Strengths
- Totally simple: With its minimalist design, this MP3 player was designed for the masses.
- Good sound: The sound has always been a hallmark of iPods, and the iPod Shuffle is no different.
- Nice minor touches: There has been thought about polish put into this player. For example, when you pause the player and then un-pause it, the sound doesn't immediately come in full blast. Instead there is a very slight but noticeable fade in.
- No display: My biggest gripe.
- Slider on back: Unless you are careful and deliberate, the slider always glides past the sequential play position to the shuffle play. I personally wish that it was designed so that you could easily switch straight into sequential play.
- The white glossy finish: This finish can easily be scratched, though since it is white, you have to look at an angle to notice the scratches.
- USB cap: If you remove the cap that covers the USB connector, you have to keep it safely. There is nothing on the iPod that holds this cap.
- Playlists: There is no way to play groups of files on iPod Shuffle. My suggestion: Allow a bunch of tracks to be grouped together in playlist and then have a button combination that lets you jump from the beginning of one playlist to the next. The iPod already has a button combination that lets you jump to the first track (press the Play button three times rapidly). I have both music tracks and audio books on my Shuffle. If I decide to play music and then later decide to go play my audio book tracks, I have to click countless times to go back to where I left off in my audio book.
- USB extender included in box: For recharging and managing tracks, the Shuffle has to be directly inserted into the USB slot of your computer or laptop. If your USB slots are on the back of your computer, this can be a lot of trouble. Why not include a cheap USB extender that lets you easily connect your Shuffle? After all the Shuffle is supposed to be all about ease of use.
