it to try to use the Shuffle this way. It seems that it is really geared toward the gym/active user who doesn't need a lot of control over their music. With this in mind, I can hardly see the point of even having a unit larger than 1 Gb. It would seem to make sense to have a 512k offering to better match the functionality.

In short, it's great for working out, but it would be extremely frustrating to use this as your portable music collection.

OPTIONS: Really, the only option that you have on the device itself is the toggle between continuous or shuffle play. From iTunes, you can update the software for the Shuffle and change a few settings that most people won't alter from their defaults.

COST: You are paying a premium for the Apple name, but you probably already knew that. Creative and SanDisk both have competing offerings with more functionality at a lower price.

CONCLUSION: The iPod Shuffle as an expensive offering that really only makes sense to a specific subset of mp3 player users. While the sound quality is good, it is really only for brand loyalists looking for a player to use at the gym.

Review by wizard_chef:

I picked the Shuffle for my wife because she wanted an simple music player, had no interest in pictures or videos, and needed a device that was easy to sync with straightforward software. I have experience with several MP3 players used on Windows platforms, and I knew she would be frustrated with the downloading issues. The Shuffle works perfectly. It is easy to sync with iTunes, it is very compact and can be clipped to a T-shirt, it holds plenty of music for her purposes, and the sound quality is great. If you want just music, a compact device, and simple operations, the Shuffle is for you.

Review by black velvet:

The headphones that are required to use the new ipod shuffle are probably the poorest example of product design i've ever seen. Based on its size, portability and Apple's marketing, you would think this would be a perfect product for exercising. That is where you would be wrong! The controls on the headphone wire are right up next to your ear, and unless you exercise without sweating, that tiny box is doomed to get filled with sweat. I bought this ipod specifically for running, but after about 3 miles the controls start acting totally erratically, randomly and constantly switching between songs and playlists, or alternatively not playing any music but just talking at me with its annoying computer voice. I can only attribute the behavior to sweat getting on the control box. Today I even tried covering the box with plastic wrap and tape, but to no avail. I was so frustrated with the ipod's crazy behavior on mile 6 that I actually ripped the headphones out of my ears and threw them in the ditch. Not kidding. Looking for some alternative to control it, because I do really like it's size for running, and the new playlist feature is great...but not when it's acting crazy. I'm so irritated that Apple overlooked this crucial aspect of this product.

Review by J. Stafford:

I bought the new iPod Shuffle as a replacement for my 2nd Gen Shuffle (which I loved) which died. I already have a iPhone which I use on a daily basis. The Shuffle is just for use in the gym and when out running.

I have just returned the iPod Shuffle as I have had nothing but problems with it. The first one I bought died completely within a couple of days and was duly replaced. The replacement I was given caused me nothing but headaches and so is now on its way back to Apple. I won't be getting another.

Each time I used it, it either stopped working, wouldn't change tracks or kept on repeating the message "playlist 1, playlist 1..." which was so annoying that I had to stop using it and am now looking for an alternative product.

The reason it does this (so I am told) is because the controls on the headphones are not moisture-proof! Mine died on me during slow jog in which I was hardly sweating at all! So unless you are one of those people who never sweats, this product is completely useless.

I know that Apple are working with 3rd party headphone manufacturers to produce alternative headphones, but why should you have to pay more just to get headphones which actually do what they are supposed to do?

Review by Philip R. Heath:

BACKGROUND: I am an experienced mp3 player user, and my current other unit is a SanDisk Sansa Clip 2 GB MP3 Player (Black). I bought a silver 1 Gb iPod Shuffle primarily to use at the gym; however, I will also comment about general usage as well. This is also the only Apple device that I have owned of any kind.

SETUP: There are two things to note about the setup process for the iPod Shuffle. Neither of them is complicated, but they are annoying. Unlike most other mp3 players that use a mini-USB cable for charging and transferring music, the Shuffle requires the use of a proprietary docking station. As such, I wasn't able to reuse any of the myriad of mini-USB cables that I have from other devices. So you either have to buy a second docking station or take the one that comes with the Shuffle with you for charging away from home.

The other thing about the Shuffle that I found frustrating was that you are limited to using iTunes for music transfer. Further, you can only transfer music from a single computer. This is a very restrictive requirement for such a low end device. Finally, I was surprised by how slow iTunes is. Believe me; the last thing I expected was for iTunes to perform slower (by a significant amount) that Windows Media Player. I am no Microsoft lover or apologist by any means (I actually prefer Linux).

SOUND QUALITY: This is the area where I give the Shuffle its best marks. The sound is great whether I am playing m4p formats from iTunes or mp3s that I have ripped from CDs or purchased elsewhere. It is equal in dynamics and range to my Sansa Clip, and it even sounds good plugged into the AUX jack for my car stereo.

Of note, however, I am not using the headphones that came with the Shuffle. I have never thought of myself as having small ears, but I found that the headphones that come with the Shuffle seem rather large and hurt my ears immediately after putting them on. For my workouts, I am using a pair of Skullcandy Buds Ink'd Earbuds - Dark Gray because they are inexpensive, and the in ear style have a secure fit while active. While these ear buds will not win any awards, the Shuffle still sounds good even using these.

USAGE/NAVIGATION: This is the area where the Shuffle is way behind the competition. Without a display, you essentially have one giant playlist that is in the order that you put songs on the device. You can either play straight through the list, or you can "shuffle" your music. However, I noticed that between 30 and minute minutes into shuffling, the first song gets repeated. This was with over four and a half hours of music on the device. Unlike every other CD or mp3 player that I have ever had, I was surprised to find that the Shuffle repeats songs before going through the entire list.

If you decide that want to find a specific song, best of luck to you. You have skip and reverse navigation, and you'll need a good memory of what order you synced things to your device. Ultimately it is not worth it to try to use the Shuffle this way. It seems that it is really geared toward the gym/active user who doesn't need a lot of control over their music. With this in mind, I can hardly see the point of even having a unit larger than 1 Gb. It would seem to make sense to have a 512k offering to better match the functionality.

In short, it's great for working out, but it would be extremely frustrating to use this as your portable music collection.

OPTIONS: Really, the only option that you have on the device itself is the toggle between continuous or shuffle play. From iTunes, you can update the software for the Shuffle and change a few settings that most people won't alter from their defaults.

COST: You are paying a premium for the Apple name, but you probably already knew that. Creative and SanDisk both have competing offerings with more functionality at a lower price.

CONCLUSION: The iPod Shuffle as an expensive offering that really only makes sense to a specific subset of mp3 player users. While the sound quality is good, it is really only for brand loyalists looking for a player to use at the gym.

Review by wizard_chef:

I picked the Shuffle for my wife because she wanted an simple music player, had no interest in pictures or videos, and needed a device that was easy to sync with straightforward software. I have experience with several MP3 players used on Windows platforms, and I knew she would be frustrated with the downloading issues. The Shuffle works perfectly. It is easy to sync with iTunes, it is very compact and can be clipped to a T-shirt, it holds plenty of music for her purposes, and the sound quality is great. If you want just music, a compact device, and simple operations, the Shuffle is for you.

Review by Tee:

I bought these for my friend for her ipod becuz my cousins broke her original ones, and they are wonderful. She has not had any complaints. The sound quality is just as great as the originals, and it comes with 3 pairs of ear buds and I love those becuz they actually stay in ya ear. When one pair gets worn out, you have three other pair to go to. I would definitely buy this item again as a gift or just for another set of headphones to have around just in case.

