Ever since Apple introduced the iPod Shuffle, I've been sceptic about it since it does not have a screen to view and find the songs that one wants to play. Now that I finally got the iPod Shuffle (the 512MB version), I've changed my view. The selling point of the Shuffle is that it is very small and compact, but the key idea that it tries to sell is the random function that we commonly ignore on other MP3 or CD players. I always like to control what I like to play and never wanted to play the songs in random order; however, Shuffle invited (or rather forced) me to try it. It turns out that playing song in random order is quite refreshing, it simulates the un-predictability that one gets listening to radio and it's quite a nice change of scenary to play music. I guess I simply needed the push to try it out. One may still play the songs in the order that the songs are organized when they were downloaded into the Shuffle, if desired. However, I must say that playing songs in sequential order will become very predictable and boring quickly.
So, I for one like the random play idea and iPod Shuffle's simple and clean design. Though, I would very much like iPod Shuffle to have a built-in FM radio when you simply want to listen to different tunes outside of the 120 songs that one can fit in the 512MB version. Life needs a bit or un-predictability to make it more interesting. I like that!
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