[BigFil]

Has anyone seen the power specs for this thing yet? Is it the same as the other iPod's at 30mw per channel? I could not find anything listed on the website. I'm also curious from other headfiers that have both HD DAP and flash players, do the flash players usually have the same output levels as their HD players?

 

[BigFil]

On another interesting note if you look at the size and weight of the Shuffle it seems to be smaller in volume than most of the similarly classed flash players available although i'm sure there is some korean brand that is smaller. When looking at both the Creative and the Iriver flash players it looked like they all outweighed the Shuffle without the AA or AAA battery. For most it's probably not a huge deal but thinking about runners wearing the thing around their necks or in their little running shorts that extra weight bouncing around is gonna be noticed. Also from what I found, the flash players from those two companies had headphone outputs of between 12 and 18mW/channel. I haven't seen the output specs of the shuffle published yet but i'm assuming it is the same as the other iPod's 30mW/channel since some have mentioned they sounded the same.

 

[Edvard_Grieg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OracleGuy As far as the pricing goes, instead of comparing against the cheapest flash MP3 player (my kid's got one and it's obviously very cheaply built) I checked the prices of the iRiver 1GB and 512MB players which is perhaps the top "name brand" to compare with. The Shuffle is $100 less; so the question is: is the FM tuner and and screen worth $100 for you. The Shuffle doesn't seem to cost too much more than a simple USB flash drive. I think it will be a winner. As others have said, for the number of songs it can hold, a screen is unnecessary. The simple interface makes it a winner IMHO.

If you're referring to the two I posted, you need to keep in mind that from my point of view (and many others it seems), the tamPod isn't much cheaper than even the ones I listed as both have screens, voice recording, and the 1GB does FM recording and both are priced within $5 of the tamPod. So from my point of view, the absolute only selling feature of the tamPod is the 'iTunes Experience'. However, if you haven't bought into it, or refuse to get locked into a media format then there are other alternatives that offer more features for the same price.

 

[yyoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edvard_Grieg If you're referring to the two I posted, you need to keep in mind that from my point of view (and many others it seems), the tamPod is much cheaper than even the ones I listed as both have screens, voice recording, and the 1GB does FM recording and both are priced within $5 of the tamPod. So from my point of view, the absolute only selling feature of the tamPod is the 'iTunes Experience'. However, if you haven't bought into it, or refuse to get locked into a media format then there are other alternatives that offer more features for the same price.

So many folks still don't get it. It's not about the FEATURES. It's about the usability/simplicity, quality (in sound as well as in build) and elegance in design. It's ironic that so many here forget that, particularly because those three qualities are often what audiophiles look for in their other purchases. Of course, flashplayers are not for audiophiles. Still, what makes the little iPod Shuffle so attractive are those same three things. Plus a fourth, PRICE. Well...I guess this thing is just too affordable for the typical Head-Fier.

 

[yyoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edvard_Grieg the tamPod is much cheaper than even the ones I listed as both have screens, voice recording, and the 1GB does FM recording and both are priced within $5 of the tamPod.

So, why would anybody buy a more expensive iRiver or a Creative over one of those (a Sandisk and a Transcend)? Could it be a question of quality and style? And as "quality" as iRiver and Creative are, no one has been able to, or at least been willing to, match Apple's build quality to date. As for style, we know who wins there.

At any rate, if Apple drives Creative and iRiver out of the DAP market, the iPod Shuffle will have accomplished its mission. I have a feeling Apple doesn't fear Sandisk or Transcend.

 

[Wookie]

I was talking to my brother last night who seemed quite interested in purchasing himself an mp3 player fopr himself as my mam had gotten a muvo v200, my sister bought a tevion (not a bad little player suprisingly) and I had gotten a 20gig ipod. I showed him the shuffle and said i think apple have shot themselves in the foot not including a screen he replied with something like "so, do you need a screen" and my mam asked if hers had a screen, which i pointed out it did. The thing about that is though my mam uses it while excercising and so just presses play and since she uses reading glasses she probably wouldn't be able to read the screen anyway. I then thought about it, if you have a bigger player than the shuffle you can start adding features such as screens but of the players of a similar size how many have screens that make that much difference apart from the iriver/maudio and still have the sound quality people on this site would like/find passable (i am again making assumptions on sound quality bening comparable to existing ipods).

