The iPod Shuffle was unveiled at Macworld, with Apple chief executive Steve Jobs boasting it is "lighter than a pack of gum". The new player is based on the popular "shuffle" feature of iPods, the setting that plays songs in an apparently random order.
The Shuffle player will ship in two models with Flash memory technology. The cheaper, $99 version will come with 512MB of storage, holding up to 120 songs while the more expensive $149 version will come with 1GB of storage and hold as many as 240 songs.
It operates in the same way as the iPod and the iPod Mini, using the Apple music programme iTunes to transfer music.
Jobs said: "With most flash-memory music players users must use tiny displays and complicated controls to find their music; with iPod Shuffle you just relax and it serves up new combinations of your music every time you listen."
IPod Shuffle is now shipping in the US and the Mac Mini will be available there starting January 22. There is no news on UK prices of the Shuffle, but if previous Apple pricing policy is anything to go by it will cost the same in pounds as it does in dollars, setting UK consumers back £99 for the cheapest model.
At the same time as unveiling the iPod Shuffle, Apple said it was releasing a cut-price computer called Mac Mini, which it described as the most affordable Mac ever.
The company is selling the computer for $499, with the aim of winning over PC users who are fans of iTunes. The computer includes Mac's digital lifestyle applications, such as iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, GarageBand, along with the latest version of iTunes.
Jobs said: "Just plug in your display, keyboard and mouse and you've got an incredibly compact Mac for a price that almost anyone can afford."
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .
_1.jpg)
.jpg)