Review by black velvet:

The headphones that are required to use the new ipod shuffle are probably the poorest example of product design i've ever seen. Based on its size, portability and Apple's marketing, you would think this would be a perfect product for exercising. That is where you would be wrong! The controls on the headphone wire are right up next to your ear, and unless you exercise without sweating, that tiny box is doomed to get filled with sweat. I bought this ipod specifically for running, but after about 3 miles the controls start acting totally erratically, randomly and constantly switching between songs and playlists, or alternatively not playing any music but just talking at me with its annoying computer voice. I can only attribute the behavior to sweat getting on the control box. Today I even tried covering the box with plastic wrap and tape, but to no avail. I was so frustrated with the ipod's crazy behavior on mile 6 that I actually ripped the headphones out of my ears and threw them in the ditch. Not kidding. Looking for some alternative to control it, because I do really like it's size for running, and the new playlist feature is great...but not when it's acting crazy. I'm so irritated that Apple overlooked this crucial aspect of this product.

Review by J. Stafford:

I bought the new iPod Shuffle as a replacement for my 2nd Gen Shuffle (which I loved) which died. I already have a iPhone which I use on a daily basis. The Shuffle is just for use in the gym and when out running.

I have just returned the iPod Shuffle as I have had nothing but problems with it. The first one I bought died completely within a couple of days and was duly replaced. The replacement I was given caused me nothing but headaches and so is now on its way back to Apple. I won't be getting another.

Each time I used it, it either stopped working, wouldn't change tracks or kept on repeating the message "playlist 1, playlist 1..." which was so annoying that I had to stop using it and am now looking for an alternative product.

The reason it does this (so I am told) is because the controls on the headphones are not moisture-proof! Mine died on me during slow jog in which I was hardly sweating at all! So unless you are one of those people who never sweats, this product is completely useless.

I know that Apple are working with 3rd party headphone manufacturers to produce alternative headphones, but why should you have to pay more just to get headphones which actually do what they are supposed to do?

Review by Philip R. Heath:

BACKGROUND: I am an experienced mp3 player user, and my current other unit is a SanDisk Sansa Clip 2 GB MP3 Player (Black). I bought a silver 1 Gb iPod Shuffle primarily to use at the gym; however, I will also comment about general usage as well. This is also the only Apple device that I have owned of any kind.

SETUP: There are two things to note about the setup process for the iPod Shuffle. Neither of them is complicated, but they are annoying. Unlike most other mp3 players that use a mini-USB cable for charging and transferring music, the Shuffle requires the use of a proprietary docking station. As such, I wasn't able to reuse any of the myriad of mini-USB cables that I have from other devices. So you either have to buy a second docking station or take the one that comes with the Shuffle with you for charging away from home.

The other thing about the Shuffle that I found frustrating was that you are limited to using iTunes for music transfer. Further, you can only transfer music from a single computer. This is a very restrictive requirement for such a low end device. Finally, I was surprised by how slow iTunes is. Believe me; the last thing I expected was for iTunes to perform slower (by a significant amount) that Windows Media Player. I am no Microsoft lover or apologist by any means (I actually prefer Linux).

SOUND QUALITY: This is the area where I give the Shuffle its best marks. The sound is great whether I am playing m4p formats from iTunes or mp3s that I have ripped from CDs or purchased elsewhere. It is equal in dynamics and range to my Sansa Clip, and it even sounds good plugged into the AUX jack for my car stereo.

Of note, however, I am not using the headphones that came with the Shuffle. I have never thought of myself as having small ears, but I found that the headphones that come with the Shuffle seem rather large and hurt my ears immediately after putting them on. For my workouts, I am using a pair of Skullcandy Buds Ink'd Earbuds - Dark Gray because they are inexpensive, and the in ear style have a secure fit while active. While these ear buds will not win any awards, the Shuffle still sounds good even using these.

USAGE/NAVIGATION: This is the area where the Shuffle is way behind the competition. Without a display, you essentially have one giant playlist that is in the order that you put songs on the device. You can either play straight through the list, or you can "shuffle" your music. However, I noticed that between 30 and minute minutes into shuffling, the first song gets repeated. This was with over four and a half hours of music on the device. Unlike every other CD or mp3 player that I have ever had, I was surprised to find that the Shuffle repeats songs before going through the entire list.

If you decide that want to find a specific song, best of luck to you. You have skip and reverse navigation, and you'll need a good memory of what order you synced things to your device. Ultimately it is not worth it to try to use the Shuffle this way. It seems that it is really geared toward the gym/active user who doesn't need a lot of control over their music. With this in mind, I can hardly see the point of even having a unit larger than 1 Gb. It would seem to make sense to have a 512k offering to better match the functionality.

In short, it's great for working out, but it would be extremely frustrating to use this as your portable music collection.

OPTIONS: Really, the only option that you have on the device itself is the toggle between continuous or shuffle play. From iTunes, you can update the software for the Shuffle and change a few settings that most people won't alter from their defaults.

COST: You are paying a premium for the Apple name, but you probably already knew that. Creative and SanDisk both have competing offerings with more functionality at a lower price.

CONCLUSION: The iPod Shuffle as an expensive offering that really only makes sense to a specific subset of mp3 player users. While the sound quality is good, it is really only for brand loyalists looking for a player to use at the gym.

Review by wizard_chef:

I picked the Shuffle for my wife because she wanted an simple music player, had no interest in pictures or videos, and needed a device that was easy to sync with straightforward software. I have experience with several MP3 players used on Windows platforms, and I knew she would be frustrated with the downloading issues. The Shuffle works perfectly. It is easy to sync with iTunes, it is very compact and can be clipped to a T-shirt, it holds plenty of music for her purposes, and the sound quality is great. If you want just music, a compact device, and simple operations, the Shuffle is for you.

Review by a distorted spirit:

When I saw the price for this item, I was suspicious. I think that, usually, you get what you pay for. But this cheap little thing charges your Shuffle and allows you to do the usual things you do on iTunes. It looks chintzy but it does what you need and expect it to.

Review by Jon Moss:

You get what you pay for. The unit was shipped in a non-padded envelope and arrived slightly damaged. The docking pin was bent. After adjusting it to where I thought it was aligned properly (straight) and docking the shuffle, the pin snapped off and became lodged in the shuffle. Only after many attempts with a paper clip was I able to dislodge the broken pin from the unit.

Never again.

Review by E. Nettles:

I bought this product because I hate cables. I keep it plugged into a USB port on my laptop and it works very well. I can charge my shuffle and transfer music to it with this cool little device. It is, however, a bit over priced but I bundled it with something else and got free super saver shipping.

Review by Matthew Katz:

I had high hopes for this nifty gadget. I bought 3 of them, because they are so cheap, and cheap stuff sometimes has a bad batch or so.

All three of them, if I plug the adapter into a USB port and have a shuffle attached, shut down the laptop immediately. Happens on my mac mini, happens on my laptop. The evil happens as soon as the adapter is connected to the usb port and the shuffle is connected to the adapter.

If there is a way to use this thing, I haven't been able to figure it out, and there isn't a lot to it.

Review by jack slice:

for this "dock"??? PLEASE. That's almost half the price of the shuffle, which is packaged with the same product!!! 2 stars for a good product with a ridiculously bloated pricetag.

Review by Mark:

The replacement dock provided by Apple for the Shuffle is as overpriced as the Shuffle is. This product does work, but there are alternatives ranging from 40 cents to that will do the same job.

This fills a product need created by Apple. If this was made better the Docks wouldn't break so easily. Normal USB adapters should have been included with the product instead of the mini-doc, or at least backup cables. A standard USB port connection could also have been used.

Check out the alternatives which are much more reasonably priced.