 

[dknightd]

Hmm, I've been thinking about buying a usb flash disk. For $50 more I can get an apple one that also plays music and comes with those stylin' iBud earphones. Kind of tempting.

 

[chadbang]

I'm probably going to take the tampod (heh, I like that) plunge. In the words of Belloc at the end of "Raiders of the Lost Ark": "It's beautiful!!!!......"

I checked out those Sandisk and Transcend players on Amazon. ugly... Cheap looking... I hate blue on electronics.

 

[viator122]

Yeah if you wanted to retain the Shuffle's size and add a screen, you'd probably only be able to get one or two lines of text - enough to show you what's playing only, not enough to really navigate with.

 

[chadbang]

Here's the way I see the design:

 

[Oliver :)]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadbang Here's the way I see the design:

Nice. I'll wait for the black edition shuffle then.

 

[bong]

regarding the topics of not having a screen and shuffle play, i'm quite used to it. i've been doing this since the days of the Sony D-777 PCDP.

set D-777 on shuffle play with remote, detach remote and leave in house, plug in headphones, put in bag, listen on commute. the resume function means it will remain on shuffle on the way back home.

anyway... i agree with everyone else that the Shuffle is not for audiophiles. it's something you'd take on grocery shopping, a jog or exercise, etc... do we really need a screen and audiophile quality output when doing these activites? besides, it'll look odd if one uses the Shuffle connected to a pair of MDR-CD3000.

 

[chadbang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oliver Nice. I'll wait for the black edition shuffle then.

Yeah, man.

 

[DigDub]

the general trend why people might like shuffle is:
1. they dig itunes
or
2. they have not seen similar priced and sized flash-based players that cost roughly the same as the shuffle. so the shuffle is a nice 'surprise' for them.

from what i've read, the supporters are saying that the shuffle is designed for people who just want a simple player to work with and not meddle with it during play. thats fine. BUT, which flash-based players from other companies would require one to go through a gazillion menus just to skip tracks? not many that i can recall. however, some people makes it sound as if apple invented the forward and rewind buttons ("hey look, with the shuffle, you can skip tracks by pressing a button. apple made it THAT easy for the average consumer. ") umm..but they did not mention that almost the rest of the players out there could do this too and more, 3 years ago - with a lcd, radio, removable batteries and mic recording too. the comments from the ceo of creative is very valid, maybe because he is from singapore (i'm from there too) and has seen a lot of players from the chinese and korean companies, which can pretty much match the shuffle in size and price and has more features. i'm guessing the shuffle is very attractive and kind of a novelty to the europeans and americans because they have a limited range of flash players to choose from. however, when you walk into an shop that sells electronic stuff in singapore, the wide range of flash players to choose from would probably put the shuffle somewhere near the bottom of one's 'to-buy' list.

 

[Edvard_Grieg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yyoo So, why would anybody buy a more expensive iRiver or a Creative over one of those (a Sandisk and a Transcend)? Could it be a question of quality and style? And as "quality" as iRiver and Creative are, no one has been able to, or at least been willing to, match Apple's build quality to date. As for style, we know who wins there. At any rate, if Apple drives Creative and iRiver out of the DAP market, the iPod Shuffle will have accomplished its mission. I have a feeling Apple doesn't fear Sandisk or Transcend.

My argument wasn't that the Creative/iRiver/Rio aren't better than the Transcend and Sandisk. I guess I could add 'sound quality' as a potential plus of the tamPod, but realistically, your argument of the excess features etc and added simplicity.....just don't look at the screens on the other players if you don't want to and it has the same simplicity, forward, backwards, play, pause, and stop. Quality wise, especially on the flash side, I'd gladly put any of the iRivers up against the new tamPod.