You could build headphones into a motorcycle helmet and stick one of these in it, for God's sake ? because it's tiny, and because it doesn't have any unnecessary controls on the actual player.
Granted, none of those accessories exist ? yet ? and that's how things always go. You need a successful product out on the market before a lot of the accessory makers are going to support it.
This product has heaps of potential. If, in one year, nothing like that exists ? then I'll agree that the new Shuffle kind of sucks. Until then, as far as I'm concerned, all bitchers and moaners like teckstud just have no imagination.
Or they can make a dock that will plug into a stereo (home or car) with a wireless remote control and will charge the Shuffle at the same time.
Or a "ghetto blaster" or car that has a built in dock that will accept the new Shuffle and uses the control built into the "ghetto blaster" or for the car radio to control the Shuffle.
Basically, the Shuffle just got a docking port. Just like it's bigger brothers. Only not as functional. Or maybe there's still some hidden features we don't know about yet.
There might even be adapters that will adapt the Shuffle port to that of the regular iPod. So that a Shuffle can be used on devices that normally uses iPods with the regular dock connector.
If the controls for the device are on the headphones, what happens if the headphones break, or get lost? You're looking at $80 to replace them.
That is incorrect. Right on Apple's website, same headphones can be had for $29.
Quote:
Originally Posted by teckstud
So to put it simply - they're not practical/durable for exercising / gym wear.
And you have come to this conclusion because you have actually tried one during a workout? Did your parents put a treadmill in the basement for you?
Quote:
Originally Posted by macnyc
I'm wondering how old you are and what you do for a living.
I've spoken to Teckstud's parents. They apologized for his accidental escape from their basement. They promised to put a bigger padlock on the door and keep him sedated with spiked koolaid.
So to put it simply - they're not practical/durable for exercising / gym wear.
You demonstrate the fine art of the irrelevant conclusion. My point was that this is not a rampant problem, and in the event it does happen she's out $29 not $79. Anyone who is serially and reliably ruining headphones by snagging them on things likely suffers from some sort of clinical motor skill deficiency and can't find the door to leave the house in the morning.
So she struggled to find a good sized set of buttons attached to herself bouncing up and down while she runs, but manages to find a small button (well smaller than my finger) on a wire bouncing up and down while she runs?
That's right. The 3-button headphone is a step up.
I have an original iPod 5GB, a 1st gen Shuffle, 2nd gen Shuffle, 1st Gen Nano and 2nd gen Touch. The 1G Shuffle is still my favorite, the body was directional and the buttons raised, easiest shuffle/nano nav yet. The 1 gen Nano is my everyday, thanks to Nike+for running and stationary bike in the off season. But the button arrangement on the Nano is flatter=worse for no-look operation. 2 gen Shuffle was less directional and worse than the 1st gen Shuffle for no-look operation. The Touch is made much better by the 3-button headphone. I spent a day with the new Shuffle and the new headphones, and the learning curve is about three minutes, and simpler than the 2nd gen for no-look.
Once the 3rd party cables come out, this will be *better* for a car than the 2g Shuffle and maybe for others as well - no look operation preferred in a car and you'll have voice feedback through the stereo.
Disclaimer - this is an opinion, albeit based on extensive hands-on experience with all of these units.
Just one button would solve everything for me. Considering it's a shuffle and I will never own one I guess I'm wasting space here, but whatever. I know that if I have nothing selected to play (ipod touch) and I double click home (ipod controlls) and click play, it will then start playing "All songs." So my point is, being that it's a shuffle with little capacity in the first place. Why not put a play button (similar to ps3, no moving parts) for the sake of usability at all times (even if handicapped, the ipod that is).
Anyone who is serially and reliably ruining headphones by snagging them on things likely suffers from some sort of clinical motor skill deficiency and can't find the door to leave the house in the morning.
Seriously. I may not be the most active guy in the world, but despite having snagged my headphones on things repeatedly myself, I've had the exact same pair for almost five years. They're pretty durable.
And if you're really ruining headphones that much? BUY A SPARE SET.
