I picked up a 1 GB iPod Shuffle almost on a whim this weekend. Lord knows I love my 20 GB model to death, but it's a little too heavy for a shirt pocket or for exercising, it's expensive enough that I worry about dropping it or losing it, and the battery life isn't really that great. (Yes, I know I'm spoiled. Don't blame me--blame Steve Jobs and his army of engineering nerds toiling under the watchful eyes of their designer overlords.) Enter the Shuffle.
I had no idea I'd love it as much as I do. Light as a feather, drop-proof (all Flash memory--no moving parts), not exactly cheap--but a good sight cheaper than the 20 GB, and 12 long hours of battery life = digital music nirvana. Then factor in 1) the absence of any chargers or other crap to lug around (it charges when it's plugged into a USB drive on an iTunes equipped computer), and 2) the 330+ songs I was able to cram onto mine, and I am truly in love. It's pathetic.
My only mod has been to etch cross-hatchings in the on-off switch to make it easier to slide. It's a little too slick as is and required too much pressure to toggle. Otherwise, the damn thing is perfect.
UPDATE: iPodLounge has a great Shuffle tutorial. Best tip: "When listening to a playlist in shuffle mode, press Play three times quickly to re-randomize the play order."