USB adapter for the 2 Gen Apple iPod Shuffle

APPLE Ipod Premium White USB Data / Charging Adapter Adaptor for Apple 2nd Generation Shuffle

IncipioBud USB adapter for the 2 Gen Apple iPod Shuffle

Having a backup dock or adapter is a must for your iPod shuffle. It just doesn't make sense to buy this replacement from Apple.

Good luck!

Review by Philip R. Heath:

BACKGROUND: I am an experienced mp3 player user, and my current other unit is a SanDisk Sansa Clip 2 GB MP3 Player (Black). I bought a silver 1 Gb iPod Shuffle primarily to use at the gym; however, I will also comment about general usage as well. This is also the only Apple device that I have owned of any kind.

SETUP: There are two things to note about the setup process for the iPod Shuffle. Neither of them is complicated, but they are annoying. Unlike most other mp3 players that use a mini-USB cable for charging and transferring music, the Shuffle requires the use of a proprietary docking station. As such, I wasn't able to reuse any of the myriad of mini-USB cables that I have from other devices. So you either have to buy a second docking station or take the one that comes with the Shuffle with you for charging away from home.

The other thing about the Shuffle that I found frustrating was that you are limited to using iTunes for music transfer. Further, you can only transfer music from a single computer. This is a very restrictive requirement for such a low end device. Finally, I was surprised by how slow iTunes is. Believe me; the last thing I expected was for iTunes to perform slower (by a significant amount) that Windows Media Player. I am no Microsoft lover or apologist by any means (I actually prefer Linux).

SOUND QUALITY: This is the area where I give the Shuffle its best marks. The sound is great whether I am playing m4p formats from iTunes or mp3s that I have ripped from CDs or purchased elsewhere. It is equal in dynamics and range to my Sansa Clip, and it even sounds good plugged into the AUX jack for my car stereo.

Of note, however, I am not using the headphones that came with the Shuffle. I have never thought of myself as having small ears, but I found that the headphones that come with the Shuffle seem rather large and hurt my ears immediately after putting them on. For my workouts, I am using a pair of Skullcandy Buds Ink'd Earbuds - Dark Gray because they are inexpensive, and the in ear style have a secure fit while active. While these ear buds will not win any awards, the Shuffle still sounds good even using these.

USAGE/NAVIGATION: This is the area where the Shuffle is way behind the competition. Without a display, you essentially have one giant playlist that is in the order that you put songs on the device. You can either play straight through the list, or you can "shuffle" your music. However, I noticed that between 30 and minute minutes into shuffling, the first song gets repeated. This was with over four and a half hours of music on the device. Unlike every other CD or mp3 player that I have ever had, I was surprised to find that the Shuffle repeats songs before going through the entire list.

If you decide that want to find a specific song, best of luck to you. You have skip and reverse navigation, and you'll need a good memory of what order you synced things to your device. Ultimately it is not worth it to try to use the Shuffle this way. It seems that it is really geared toward the gym/active user who doesn't need a lot of control over their music. With this in mind, I can hardly see the point of even having a unit larger than 1 Gb. It would seem to make sense to have a 512k offering to better match the functionality.

In short, it's great for working out, but it would be extremely frustrating to use this as your portable music collection.

OPTIONS: Really, the only option that you have on the device itself is the toggle between continuous or shuffle play. From iTunes, you can update the software for the Shuffle and change a few settings that most people won't alter from their defaults.

COST: You are paying a premium for the Apple name, but you probably already knew that. Creative and SanDisk both have competing offerings with more functionality at a lower price.

CONCLUSION: The iPod Shuffle as an expensive offering that really only makes sense to a specific subset of mp3 player users. While the sound quality is good, it is really only for brand loyalists looking for a player to use at the gym.

Review by wizard_chef:

I picked the Shuffle for my wife because she wanted an simple music player, had no interest in pictures or videos, and needed a device that was easy to sync with straightforward software. I have experience with several MP3 players used on Windows platforms, and I knew she would be frustrated with the downloading issues. The Shuffle works perfectly. It is easy to sync with iTunes, it is very compact and can be clipped to a T-shirt, it holds plenty of music for her purposes, and the sound quality is great. If you want just music, a compact device, and simple operations, the Shuffle is for you.

Review by Sarah Michelson:

Be very careful if you buy this. I wanted to be able to charge my Shuffle when I was traveling without a computer and I bought both this and the Bargaincell car charger. I plugged the Shuffle into the wall charger at the hotel after using it for quite a while on the plane. When I went to unplug it, the Shuffle was very hot to the touch and it would no longer work - the sound was low and distorted. I turned the Shuffle on and let the battery run down completely and then recharged it via the Apple-supplied computer charger and it still would not work. I think that the charger fried my Shuffle!

Review by Shamu:

Work with my Shuffle 2nd Gen perfectly. It is nice doesn't have to turn on a computer to charge my IPOD.

Review by Philip R. Heath:

BACKGROUND: I am an experienced mp3 player user, and my current other unit is a SanDisk Sansa Clip 2 GB MP3 Player (Black). I bought a silver 1 Gb iPod Shuffle primarily to use at the gym; however, I will also comment about general usage as well. This is also the only Apple device that I have owned of any kind.

SETUP: There are two things to note about the setup process for the iPod Shuffle. Neither of them is complicated, but they are annoying. Unlike most other mp3 players that use a mini-USB cable for charging and transferring music, the Shuffle requires the use of a proprietary docking station. As such, I wasn't able to reuse any of the myriad of mini-USB cables that I have from other devices. So you either have to buy a second docking station or take the one that comes with the Shuffle with you for charging away from home.

The other thing about the Shuffle that I found frustrating was that you are limited to using iTunes for music transfer. Further, you can only transfer music from a single computer. This is a very restrictive requirement for such a low end device. Finally, I was surprised by how slow iTunes is. Believe me; the last thing I expected was for iTunes to perform slower (by a significant amount) that Windows Media Player. I am no Microsoft lover or apologist by any means (I actually prefer Linux).

SOUND QUALITY: This is the area where I give the Shuffle its best marks. The sound is great whether I am playing m4p formats from iTunes or mp3s that I have ripped from CDs or purchased elsewhere. It is equal in dynamics and range to my Sansa Clip, and it even sounds good plugged into the AUX jack for my car stereo.

Of note, however, I am not using the headphones that came with the Shuffle. I have never thought of myself as having small ears, but I found that the headphones that come with the Shuffle seem rather large and hurt my ears immediately after putting them on. For my workouts, I am using a pair of Skullcandy Buds Ink'd Earbuds - Dark Gray because they are inexpensive, and the in ear style have a secure fit while active. While these ear buds will not win any awards, the Shuffle still sounds good even using these.

USAGE/NAVIGATION: This is the area where the Shuffle is way behind the competition. Without a display, you essentially have one giant playlist that is in the order that you put songs on the device. You can either play straight through the list, or you can "shuffle" your music. However, I noticed that between 30 and minute minutes into shuffling, the first song gets repeated. This was with over four and a half hours of music on the device. Unlike every other CD or mp3 player that I have ever had, I was surprised to find that the Shuffle repeats songs before going through the entire list.

If you decide that want to find a specific song, best of luck to you. You have skip and reverse navigation, and you'll need a good memory of what order you synced things to your device. Ultimately it is not worth it to try to use the Shuffle this way. It seems that it is really geared toward the gym/active user who doesn't need a lot of control over their music. With this in mind, I can hardly see the point of even having a unit larger than 1 Gb. It would seem to make sense to have a 512k offering to better match the functionality.

In short, it's great for working out, but it would be extremely frustrating to use this as your portable music collection.

OPTIONS: Really, the only option that you have on the device itself is the toggle between continuous or shuffle play. From iTunes, you can update the software for the Shuffle and change a few settings that most people won't alter from their defaults.

