The
iPod Shuffle is Apple's cheapest iPod and also the tiniest at about 1" square which makes it ideal for clipping
onto your clothes whilst running, or just generally for traveling light. Because it's so small, it doesn't have room
for a display to show you tracklists and playlists but Apple have cleverly got round this with VoiceOver which reads
them out to you so you can hear track lists etc. as you navigate your way around your music. The current version (4th
Generation) sees the welcome return of the 'next track' and 'previous track' buttons which had disappeared from previous
versions, requiring you to control the iPod from the earbuds instead. Now that this niggle has been sorted, the iPod
Shuffle returns to being the coolest little MP3 player on the planet, and one of the cheaper ones too at around £39
(or less with some of the deals on MacBooty).
See the other iPod models:
iPod touch | iPod nano | iPod
classic | iPod overview
| Pros | Cons | Also consider |
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If you're planning to use your iPod Shuffle with a Mac then you'll need to have a Mac capable of running iTunes 10 and Mac OS x 10.5.8 or later. On a PC you'll need Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP Home or Professional (SP3) or later. The current version of the iPod Shuffle is the iPod Shuffle 4th Generation which came out in September 2010. If you are buying a secondhand iPod Shuffle, be sure you know which version you are buying as the specifications change quite significantly between the different generations and the 4th generation really is the best. That said, there's nothing wrong with the older models, provided you know what you are buying there are some real bargains to be had. For more information see our Guide to the iPod range and How to choose the right iPod.
There are many places you can buy an iPod Shuffle - the leading internet retailers such as Amazon and eBay are often hard to beat but also an ever increasing number of high street retailers such as John Lewis, Sainsburys, Dixons and Best Buy also sell the iPod Shuffle. We have put together an iPod Shuffle price comparison page checking prices from all these sources to find the best deals for you.
Secondhand can be an attractive option, saving you the initial depreciation that happens as soon as you open the box, and if you buy a fairly new secondhand one, all the manufacturer's warranty will still be in place so you will be fully covered in the event of any faults. If you're prepared to go slightly older, you can often pick up some real bargains with last year's model going for a fraction of it's original price. eBay is of course one of the best places to find secondhand iPod Shuffle bargains and we have created a page that searches eBay for you to find the best deals. Our unique filtering system trawls through the eBay database selecting only the most relevant offers and best deals to save you time.
The price of goods at auctions is not fixed - it depends upon how much people are prepared to bid and that's why you can pick up some great deals on both new and used iPods at auction. To give you an idea of what you might pay, here are some completed items so you can see what price they went for:
For more information see our guides: Guide to the iPod range and How to choose the right iPod or this great article about iPods on wikipedia. Good luck and happy buying!