AfterDawn: News

Apple introduced iPod Shuffle

Apple introduced their first-ever flash-based portable digital audio player, iPod Shuffle, at Macworld 2005 expo in San Fransisco. The new player lacks display, but works with iTunes and costs only $99 for 512MB version.

Steve Jobs said about the player that "iPod shuffle is smaller and lighter than a pack of gum and costs less than $100. With most flash-memory music players users must use tiny displays and complicated controls to find their music; with iPod shuffle you just relax and it serves up new combinations of your music every time you listen."



The device plugs straight to the USB port which also works as a charger for the device. iPod Shuffle is compatible with both, Mac and PC and comes with two varieties: the 512MB version that costs $99 and 1GB version that costs $149.

GeekZone

Written by: Petteri Pyyny @ 11 Jan 2005 13:51

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• 53 comments

• djscoop

  why does it have a USB port when macs don't even support USB 2.0? You have to transfer 512 or 1024MB of data via USB 1.1??? I guess that is whats expected from a company like Apple...

  11.1.2005 14:42 #1

• recce1982

  Excuse your ignorance but apple does support usb2.0 on all of its 2004 machines and I am going to assume for the future it will continue. Now apple is also know for trying to get people to buy other products so I will assume they will come out with an adapter to go firewire.

  11.1.2005 15:02 #2

• MXGzX

  This is great if you have useless money to throw around. Then again, you could use it and donate to Indonesia or help other good causes. This piece of shit media player is just small, holds hardly anything, and is a major ripoff. I got an iPod for Christmas and now am slightly disappoined considering great products such as the Creative Zen which can be called better than the iPod unforunatly for me. iPod mini? Same deal. $50 less than an iPod 20gb and it only hold 5gb. WTF IS WRONG WITH APPLE AND THE PEOPLE WHO BUY THE SHIT! Think before you buy!
  
  <End of Rant> ;)

  11.1.2005 15:11 #3

• djscoop

  don' t know what you're talking about, recce1982. We have several crappy-ass, ridiculously expensive G5's at the school I teach at, and there's no USB 2.0. Just firewire and firewire 2. Maybe you can get a USB 2.0 PCI card for them, but they don't support it natively. Hence the ongoing firewire/USB battle between PCs and MACs.

  11.1.2005 15:15 #4

• ag22

  I like this player. Most Ipod buyers are windows users, and the simple to use interface will draw much attention. That is the major problm with the iRiver.

  11.1.2005 15:35 #5

• StoneRain

  check the keyboard and mouse. I think they are USB, probably 2.0. There is a usb hub on the keyboard.
  
  About the player. I want the creative muvo player like this, but the apple player has no screen to see what is playing... I think I will buy the muvo. 50$ less for no screen is not worth it.

  11.1.2005 15:54 #6

• Burnzilla

  Macs do have usb 2.0. The keyboard only has 1.1. I agree that the no screen is stupid but mac hasn't really done anything good since the G5 and we had to wait with a few years of average stuff to boot. I had a powerbook and it was great but it just killed me that it only used the G4 1.25. This is a good player for my freinds sister who bought a mini for jogging but didn't even research it. And yes, i generally hate forums cause 95% of people rant and critique without knowing anything. The G5 is a great machine but like most of you i won't blow all my money on just a tower. I just wish we could get OSX for the PC emulated and not slow.

  11.1.2005 16:30 #7

• cmmnsense

  Wow, the next installment from Apple, is even more worthless and blindingly white than I expected. This is truely a piece of plastic with a flash storage piece of crap. How long do you think this thing will last, you'll be lucky if it lives up to the ipod's 18 months. No display, WTF. No shit MXGzX, a 5GB mini for friggin' $50 less than the 20GB, what the hell is wrong with people, can't they frickin' @$$ mthr fckng see how much of an over priced piece of goddamn shit these players are! When will people learn, all the D D Durr's they got in school is paying off for them, make $8 an hour and pay 150 on this, shit, apple is friggin crazy

  11.1.2005 18:05 #8

• MXGzX

  Thank you for seeing the light cmmnsense.
  
  Burnzilla - DON'T DISS RANTING! Sometimes the rants make very vald arguments :p

  11.1.2005 18:34 #9

• recce1982

  I do agree apple is known for over pricing thier products. But lets look at this device for what it is if it is possible for this device to double as a storage device. I believe thet it is right around the price as similar mp3 players that tend to double as a storage device. As an ipod owner and an other apple products it does not make sense for apple to join this market but the price right along the lines of apple and thier products.

