Small but oh so classy (Apple iPod shuffle (2G) 1 GB)

Member Name: powerball

Product:	Apple iPod shuffle (2G) 1 GB
Date:	10/09/09 (11 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Simple to use, classic design

Disadvantages: Charging can be a problem

I didn't realise I wanted or needed an iPod Shuffle until the very helpful assistant in the Apple Store told me so!
And......................I'm not sure if he was an extremely good salesman, or he had really listened to me, or both.................but he was so right!
I run about 30 miles a week on a treadmill. I used to run with my iPod classic in my pocket and of course one day, the inevitable happened. To be fair, it wasn't the first drop onto the treadmill belt which killed the Classic, but the second drop from the belt onto the concrete floor. I replaced the classic, but it was as I was browsing the huge range of protective cases and armbands to protect my new purchase, that my new friend, the shop assistant, approached.
I told him of the situation, and after having thought things through, he explained that nothing would fully protect the machine from a drop, a classic was always going to skip whilst running, and as I had just found out, it's a complete pain when you ruin the machine holding your entire music collection.
BUT - for the same price as these fancy cases, I could buy a shuffle. Worse case accident scenario would be for me to drop the Shuffle, but in order to break it, I would probably have to tread on it as well, and even if I did that, it's just £30 worth of kit that gets destroyed.
And so I bought one, and am happy to report both Shuffle and Classic are still intact.
My Shuffle is a lovely shade of purple, but in any colour, these machines just look great. Simple yet stylish. Just a play/pause, forward and back button and volume up and down. On the side there is an ON/Off and a Shuffle switch.
The clip is neatly built in and is sturdy. However, I find that I still don't quite trust it and tend to slip the Shuffle into my pocket.
There is just one output jack, used for both headphones and for the special USB connection for connecting to computer or laptop for syncing and charging. This did cause a slight problem for me at first. I often travel without a laptop and this was only means of charging. You cannot use standard iPod chargers. However, I have recently managed to obtain a specific cable for wall charging. That being said, battery life is pretty good.
As with all things Apple, syncing is simple and easy.
100s of miles down the road, I've been through a few pairs of earphones, but this machine is as good as new.

Summary: An Apple product that doesn't break the bank

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