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dennett · Feb 14, 2006, 11:54 AM

With my Educator discount the prices are $89 vs $129, which would be the right choice? The Nano no doubt looks incredibly cool and it would be nice to be able to more fully access it's content, plus it's really not that much bigger. The Shuffle on the other hand is truly tiny and at $89 is nearly a throwaway type of price. I'd be using it out in the yard, bike riding, working out, etc. What do you guys think? I currently have a 6 month old 20gb Color iPod and love it. Would any of the items I've bought for it work with either the Shuffle or Nano, FM transmitter, car charger, monster cable stereo attachment? As you can tell, I'm not too well versed on the iPod world...

Stradlater · Feb 14, 2006, 12:28 PM

Both are incredible small; the Nano isn't that much bigger, really. If you ever think you'll want the screen-based functionalities (playlists, having the ability to select a specific artist/album/song to play, etc.), then get the Nano. If you ONLY care about shuffling the music, the Shuffle might be the way to go, but honestly the Nano barely costs more and is probably worth it given the extra features.

I have a Shuffle; bought it before the Nano was released. I like it a lot, but sometimes wish I could do the screen-based things. (I also have a 3G 15 gig, but prefer the lightness of the Shuffle.)

webb3201 · Feb 14, 2006, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by dennett

With my Educator discount the prices are $89 vs $129, which would be the right choice? The Nano no doubt looks incredibly cool and it would be nice to be able to more fully access it's content, plus it's really not that much bigger. The Shuffle on the other hand is truly tiny and at $89 is nearly a throwaway type of price. I'd be using it out in the yard, bike riding, working out, etc. What do you guys think? I currently have a 6 month old 20gb Color iPod and love it. Would any of the items I've bought for it work with either the Shuffle or Nano, FM transmitter, car charger, monster cable stereo attachment? As you can tell, I'm not too well versed on the iPod world...

I recommend the Nano, especially if its your first/only iPod. The shuffles are nice, but having the ability to better control the experience with the Nano is worth the 40.00 price delta. The machine seems compact and durable enough to use in yard work etc.

DigitalEl · Feb 15, 2006, 07:39 AM

So far, smaller is better. I have a full-sized, iPod photo. It's in a cabinet and my wife has been bugging me to put it up on eBay. I've rarely touched it since getting a shuffle awhile back. Even though I've had the 1st gen. 5GB and a 10GB one with the red-glowing touch buttons, the tiny, disposable shuffle was my favorite iPod ever.

Until the nano, that is. I bought a 1GB nano and now it's my favorite. The size advantage of the shuffle, but with a screen. Do I wish I could carry around some BSG or The Office episodes? Sure. Still, I'm loving the nano.

troymurray · Feb 15, 2006, 02:48 PM

I have an iPod Shuffle and I do love the size, as well as the fact I can use it as a USB flash drive without a separate adapter. The ONLY thing I don't like about the iPod Shuffle, that I didn't know until I purchased it, is that I can't sync it with one computer, then connect it to a different computer with iTunes and play the music (not copy, not sync, play) in iTunes off the iPod Shuffle like I use to with my 2nd generation Firewird iPod.

My question is, does the iPod Nano allow this? Could I sync it with my home computer where I have all of my songs downloaded to it, then bring it into work and plug it into my work computer (both PC's) and play the music on the iPod Nano on my desktop without copying the music to my work computer?

Big Mac · Feb 15, 2006, 03:40 PM

If your iPod is set to auto-synch, it is tied to one particular user's iTunes library. If it is in manual mode, it isn't tied to a particular library and can be used to play music through the computer. If the shuffle does not work in that fashion like other iPods, that's a limitation of the shuffle.

troymurray · Feb 15, 2006, 03:48 PM

Is that how you use the Nano?

Big Mac · Feb 15, 2006, 03:55 PM

I don't have a nano, but it should function like the other iPods; I haven't read anything that would suggest it doesn't function like the others.

mania · Feb 22, 2006, 08:08 PM

Well after years and years of wanting an iPod my 1G shuffle arrived today (couldn't resist the $95 price at amazon with free shipping). I just ran with it - its AWESOME! I workout a lot - run, bike, ski, lift so this is the one for me - i don't want to be messing around with a screen. i just loaded it up with good songs and hit shuffle and away we go. i like that you can keep songs in order if you want - for those days you say - you know i just want to hear some cure.