Having spent all of about ten minutes in an Apple store over the weekend (exiting quickly to avoid the temptation to buy a Mini), I've come to the conclusion that the most interesting thing about the Shuffle isn't its lack of screen, or its "pull tracks at random from iTunes" feature, or its price point or its button placement. The most interesting thing is just how light it is. With other Apple products there's the familiar heft -- their relative density (combined with superior industrial design chops) make their products just "feel right" in the hand.
But the Shuffle is something else entirely. It's light enough to be remarkably light. Ridiculously light, even. So light as to truly deserve the "wearable" label. Which is why I'm surprised they're shipping with a lanyard instead of some sort of integrated clip (like some other flash-based music players). Lanyards would be great if headphones were wireless; otherwise you end up being a mess of cabling. A clip would be perfect -- clip it to your shirt, your pocket, your bag strap, your coat collar, your tie even.
When you say "buy a Mini" you mean to say a "Mac mini."
Posted by: A. Friend | Feb 03, 2005 at 05:29 AM
I don't really want a clip -- in my experience, clips tend to be unreliable and/or breakable. But I don't see any reason why the lanyard and the earbuds can't be integrated into a single component.
Posted by: jjg | Feb 03, 2005 at 10:26 AM
I have one and I completely agree about how light it is. However the lanyard works well for me. On a t-shirt of something a clip is less than ideal. Yes, the tangle of cords and lanyard is less than ideal also but it requires no thought on my part. I just sling it around my neck and go.
Posted by: Mark | Feb 03, 2005 at 05:13 PM
it's kind of like comparing apples to oranges.
Posted by: name | Feb 04, 2005 at 07:53 AM
Here's that clip you were looking for.
Posted by: jjg | Feb 04, 2005 at 08:46 AM
Everyone gets everything they want.
Posted by: Walt | Feb 04, 2005 at 10:01 AM