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iPods & MP3 Players
iPod
Shuffle: Different From Other iPods
Apple has proven with the iPod that, like
cheese and wine, it just gets better over time. The
iPod is currently available in three versions: iPod, iPod Nano, and
iPod Shuffle. The iPod, available in 30 and 60GB storage capacities,
can store up to 15,000 songs. The iPod Nano, a smaller version
of the iPod, is available in 1, 2 and 4GB storage capacities
and can store up to 1,000 songs. Yet it is the iPod shuffle
that stands out from the others. Available in 512MB and 1GB
storage capacities, the iPod shuffle is proof that bigger isn’t
always better.
One of the major things that sets
iPod shuffle apart from
other iPods is the element of surprise. People love a good
mystery and they get exactly that with the iPod shuffle. Out
of 120+ songs, you never know what you are going to hear next.
It’s like having your own personal radio station, only without
the commercials. With a regular iPod, you set the playlist
you want to hear and the songs are played in that order every
time. The iPod shuffle adds fun to the listening experience
because the playlist is completely random.
Not only is the order of the songs random, the playlist can
be random as well. Using the iTunes Autofill feature, the iPod
shuffle can be randomly filled with up to 240 songs. The Autofill
defaults to the entire iTunes library, but you can change the
setting so that it chooses songs from a specific playlist.
So if one day you are in the mood for Classical you can fill
using your Classical music playlist. If on the next day you
want to hear some Rock, you can fill using your Rock playlist.
Autofill can also completely replace the existing playlist
on your iPod shuffle or replace only songs that you select
for it to replace.
Another one of the things that makes the iPod
shuffle unique from its sister devices is its design. The
iPod measures 8.38 × 2.49 × 0.84
centimeters and weighs 22 grams. At less than an ounce, that
makes the iPod shuffle lighter than some car keys. That makes
the iPod shuffle ideal for physical activities. Since the new
design uses flash memory rather than hard disk storage, skipping
is no longer a concern. It comes with a lanyard so that it
can be easily worn around the neck.
Since there is no
menu to navigate through, there isn’t a
touchpad in the shuffle like there is on other iPod versions.
The buttons on the front of the shuffle perform similar operations
to the touchpad on the regular iPod allowing you to play/pause,
skip/reverse, fast forward/rewind, and adjust volume. The backside
of the shuffle includes a battery indicator light and a switch
that allows you to power off, play songs in order, or play
songs shuffled. The battery indicator light shows three battery
stages: green indicates a good charge, yellow, for a low charge;
and red for a very low charge. If the battery indicator light
is not on at all, then your battery has no charge remaining.
The iPod shuffle can be connected directly into the USB
port on your computer. This means there are no bulky cords and plugs
needed to change the playlist or charge the battery. A fully
charged battery lasts up to 12 hours between charges. The USB
plug is neatly hidden beneath an attached cap. A traditional
wall charger can be purchased for $29.
The iPod shuffle can be used for more than listening to music.
You can also store documents and other data on it by using
it as a USB flash drive. iTunes allows you to specify how much
of the drive you want to use for files and how much you want
to use for songs. File storage is possible on other versions
of the iPod but it is much more difficult to configure the
settings and transfer files.
Sometimes less is more. Plenty people would rather pay $69
for 120 songs that they will listen to rather than pay $399
for 15,000 songs that may never get heard. If there really
is an iPod for everyone, then iPod shuffle is one for the masses. # # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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