  11.1.2005 18:56 #10

• daemonzx6

  Why would they even attempt to sell something with no display, that plays songs randomly!? I think Steve Jobs has no idea what people want out of an MP3 player. A screen is one of the most desirable features, and I don't know what he's talking about with the "complicated controls," I am sure up, down, and play/pause are fairly easy to figure out (he may have trouble, and if so, then I am sorry for making fun of him). Also, it has always surprised me that flash MP3 players cost so much more than a flash drive of the same capacity. You can buy a 1GB USB flash drive for $40-$50, so why does the MP3 playing OS cost $100?

  11.1.2005 19:01 #11

• def&blind

  .

  11.1.2005 19:27 #12

• Clearmoon

  The funny and ironic part of all this is, if it weren't for stupid licensing decisions along the way (two different times now, I might add,) you would all be ranting on your Mac clones about how retarded Windows users are. It's better hardware, it's better software (the OS)... it's just too damned expensive!! (Go ahead, flame away... but I actually own both, and have for years - do you really know what you're talking about?)

  11.1.2005 19:52 #13

• Nephilim

  Great. Now there's going to be a whole flood of bullcrap "Free iPod Shuffle" threads.
  

  
  Got Indie? http://cdbaby.com/
  
  My Movies! http://www.intervocative.com/dvdcollection.aspx/Rephaim
  
  Forum rules!http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/2487

  11.1.2005 21:38 #14

• cmmnsense

  Apple better than windows? Each software serves different people better, one can't necesarily be called better. School Districts use Apple because it is more cost effective and better for mass networking. Windows offers both worlds, user friendly interface, with capabilities of anything Apple has. Sometimes, unlike ipods, products are mainstream for a good reason. Apple software isn't that much more expensive, and when schools buy a shitload of computers, they choose Apple because in the end when buying 250+ computers, they just plain can't afford windows and a mainstream computer, it is true that most people think the os their using is the best, but one of them is better and the fact that you don't see Apple computers outside of schools/colleges says alot.

  12.1.2005 05:13 #15

• Ten18

  
  why? shuffle? junk?
  
  
  whats the point of this? does it have radio? voice recorder? no so why bother? no display???
  
  better to get one of these
  http://tinyurl.com/62gvz
  
  (overly long URL edited by admin)

  12.1.2005 05:52 #16

• spooky2k

  you guys don't *think*.
  As a windows and Mac user, i feel i can identify teh benefits of both. Windows...better PC feel to it, and im used to it, so i use it for everyday uses like Games, Net, MEssanger etc.
  Mac....MUCH MUCH MUCH better for anything creative. It just works. Straight out of the box its better than anything on windows for creativeness. ANyone that argues against that is just plain stupid and an arrogant 'i wanna bum bill gates' kinda person.
  
  The point of this ipod is to compete with curretn flash mp3 player market. Whihc it will do. And quite well. As someone who owns a 40GB ipod thats almost full, this product isnt for me at all. But for people who jog etc, and only have small mp3 players anyway..its perfect. YOu dont work out and stare at the screen...hell, you hardly look at the screen. Do you voice record while you work out?nope. And as for listening to radio...it would have been nice. but i think the point of htis device is that its your own personal radio station...playing only songs that you like.
  It's not an mp3 thats trying to be clever. its trying to be simple, and effiecient to the sports user...which it is. PLug into pc/mac...itunes puts songs on it (either by YOUR playlist, or randomly),ut earphone snin your ears, press play. only thing you have to go near it for is to frwoard/rewind/volume up/volume down/off/play/pause.
  For sure, its gunan do damn well methinks.
  Dan x
  P.s: Schools use Apple NOT for the discount. My old college spent shit loads more on Macs for film course than they would have for windows alternatives. But its simple, Macs are for the creative. Windows are for the mindless masses.

  12.1.2005 06:09 #17

• djgizmo

  Hey, i know people raz on apple for whatever... but as a music producer, work out finactic, and general consumer..this product is perfect for me. I mean 512mb for $99... come on, thats great. yea, sucks that there is no screen... but it seems apple wants to aggressively market all kinds of mp3 files etc etc.
  
