How iPod Shuffle Sets Apart 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 is not 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. Its 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 x 2.49 x 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 is not 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.