Ever have Hawaiian shirt days? Casual Fridays? No? Well, your boss might just never notice Apple’s new fashion addition, arriving in stores by the end of this week. It’s the wearable iPod Shuffle, and at just half an ounce it’s about as noticeable as a pack of Tic Tacs.
Apple’s latest uber-trendy offering was first announced in mid-September, receiving a beehive of buzz from high school kids looking to up-trend their pals. Although the new Shuffle was first meant for an October release, it missed that date and will now reach music fans by November 3.
Considering the device’s miniscule size, it’s actually quite impressive that Apple has managed to cram 1 GB of space into the tiny machine. That 1 GB should get you about 240 songs, enough to get through a few overseas flights.
How have they done it? The lightweight features of the revamped Shuffle are the result of a newly integrated aluminum design. There’s also a built-in clip, making the device quite practical for those who literally want to wear their music. Think Apple was kidding when it placed a giant jean-wearing *** on its official site?
The price of such a small size might be paid for in battery life. Other iPods, such as the Nano, could be excused a short battery lifespan because of the flashy and equally handy scroll interface with easy-to-navigate screen. Like its predecessor, however, the new Shuffle doesn’t feature said screen or circular scroll, making its 12 hours of life rather short. By comparison, my 1 GB Sony Jellybean lasts at least fifty hours.
So, what kind of interface is there, you ask? Well, a pretty simple one. The petite Shuffle features a fairly straightforward pad for scrolling through tunes. There’s no screen, of any sort, but a neat feature is a small switch that can flip you back and forth between random and ordered playlists.
In addition, the new Shuffle can be connected to a Mac or PC, and as you might expect, is fully integrated into the iTunes bonanza.
You can clip the dinky little device to your sweater this Friday for $79 USD, meaning it’ll probably be cheaper than the clothes you pin it to.