Music, music, everywhere. It’s how I like my life, which is why we have music in every room in our home- from our bedroom to our kitchen to our bathroom (because there’s nothing quite like showering to Yo-Yo Ma after a long, tiring day).
To accomplish this, we’ve always had various stereo system and boom boxes set up- in our kitchen, we have an old CD walkman(!) hooked up to a pair of waterproof speakers. Last weekend, we decided that it was time to take the plunge and “modernize” our kitchen system.
Because I love our speakers, the first thing we looked at was an iPod Shuffle. It seemed like the perfect choice: small, unobtrusive, and available in a color that would go wonderfully with my kitchen walls. Best of all, at just $79 for the 4GB version, the price was perfect.
Just when we were about the make the purchase, however, we discovered something:
“Because of the extra tier on the 3.5mm jack/hub that connects the 3rd Gen. iPod Shuffle to other appliances, to connect the iPod to anything but the specific headphones that come with or similar compatible headphones you need an adapter.” (source)
That stopped us in our tracks. We needed a $19.95 adapter to be able to connect the Shuffle to our speakers? And to control the Shuffle as well?
So we looked at the Nano. For an additional $50, we could get double the GB, a built-in video camera, an FM radio, and be able to watch videos as well. And that’s what we did.
Which brings me to this question: why buy an iPod Shuffle at all? Is it really much better for working out at the gym? Is it the novelty of owning a music player smaller than a stick of gum?
I’d love to hear from iPod Shuffle owners out there- especially those who own the third generation Shuffles. What is it best for?
4 thoughts on “Why an iPod Shuffle?”
I own several iPods (as most Apple fans do) and the shuffle is consistently my “go to”. (I have the green square clip version, not the smaller stick of gum version.) The size, portability, weight, and no fear of losing/scratching/having it stolen are the main reasons I listen to more music on the shuffle than I do my iPhone. Add an amazing battery life and it’s absolutely worth the price.
Would I use the shuffle as a hub for my home entertainment system? No. But that’s not what it’s designed for.
I’m not sure where you are shopping for the Nano but it’s $70 more than the Shuffle…unless you are counting the $20 for the adapter as part of the cost…because the way I read your article it seemed that you were saying the Nano was $50 more than the Shuffle and has the extra benefits making it worth the price
sorry but I was confused by your wording
If you are engaging in vigorous athletic activity, like running a marathon, playing basketball, digging in your garden, etc. you will prefer a smaller device with less bounce. You will prefer the shuffle.
The shuffle, thus, is not your main player. It is a player for special purposes, an addition to your existing player, not a substitute for it.
Sort of like having a bicycle. It is not a substitute for your car. Most bike owners have both.
I agree with Dan Ashley. The shuffle is just a very simple music player that is small and unobtrusive. When running or doing other physical activities, you don’t want to be playing around with controls, options, or play lists. You just want the music to play. And, because of the small size, you aren’t worried about it breaking if you drop it. Other than for exercise, I don’t use the shuffle.