COST: You are paying a premium for the Apple name, but you probably already knew that. Creative and SanDisk both have competing offerings with more functionality at a lower price.

CONCLUSION: The iPod Shuffle as an expensive offering that really only makes sense to a specific subset of mp3 player users. While the sound quality is good, it is really only for brand loyalists looking for a player to use at the gym.

Review by wizard_chef:

I picked the Shuffle for my wife because she wanted an simple music player, had no interest in pictures or videos, and needed a device that was easy to sync with straightforward software. I have experience with several MP3 players used on Windows platforms, and I knew she would be frustrated with the downloading issues. The Shuffle works perfectly. It is easy to sync with iTunes, it is very compact and can be clipped to a T-shirt, it holds plenty of music for her purposes, and the sound quality is great. If you want just music, a compact device, and simple operations, the Shuffle is for you.

Review by black velvet:

The headphones that are required to use the new ipod shuffle are probably the poorest example of product design i've ever seen. Based on its size, portability and Apple's marketing, you would think this would be a perfect product for exercising. That is where you would be wrong! The controls on the headphone wire are right up next to your ear, and unless you exercise without sweating, that tiny box is doomed to get filled with sweat. I bought this ipod specifically for running, but after about 3 miles the controls start acting totally erratically, randomly and constantly switching between songs and playlists, or alternatively not playing any music but just talking at me with its annoying computer voice. I can only attribute the behavior to sweat getting on the control box. Today I even tried covering the box with plastic wrap and tape, but to no avail. I was so frustrated with the ipod's crazy behavior on mile 6 that I actually ripped the headphones out of my ears and threw them in the ditch. Not kidding. Looking for some alternative to control it, because I do really like it's size for running, and the new playlist feature is great...but not when it's acting crazy. I'm so irritated that Apple overlooked this crucial aspect of this product.

Review by J. Stafford:

I bought the new iPod Shuffle as a replacement for my 2nd Gen Shuffle (which I loved) which died. I already have a iPhone which I use on a daily basis. The Shuffle is just for use in the gym and when out running.

I have just returned the iPod Shuffle as I have had nothing but problems with it. The first one I bought died completely within a couple of days and was duly replaced. The replacement I was given caused me nothing but headaches and so is now on its way back to Apple. I won't be getting another.

Each time I used it, it either stopped working, wouldn't change tracks or kept on repeating the message "playlist 1, playlist 1..." which was so annoying that I had to stop using it and am now looking for an alternative product.

The reason it does this (so I am told) is because the controls on the headphones are not moisture-proof! Mine died on me during slow jog in which I was hardly sweating at all! So unless you are one of those people who never sweats, this product is completely useless.

I know that Apple are working with 3rd party headphone manufacturers to produce alternative headphones, but why should you have to pay more just to get headphones which actually do what they are supposed to do?

Review by black velvet:

The headphones that are required to use the new ipod shuffle are probably the poorest example of product design i've ever seen. Based on its size, portability and Apple's marketing, you would think this would be a perfect product for exercising. That is where you would be wrong! The controls on the headphone wire are right up next to your ear, and unless you exercise without sweating, that tiny box is doomed to get filled with sweat. I bought this ipod specifically for running, but after about 3 miles the controls start acting totally erratically, randomly and constantly switching between songs and playlists, or alternatively not playing any music but just talking at me with its annoying computer voice. I can only attribute the behavior to sweat getting on the control box. Today I even tried covering the box with plastic wrap and tape, but to no avail. I was so frustrated with the ipod's crazy behavior on mile 6 that I actually ripped the headphones out of my ears and threw them in the ditch. Not kidding. Looking for some alternative to control it, because I do really like it's size for running, and the new playlist feature is great...but not when it's acting crazy. I'm so irritated that Apple overlooked this crucial aspect of this product.

Review by J. Stafford:

I bought the new iPod Shuffle as a replacement for my 2nd Gen Shuffle (which I loved) which died. I already have a iPhone which I use on a daily basis. The Shuffle is just for use in the gym and when out running.

I have just returned the iPod Shuffle as I have had nothing but problems with it. The first one I bought died completely within a couple of days and was duly replaced. The replacement I was given caused me nothing but headaches and so is now on its way back to Apple. I won't be getting another.

Each time I used it, it either stopped working, wouldn't change tracks or kept on repeating the message "playlist 1, playlist 1..." which was so annoying that I had to stop using it and am now looking for an alternative product.

The reason it does this (so I am told) is because the controls on the headphones are not moisture-proof! Mine died on me during slow jog in which I was hardly sweating at all! So unless you are one of those people who never sweats, this product is completely useless.

I know that Apple are working with 3rd party headphone manufacturers to produce alternative headphones, but why should you have to pay more just to get headphones which actually do what they are supposed to do?

Review by C. Stoneham:

OK, I'll begin by saying that the new Shuffle is, without doubt, one of the smallest, sexiest MP3 players I've ever seen. I love how it looks. It's... compelling. Of course, with this level of form, some functionality is lost. With the 3G Shuffle, it's the buttons (or lack thereof).

Apple decided to move the buttons off the controller and onto the headphone cord. There are two major flaws that I can see:

1. I can't use "any old" pair of headphones anymore. Sure, the music still plays, but if I can't pause, skip, turn the volume up/down, what's the point. I'm now tied into either Apple's headphones or third-party headphones with the controller. Gone are the days of a "headphone catastrophe" where the headphone cord gets pinched while traveling and I have to run out to a store and grab a pair of substitute phones. I now have to either shell out -30 and/or find a local Apple store. Not good. (And let's not even talk about using it with my car stereo...)

2. The controls are... in a bad place. It's kind of hard to grab the controller without looking when it's bouncing around near my jaw while running. Today, it took me about 5-6s to actually get a hold of the darned thing and skip ahead. Later in the day, I grabbed it a bit quicker but then accidentally yanked the earbud out. This was obviously designed without testing it "in the field."

To both of the above, some comment: "wait until Apple releases an adapter with controls in a better position that allow you to use normal headphones." Of course, my reply is "I already spent on this thing. You want me to spend MORE?"

In the end, this is one sweet of technology that just screams "impress your friends." Of course, you don't hear it whispering "and secretly dread using me anywhere but in your living room chair."

At least Apple's not discontinuing the 2G Shuffle...

Review by S. Cole:

2nd Generation vs. 3rd Generation iPod Shuffle Breakdown:

The Weight: 3rd Gen weighs .38 ounces while the 2nd Gen weighs .55 ounces... I promise you that you will not be able to tell the difference. This catergory is a tie.

Controls: 3rd Gen puts the controls on the headphones cord (on the cord that goes to the right ear bud)... this could not be more annoying. To say I hate this control system is an understatement. The controls are so far up the cord that you can not see it when you are looking for it. I can not state this enough I HATE THE CONTROLS OF THE 3rd GEN.

Space: The 3rd gen hold 4 gigs of music, apple has discontinued the 2nd gen 2 gig version so now all you can get is 2nd gen 1 gig... I thought this was a big deal, but I use my shuffle purely for running, and 1 gig is over 12 hours of music! needless to say, 2nd gen 1 gig shuffle is plenty.

Accessories: I know this does not sound like much, but with the 3rd gen, you must use their headphones... they are basically the same crappy iPod buds that fall out of your ear whenever you move that comes with every version. Since I got my iPod Shuffle for running, buds are not sufficient.

Long story short, you don't need the 4th generation shuffle, it is a horrible product. Get the 2nd generation 1 gig version, I promise it will meet most peoples needs.

