We've all seen it -- the little white cord peaking out from a backpack or purse and traveling just below the face before it divides in two and ends in each ear.
It's the latest must-have accessory not only on campus and in the gym, but also everywhere in between. It's the iPod.
But for those who just can't afford to throw down $299 for a regular iPod or $199 for an iPod mini, there is a new alternative -- the iPod Shuffle, the newest product developed by Apple in their quest to dominate the portable music industry.
Costing between $99 and $150, the iPod Shuffle is lighter on the wallet, yet still is as groundbreaking as its more expensive parents.
The major difference between a regular or mini iPod and the iPod Shuffle is the fact that the Shuffle randomly chooses songs to play and does not list the artist or title because it does not have a built-in screen.
The thinking behind the shuffle feature is that the listener puts the songs on the Shuffle, so would enjoy all of them.
But not everyone agrees with Apple's reasoning.
Finance senior Anthony Nguyen finds the shuffle concept frustrating at times.
"I'm sure many people are like me, where there are times that I like some songs better than others," he says.
The iPod Shuffle also has a smaller capacity for storing music than the traditional iPod, another reason it is cheaper. The Shuffle comes in two different sizes. The 512-MB model can hold 120 songs and is priced at $99, while the 1-GB model holds 240 songs and sells for $150. This is just a fraction of the 1,000 songs an iPod mini can hold or the 5,000 songs that the original iPod holds.
Nguyen bought a regular iPod at the beginning of the semester. He originally bought the Shuffle for his brother-in-law, but after he found out that he had already received one, Nguyen decided to keep the Shuffle for himself, but has found that it doesn't really compare to his iPod.
Nguyen says he has around 2,000 songs on his iPod, and although he enjoys listening to his music randomly on occasion, he finds 140 songs is just not enough for someone who enjoys music as much as he does.
"One hundred and forty songs would be enough for daily average use, I guess," he says. "But in the event of a road trip or a long plane ride, it's nice to have your whole music collection with you."
Nguyen says the way he looks at it is that "you can spend $100 to fit 140 songs or spend an extra $100 for a mini or an extra $200 for much more music storage."
But mechanical engineering junior Kamil Salloum feels that the price difference is one of the most alluring factors to the Shuffle.
"Ninety-nine dollars is really better than $300 plus," he says.
For Salloum, the shuffle factor is also a plus.
"The idea that you plug it in and let it automatically choose songs for you is cool, and in a weird way, works just fine," he says.
According to J.J. Manning, an electronics employee at the Best Buy on Alma School Road, the Shuffle has sold very well. He credits the popularity to the low price and size difference.
"I think the people that buy the Shuffle don't want to spend all the money that a regular iPod costs. Plus, the Shuffle is less bulky," he says.
In fact, the Shuffle, weighs only .78 of an ounce, about the same as a car key. And unlike the regular and mini iPod, it's made to be able to be worn around the neck, allowing for easy and hands-free use.
Like the regular iPod, the Shuffle battery lasts up to 12 hours, as opposed to the iPod mini's 18-hour battery life. But all three require a three-hour charge time.
So the question remains -- Will the Shuffle replace the originals?
Nguyen, for one, doesn't think so.
"I think most people realize how many more options you can get with a mini or regular," he says. "I think the Shuffle is just to hold people over until they can afford an iPod."
Reach the reporter at kristi.eaton@asu.edu.
