Apple iPod Shuffle

Smaller than a matchbox this mp3 player is by far one of the handiest and easiest to use on the market at the moment. The design has so much to offer a consumer especially a fitness freak like me who needs something fun, easy to carry and of excellent sound quality.

I purchased this Ipod a few months back now with the sole purpose of wanting something small, dainty and lightweight that I could take with me to the gym and wouldn't get in the way of me working out. You would not believe how many mp3 players I have got through in the past what with dropping them on the treadmill then standing on them by accident. They generally don't tend to last too long with me about but this Ipod has definitely stood the test of time.

The Ipod Shuffle is a product of the massively well known, worldwide company Apple and is retailing at anything from £32 upwards although I'm sure you could probably find one cheaper on various auction sites on the internet. In terms of memory capacity they come in both 1GB (approx. 240 songs) or 2GB (approx. 500 songs) prices differ slightly between the two. They also come in an array of pastel colours for example blue, pink, silver and white and feature the typical white buttons in the shape of a circle on the front. The rear of this device includes a clip which is what attracted me to this model of mp3 player. The Ipod Shuffle provides a perfect, sturdy, strong clasp so I can attach it to my clothing down the gym and workout to my hearts content. I can confirm it has never once fallen off and I'm very pleased to say I haven't dropped this one by accident on the treadmill. Hopefully I won't!

Along the side of the device is a port for headphones to be inserted. The same hole is used when connecting it to its docking station. Both the earphones and the docking station are supplied with this product so the user shouldn't want for anything else...well apart from a computer or you won't get very far for obvious reasons. The earphones that come with this product are the typical white ones which you would expect to find included as a trademark of Apple Ipod's in general. These earphones fit very snuggly into the ear and vary rarely fall out when inserted properly.

On the opposite side of the Ipod are a couple small switches one is the obvious power button which is just slipped across when on and off is required. The remaining switch allows the listener to choose between the tracks being played in order or whether their 'shuffled' hence the devices name. This Ipod is predominately set on shuffle when it's first taken from it's packaging.

The Ipod Shuffle comes in a very durable, clear case which I admit I still use to store it when it's not in use to insure it stays in good, working condition. The box has very modern curvy edges and features the easily recognisable Ipod logo in grey on the side.

Setting up was a little long winded for my liking. I was like a big kid when I purchased this product tearing it from its packaging and eager to get on and use it. Only I couldn't straight away because the right software was needed first. On opening the box there is a small quick guide instruction manual which takes you through the necessary steps how to get your new toy working with the aid of short sentences and coloured images. The first step was to follow instructions and visit the Ipod itunes website where you must download the latest version of itunes and QuickTime to your personal computer. This set me back a little as I wasn't expecting it to take quite as long as it did. However it did finish eventually and on completion you can now plug the device in with the aid of the docking station. The ipod is fixed to the docking station then this is attached to your computer via a USB cable/port. As soon as you plug this in it's recognised as new hardware and is installed automatically without any further instructions. While this mp3 player is plugged into the computer it gives it an opportunity for the battery to charge. This can be monitored by the flashing amber light located on the side (top when in docking station).

Itunes can now be loaded and you can start playing. Not only can you purchase tracks online at the itunes store but it also gives you the opportunity to add songs from a favourite CD. All you have to do is put your preferred CD in your computer and the software does the rest...well you may need to select OK a couple of times but nothing more strenuous than that. And now your ready to have some fun!!!

In my opinion if your looking for a reliable, small, easy to use way of listening to your favourite music look no further than this.