  anyways, I'll be the guine pig and let you all know how it goes

  12.1.2005 07:12 #18

• Jauzzi

  i love these forums, you kids make laugh all the time during my break.
  Let me give you a couple of facts, but next time kids, try to do some research (at least use google for christ sakes) before posting, or even "thinking":
  -iPod: Apple sold 733,000 iPods in 2003 holiday quarter. Apple sold more than 4.5 million iPods in 2004 holiday quarter. 500% growth from 2003. Apple has sold 10M iPod. Over 8M sold in 2004. 3 of top 5 consumer electronic products at Amazon were Apple (iPod, iPod mini, and Prepaid iTunes card). Over 400 accesories available for the iPod. Apple is working with BMW on the next-generation adapter. Mercedez, Volvo, Scion, and Nissan will also offer iPod adapters in 2005. Alpha-Romero and Ferrari will also offer iPod integration.
  -iTunes:iTunes has sold more than 230 million songs to date. Apple now sells 1.25M songs per day... a rate of 0.5B per year. In 15 countries, represents 70% of music market.
  
  I don't think this particular forum is about which operating system is better, mac or windows. But since you guys want to talk about it, fine. I work as a network administrator/it consultant for a big communications company. We do works for verizon, nextel, etc. We have remote locations on 4 different cities and the only computer that has never broke nor has given any kind of problem in the last 5 years is a mac (the one the CEO has, yeah he's the one who can afford it). With the other guys in the IT department we are doing everything that is in our hands to get apple servers and throw these trashy windows servers away for good. And we are not the only ones. Because in the long run, the money spent fixing the computers, the time spent on doing all the updates so that the engineers can work, and the whole money in getting the new software that windows releases every 2 years that by the way has very little improvement on the previous one. We end up wasting a whole lot of money. You guys have no idea how much money Microsoft makes with just their licenses for exchange servers, sql servers, operating systems, you name it. And the only reason they get can get away with it is because of the ignorance of most people. "Microsoft is great," yeah it is. Without it, millions would lose their jobs worldwide, including me. I mean, without microsoft, which servers would i get to babysit, and which computers would i get to fix. Thanks microsoft indeed.

  12.1.2005 07:17 #19

• cmmnsense

  Your absolutley right, Apple is way better for networking, but isn't much good for gaming web browsing (Safari and internet Explorer for mac just keep pissing me off in school), but for home, which must people have a computer for, durrr, windows is so much easier to navigate, host games online, burn DVD's, games, CDs etc. I don't know why your rattling off all these facts for you basically just agreed that Mac is better for buisness, and buisness is what your using a computer for primarily so you like Mac. And that whole "creative" argument was pretty lame, just because few third-party companies are dumb enough to make media editing software for mac, apple has to include it, you buy the same thing for $50 and install it on any Windows PC. are the ones that need to be babysat, because few use damn Apple as a home PC and at work there is a few high-end people that get their Mac networking while a hundred more a sharing and filling up windows, it semms in your case anyway. I go with whats best for home. In all reality were not arguing, we just need PC for a differnet thing, and Apple suits some people's application better. This shuffle thing, don't worry you'll get sick of it so fast it isn't funny. The Shuffle or play in order navigation thing will piss you off after a week, and you'll wonder wtf you were thinking. Steve Jobs is an idiot, how hard is a skip song and back song button, wtf, let's just "sit back and relax" because we don't have two more buttons, how stupid can people be, if the ipod wasn't such a success and this thing released by itself from Apple, who would buy it? The special ed department?

  12.1.2005 12:32 #20

• domie

  I´ll just sit back, wait another 6 months and watch the price tumble then buy one

  12.1.2005 12:42 #21

• daemonzx6

  Personally, I there are things I can't stand about both Microsoft and Apple. I don't have much experience with Macs, but I do know that Windows, especially XP, can be very irritating for people just trying to make it work the way they want it to. XP just tries to decide everything for you. I am about to move to Linux, as it is the only OS that is open source, but is still relatively mainstream, therefore having more compatibility than other open sources. Linux is much better for development, and is the best for servers. Have you ever tried compiling code on Windows? You can't do it. Period. Linux is much more pliable and I will only use Windows 2000 now for playing games that won't work under WineX. I'm just put up with big corporations trying to control society and decide "what's hot."

  12.1.2005 13:56 #22

• ag22

  Here are the cheapest prices for MP3 players a BestBuy:
  MPIO (128) $90
  Rio (128) $120
  Sandsk (512) $180
  You can get a 512 Shuffle for the price of the128 MPIO, or the 1 gig iPod for $30 cheaper than the Sandisk 512. Which one wuld you buy?
  This shuffle is designed for runners, and runners only. Unless you plan on looking through your screen (and recording the radio, and if you want that buy a FM radio) while your running this is great. All of the controls are sight free, and thumb-compatible. The whole poitn of flash players is running. You plug it into your computer put a playlist on there via USB and go. This is much like Nikes MP3s, which sold better with the no look, no screen version than the current. Hoestly, which do you want a 512 sandisk or a 1 gig iPod?
  
