iPod shuffle

iPod shuffle

The smallest and most basic iPod, and the only one without a screen. Popular with runners and people on the go, the case clips directly onto a sleeve or pocket without an extra accessory. The shuffle holds up to 480 songs in 2GB of flash memory.

Long - Square - Long - Square
The shuffle has gone through numerous case designs. The first one, sized like a pack of chewing gum, had a control pad resembling the original click wheel. Followed by a square unit that was nothing more than the control pad, the 3rd-generation shuffle was again long and narrow, but the only controls were on the earbuds cord. The 4th-generation returned to the square control pad style of the second generation. See iPod.

The shuffle Is the Smallest

The 4th-generation shuffle (left) is the smallest and most basic of Apple's media players. The nano and touch are the middle and rightmost iPods. (Image courtesy of Apple Inc.)

It Used to Plug Right In

Apple's first shuffle looked like a thin pack of chewing gum and plugged directly into the USB port. In contrast, the 2nd-generation shuffle was square like the current model (see image above) and used a USB cable. The 3rd-generation was again chewing gum sized but with controls only on the earbuds cord.