Review by black velvet:

The headphones that are required to use the new ipod shuffle are probably the poorest example of product design i've ever seen. Based on its size, portability and Apple's marketing, you would think this would be a perfect product for exercising. That is where you would be wrong! The controls on the headphone wire are right up next to your ear, and unless you exercise without sweating, that tiny box is doomed to get filled with sweat. I bought this ipod specifically for running, but after about 3 miles the controls start acting totally erratically, randomly and constantly switching between songs and playlists, or alternatively not playing any music but just talking at me with its annoying computer voice. I can only attribute the behavior to sweat getting on the control box. Today I even tried covering the box with plastic wrap and tape, but to no avail. I was so frustrated with the ipod's crazy behavior on mile 6 that I actually ripped the headphones out of my ears and threw them in the ditch. Not kidding. Looking for some alternative to control it, because I do really like it's size for running, and the new playlist feature is great...but not when it's acting crazy. I'm so irritated that Apple overlooked this crucial aspect of this product.

Review by J. Stafford:

I bought the new iPod Shuffle as a replacement for my 2nd Gen Shuffle (which I loved) which died. I already have a iPhone which I use on a daily basis. The Shuffle is just for use in the gym and when out running.

I have just returned the iPod Shuffle as I have had nothing but problems with it. The first one I bought died completely within a couple of days and was duly replaced. The replacement I was given caused me nothing but headaches and so is now on its way back to Apple. I won't be getting another.

Each time I used it, it either stopped working, wouldn't change tracks or kept on repeating the message "playlist 1, playlist 1..." which was so annoying that I had to stop using it and am now looking for an alternative product.

The reason it does this (so I am told) is because the controls on the headphones are not moisture-proof! Mine died on me during slow jog in which I was hardly sweating at all! So unless you are one of those people who never sweats, this product is completely useless.

I know that Apple are working with 3rd party headphone manufacturers to produce alternative headphones, but why should you have to pay more just to get headphones which actually do what they are supposed to do?

Review by black velvet:

The headphones that are required to use the new ipod shuffle are probably the poorest example of product design i've ever seen. Based on its size, portability and Apple's marketing, you would think this would be a perfect product for exercising. That is where you would be wrong! The controls on the headphone wire are right up next to your ear, and unless you exercise without sweating, that tiny box is doomed to get filled with sweat. I bought this ipod specifically for running, but after about 3 miles the controls start acting totally erratically, randomly and constantly switching between songs and playlists, or alternatively not playing any music but just talking at me with its annoying computer voice. I can only attribute the behavior to sweat getting on the control box. Today I even tried covering the box with plastic wrap and tape, but to no avail. I was so frustrated with the ipod's crazy behavior on mile 6 that I actually ripped the headphones out of my ears and threw them in the ditch. Not kidding. Looking for some alternative to control it, because I do really like it's size for running, and the new playlist feature is great...but not when it's acting crazy. I'm so irritated that Apple overlooked this crucial aspect of this product.

Review by J. Stafford:

I bought the new iPod Shuffle as a replacement for my 2nd Gen Shuffle (which I loved) which died. I already have a iPhone which I use on a daily basis. The Shuffle is just for use in the gym and when out running.

I have just returned the iPod Shuffle as I have had nothing but problems with it. The first one I bought died completely within a couple of days and was duly replaced. The replacement I was given caused me nothing but headaches and so is now on its way back to Apple. I won't be getting another.

Each time I used it, it either stopped working, wouldn't change tracks or kept on repeating the message "playlist 1, playlist 1..." which was so annoying that I had to stop using it and am now looking for an alternative product.

The reason it does this (so I am told) is because the controls on the headphones are not moisture-proof! Mine died on me during slow jog in which I was hardly sweating at all! So unless you are one of those people who never sweats, this product is completely useless.

I know that Apple are working with 3rd party headphone manufacturers to produce alternative headphones, but why should you have to pay more just to get headphones which actually do what they are supposed to do?

Review by black velvet:

The headphones that are required to use the new ipod shuffle are probably the poorest example of product design i've ever seen. Based on its size, portability and Apple's marketing, you would think this would be a perfect product for exercising. That is where you would be wrong! The controls on the headphone wire are right up next to your ear, and unless you exercise without sweating, that tiny box is doomed to get filled with sweat. I bought this ipod specifically for running, but after about 3 miles the controls start acting totally erratically, randomly and constantly switching between songs and playlists, or alternatively not playing any music but just talking at me with its annoying computer voice. I can only attribute the behavior to sweat getting on the control box. Today I even tried covering the box with plastic wrap and tape, but to no avail. I was so frustrated with the ipod's crazy behavior on mile 6 that I actually ripped the headphones out of my ears and threw them in the ditch. Not kidding. Looking for some alternative to control it, because I do really like it's size for running, and the new playlist feature is great...but not when it's acting crazy. I'm so irritated that Apple overlooked this crucial aspect of this product.

Review by J. Stafford:

I bought the new iPod Shuffle as a replacement for my 2nd Gen Shuffle (which I loved) which died. I already have a iPhone which I use on a daily basis. The Shuffle is just for use in the gym and when out running.

I have just returned the iPod Shuffle as I have had nothing but problems with it. The first one I bought died completely within a couple of days and was duly replaced. The replacement I was given caused me nothing but headaches and so is now on its way back to Apple. I won't be getting another.

Each time I used it, it either stopped working, wouldn't change tracks or kept on repeating the message "playlist 1, playlist 1..." which was so annoying that I had to stop using it and am now looking for an alternative product.

The reason it does this (so I am told) is because the controls on the headphones are not moisture-proof! Mine died on me during slow jog in which I was hardly sweating at all! So unless you are one of those people who never sweats, this product is completely useless.

I know that Apple are working with 3rd party headphone manufacturers to produce alternative headphones, but why should you have to pay more just to get headphones which actually do what they are supposed to do?

Review by black velvet:

The headphones that are required to use the new ipod shuffle are probably the poorest example of product design i've ever seen. Based on its size, portability and Apple's marketing, you would think this would be a perfect product for exercising. That is where you would be wrong! The controls on the headphone wire are right up next to your ear, and unless you exercise without sweating, that tiny box is doomed to get filled with sweat. I bought this ipod specifically for running, but after about 3 miles the controls start acting totally erratically, randomly and constantly switching between songs and playlists, or alternatively not playing any music but just talking at me with its annoying computer voice. I can only attribute the behavior to sweat getting on the control box. Today I even tried covering the box with plastic wrap and tape, but to no avail. I was so frustrated with the ipod's crazy behavior on mile 6 that I actually ripped the headphones out of my ears and threw them in the ditch. Not kidding. Looking for some alternative to control it, because I do really like it's size for running, and the new playlist feature is great...but not when it's acting crazy. I'm so irritated that Apple overlooked this crucial aspect of this product.

Review by J. Stafford:

I bought the new iPod Shuffle as a replacement for my 2nd Gen Shuffle (which I loved) which died. I already have a iPhone which I use on a daily basis. The Shuffle is just for use in the gym and when out running.

I have just returned the iPod Shuffle as I have had nothing but problems with it. The first one I bought died completely within a couple of days and was duly replaced. The replacement I was given caused me nothing but headaches and so is now on its way back to Apple. I won't be getting another.

Each time I used it, it either stopped working, wouldn't change tracks or kept on repeating the message "playlist 1, playlist 1..." which was so annoying that I had to stop using it and am now looking for an alternative product.

The reason it does this (so I am told) is because the controls on the headphones are not moisture-proof! Mine died on me during slow jog in which I was hardly sweating at all! So unless you are one of those people who never sweats, this product is completely useless.

I know that Apple are working with 3rd party headphone manufacturers to produce alternative headphones, but why should you have to pay more just to get headphones which actually do what they are supposed to do?