  As for the mini comments, look at Creative Micro, the Carbon, all of them, they are all priced between $200 and $250. Do research before you post, and use common sense, if you are important enought that you need to make a voice recording then you have enough money for a mini with a balkkin add on. I cant understand how you are critisizing the least controversal products on the market.

  12.1.2005 14:53 #23

• PHILVID2

  Want banned over a free iPod Shuffle?
  http://www.spam.com/

  12.1.2005 15:48 #24

• Clearmoon

  I'm still trying to figure this out from the last Apple-flamefest, so I'll ask it again here: Why does a community dedicated to making "backup copies" give two shits about Apple, anyway? Everyone knows WinPCs are the gamer's platform - that's the only reason I own one. Saying PCs are better than Macs for anything related to publishing, editing, DV creation, etc. just proclaims your ignorance in 72-point type. If you don't like iPods, don't buy one. It's that simple. I bought my wife one, because frankly I didn't want to have to maintain it for her. I'm happy to say I haven't had to touch it since she opened it on her birthday almost a year ago. Perfect.

  12.1.2005 16:05 #25

• tanviper

  djscoop,
  
  Mac's do support USB 2.0, they did so even before PC's did. I also have a school full of them, and they run several USB 2.0 printers.

  12.1.2005 16:14 #26

• tanviper

  lets not forget USB 2.0 is faster then firewire. Bring on the shuffle. I can see this being a good gift for a few of my friends.

  12.1.2005 16:17 #27

• cmmnsense

  Ha, you called it Nephilim, the free ipod shuffle threads have begun. Pretty damn funny if you ask me. I like how you put "back-up copies" in the " ", why are you acusing us of anything illegal clearmoon, lol, nice. Anyways the ipod shuffle will probally belly-up because of such a small target audience. We don't give two shits about Apple, one is all they're worth. Thank for setting that up for me.

  12.1.2005 16:17 #28

• Clearmoon

  My quotation marks imply nothing - I first discovered AD when I was learning how to backup my own media, and this is (generally) a great community!
  
  Your razor-sharp wit has once again cut me down. Tell me, is your username supposed to be ironic?

  12.1.2005 17:10 #29

• djscoop

  the g4s we have don't have USB 2.0, I guess the new g5s do. Although I don't see the point, because when 2.0 came out, Apple made a huge stink about it because it would compete against firewire. Those of you out there who are too chicken to use a REAL computer, keep using your macs with your lame OS X graphics, keep paying more for your software, and enjoy knowing that 95% of the software out there doesn't work for your system. Notice how a lot of mac users want to emulate windows on macs, but you don't hear to many PS users saying "man, I wish I could run OS X on my PC."

  12.1.2005 17:32 #30

• rosedog

  Why has no one disscused the fact that you can go get a 1gig SD or CF (SanDisk Ultra 2 and others) for just over $50? Then you could use that cheap priced media in a cheap priced palm/ppc.
  
  I had a new 4th gen. ipod for 24hrs and returned it. DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE! Who the hell is going to listen to 20gig of music in one sitting? If your hellbent on having something that looks like an ipod, go and get your self an ipod skin, they're out there (i like ppod)
  
  Then you have no stupid itunes or stupid apple!
  
  BTW I have a PPC HP2215 and I use it to play games, read email, word, excel, connect to the internet, listen to music, use it as a remote for my electronic, watch entire movies and transfer files with ease threw windows explorer and all of this is in color.
  
  Who knows maybe Steve(Hand)Jobs can get Hanson to do the commericals!

  13.1.2005 04:32 #31

• tanviper

  djscoop,
  
  I'll take my G5's stability over your PC windows ANYDAY. I have over 800 computers on campus, and I NEVER have to reload or trouble shoot my Mac labs. NEVER. I'm reloading PC's ALL THE TIME cause they crash. PC's are good for 1 thing, to play games on. If you want to do word processing, graphics, yearbook layouts, just about ANYTHING else, a MAC may not do it faster, but it doesn't crash on you 50 times while trying to do it.
  
  The MAC’s have every type of software available for it. They may not have as many, but the ones we have work great. You can’t say that about PC’s.
  
  Before you go off on me for this, I’ve been both MAC and PC certified for years, and have worked on hundreds of both. MAC are , by far, more reliable and more stable.
  
  You only need to look at the number of updates Micr$oft puts out to prove that.

