The new iPod shuffle 2G

The second generation iPod shuffle is almost comically small . Measuring just a little over an inch and a half long, and weighing in at about half an ounce, the new iPod shuffle is absolutely tiny, with barely enough surface area for the Play button and tiny surrounding buttons. It is, in fact, less than half the size of the original shuffle, which was itself quite small. (At least it seemed so at the time.) The actual player is thinner than the original, but thanks to the integrated clip (see below), it's thicker overall.

With this version, Apple has dispensed with the 512 MB model. Now, only a 1 GB unit is offered, which Apple says is good for about 240 songs. This seems like a fine decision, especially given the new shuffle's reasonable $79 price point and the fact that a 2GB iPod nano can be had for about double the price.

While the original shuffle was clad in an iBook-like white plastic, the new version is covered in anodized aluminum, like the MacBook Pro.What you lose with the removal of the lanyard, and the reduction in size, is the built-in USB port that graced the first unit. Instead, Apple bundles a tiny iPod shuffle dock with the device, allowing you to sync with a Mac or Windows PC via USB From a controls standpoint, the new iPod shuffle is much improved. In addition to the Play button and surrounding Volume Up, Volume Down, Previous/Rewind and Next/Fast Forward buttons, which are functionally identical to the previous version, the new shuffle includes a few nice improvements. You may recall that the first shuffle had a balky slider switch on the back that moved between Off, Play, and Shuffle modes. There was also a separate small button for checking the battery life, which alternated between green, orange, and red lights. On the new shuffle, these other controls have been replaced. Now, we get an actual On/Off button (really a slider, but with a nice round button control) and a separate Shuffle button/slider which can be toggled between normal playback and shuffle modes. When the unit is turned on, a small light next to the On/Off button indicates the battery life.