Review by Robin L. McLaughlin:

I'm a new Kindle 2 owner and I did not own a Kindle 1. I was very interested in the original Kindle, but had decided to wait for improvements based on customer feedback after it was released, especially the accidental page turning issue. Since it looked like they made the improvements I was waiting for (one of the others was a bit more free space on the case to hold it) I took the plunge and got the new one.

I thought I'd start with listing my reasons for getting the Kindle, since I think that can sometimes help others who are sitting on the fence to decide if it's for them or not.

* Saving Money. While the cost of the Kindle up front is steep, in the long run it will pay for itself and save me money since I read on average 4-8 books a month. With the free classics available it's also going to encourage me to expand my reading material, for no additional cost.

* Environment. The majority of books I buy and read I'll only read once. I feel guilty about the trees needed to make the paper and all the other energy used to produce and ship/distribute the books required to satisfy my reading appetite.

* Storage. I'm out of shelf space and all the boxes of books do little to add to the ambience of my one bedroom apartment. On the rare occasions I want to read something again trying to find the book in all the boxes is an exercise in frustration.

* eInk technology. I love books and using an electronic gadget isn't the same experience. The new technology has almost eliminated that concern.

* Convenience. The Whispernet is great for when you need the next book in a series right away or want to stock up on a few before leaving on a trip. Being able to have several books stored in the Kindle to take along instead of having to pack an extra bag just for my books for a week's vacation is a huge benefit.

* Aging. I'm 47 and middle age is starting to catch up with me! Being able to select larger print to avoid having to use my reading glasses (just started needing them this last year) and having a device that's easier on my hands for holding to read is a boon.

* Less waiting for publication. I don't like reading hardbacks because of their size and weight. But it's agonizing to wait for the latest book in a series to finally come out in mass market format. Now I won't have to wait!

My Kindle was one of the ones that shipped without being pre-registered to my account. After I plugged it in to my USB hub on my computer to charge the battery (the charging cord design is very clever!) I read through the introductory portion of the user guide which told me how to register the Kindle. I followed the instructions and a couple minutes later I was all set!

I thought it would be fitting to christen my Kindle with the Stephen King novella UR, so went to the Amazon site on my computer and clicked on the button to buy it. As soon as I'd clicked the button to confirm my order it appeared on my Kindle almost immediately! I read it while the Kindle finished charging.

First impressions:

When people say the Kindle is sleek they ain't kidding. Everything is very nicely laid out and it just feels and looks cool!

After reading through the introductory guide that loads up automatically at the start and following along it took me almost no time to learn which buttons are where and what each of them do. The intro guide is plenty to get started and I haven't felt a need to work my way through the more detailed guide.

The 5-way controller is teensy! I was a bit taken aback at first by this thinking it was going to be too small to manipulate easily. But it only took me a couple tries to get it right. Using a fingernail to push it does the trick. For people who have dexterity issues though it could be a potential stumbling block. If that's you I'd recommend seeing if you can find someone with a Kindle 2 to try it out for yourself first to see how it works for you.

Being able to change the font sizes is awesome! I started reading with the default size without my glasses and noticed I was squinting a bit, so changed to one size larger with a couple button clicks and it was much easier without feeling like the print was too big and took up too much of the page.

When starting to read for real for the first time I was VERY aware that I was reading on an electronic gadget and was a bit disappointed that it didn't immediately "disappear" as per the advertising. The gadget feeling is underlined by needing to press a button to turn pages. However, it really didn't take too long for that feeling to lessen. I imagine once the Kindle is no longer my exciting new toy and is just what I use to read books that I'll have completely lost the gadget awareness thing.

It took very little time to get used to having to push a button to turn pages and the screen flash as they turn only really startled me the first few times. I can see how it might bother some people, but it was a non-issue for me almost right away. The page turns are very fast. I don't feel the need to push the button ahead of time to prepare for the end of the page at all, which evidently a lot of Kindle 1 owners do since it's a bit more sluggish.

So far the only real drawback that I've experienced is that the Kindle is heavier for its thin profile than I expected or would prefer. The weight gives it a very solid feel so you don't feel like the thing is super fragile and going to break any minute, but after reading for a while I could definitely feel it weighing on my wrist.

On the other hand, the Kindle design allows for holding it in several different comfortable positions with either hand. Normally when reading books I only like holding them in my left hand and during a long reading session it often starts to get uncomfortable, or even painful. I found myself easily switching my Kindle off between hands and into different positions in each hand without even really noticing I was doing it. So being able to so easily shift it around helps counteract that it's a bit heavier than completely desireable.

I ordered the Amazon case and am quite pleased with it. It's fairly sturdy, looks and feels well-made, and the design is perfect for how I'll likely be using the Kindle most of the time. Eventually I may get something like the Patagonia case that zips around the edges for travel, but for every day reading this one suits me just fine.

Unlike a lot of people I think having the case as a separate purchase right from the start was a good move by Amazon. If a case was included, as with the Kindle 1, that would have been reflected in a higher price. But I'd imagine that probably 50% or more buyers end up buying a different case instead that suits their tastes, which means you end up paying for two cases. The way it's been done with Kindle 2 means you can pick which case you want right from the start and only pay once.

Overall I'm thrilled to finally be part of the Kindle community and expect to be spending many, many, many pleasant hours absorbed in books on my new best friend. Right now I'm off to download the new Kim Harrison book because she's coming to a local bookstore this weekend and I want to read it before I go see her to avoid dealing with spoilers. If I hadn't gotten the Kindle that wouldn't have been possible because I'd be stuck waiting for the mass market paperback which doesn't come out until next November. Kindle me baby!

Update 3/23/09:

I feel a bit guilty adding more to an already long review, but felt that since I've now had the Kindle for almost a full month it would be appropriate. I'm completely in love with my Kindle! If my building should catch on fire my Kindle will be what I grab to save as I flee.

Like pretty much everyone else I feel that the Kindle 2 is in dire need of a user customizable folder system for organizing books. That's the biggest negative for me so far.

So far I've purchased 19 ebooks. Some from Amazon and some directly from a couple small presses. Tracking my savings on a spreadsheet I've already saved .97 vs. the lowest cost paper versions on those 19 books. That's pretty impressive.

The dictionary function is absolutely fantastic and now that I'm accustomed to having it I found it's frustrating to be reading a paper book and not be able to use it!

I didn't think I'd be using the highlight and note features much or at all but actually have been and they're an extremely nice extra. People in book discussion groups would find these to be a huge benefit.

The search function is also surprisingly useful for a wide variety of uses.

I've definitely lost most of the gadget awareness thing. This is just how I read most books now.

One of the unexpected great things is not having to deal with my bookmark falling out and having to find my place again. Or being able to just set the reader down for a couple minutes without bookmarking or losing my place because I bumped the book and it closed. It's little things like this that really elevate the reading experience.

Review by P. Inhofer:

On the one hand I love my Kindle 1... I use it everyday, I subscribe to my favorite newspaper, I mark up my books with annotations, highlights and bookmarks.

On the other hand my Kindle 1 annoys me... unintended page changes, the awkward way I sometimes have to hold it to keep from hitting buttons, the sometimes slow page refresh, and the screen freezes that now has me traveling with a paper clip lest I need to do a reset while commuting on the train.

I've had the Kindle 2 in my hands for almost a day and have carried it on one commute. What follows is my "first impressions" review of the Kindle 2 from the perspective of an owner of the original K1. What's different, what's better and what's worse?

5 big things I immediately noticed as different:

First, when taking the K2 out of the box I immediately noted that the back cover is not easily removable (if at all) and won't slip off in my hands - as was frequent with the K1. The keyboard is also much much smaller and less obtrusive.

