Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: ipod, shuffle, 3g, controls, button | Themes: Audio/Video Players
Yesterday’s somewhat surprising announcement of a new iPod Shuffle brought about some discussion on Apple’s philosophy of simplicity in its design.
The third generation iPod Shuffle does away with on-device controls, instead offloading them onto an inline unit on the earphone cord. While some may see this as just transplanting size from one device to another, there’s no denying Apple’s clear mission on paring down its products to its most simple forms.
Of course, the iPod Shuffle isn’t a complicated device and wouldn’t require an elaborate input system, but the first and second generation versions came with dedicated buttons for playing, pausing and skipping tracks in either direction. With new iPod Shuffle, those functions have all been condensed into a single button.
Engadget pointed towards an Apple support document that tells how one is supposed to replicate all the functions of a multi-button control scheme on a single button. Click on the image below for the full view
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Well then u cant use third party headphones right...tooobad
Well then u cant use third party headphones right...tooobad
Not only that, if those proprietary headphones break your screwed. Good luck paying $50 for them!
"...there’s no denying Apple’s clear mission on paring down its products to its most simple forms."
Huh?
Apple seems to have a fixation with 1 button devices
If the 1 button was simple and intuitive, great. This is... wow...
Just as bigger isn't always better, smaller isn't always great either.
I don't want a cell phone the size of my index finger. I don't want a netbook with a tiny keyboard and in the same vein I don't want an MP3 player with one button and no screen. If this works for you, cool but count me out of this one.
That is funny. Someone will get fired.
What's next? Reducing the keys on a keyboard. Press "A" 3 times if you want the letter "S"
Most people will eventually drill a hole in them and use them as keychains.
To Apple:
Feel free to use the keychain idea.
I am still waiting for the iWatch/Pod...
What I've always wanted, something bulky in the middle of my headphone cord to bounce around while working out.
Does the control scheme remind anyone else of morse code? This is not the right direction t move in. I can see it now: '...make one dot and three dashes to skip to the J's in your playlist...'
Steve Jobs hasn't been feeling well lately and hasn't made it to office a few times.
Apple comes up with an absolutely moronic device shortly after.
Coincidence? Or is Jobs the sole executive working at apple with the slightest clue of what a functional device is and isn't?
And in their next model there will be no buttons, you will activate features by clapping a set number of times in a 2 second time span...
Steve Jobs hasn't been feeling well lately and hasn't made it to office a few times.
Apple comes up with an absolutely moronic device shortly after.
Coincidence? Or is Jobs the sole executive working at apple with the slightest clue of what a functional device is and isn't?
And in their next model there will be no buttons, you will activate features by clapping a set number of times in a 2 second time span...
The previous gen shuffle was great for the gym. It weighs almost nothing and the controls are easy to use. This one adds weight to the cord and forces you to use iPod headphones. Both of these changes are inconvenient for those who use these at the gym.
stupid apple
Well then u cant use third party headphones right...tooobad
most likely, and almost guaranteed, you will be able to get a cable extender that will house the controls and let you plug your headphones of choice into.
It's like the mini displayport on the Apple/ATI 4870... just rubbish to force people to buy unnecessary adapters/cables. I have a Mac Pro, but I'm not getting that 4870 - not for $350, what a rip off! I'll get a regular 4870 X2 or a GTX 285 and bootcamp Vista 64/Windows 7 instead. My second gen Shuffle is working just fine and I don't foresee upgrading anytime soon, least of all to this new morse code version.
And when you forget the control sequences. Click 3 times, Click & hold for a second 3 times, & click 3 times.
This reminds me of a great youtube vid I saw about the new ipod wheel!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0Gzq-QEt0s
They should call it the iMorse.
They should call it the iMorse.
iRemorse would work too
I don't understand this at all. The only reason to have a shuffle is as a workout device. How the hell am I supposed to go for a run with the shitty earbuds that I am now forced to use? Earbuds fall out of my ears with only the slightest bump. There is a reason that there is an entire market segment of workout headphones none of which are earbuds. I've used the ones that clip on your ear, the wrap around the neck ones, the inner ear ones and they're all vastly better than the shit apple ones. Apple's doesn't even have uneven length cords to allow you to put the cord behind your neck, how do they expect them to stay in when moving? Not to mention the discomfort of wearing earbuds over any length of time. This is just retarded.
an adapter with the necessary controls is available for use with third-party headgear
iRemorse would work too
+1. I'm still laughing.
This is Kind of sad. there are still better alternatives to the shuffle, and they make THIS. unusual concept, it will me miserable to use.
iRemorse would work too
I think iWorse is better.
No offense, but since Apple has already taken ideas from others. Why not just rip Sony off one last time.
Center Play.
Then at least use this to make skipping songs better. This is how most Sony phones side buttons work.
+ tap for volume up, hold to skip to next song
- tap for volume down, hold for previous song.
At least its a bit less confusing.
How about ithink-imade-a-big-mistake.
It is the worse i-dea that ihave seen in years.
Can you say ifired?
1) no third-party headphones i guess
2) tekken-like combos have to be memorized for example: to rate a song press 4 times center button and hold, start jumping and scream the louder you scream the biggest the rate
One Button to rule them all, One Button to find them,
One Button to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
I've owned the original shuffle and the wonderfully designed 2nd generation. I use it in my car attached to an auxiliary input on the radio. It works perfectly as you don't have to look at a screen while you're driving. This new designed turned me off immediately. Now I can hold the shuffle in my hand and know where the volume is and where the skip/forward is. To use the third gen shuffle I'd have to add an inline control (probably an additional $25) and then search for it on the cord. They took the perfect design and changed it for no good reason. I'll have to stock up on 2nd gen units - I'll miss them!
If you watch the little video on apple's site for this, you'll see the controls have taken a turn for the "this thing is a pain in the ***". My second generation shuffle I like, a lot. And while I would like 4 gigs of storage, and an even smaller ipod, this doesn't work. I'm only going to reference one navigation tool, the one that allows for the switching of playlists. One has to click and hold, and it will tell you the name of the playlist, then will begin to run down the list of playlists, and you have to click the center button when the name of the playlist you want to listen to is named. This strikes me as idiotic, I can't tell you the number of times I've had to do something else while I was playing with my ipod, get off the subway, get on the subway, put a token in the turnstyle, respond to someone speaking to me. For me at least, my listening is often broken up by events in the outside world that need addressing. Relying on timing to make a selection is a mistake imo, not to mention the "morse code" (to the poster who posted that descriptive, I thought it was apt) required to use the thing, this thing is an atrocious error when it comes to controls. (With due caveat; IMO)