Apple Debuts Tiny, Talking 4GB iPod shuffle

by EndUser at 3:08 PM PDT, March 11, 2009

Today Apple announced the newest addition to its iPod line, the third-generation iPod shuffle. The new player sports several major design changes from earlier shuffle models, including an industry first. The first thing you'll notice is that the control wheel has been removed from the face of the 3G shuffle. This allowed Apple to shrink the player even more, and at just 1.8" tall and 0.3" thick it's currently the world's smallest MP3 player. The wheel is replaced by an in-line controller located on the right earbud cord of the included headphones. The shuffle is compatible with other headphones, but will require an optional adapter for control.

Like the older models, the new shuffle doesn't have a display. However, this time Apple has added VoiceOver--the first vocal feedback system on an MP3 player. Press and hold the middle button of the controller, and the shuffle will say song and artist information out loud. VoiceOver is also used to switch between multiple playlists, and can tell users when the battery is low. It even speaks in 14 different languages, and will play nice with Italian opera and Swedish metal collections.

Other upgrades include 4GB of storage, twice that of the previous model, and beefier construction. The case is still made of anodized aluminum, but the belt clip is forged from stainless steel. A nice touch for a player that is so very tiny. Interested parties can preorder the new iPod shuffle now, or check out more info at the official site.