Too Poppy: The Lovers, The Dreamers, and Me

I have no doubt Way2Poppy will weigh in with more introspective reactions to Apple's announcement today, but - as a music fan - here's my take:

Too Poppy: The Lovers, The Dreamers, and Me
The quintessential digital music player got a refresh today - Apple announced the new iPod classic, the new and rainbowy iPod nano, new iPod shuffle flavors, and the new iPod touch. A new version of iTunes is also available for download. You'll hear about the details elsewhere, but my initial reactions:

• Can't wait to try Genius.
• I like the iPod nano more than I thought I would.
• But I still favor size over style.
• Talk to me in another generation about iPod touch.
  

Number 39 Number 39 Number 39 Number 39

$49? $39 refurb! CHEAP! Don't pass it up!

via Bargainist

2GB iPod Shuffle On The Way

I'm sure you were wondering why the sudden drop in price on the iPod Shuffle. Well, there's a 2GB iPod shuffle "coming soon" at the low-low price of $69. Not bad, Apple.

Shuffle Price Drop - $49

Get the 1GB iPod Shuffle for just $49! The price drop appears to be permanent.

I got an iPod Shuffle originally for working out (that didn't last) and now find it's great for doing yard work and such. Places you wouldn't want to take your iPhone or iPod but where you want to hear music. And at $49, I'll be slightly less upset if I break it.

The Beat Goes On

Summary:
New iPod Shuffle colors including a RED model.
New funky-looking iPod nano with 2” screen, video playback, new colors
New iPod classics with thinner metal enclosures, longer battery life, new UI, 80GB and 160GB storage.
New iPod Touch – basically an iPhone without the phone at 8GB and 16GB, Wi-Fi, YouTube, Safari.
Wi-Fi iTunes Store for iPod Touch and iPhone with lame Starbucks integration.
8GB iPhone Price Drops $200 to $399. No word on 4GB model.
Ringtone Service for iPhone – 99 cents for song and another 99 cents to turn it into a ringtone

$99 iPod Nano

2GB iPod Nano. $99. Refurbished. Good as new. Forget the Shuffle. Buy now. 'nuff said.

iPod Shuffle Charger

An employee of mine recently had me run over to the Apple Store (not that I need an excuse) to pick up a replacement iPod Shuffle dock. I was shocked that the dock was $29 - over 35% of the cost of the Shuffle itself. If you're looking for a slightly cheaper alternative, check out the PowerBug. It's fairly compact and would make a fine second charger for travel or an additional location. Of course, this just charges the Shuffle. You'll still need the dock if you want to sync your music.

Shuffle and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Apple's iPod Shuffle now comes in 4 new spiffy colors like its older sibling the nano. Spiffy indeed.

But wait? No black or red? Bummer.

Still $79!

*Update: the new iPods come with the new (slightly) better earbuds. If you want the silver, be sure to pick one up with gray print on the box. Silver Shuffles with green print come with the old-school earbuds.

Review: My iPod Shuffle

I don't think I ever mentioned that I bought a Shuffle with a gift certificate I got at work. I've been hitting the Y lately, and this is perfect. I was concerned I would miss the screen, but I don't. The built-in clip is awesome. Just clip it to your shirt, coat, pocket, shorts, jeans, ear or nose and go. So easy. I really love it. I even took it on my last trip - a whirlwind tour of Rockford, IL. The Shuffle was awesome. A definitely recommend for a portable iPod. The sound is great, the portability is unmatched and it even looks cool. I wouldn't give up my full-sized iPod of course, but the Shuffle is damn cool.

Demand for Shuffle Exceeds Supply

AppleInsider is reporting that demand for the new iPod Shuffle is exceeding supply. If you plan on getting one of these things as a gift this year, get it now!.

As of Friday Amazon.com was out of stock and one of its resellers was charging a $30 premium. Other retailers are out of stock and can't get more. Apple.com has up to a 5 day wait depending on where you are in the world (other iPods ship within 24 hours).

Which iPod is Right for YOU?

There's a myriad of choices if you're looking for an iPod. I think the simplest way to think about it is prioritizing size, storage, usage and price.

Size
If you're looking for the smallest and lightest iPod, the new 2nd generation iPod Shuffle is your choice. This thing is tiny. And the most wearable with its innovative built-in clip.

But there is a price to pay if smallest and lightest is a high priority. The iPod Shuffle lacks a display. Your choices are to play music sequencially or shuffle. And forget about video or photos of course. Your color choices are silver and silver.

If size is important, but a display and flexibility is essential, there's the iPod nano. Choose one of 6 colors - blue, silver, green, red, black and pink. Its 1.5 inch color display lets you choose your music by artist, playlist, album, podcast, etc. Also display photos on it. But no video. It also doesn't play any games. The nano is larger than the Shuffle, but it's thin and extremely light.


Storage
How many songs do you have? Need to have ALL of them on your iPod?
iPod Shuffle: up to 240 songs
iPod nano: 2GB - 500 songs; 4GB - 1,000 songs; 8GB - 2,000 songs
iPod with video: 30GB - 7,500 songs/10,000 photos/40 hours of video; 80GB - 20,000 songs/25,000 photos/100 hours of video or a combination of all three.


