Apple iPod shuffle (2GB: second generation)

By Jasmine France, CNET.com
Nov 3, 2006

It's true: The second-generation iPod shuffle (1GB) is the lowest-profile MP3 player we've laid eyes on. Apple may have been slow out of the gate, but the company has succeeded in launching perhaps the tiniest and simplest player on the market--and it sports a price tag to match: S$138 (US$99.36).

Design
The new shuffle is appealing in its elementariness, too, but the itty-bitty device is far from perfect. Its screenless design means you get few navigational options and no extra features. And how small is too small?

	Even the shuffle's box is small.

At 41 x 27 x 10mm and 15.6g, the iPod shuffle is one minuscule music player. In fact, it's so inconspicuous that we have trouble keeping track of it--if you're constantly misplacing your keys, this player probably isn't your best option. That said, the integrated belt clip on the back of the shuffle helps keep the player within easy reaching distance. Some users have complained that the clip isn't very durable, but it seemed fairly sturdy during our testing.

Like its predecessor, the second-generation iPod shuffle has no screen for navigating through music or other options (of which there are none). Instead, you get a simple and ample-sized five-way control pad on the face of the player: Play/pause in the center, surrounded by volume up/down buttons and track shuttle keys.

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

There's no way to navigate among specific albums or artists, but you can click play/pause three times fast to skip through playlists.

The bottom edge of the player houses two switches: One for powering the unit on and off and the second for toggling between shuffle and repeat modes. A standard-size headphone jack--which doubles as the shuffle's USB syncing port--rests on the top side of the device.

There's also a tiny LED indicator that lights up different color combos (orange, red, and green) depending on the status of the player

• Most Popular

• Upcoming

What's Hot