With a sleek redesign, VoiceOver talk technology and twice the memory (4GB), the new iPod shuffle would have us all cheering, but for one fact – the controls are on the headset.
So what? The Apple earphones with remote are required to operate the MP3 player, so should they break (and they do – I have gone through three pairs of Apple earphones in the past couple of years), it means no cheap replacement or stop-gap substitute for you.
You’ll have to order the €29.99 replacement set. That’s 23.3pc of the cost of the iPod shuffle itself. Ouch.
Although it is a very tiny and very beautiful exercise in minimalist technology from Apple, we would like a tiny stop/play button at the base of the next model please!
By Marie Boran
