Apple has released its new iPod Shuffle, which is billed as the world’s smallest music player, and the first that talks to you. Whether consumers actually want a music player small enough to lose down a plughole and a device that communicates with them remains to be seen.
Apple is known for its design sensibilities. Everything the company produces is made with visuals in mind just as much as usability. The new iPod Shuffle certainly looks the part, being shiny and sleek, but is it any good?
I don’t like the idea of having the controls on the headphones, mainly because that immediately prevents you from choosing your own headphones. I hate the white Apple ones, but buying this would see me stuck with them.
Also, the new ‘VoiceOver’ capability looks more like a novelty than anything. I really don’t need my music player to tell me what I’m listening to. After all, if I have a song on my iPod, the chances are I know what it is anyway.
The new iPod Shuffle may be turning heads but I think I’ll pass on this one.