I've spoken to Teckstud's parents. They apologized for his accidental escape from their basement. They promised to put a bigger padlock on the door and keep him sedated with spiked koolaid.
So THAT'S why he always brings up drinking the Kool-Aid.
I was curious, because last I checked, only morons used that phrase.
When was the last time you saw an ad for any Apple product on TV. Apple catches a lot of attention for the ads it runs, but their ads run just during major sporting events or run for a few months then stop. Have you ever seen a print ad for any Apple product? If you have I would be amazed because I can't recall ever seeing one. Apple sells products that they design to be simple to use for the average person-- but for the most part Apple advantages are not explained to the average person. Im sure if you asked the average adult over 30 what features differentiate the various iPods-- Shuffle, Nano, Classic, Touch, IPhone that except for the IPhone having cell phone capabilities, they wouldn't be able to tell you. Apple simply throws away a huge number of sales because they refuse to market their products effectively, not giving folks over 30 compelling reasons for buying their products. Print ads offer a great way to explain their products and to build excitement-- yet Apple marketing seems to be blind to the opportunity-- and it's not like they don't have the money to afford it. The IPod Touch is an amazing product at a very reasonable price that connects you to the Internet wherever there is WIFI and has a huge amount of software available. Yet again few people over 30 have any reason to buy one because they don't even know what an IPod Touch can do except possibly play games. Apple knows how to advertise their products well on their web site, but unfortunately only a tiny percentage of the general public have any reason to go to their web site.
I like how the article said that sales shot up 50%, but didn't give any actual units sold, so it may be a 50 percent increase, from nothing, to something more than nothing, who knows, given the emptiness of the actual stats.
Besides, anything new is going to get a slight bump, and the rest of the iPod sales make some sense, given the state of the economy, and market saturation.
Huh? A percentage increase from nothing cannot be quantified properly, I think. But yes, 50% from what?...a bit vague there.
Not really, just that people will buy anything if its new and fashionable; not necessarily if its functional.
And I seriously don't understand how the new Shuffle's arrangement makes working out at the gym any easier in terms of music player control. Maybe if you were walking on a treadmill. I don't know about you, but whenever I run, my earphone cords bounce and bob and move all over the place, and that would make the 4G Shuffle controls annoying. That's why the Shuffle has featured a clip- to make it easily accessible (or armbands if you have a larger iPod). Fact remains, the new control scheme is awful.
It won't move once you catch the cord. And you can find the controls when you slide your hand along the cord.
Jimzip, you can't control volume or playlists etc when you connect to headphones without remote or to a stereo. But you can listen to music. Just select "continuous" or "shuffle" on the selector from the "off" position. Why don't you use a device with a display and controls to connect to a stereo?
When was the last time you saw an ad for any Apple product on TV. Apple catches a lot of attention for the ads it runs, but their ads run just during major sporting events or run for a few months then stop. Have you ever seen a print ad for any Apple product? If you have I would be amazed because I can't recall ever seeing one. Apple sells products that they design to be simple to use for the average person-- but for the most part Apple advantages are not explained to the average person. Im sure if you asked the average adult over 30 what features differentiate the various iPods-- Shuffle, Nano, Classic, Touch, IPhone that except for the IPhone having cell phone capabilities, they wouldn't be able to tell you. Apple simply throws away a huge number of sales because they refuse to market their products effectively, not giving folks over 30 compelling reasons for buying their products. Print ads offer a great way to explain their products and to build excitement-- yet Apple marketing seems to be blind to the opportunity-- and it's not like they don't have the money to afford it. The IPod Touch is an amazing product at a very reasonable price that connects you to the Internet wherever there is WIFI and has a huge amount of software available. Yet again few people over 30 have any reason to buy one because they don't even know what an IPod Touch can do except possibly play games. Apple knows how to advertise their products well on their web site, but unfortunately only a tiny percentage of the general public have any reason to go to their web site.