  13.1.2005 06:05 #32

• Jauzzi

  hey rosedog, i'm really impressed with your pc... can you really check email, word, excell, listen to music, and watch movies??? wow, that's impressive... you know the funny thing is that the musicians that produce the music that you are listening to, and the movie producers that make the movies that you are watching on your "amazing" pc are using a mac to do their state-of-the-art work. I used to love my pc when i was 13 and i loved windows and cartoon network, but when you grow up and see the real world you'll open your eyes too. Keep playing games kids, that's what your pc's are good for. And don't forget to do the neverending windows updates, office updates... don't forget to run ad-aware and spybot, check your firewall, and antiviruses, get the latest service packs and hopefully they won't screw your programs... check the internet forums for answers to your problems., "i can't burn this movie", "my pc is not working," "i installed a new hardware but its not working,".... "help please, help..." sorry kids, but Bill gates and even god are using a mac too... haha.

  13.1.2005 06:22 #33

• Nephilim

  This stupid PC versus Mac argument will end here. The article is on the iPod Shuffle in case nobody noticed.

  13.1.2005 09:06 #34

• rosedog

  DAMNIT BEAVIS (Jauzzi) you DUMBASS
  
  I SAID PPC (Pocket PC) as in Hand Held, not some piece of shit mac that no one cares about.
  
  Now go research that shit on you mac!

  13.1.2005 09:46 #35

• Nephilim

  Drop it rosedog.

  13.1.2005 09:47 #36

• djscoop

  okay, no more mac vs PC. the last thing I have to say to tanviper is that if your PCs are crashing all the time, than they're built poorly or poorly maintained. All the macs at my school that have final cut pro constantly crash.
  
  End of mac trash talk.

  13.1.2005 15:51 #37

• cmmnsense

  Just so you know Clearmoon, I wasn't being sacastic or anything. I was thought it was funny, and am pretty sick of arguing with people. Sorry you took it the wrong way.

  13.1.2005 16:31 #38

• tanviper

  djscoop,
  
  Hmmm..there DELL's, and I Know there maintained fine.
  
  On the TOPIC, I went to BEST nuy today, they dont know when there going to carry them. Oh well =-(

  13.1.2005 16:58 #39

• cuteperv

  with 512mb, i can store at least 50 high quality songs, that' sufficient, and it costs only $100, what's a deal !

  15.1.2005 04:49 #40

• steve8838

  AND...it is AUDIBLE ready. You can pack books into the shuffle. I bought it for my daughter. My wife has a CREATIVE MUVO SLIM 512 which is also AUDIBLE READY and has the FM, voice recorder, etc which she NEVER uses. The Shuffle is small, compact and price competitive and did I mention it PLAYS AUDIBLE books?
  See Audible.com
  
  Steve

  19.1.2005 11:26 #41

• rlee247

  I ordered mine a week ago and I think it's a great deal for 1gb. mp3 player that weighs less than an ounce for $150...
  I think that I can easily store between 500 to 550 mp3 songs on it and still maintain the quality of the song.

  19.1.2005 22:39 #42

• cuteperv

  i still dont think apple ipod or apple shuffle is as great as the old CD/Mp3 player, Atrac DNE300 for an example. Not only can u play mp3 files, but also u can play any cd. So now i have decided to buy a cd/mp3 player

  22.1.2005 07:22 #43

• the_scum1

  It's a good deal for sure but they shaft you for accessories. 30 bucks for an armband case! 30 bucks for a sport case! I got a rca lyra 64 mb I bought for 39 bucks and slap in a sd card(12 bucks for a 128 mb card I bought 2). If the player craps out(it will since I use it outdoors in all kinds of weather) I still got the sd cards and the player came with an armband case, has an lcd readout and last for many hours one 1 cheap aaa battery. I can get another player for another 39 bucks. Still I think I'll try the shuffle and hope accessory prices come down just so I can be cool :)

  25.1.2005 15:56 #44

• daemonzx6

  Quote:just so I can be coolAnd THAT, is how this crap becomes mainstream, and why the high prices are accepted as the norm.

  25.1.2005 17:21 #45

• djscoop

  exactly. I say boycott!

  25.1.2005 17:34 #46

• daemonzx6

  Yes, I've started a personal boycott against Apple, and the Pepsi Corporation for their constant trying to make people want their products with advertising and product placement.

  25.1.2005 18:34 #47

• djscoop

  my feelings on Apple have gone past boycotting. My absolute hatred for Apple has taken on a life of its own...