Usage
How and where will you use your iPod? If you do a lot of travel, and choice is essential, the iPod nano or iPod with video is probably your best bet. Do you want to watch movies or tv shows? The iPod with video is your only choice (in black or white). Want to kill time with games? Only the iPod with video can do that. Not so with the nano (small screen) or Shuffle (no screen). Will you be using the iPod for exercise? The small size of the Shuffle or nano is probably best. Any iPod will work in the car, but if you want to use an FM transmitter, the iPod nano or iPod with video is the only option.


Price
Least expensive: iPod Shuffle at $79 (silver only)
Most expensive: iPod with video 80GB at $349 (black or white)
Least expensive with a screen: iPod nano 4GB at $149 (silver is the only color option at this price)
Least expensive with video: iPod with video 30GB at $249 (black or white)
Color choices: Silver - iPod Shuffle or iPod nano 2GB; Blue/Green/Pink- iPod nano 4GB; Black - iPod nano 8GB, iPod with video 30GB/80GB; Red - iPod nano 4GB or 5GB; White - iPod with video 30GB/80GB

If price is a huge consideration (when isn't it?) consider a refurbished iPod. You might be able to afford the iPod you really want without breaking the bank. Get up to 70% off the original price.


Nuances
The RED iPod nano is only available at Apple retail stores or Apple.com.

When will the next version of the iPod come out? Any day now. If you wait for the latest & greatest, you'll never buy anything. Will Apple release a new version of the iPod right after you buy yours? Probably. That's the price of innovation and staying on the bleeding edge. Get your iPod today. I mean it. You won't regret it, and you'll rediscover music.

iPod Shuffle Now Shipping

The second generation ipod Shuffle is now starting to ship. This is the new shuffle which is 1/2 the size of the original and has the innovative built-in clip.

*Update - The Shuffle will be available starting on Friday 01 November 2006.

New iPod Shuffle

I'll admit that I've never really liked the iPod Shuffle. Every single time I've tried to play with it at the Apple Store I've never been able to get it to work. Yes, I'm sure it's a problem between the ear buds, but nonetheless it never works for me.

Anyway, today Apple announced the new iPod Shuffle. It looks much better than the first version. Bathed in annodized aluminum, its most impressive feature is the built-in clip. Now I finally get it. I can seriously see getting one of these for my less-than-consistent workouts.

Pre-order yours today for only $79.

Free iPod

College students get a free iPod when they purchase a new MacBook, MacBook Pro, iMac, or Power Mac G5. Offer not valid with Mac Minis. The rebate is good for up to $179, so you can get anything from a iPod Shuffle to a 2 GB iPod nano. You can also buy a the other iPods, but you'll still only get $179 back. Not a bad deal.

New 1GB iPod nano, Reduced Shuffle Prices

Apple announced a new 1GB iPod nano today as well as reduced prices for the iPod Shuffle. The new 1GB nano will sell for $149 USD. The previous 1GB Shuffle sold for $129, so for just 20 bucks more, you get a much more attractive iPod with a screen.

I really don't get the Shuffle - I've never been able to make it successfully work at the Apple Store, and the fact that it doesn't have a screen really bugs me. But if you're looking for the small form factor of the Shuffle as well as the small price tag, it might be worth it. The 512MB Shuffle is now $69 and the 1GB model is now $99.

iPod prices now range from $69 to $399, so there is an iPod to fit everyone's budget and needs.

Nano Killer?

Sandisk unveiled new MP3 players this week at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) aimed squarely at the iPod nano and iPod Shuffle. Available in 1GB, 2GB, 4GB and 6GB models. All models provide a color screen, something the Shuffle does not provide. Prices range from $119 for the 1GB to $299 for the 6GB. Models support the Windows Media file format (WMA) and of course does not work with the iTunes music store.

Apple quietly responded by lowering the price of the 4GB iPod nano to $249.

WWJB

What would Jesus buy? Perhaps the iBelieve lanyard for the iPod Shuffle? Come to think of it, probably not. I suppose the cross just brings up some bad memories for JHC. But for those hipsters who feel the need to wear their beliefs around their neck, this might do the trick.

Read more on this here.

iPod Shuffle

If you're looking for an inexpensive way to get into the iPod experience, the iPod shuffle is it. It starts at $99 USD for the 512MB (120 songs) and tops out at $129 USD for the 1GB (240 songs) model. Looking for a lightweight MP3 player? - this one can't be beat. It's as small as a pack of gum, and as light as a stick of gum. But don't let the small size fool you. It packs the volume and power of the fullsize iPods.

Because it uses flash memory, you don't have to worry about skipping. The fullsize iPod models have hard drives, and while Apple has designed them well to be skip resistent, it still can happen.

The lack of a display is only a concern if you have the need and desire to view song selections, song titles, etc. If you are out for a jog and just want to listen to a few songs, the display really isn't necessary. However, if you want to select certain songs to listen to, it is just not easy with the Shuffle. The whole concept is to live life on the edge and let the Shuffle, well, shuffle your music.

If you are considering the 1GB model, I'd strongly recommend coughing up the extra $70 USD to get the iPod nano. It's almost as lightweight and compact as the shuffle, but adds the beautiful color screen and another GB of storage (1000 songs).

But don't take my word for it. Read the review at PC Magazine. Need a third opinion - check out the review at Playlistmag.com.