Apple print ads are sparse. Apple TV ads are all over the place. iPhone / iPT ads are now evenly split between games, music and apps. The Get A Mac ads have slowed down, but likely will pick up. Apple certainly knows which media work best. IIRC back when we were doing external research for them, they actually went 365 days with no mainstream advertising. No TV no radio, no newspapers, no popular press, and they didn't take any hit in sales. Subsequent marketing was highly targeted. It's not like selling soap. It's quirky. Zune has 99% print ads, near zero TV ads they desperately need to explain the differential re: iPod and they still can't get arrested. Anyone remember any TV ads for the original iPod? I don't believe there was even one. Apple's iPod advertising actually lagged its sales for most of its existence, really ramping up with the iTMS and then the iPhone and Touch. And with 90% market share, Windows seems to need a resurgence in advertising led by a raft of small children. Go figure.
When was the last time you saw an ad for any Apple product on TV. Apple catches a lot of attention for the ads it runs, but their ads run just during major sporting events or run for a few months then stop. Have you ever seen a print ad for any Apple product? If you have I would be amazed because I can't recall ever seeing one. Apple sells products that they design to be simple to use for the average person-- but for the most part Apple advantages are not explained to the average person. Im sure if you asked the average adult over 30 what features differentiate the various iPods-- Shuffle, Nano, Classic, Touch, IPhone that except for the IPhone having cell phone capabilities, they wouldn't be able to tell you. Apple simply throws away a huge number of sales because they refuse to market their products effectively, not giving folks over 30 compelling reasons for buying their products. Print ads offer a great way to explain their products and to build excitement-- yet Apple marketing seems to be blind to the opportunity-- and it's not like they don't have the money to afford it. The IPod Touch is an amazing product at a very reasonable price that connects you to the Internet wherever there is WIFI and has a huge amount of software available. Yet again few people over 30 have any reason to buy one because they don't even know what an IPod Touch can do except possibly play games. Apple knows how to advertise their products well on their web site, but unfortunately only a tiny percentage of the general public have any reason to go to their web site.
To all of you defending the new shuffle (which I cannot use with any short-cord headphones), it now looks like you CANNOT use it for working out. The controls appear to be sensitive to sweat. Good one, Apple.
Seriously. I may not be the most active guy in the world, but despite having snagged my headphones on things repeatedly myself, I've had the exact same pair for almost five years. They're pretty durable.
And if you're really ruining headphones that much? BUY A SPARE SET.
in the past year or so i have gone through about 4 sets of headphones, not through snagging, but the wires die routinely when in the gym, plus the origonal apple set managed to pull the speaker directly out and left it in my ear.
All up, the headphones cost me less than one set of the apple headphones with a controller.
Sure, you can get a lovely new iPod and keep purchasing overpriced headphones consistently, but the only person that will help is Apples bank manager...
Do we know for a fact that the sales were the NEW shuffle? Or are some of those sales people rushing to buy the old ones while they still have a chance?
Comments
You could build headphones into a motorcycle helmet and stick one of these in it, for God's sake ? because it's tiny, and because it doesn't have any unnecessary controls on the actual player.
Granted, none of those accessories exist ? yet ? and that's how things always go. You need a successful product out on the market before a lot of the accessory makers are going to support it.
This product has heaps of potential. If, in one year, nothing like that exists ? then I'll agree that the new Shuffle kind of sucks. Until then, as far as I'm concerned, all bitchers and moaners like teckstud just have no imagination.
Or they can make a dock that will plug into a stereo (home or car) with a wireless remote control and will charge the Shuffle at the same time.
Or a "ghetto blaster" or car that has a built in dock that will accept the new Shuffle and uses the control built into the "ghetto blaster" or for the car radio to control the Shuffle.
Basically, the Shuffle just got a docking port. Just like it's bigger brothers. Only not as functional. Or maybe there's still some hidden features we don't know about yet.
There might even be adapters that will adapt the Shuffle port to that of the regular iPod. So that a Shuffle can be used on devices that normally uses iPods with the regular dock connector.
If the controls for the device are on the headphones, what happens if the headphones break, or get lost? You're looking at $80 to replace them.
That is incorrect. Right on Apple's website, same headphones can be had for $29.