  25.1.2005 18:38 #48

• cmmnsense

  how far will your 500-550 (wrong estimate by the way,try 250-350 songs MP3 at a crappy KB/S) go with no navigational button. It has a thumb slider, with three positions, off, Play (in order),and random play. Let's set up a situation. You are on a four hour non-stop flight, ah you have your ipod shuffle to keep you entertained, yes? two hours into the flight you have listened to random play, but you've only gone through half the(aprox.) 1GB. song #300 of your massive playlist is what you want to listen to. Well, guess what, too frickin bad. You can start back at one and wait three hours (uh-oh plane ride over in 2) for that song to come up, or pray that the shuffle chooses it. Inside your head-'WTF was I thinking' That's right you weren't thinking anything at all, that's why you bought a 512MB or 1GB media player with no navigation. A 64MB or 128MB player like this might actually make sense for you runners and sports enthusiasts. How about another situation. You have 200 songs on your shuffle, your running along. 'Hey, I remember this song...what was it's title' oh shit that's right there is no display, inside your head-'WTF was I thinking, 200 songs and no display for that long lost song I loved' damn straight, you weren't thinking. Hey steve88... That book you want read to you, what happens when you have to quick get up and do an important task, you're half way through that book. get up and and miss 10 minutes of that suspense thriller. or turn it off, oh wait a second if you turn it off you start back at page one after your done. Seriously people, you need to think about this thing. On an off note, daemonzx6, you shouldn't move to linux alone unless your a computer programmer. You can buy the software and get the same stuff free. You can get it free for a reason. It has so many bugs, all the versions. The point of Linux is to program fix and debug. No package or tarbell is complete when installed, that's why it utilizes open source codes so you can go back and fix it. I have a partitioned hard drive and out of four tried I chose SuSE 9.2 Professional. I still haven't gotten the cd player fully adapted to my cd drive and I'm working on the bug that makes ripped music sound ghostly. The only packages that are full functional and excellent is the server, networking, internet, and business applications packages. I love working on linux and contributing to the source, but I'm typing this to you with windows XP for a damn good reason. Linux in any form downloaded or buying the latest version is extremely unstable. If you buy it though you can call and they will quickly walk you through the debug. Read about wine, it requires certain parts of windows installed and it "is considered a pleasent surprise, not an expectancy" if an application is sucessful. Your right though, linux is for compiling code. I run both XP and SuSE, it's great. (ret hat sucks and yellow dog is for apple)

  25.1.2005 18:43 #49

• djscoop

  just out of curiosity, why don't you like RedHat? I don't use linux, but know alot of people who do, and they all say RedHat is one of the best.

  25.1.2005 18:52 #50

• daemonzx6

  Yeah, I have one of those bays that you can switch out hard drives. I have windows on one, and mandrake on the other. I can't really use mandrake right now though, I can't get my wlan-ng drivers working. I know they should work, I just haven't gotten around to fully going through the whole process, but as soon as that happens, I will use it mainly, except for games and stuff that doesn't work under Wine. As much as I hate microsoft, we're stuck with it.

  25.1.2005 19:01 #51

• Burnzilla

  iPod Shuffle is fluf but it will sell a million. Like Bill said to Steve after he said We're better than You. Nobody Cares. Steve finally got the Microsoft magic answer. People will buy anything with the right marketing. Now Apple uses the we build and you'll buy method of their niche market and brand name.
  
  They'll probably go through what Sony has been for the last few years. They did their own thing no matter what anyone else said to keep you in Sony World and now they're struggling. But, to be fair the same Microsoft magic answer has been working with the PS2.

  25.1.2005 20:59 #52

• cmmnsense

  It is one of the best for functionality, but the interface and navigation tries to be like windows, but it doesn't put applications conviently grouped. Certain architectures have extremely annoying bugs, I used it for a day and switched because it could contact the printers, said it printed, but nothing came out. Other people have had similar problems with the x86. I was rather rash, but if it has a problem with both my printers, I'm not debugging that, that's basic and should work instanly along with a few other vitals. Red Hat I'm sure is great for some people, but v. 9 proffesional pissed me off after the first fifteen minutes, and being linux is all freeware (except support and manuals) It was very easy to switch over. We are stuck with windows, but it's not a bad thing, for the most part it's flawless. I have Windows XP Professional and Norton security package, along with automatic updates I have never had a problem, ever with anything. I dream of yellow dog for PC, it's a sweet system and thus far said to be the most (were talking linux here) trouble free.

  26.1.2005 13:26 #53