The second thing I noticed is power management. No longer do I have to press and hold two buttons to put the device to sleep. The switches for On/Off and Wireless On/Off are gone. There's a single small switch at the top of the K2 that handles Sleep.

The third thing I noticed - where's the silver strip? In fact, the entire navigation structure has been completely revised - I'm still getting used to it but it's a huge step forward. The silver strip has been replaced by a 4-way rocker that can also be pressed for "OK" commands, creating bookmarks, and doing highlighting.

The fourth thing I noticed - while page changing doesn't seem to me to be particularly faster - almost every other interaction on the screen is vastly accelerated... scrolling the cursor, looking up words, highlighting text, and typing text.

The fifth thing I noticed - a new power cable. This unit uses USB cables that are not compatible with K1. It's a bit of a bummer since I was hoping my wife and I could share power cables (she's taking over my K1).

What's better:

Navigation is a huge improvement. Moving the cursor to a word and having the definition of the word immediately pop up on the bottom of the screen is terrific. Using the rocker to move between articles in a newspaper makes scanning the paper much faster and enjoyable. Calling up the Menu strip is much faster and interactive. Clearly, Amazon was hard at work to make navigation quicker and easier. The hard work is apparent.

Buttons: The K1 was a constant struggle with inadvertent page changes. The design was flawed from the beginning. The single best improvement in the K2 took a few minutes of concentrated reading to realize... the button hinges are on the outside - at the edge - of the K2. You need to press on the interior of the button to get it to click. This change alone has saved me from several inadvertent page changes. Combine that with the smaller button sizes and one major source of frustration has been instantly eliminated!

Size: The K2 is thinner than the iPhone. It feels denser and maybe a tad heavier - although I did buy the premium cover which snaps into the K2 and adds to the weight (btw, I love the premium cover and think it's worth the investment).

Network Speed: The K2 can use G3 cellphone connections and when it's activated it makes a considerable difference in interactivity to the Kindle Store and when downloading Archived content.

Power Management: The little power button at the top of the Kindle is really a power slide. That is, slide it to toggle Sleep mode on and off. Slide and hold to do a full power down. And the K1's wireless on-off switch has been replaced by a menu choice in software. Works for me. Also, compared to the K1 waking from sleep is super-fast.

What's worse...

There isn't much I liked better in the K1 than the K2. One thing: calling up clippings and notes. In the K2 these items only list the first sentence or two of my highlights. In the K1 it displays the entire highlight - which makes reading through them much easier and more like reading Cliff Notes. The new interface in K2 is annoying and makes the feature much less useful. I'll be writing to Amazon to see if we can get that changed.

Closing thoughts...

The K2 is a big refinement over the K1. It feels as easy to read as the K1 but doesn't seem any crisper to my eyes (I usually read at point sizes 3 & 4). In this regard, as a book, the K1 and K2 are comparable. I wouldn't run up my credit card to buy the K2 from a belief that it's fundamentally easier to read. However, in my short time with the K2 it's a more enjoyable device to use. The change in the hinging and size of the buttons is major plus and would make it hard to go back to the K1. Amazon broke a few paradigms that K1 users are accustomed to and I found myself going to the K2 User Guide to figure out some content management issues that have been changed in this release.

Why 4 stars and not 5? The Kindle will never get 5 stars from me until Amazon implements the notion of a lending library where I can lend another Kindle user a book; which would have the book would disappear from my Kindle and appear on theirs. After x number of days the book would automatically be returned to me and taken off the other person's Kindle. Amazon says they want the device to disappear and content to stand out. I say: Until I can lend a friend a book the Kindle will never quite live up to that standard and will be, in my book, stuck at 4 stars.

Review by Alexander Scherr:

I have owned both Kindle 1 and Kindle 2, so I'm already committed to the basic idea: e-ink reading in a slim form factor with excellent connectivity to a large selection of books and subscriptions. I have come to rely on my Kindle experience, and it has seriously enhanced my reading.

The DX was not an obvious upgrade for me, but two features put me over the edge: the larger screen, and the native PDF reader. I now have the DX in my hands, and can report PROS, CONS, and NEUTRALS:

PROS:

-- the larger screen is a definite plus. I use the larger type size on my Kindle 2 (older eyes), and at this type size I get far more text per page on the DX. This makes the whole reading experience more book-like (and should be a boon to people who buy large-print books.)

-- the screen is also sharper and crisper than my Kindle 2 in a side-by-side comparison: the text is darker, and the contrast is much better, making for better visibility overall.

-- on a side note, the larger screen also makes it possible to read poetry on the kindle, even at large type sizes. On earlier Kindles, the smaller screen cut off lines, so that you would lose the sense of when the poet ended the line. On the DX, you can see the whole line exactly as the poet meant it, with the cut-off in the right spot.

-- the PDF reader works as advertised, and is extremely convenient. PDF documents appear on the DX exactly as they do on a computer screen. Moreover, you can drag and drop your documents directly to the device using the USB cable (or use the for-a-fee email if you absolutely must.) The only downside: at least for the documents that I've used so far, I cannot adjust the type size as I can with native Kindle documents.

-- screen rotation also works as advertised: it operates as a mild zoom on both graphics and text and offsets slightly the downside of not being able to adjust the typesize on PDF documents. One nice design touch: the four-way navigation stick introduced on the Kindle 2 is rotation-sensitive, and will move as expected relative to the screen rotation.

-- more of the device space is devoted to the screen, while the white plastic border around the screen seems to have shrunk, both in general and compared to the proportion of screen to plastic on the Kindle 2. I like this (but see below about the keyboard).

-- storage: I like the increase in storage space, and don't mind the lack of an external storage card. I can see some people having trouble with this, but only those folks who either a) must regularly carry around PDF documents totalling more than 3.5 GB of space or b) must have nearly 3500 books regularly at their fingertips. I fall in neither category.

CONS:

-- price: it's expensive, as you can tell pretty quickly. If you value the larger size, and the native PDF reader, these features may justify the roughly 30% premium you pay for the DX over the Kindle 2. In truth, the DX SHOULD cost more than the Kindle 2, and a 30% premium isn't unreasonable. But, for my money, Amazon should drop the price on the Kindle 2 to 0 or so, and charge 0 or a little less for the DX. Still, I bought it, and will keep it at this price.

-- one-sided navigation buttons: all of the buttons are now on the right side, and none are on the left. I'm a righty, so I shouldn't complain, but I found myself using both sides on the Kindle 2. Lefties have reason to complain, I think.

-- One-handed handling: I often read while I walk, with my Kindle in one hand, and something else in my other. Because of the button layout, this will be more difficult on the DX.

-- metal backing: I miss the tacky rubberized backing on my Kindle 1. When I placed my Kindle 1 on an inclined surface, it stayed in place. Not so my Kindle 2 and now my DX. This is not a complaint specific to the DX, but it's still there.

NEUTRALS (i.e. things worth noting):

-- weight: the DX is heavier, noticeably so. This is only an issue if, like me, you regularly use the kindle with one hand . . . and even so, it's still doable.

-- keyboard: the keyboard has 4 rows, and not 5: the top row of numbers from the Kindle 1 and 2 has been merged into the top qwerty row, so that numbers are now only accessible with an alt-key combination. The keys are vertically thinner too, so that the whole keyboard is no more than 1" tall (compared to over an 1.5" on the Kindle 2). At the same time, the keys themselves are a bit easier to press, a bit more protruding than on the Kindle 2. For someone with big fingers (like me), this will be a slightly harder keyboard to use, but only slightly.

That's all I can see. Overall, the pluses outweigh the minuses for me, and I'm satisfied with my purchase. I can now think of using my DX for work documents on a regular basis, because of the PDF reader. The screen size and screen rotation make the overall reading experience more immersive.

