iPod Shuffle Why Have You Forsaken Me?

Chuck — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 20:34:00 -0400

My iPod Shuffle died on me last month. Of the four iPods I own (1st generation Mini, 60 GB Video, 4 GB Nano and a 1 GB Shuffle) the Shuffle was my favorite iPod.

I used it all the time in the gym, running and riding my road bike. Note: You shouldn’t ride your bike wearing earphones… my public service message. After my Shuffle died, I was searching for ways to fix it and then thinking about buying a new one.

I discovered that there is a defect with the iPod Shuffle. PC World wrote about the issue last month. If your iPod Shuffle flashes green and amber lights, it could be in trouble. It appears that the issue occurs more often than the normal iPod defect rate. There’s even a blog devoted to the defect at Shufflers Unite.

After reading about all the troubles, I guess I’ve been fortunate that my Shuffle lasted 15 months trouble free. I did have a glitch 6 months after I bought it but was able to recover it. It also turns out that my Shuffle died due to a dead battery and not the orange/green light issue. So it’s now a USB flash drive.

Despite the defect, I’m still considering purchasing another Shuffle. I’ve been using my Nano running and cycling but I still prefer the Shuffle. Some people have complained about no display screen on the Shuffle but it’s not necessary when you are exercising. If I wanted to skip a song, it was easy to reach into my rear jersey pocket and push the skip button. Whereas with the Nano, it’s not as easy using the click wheel and lack of tactile feel to the buttons. Additionally, the Nano is usually locked to prevent accidental click wheel changes.

I also love the size and weight or lack there of with the Shuffle. I used to stick the Shuffle in my pocket of my running shorts and never noticed it there. The Nano definitely bounces in my pocket. I didn’t think 0.72 oz would make a difference but it does.

If the 1 GB Shuffle total price drops below $75, I will probably get another one despite the defect. Call me a sucker but it gets me through long climbs up Mt. Tam on my bike. Any product that motivates you to work-out harder or longer is priceless.

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iPod Shuffle Why Have You Forsaken Me?