iPod: The Missing Manual, 7th Edition

Meet the iPod Shuffle

The smallest member of Team iPod doesn't have a screen—but it doesn't need one, because it's designed for fuss-free music on the go. And you don't have to worry about losing your Shuffle, because it clips right to your lapel or pocket—it's like jewelry you can rock out with. Take your pick of five different Shuffle colors: blue, red, green, pink, and silver. You can get it with a 1-gigabyte memory chip (about 240 songs) or a 2-gigabyte model (500 songs). And just because it's called the iPod Shuffle, doesn't mean you have to shuffle your music; you can play your tracks in order with the nudge of a button (see step 3, below).

This petite 'Pod is so tiny, it doesn't even have room for a USB jack, like the one other iPods use to plug into the computer for music-loading and battery-recharging. The Shuffle, which offers about 12 hours of playing time, includes a tiny dock that connects the player to your computer's USB port. In addition to the dock, you also get:

❶ Those trademark white Apple headphones, all ready to plug into the headphone jack on the top of the Shuffle.

❷ A handy control ring on the front of the player to adjust your volume and skip over songs you're not in the mood to hear.

❸ Little silver switches on bottom of the Shuffle to turn it off and on, and ...