So to put it simply - they're not practical/durable for exercising / gym wear.
And you have come to this conclusion because you have actually tried one during a workout? Did your parents put a treadmill in the basement for you?
I'm wondering how old you are and what you do for a living.
I've spoken to Teckstud's parents. They apologized for his accidental escape from their basement. They promised to put a bigger padlock on the door and keep him sedated with spiked koolaid.
Isn't iPod seen just as kinda flash key amongst highflyers
So to put it simply - they're not practical/durable for exercising / gym wear.
You demonstrate the fine art of the irrelevant conclusion. My point was that this is not a rampant problem, and in the event it does happen she's out $29 not $79. Anyone who is serially and reliably ruining headphones by snagging them on things likely suffers from some sort of clinical motor skill deficiency and can't find the door to leave the house in the morning.
So she struggled to find a good sized set of buttons attached to herself bouncing up and down while she runs, but manages to find a small button (well smaller than my finger) on a wire bouncing up and down while she runs?
That's right. The 3-button headphone is a step up.
I have an original iPod 5GB, a 1st gen Shuffle, 2nd gen Shuffle, 1st Gen Nano and 2nd gen Touch. The 1G Shuffle is still my favorite, the body was directional and the buttons raised, easiest shuffle/nano nav yet. The 1 gen Nano is my everyday, thanks to Nike+for running and stationary bike in the off season. But the button arrangement on the Nano is flatter=worse for no-look operation. 2 gen Shuffle was less directional and worse than the 1st gen Shuffle for no-look operation. The Touch is made much better by the 3-button headphone. I spent a day with the new Shuffle and the new headphones, and the learning curve is about three minutes, and simpler than the 2nd gen for no-look.
Once the 3rd party cables come out, this will be *better* for a car than the 2g Shuffle and maybe for others as well - no look operation preferred in a car and you'll have voice feedback through the stereo.
Disclaimer - this is an opinion, albeit based on extensive hands-on experience with all of these units.
Anyone who is serially and reliably ruining headphones by snagging them on things likely suffers from some sort of clinical motor skill deficiency and can't find the door to leave the house in the morning.
Seriously. I may not be the most active guy in the world, but despite having snagged my headphones on things repeatedly myself, I've had the exact same pair for almost five years. They're pretty durable.
And if you're really ruining headphones that much? BUY A SPARE SET.
I've spoken to Teckstud's parents. They apologized for his accidental escape from their basement. They promised to put a bigger padlock on the door and keep him sedated with spiked koolaid.
So THAT'S why he always brings up drinking the Kool-Aid.
I was curious, because last I checked, only morons used that phrase.
I like how the article said that sales shot up 50%, but didn't give any actual units sold, so it may be a 50 percent increase, from nothing, to something more than nothing, who knows, given the emptiness of the actual stats.
Besides, anything new is going to get a slight bump, and the rest of the iPod sales make some sense, given the state of the economy, and market saturation.
Huh? A percentage increase from nothing cannot be quantified properly, I think. But yes, 50% from what?...a bit vague there.
Not really, just that people will buy anything if its new and fashionable; not necessarily if its functional.
And I seriously don't understand how the new Shuffle's arrangement makes working out at the gym any easier in terms of music player control. Maybe if you were walking on a treadmill. I don't know about you, but whenever I run, my earphone cords bounce and bob and move all over the place, and that would make the 4G Shuffle controls annoying. That's why the Shuffle has featured a clip- to make it easily accessible (or armbands if you have a larger iPod). Fact remains, the new control scheme is awful.
It won't move once you catch the cord. And you can find the controls when you slide your hand along the cord.
Jimzip, you can't control volume or playlists etc when you connect to headphones without remote or to a stereo. But you can listen to music. Just select "continuous" or "shuffle" on the selector from the "off" position. Why don't you use a device with a display and controls to connect to a stereo?
