I just want to make that clear, (I don't want an iPhone, I've explained this), but I've just been checking out the new iPods and really I want one. Apple have come up with something called Shake to Shuffle and what a genius idea.
Shuffle is one of the best features about the iPod and it always has been. It takes you off on some musical journey that's always a little different. Sometimes it seems to mood match although know this is most imagined as its just not that smart (yet).
I use it a lot, I used it this morning and am willing to own up to what my iPod threw at me as I navigated the Piccadilly line.
1. Snow Patrol – Warmer Eyes2. Arctic Monkeys – Brainstorm3. Jose Gonzalez – How long4. Kelly Clarkson – Anytime5. The be good Tanyas – Only in the Past6. Feeder Bug7. Billy Bragg – The man in the Iron mask8. Graham Coxon – Don't believe anything I say.9. The Breeders – Invisible Man10. Beth Orton Dolphins11. Oasis - Digsy's Dinner12. Neil Young - When God made me
Some of those tracks I haven't heard for ages and at least one I have no idea where it came from (The be good Tanyas), but that is part of the attraction.
With its new range of iPods, Apple has sexed up shuffle and given the Nano "shake to shuffle" mode, which pretty much like shuffling a pack of cards sends the iPod off in a new direction if you are less than impressed with what it is currently dealing you. Shuffle is quirky as well (well it seems to be) and sometimes it will for no apparent reason hand you four Joy Division tracks in a row or play back to back Public Enemy at 0730. Ouch, that's too much hype. It's curious how this happens and sometimes you are quite up for that experience, but at others you have to dig your iPod out and hit the next track button. Now you can just shake. How cool is that?
It seems like a very fun and intuitive addition and will make a lot of people happy. It might even make me upgrade or at least engage in conspicuous consumption and buy another one. With 160m iPods sold since being launched seven years ago I guess this is what Steve Jobs is counting on.
But really I need one. Mine is a 60gb three year old plus brick as you can see for yourself.
The latest Nano, the fourth generation (how quickly they grow), are also super thin. Like Posh Spice, but without the food issues.
With prices in the UK at around £109 for the 8GB version or £149 for the 16GB version Apple seems to have moved on some ways from its strategy of taking you for every last cent.
Talking of genius the Apple nuts have also come up with the new "Genius function" that allows users to create automatic playlists from the iPod's library with the click of a button. It apparently works by taking one song and creating a playlist based on your song library.
There is a new iPod Touch as well, also thinner with some neat volume controls and a built-in speaker.
I realise after writing this that I probably am some kind of Apple fan, but in a segmented iPod only kind of way as really you can keep the rest.
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It's a good ideas but it's not Apple's. The shake-to-shuffle concept was introduced on Sony Ericsson's Walkman music phones last year.
Really? Wow That passed me by and I imagine one or two others as well.
I think we'll all look like a bunch of crazy people shaking our fists in the air to mix up the playlist, but I still want one. I happen to like that Be Good Tanyas song. Do you have to buy an extra ticket to take that huge iPod on the Tube?
christ, if my ipod played kelly clarkson jose gonzalez or snow patrol, i'd want a new one pretty damned quickly too...
I like a little Snow Patrol. Kelly Clarkson belonged to an ex, besides I like Since you've been gone. As for Jose, he has done two decent tracks (Hearts beats and hand on heart) IMHO. The rest is poor.
heartbeats isn't even his song
you're right there, its by The Knife :-)
They're both Swedish. Funny thing about the Knife version is the video, which features kids going down hill on skateboards with at some point some over laid animated coloured balls floated around. Sound familiar? Don't like the Knife version, sounds like Bjork and so really just want to bin it.
Bjork? It sounds nothing like her. I love the cold, lack of emotion in The Knife's version. It makes it iinfintely better ... *** video though - looks like some fan-created crap
The video looks like a proto-type for Sony balls.
it wasn't uploaded on there until march last year
Gordon Macmillan
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