*Binary-Love*

Let me start by saying that I am, by no means, a "tech guy". What I am is fairly facile with technology and I have an eye for function. I am a scientist at heart.

Today my scientist heart is utterly enamored with my new Ipod Shuffle. Basically I love it and I highly recommend it. For anyone considering a new MP3 player this is a competitive choice even for those of you with higher end devices. The obvious drawback of the shuffle is the lack of a screen. The advantages of the iPod Shuffle though are plentiful:

1. It's TINY. With regard to size it puts my iPod Nano to shame. It fits anywhere.
2. Super cute/sleek alloy body.
3. CHEAP at $79 dollars
4. Allows playback in shuffle mode OR in playlist order; meaning you can still choose how you listen to your music.
5. It holds over 200 songs. (Apple quotes a higher number but I recognize many of us listen to mixes that are far longer than the average song.)
6. The newest version of iTunes offers a sample feature, that allows the shuffle to sample whichever playlist, each time it's connected to your computer and ex-change the songs automatically. This is a HUGE improvement over the old software which used to just create a new playlist if you had more music than the iPod capacity.
7. The clip. As a guy who uses my iPod during the commute and during my workouts the clip is totally invaluable. No longer do I need to worry about some lame "arm band" that was totally useless on the train and very difficult to use on any day with any type of an arm workout. The clip attaches snugly to anywhere and I'm off with my music be it the train, gym or anywhere in between.
8. Finally, the ear buds have been vastly improved by Apple, making the listening experience over all better.(Thanks to JG for bringing this one to my attention)

Moral of the story. Drop your iPod Nano....buy the iPod Shuffle. You too will find love.