i have had my 1st generation ipod shuffle since they came out. even though it is still making tunes happen, it is only a matter of time before the thing stops working. i like the idea of a small music device with limited capacity. i am always into something new so it great to switch it up often – i don’t need 50,000 songs in my pocket or whatever.

i was really into the 2nd generation shuffles, even though i never got one (mine still works). a couple of days ago apple introduced the 3rd generation shuffles and yesterday i decided to take some time to check out how it works. and all i can say is wtf apple? here’s the skinny:

the shuffle has no controls. they decided to put the controls on the headphones. you know, the same headphones that make your ears hurt if you have them in for longer than an hour with little to no base response. the headphones that tell everyone in the world that you are using an ipod. the headphones that if you loose will render your shuffle useless.

but wait! it gets better! they now have this new proprietary technology that they have dubbed voiceover which tells you what song or playlist you are listening to while you use your headphones to navigate your tunes. two things about voiceover:

1. who came up with that name? did it not occur to these guys that there might be a few other things in this world that refer to voiceover and that it might lead to confusion in the future (great point brino)? or is it something that just needed a name but no-one is really going to talk about it as if it matters?
2. wtf is the deal with the robo voices? this had me up in arms. fail apple, fail. if you are going to push a new technology that is going to talk through the first through seconds of my favorite songs to remind me of what i am listening to – please make it pleasant. yes, a computer talking that sounded just like a computer talking was amazing about 20 years ago but hot damn didn’t your team manage to standardize touch screen mobile devices? imo that voice should sound like an angel. i should be able to choose if i want britney herself to introduce her songs. not robbie the robot. don’t fret, all you need to get it to go away is to loose your headphones. oh, and i like how in the guided tour they play this is what it sounds like if you use a mac… now this is what it sounds like if you use a pc… then the chick goes back to again, this is what it sounds like on a mac – as if she is emphasizing an amazing difference between the two crappy robo-voices.

ok, rant over. i love my shuffle and i do love apple. their machines are far superior – i just think that sometimes they make moves that are not in the best interest of the general population. like pulling firewire 400 from their new notebooks!?! my favorite part of my ipod though is my bose headphones. buy a pair – they changed my life. i don’t care what a little device can do… if it sounds like shit, it sounds like shit.

bose in-ear headphones // $99 // buy here

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