Overall, the DX feels more like text and less like device and comes closer to the stated goal of the Kindle: for the device to disappear, leaving only the joy of reading.

Review by Susan Lynn Umpleby:

I owned the K1 and then the K2 and love them both, so I was really looking forward to the DX. My plan was to use the DX at home, and keep my K2 for carrying all over creation with me. It wasn't long, though, after my DX arrived the day before yesterday before disappointment set in.

Don't get me wrong, there is a LOT to like about the DX:

1) Pictures are awesome on it, if the publisher formats them properly.

2) Those who complain about darkness of text on their K2 (a problem I've never had, btw) will be thrilled by the DX's very dark text.

3) The ability to rotate the screen is great. Gives you a closer look at things like maps and charts.

4) The browser is a bit faster than on the K1 or K2, though that isn't saying much--it is still very clunky to use.

5) But web pages look pretty good on the DX.

6) It holds 3500 books.

BUT.....the DX just isn't all that. It has drawbacks that are really making me consider sending it back before my 30 days are up:

1) First and foremost, while it is true that it natively reads PDFs, it is really only a PDF *viewer*. You can't change the font size on PDFs, links will not function on them, and the ability to magnify pictures doesn't work on them either. So you better have LARGE fonts on your PDF before you load it. Looking at the PDF in horizontal mode helps a bit, but not by much.

2) The DX is too big to hold comfortably. It's not really all that heavy, but it is top heavy and you feel a pull on your hands. And that pull is really evident if you try to use the keyboard while holding it--you practically have to lay the DX down flat, it becomes so difficult to type.

3) They merged the number keys with the QWERTY keys (losing a line of keys). What development genius thought it would be helpful and an "improvement" to have to press the ALT key every time you wanted to type a number?!?

4) Before my DX came, I really didn't think this would bother me at all, but I have to say: I really HATE the fact that the "next page" button is only on one side. I mostly use the left hand button. And yes, with the DX's rotation ability you can turn it upside down, placing the "next page" button on the left side.... However, when you do this, the button is so high up that you have to slide your hand (not your thumb, your whole hand) up in order to turn the page. May sound nit-picky, but it is truly a PITA to break off reading to do it. Not only that, but having the keyboard at the top makes it even more top-heavy than when it is right side up!

5) when you rotate the DX so that it is horizontal, the "next page" button is either at the bottom or the top--in either case you can't just flick your thumb and change the page. Again, a PITA.

6) If you leave the rotation feature on "Auto" when you are not using your DX it drains your battery, so you must remember to turn the feature off when you stop reading.

7) Still no folders. An organization nightmare three times bigger than that of the K2 (which itself had increased the same problem on the K1): the possibility of storing 3500 books but only being able to sort them by author, title, and "most recent first."

I will be fiercely debating with myself in the next week or so, on whether I really want to keep the DX. It is so disappointing. It has the potential of being a really great e-reader...but as it stands now, it isn't. It's OK. But for 9, it should be a lot more than merely OK.

Review by Y. Qin:

With the great price the vendor offered, I wanted to give the product a try. The product arrived on time. Most importantly it also comes with quality I wanted - it can be easily plugged in my kindle (no resistance at all) and tightly fits the car power outlet. With a built-in blue light, the charger can easily be unplugged during night time charging.

Review by Regina Muir:

If you have a kindle and travel you absolutely need a car charger. This one answers that need. Item arrived in a few days with no problems. A+

Review by Nancy J. Barker:

I just received my first Kindle, and spent a couple of days looking online at different cases/covers. This appeared to be the best one on the market, for several reasons. The Kindle slips into the case from left to right, so that when the cover is closed, it is impossible for it to slip out. It has a very soft velvet lining and stiff construction between the leather and the velvet. All of the buttons, including the on/off switch, plug in for headphones and charging port are exposed. The only area not exposed is the speakers in the back. I'm not a fan of listening to books on tape, so this is not an issue for me. It appears to be very well made and looks exactly like the pictures. I'm very happy to have found this case, because the typical ones you see with elastic at the corners just didn't look like they would protect the Kindle as well. Also, the delivery was incredibly fast. I received it four days after the order was placed - and the estimate was five to seven days. I would highly recommend this cover to protect your Kindle.

Review by J. Gillon:

I started out with the Tuff-Luv (it comes with either a side or top joint). The TuffLuv is really nice, but I finally settled on the MaxGuard Plus. I was looking for the following:

1) I wanted a bit more protection than simply the outer cover. Both the TuffLuv and Maxguard Plus have inner "sleeves" into which the kindle slips, with cutouts for screen, keyboard, buttons, and ports. Both are very secure.

2) I wanted a cover flexible enough to fold the front cover behind for one-handed reading, and I was able to detrmine that both of these covers met this criterion.

3) I wanted a fast, simple way to secure the case in closed position. The TuffLuv has a magnetic clasp which is not too difficult to use, but which due to an imprecise fit took a little effort to close. The MaxGuard Plus is held securely closed by claspless magnets built into the front cover. The requires no more effort to open and close than a book.

4) The TuffLuv has a built-in easel for standing your K2 up on a table -- nice for those who need it -- but I never, ever used this and its presence there had no value for me.

The TuffLuv is, I think, a higher quality cover. It is more carefully stitched (the MaxGuard Plus stitching is generally straight but not very orderly) and crafted of softer leather with a wonderful, rich leather smell. I prefer its plain fabric lining to the MaxGuard's nubbed velour-like lining, which picks up dust, fuzz, and other stuff. And the edge of the on-off-switch is hidden by a slightly misplaced leather joint on the MaxGuard Plus, a silly mistake that could have been avoided with minimal effort.

With a little extra care in manufacturing, the MaxGuard Plus would be an easy five-stars. Still, it remains the cover of choice for my Kindle 2.

Review by M. Wang:

I bought this case intrigued by the compartment design for securing the kindle, not like other covers and cases for K2 via 4 corner straps or corner straps in conjunction with hinge mechanism. I am quite pleased by how well the case was made.

Here are my reviews

1. The case feels fantastic. The black leather surface is quite smooth and soft. The closure is a snap button. The closure secures the unit well in closing state.

2. Once it is open up, you can slide the kindle 2 easily into its compartment. That is a big selling point for me. The kindle 2 sits tightly in this compartment. The thin internal leather frame covers the kindle 2 well, yet makes all the functionality accessible. The navigation button indicator is embossed in the leather, so you can easily know where to press. This seems to protect Kindle 2 maximally (true to its name, "MaxGuard"), yet maintaining Kindles 2 `s slim look.

3. The left side of the case has small pocket where I can keep some paper to write note while I read.

4. The jacket is surprisingly light. This is another big selling point for me. I have an Oberon cover. The Oberon looks great. However, the Oberon cover is a littler too bulky and heavy for me. So, the lightness in this jacket is another big plus.

5. I also use the grip band at the back of the case a lot. It helps me to keep the device firmly in my hand while I am reading. I also use the band to carry the unit around ( not in the way shown in the photo).

I only wish that they have more color choices.

Review by C. Cole:

I bought this and it is ok but there are a few caveats. The snap takes some force to close. Recently I failed to snap it completely. I was holding it by the strap and the cover opened and the kindle slid out onto the ground. Nothing holds it in except friction because the case doesn't use the kindle clips.

I'm also a bit worried that the cover is not completely rigid in front of the screen. The glass on the kindle is absurdly thin and very fragile. Pressure on the center of the case could still break the screen.

It is also hard to push the buttons though the leather. I'm not sure why they didn't just cut out the leather over the buttons.