When was the last time you saw an ad for any Apple product on TV. Apple catches a lot of attention for the ads it runs, but their ads run just during major sporting events or run for a few months then stop. Have you ever seen a print ad for any Apple product? If you have I would be amazed because I can't recall ever seeing one. Apple sells products that they design to be simple to use for the average person-- but for the most part Apple advantages are not explained to the average person. Im sure if you asked the average adult over 30 what features differentiate the various iPods-- Shuffle, Nano, Classic, Touch, IPhone that except for the IPhone having cell phone capabilities, they wouldn't be able to tell you. Apple simply throws away a huge number of sales because they refuse to market their products effectively, not giving folks over 30 compelling reasons for buying their products. Print ads offer a great way to explain their products and to build excitement-- yet Apple marketing seems to be blind to the opportunity-- and it's not like they don't have the money to afford it. The IPod Touch is an amazing product at a very reasonable price that connects you to the Internet wherever there is WIFI and has a huge amount of software available. Yet again few people over 30 have any reason to buy one because they don't even know what an IPod Touch can do except possibly play games. Apple knows how to advertise their products well on their web site, but unfortunately only a tiny percentage of the general public have any reason to go to their web site.
Apple print ads are sparse. Apple TV ads are all over the place. iPhone / iPT ads are now evenly split between games, music and apps. The Get A Mac ads have slowed down, but likely will pick up. Apple certainly knows which media work best. IIRC back when we were doing external research for them, they actually went 365 days with no mainstream advertising. No TV no radio, no newspapers, no popular press, and they didn't take any hit in sales. Subsequent marketing was highly targeted. It's not like selling soap. It's quirky. Zune has 99% print ads, near zero TV ads they desperately need to explain the differential re: iPod and they still can't get arrested. Anyone remember any TV ads for the original iPod? I don't believe there was even one. Apple's iPod advertising actually lagged its sales for most of its existence, really ramping up with the iTMS and then the iPhone and Touch. And with 90% market share, Windows seems to need a resurgence in advertising led by a raft of small children. Go figure.
When was the last time you saw an ad for any Apple product on TV. Apple catches a lot of attention for the ads it runs, but their ads run just during major sporting events or run for a few months then stop. Have you ever seen a print ad for any Apple product? If you have I would be amazed because I can't recall ever seeing one. Apple sells products that they design to be simple to use for the average person-- but for the most part Apple advantages are not explained to the average person. Im sure if you asked the average adult over 30 what features differentiate the various iPods-- Shuffle, Nano, Classic, Touch, IPhone that except for the IPhone having cell phone capabilities, they wouldn't be able to tell you. Apple simply throws away a huge number of sales because they refuse to market their products effectively, not giving folks over 30 compelling reasons for buying their products. Print ads offer a great way to explain their products and to build excitement-- yet Apple marketing seems to be blind to the opportunity-- and it's not like they don't have the money to afford it. The IPod Touch is an amazing product at a very reasonable price that connects you to the Internet wherever there is WIFI and has a huge amount of software available. Yet again few people over 30 have any reason to buy one because they don't even know what an IPod Touch can do except possibly play games. Apple knows how to advertise their products well on their web site, but unfortunately only a tiny percentage of the general public have any reason to go to their web site.
Poorly though out rubbish. No offence.
http://discussions.apple.com/thread....46469&tstart=0
And in case Apple pulls down the discussion (which they have a habit of doing to every discussion that reports problems):
http://www.ipodnn.com/articles/09/04...e.3g.problems/
Seriously. I may not be the most active guy in the world, but despite having snagged my headphones on things repeatedly myself, I've had the exact same pair for almost five years. They're pretty durable.
And if you're really ruining headphones that much? BUY A SPARE SET.
in the past year or so i have gone through about 4 sets of headphones, not through snagging, but the wires die routinely when in the gym, plus the origonal apple set managed to pull the speaker directly out and left it in my ear.
All up, the headphones cost me less than one set of the apple headphones with a controller.
Sure, you can get a lovely new iPod and keep purchasing overpriced headphones consistently, but the only person that will help is Apples bank manager...
Do we know for a fact that the sales were the NEW shuffle? Or are some of those sales people rushing to buy the old ones while they still have a chance?