iammattjordan: marco: Apple surprises us with a new, more-talkative iPod shuffle What surprises and disappoints me most is that the controls are now only on the earbuds’ cord, which means that there’s no way to use any other headphones without using a theoretical, clunky, overpriced third-party accessory. And if the controls work the way the iPhone’s clicker does, there’s probably only play/pause/next-track — no previous-track button (oops, thanks John, that’s apparently what triple-click does — I guess you can now tell that I’ve never used Apple’s earbuds). Although people wanting any usable navigation and features would probably be able to justify the extra $70 for the far higher value offered by the 8 GB iPod Nano. The addition of spoken-voice artist names and song titles may indicate that the old Shuffle’s internal hardware and software have finally been replaced — possibly the first time since the original white-stick Shuffle’s release. The Shuffle has always been laughably buggy, from the original white-stick to the most recent nearly-square-clip model, and I hope they’ve finally resolved that. Edit: Daniel Jalkut tipped me off that the voiceovers seem to be pregenerated by iTunes during synchronization. If so, there’s a good possibility that this is the same old buggy hardware and software as every other iPod Shuffle. I thought this was a joke. Insanity. Dear Apple, WHAT THE HELL? I love you. I love you so much it’s ridiculous. My first computing memories are with my family’s Mac Plus, and ever since then I’ve had a Jesus moment each time a new product was released. I even love the t-shirts that the Geniuses wear. I hold Apple products in such high esteem that I have been wrestling with the want to put stickers on my laptop for a good week and a half, and see no conclusion in the near future. You’re so good at bringing my subconscious desires to fruition that it’s almost creepy, but in the best way possible. But I can say with absolute certainty that I have never, ever thought to myself “Goddamn my life would be so much better if my iPod talked to me.” Never. iPods have been my jam since I first touched the first one in the Palo Alto (or was it Los Altos? I can’t keep those damn cities straight.) Apple Store, first spun the click wheel in a game of Brick. When I finally bought my first, Veronica, almost three years ago, it was the best feeling, and lil’ V has been my girl ever since. I love my Shuffle, Dunni, so much that I haven’t lost her despite all odds. But…I don’t even know what to say about this new Shuffle. It talks? And you can only control it by using the earbuds? I’m calling bullshit on you, Apple. What happened? Steve Jobs takes some time off for health reasons and you go all haywire? Not cool, Apple. The talking part is just plain ridiculous, but I might have been able to overlook that had you not gone and made the controls earbud only. That was just STUPID. Now, let me elabourate. I have weird ears, apparently, and so earbuds have a hell of a time staying in them. (It doesn’t help that I Kanye Dance on top of them occasionally). This means that it’s kind of a pain in my butt every time I use them, which means that it would be a pain in my butt every time I listened to this new Shuffle. Furthermore, I have a pair of headphones that are totally bitchin’, despite the fact that they are all taped together now. They sound great, keep my ears warm on cold days, double as speakers, and, most importantly, make me look like a BAMF. Now, they have a snazzy little deal so I can talk on my iPhone, where I to have one, and they even have one of those crazybig plugs. What they do not have? A controller for this stupid Shuffle. Because said controller is the dumbest idea since, well, a dang while. I know I don’t have to buy every product that comes out (and I don’t…what do you think I am, made of money?) and with any other company I wouldn’t mind not even liking every product that comes out. But dude, you’re Apple. Things are different. And, well, I guess they’re changing. You broke my heart, Apple. Sure, it’s just a hairline fracture and we all know I have lots of experience with those, but it’s still there. I hope it never gets any worse. Love (because I do. I do I do I do!), Charlotte

iammattjordan:

marco:

Apple surprises us with a new, more-talkative iPod shuffle

What surprises and disappoints me most is that the controls are now only on the earbuds’ cord, which means that there’s no way to use any other headphones without using a theoretical, clunky, overpriced third-party accessory. And if the controls work the way the iPhone’s clicker does, there’s probably only play/pause/next-track — no previous-track button (oops, thanks John, that’s apparently what triple-click does — I guess you can now tell that I’ve never used Apple’s earbuds). Although people wanting any usable navigation and features would probably be able to justify the extra $70 for the far higher value offered by the 8 GB iPod Nano.

The addition of spoken-voice artist names and song titles may indicate that the old Shuffle’s internal hardware and software have finally been replaced — possibly the first time since the original white-stick Shuffle’s release. The Shuffle has always been laughably buggy, from the original white-stick to the most recent nearly-square-clip model, and I hope they’ve finally resolved that.

Edit: Daniel Jalkut tipped me off that the voiceovers seem to be pregenerated by iTunes during synchronization. If so, there’s a good possibility that this is the same old buggy hardware and software as every other iPod Shuffle.

I thought this was a joke. Insanity.


Dear Apple,

WHAT THE HELL?

I love you. I love you so much it’s ridiculous. My first computing memories are with my family’s Mac Plus, and ever since then I’ve had a Jesus moment each time a new product was released. I even love the t-shirts that the Geniuses wear. I hold Apple products in such high esteem that I have been wrestling with the want to put stickers on my laptop for a good week and a half, and see no conclusion in the near future. You’re so good at bringing my subconscious desires to fruition that it’s almost creepy, but in the best way possible. But I can say with absolute certainty that I have never, ever thought to myself “Goddamn my life would be so much better if my iPod talked to me.” Never. iPods have been my jam since I first touched the first one in the Palo Alto (or was it Los Altos? I can’t keep those damn cities straight.) Apple Store, first spun the click wheel in a game of Brick. When I finally bought my first, Veronica, almost three years ago, it was the best feeling, and lil’ V has been my girl ever since. I love my Shuffle, Dunni, so much that I haven’t lost her despite all odds.

But…I don’t even know what to say about this new Shuffle. It talks? And you can only control it by using the earbuds? I’m calling bullshit on you, Apple. What happened? Steve Jobs takes some time off for health reasons and you go all haywire? Not cool, Apple. The talking part is just plain ridiculous, but I might have been able to overlook that had you not gone and made the controls earbud only. That was just STUPID. Now, let me elabourate. I have weird ears, apparently, and so earbuds have a hell of a time staying in them. (It doesn’t help that I Kanye Dance on top of them occasionally). This means that it’s kind of a pain in my butt every time I use them, which means that it would be a pain in my butt every time I listened to this new Shuffle. Furthermore, I have a pair of headphones that are totally bitchin’, despite the fact that they are all taped together now. They sound great, keep my ears warm on cold days, double as speakers, and, most importantly, make me look like a BAMF. Now, they have a snazzy little deal so I can talk on my iPhone, where I to have one, and they even have one of those crazybig plugs. What they do not have? A controller for this stupid Shuffle. Because said controller is the dumbest idea since, well, a dang while.

I know I don’t have to buy every product that comes out (and I don’t…what do you think I am, made of money?) and with any other company I wouldn’t mind not even liking every product that comes out. But dude, you’re Apple. Things are different. And, well, I guess they’re changing.

You broke my heart, Apple. Sure, it’s just a hairline fracture and we all know I have lots of experience with those, but it’s still there. I hope it never gets any worse.

Love (because I do. I do I do I do!),
Charlotte