[JMcMasterJ]

I love my iPod shuffle. I know they have gotten lots of crap, so I will list reasons why I love mine.
1. They are washable
I recently left mine in a pocket or something and it went through the wash. I was expecting it to not work anymore, but to my surprise it still works like new and is extra clean!
2. It wouldn't really bother me if it broke
Why do people buy cases for these things? Sure the shuffle looks cute, but that doesn't mean it has to be wrapped up in a glow in the dark condom. I like it because I can throw it around and scratch it up and it only adds to the appeal. I also paid 1/5 of what my iPod photo cost, so I don't feel like I was as ripped off and had over paid.
3. I never have any idea what music is playing
I think it's a nice change up. An iPod can get boring by being so predictable, but my shuffle fills itself up with random music that doesn't flow together, but that's the beauty of it because you just switch it to "shuffle" mode and it's like it is doing what it is supposed to.

I bought my shuffle to use at work, but I just ended up quitting my job shortly after. It sticks around because it looks like it would be a great device to use when working out and it provides a sense of motivation. I have yet to try this out.

Ok, seriously, the shuffle is pretty ridiculous, but I appreciate it for what it is. Haha especially since it made it through an entire wash. I guess that's an advantage of being extremely simple. Who else loves the shuffle for unconventional reasons?

 

[TenaciousO]

I also think the shuffle is a fabulous product. I was one of those people who criticized the shuffle for its lack of a screen and other features normally found in flash players. After reading so many comments praising its sound, I finally bought one, and my experiences have confirmed that it is a great device.

Most people criticize the shuffle because they think that it falls short when compared to other flash-based mp3 players. After using the shuffle, I'm not sure that a comparison is viable. To borrow a cliche, it's like comparing apples and oranges. Yes, the shuffle uses flash memory, and yes, it plays music, but that's where the comparison stops. I've had the iaudio 5 and g3 and a whole slew of other flash players, and while I felt that some were amazing, I found that the time required to go through my music collection and individually select songs was very time consuming. What differentiates the shuffle and makes it beyond comparison (i.e., too different to compare) is its seamless integration with itunes. Simply attach the shuffle to the computer, hit autofill, and in about five minutes, your shuffle is filled to the brim with goodies. There is no other flash-based mp3 player that I know of that is this easy to use. Automated song selection alone makes the shuffle a unique product, and for that reason, I feel that it is unfair to compare it with other flash-based players.

In addition to the itunes integration, I think the sound the shuffle produces is stellar. I remember when I purchased the iaudio m3 and g3 combo package from cowon that the m3 sounded noticeably more powerful and dynamic than the g3. However, the shuffle sounds like a full size mp3 player, and it doesn't have the thin-sounding quality that a lot of flash-based players have, which is pretty amazing since the shuffle is so darn small.

That said, I wouldn't recommend the shuffle as your sole dap, although I'm sure many people are content using it as such. The lack of a screen + no eq would bother me enough over time if I were stuck with only the shuffle, but I've found that these features are unnecessary when working out, which makes the shuffle the perfect workout player. Thus, I would recommend the shuffle as a good complement to a hd player.