Apple iPod shuffle 512MB - Expert Reviews

Review summary: The new, second-generation iPod Shuffle dramatically redesigns Apple's ultra-simple music player. It's tiny - the size of a wired remote - yet it has a gigabyte of music storage. Apple claims a 240 song capacity; iTunes filled ours with 243 songs.

Pros: lower price, even smaller than before, stylish design, excellent earbud sound quality

Cons: audible hiss, requires included dock for USB connection, status lights virtually indecipherable

Verdict: iPod Shuffle is a stylish upgrade to the original. It's smaller, sturdier, and far, far more attractive than the old stick of chewing gum, but it has some flaws, too. A quiet hiss detracts from quiet music, and the lack of a built-in USB connector ...