How to control the new shuffle if you don't want to use the incl. earphones

Buy the new Apple in-ear phones with remote and mic!!

I rarely comment on these boards just suck out the relevant information. But, intrigued as always by Apple's approach, I bought a 3rd gen shuffle. And I love it! The voice over thing is cool, even funny when it tries to pronounce some titles! But it works well, and the sound quality is leaps and bounds ahead of the 2nd gen, closer to the excellent 1st gen. But please can we have a British English voice option for Windows users (not sure if Mac users get a choice)?

The new Apple in-ears sound great, they're good value, and function well with the new shuffle as well as my iPhone. My other 'phones? Shure SE530. I'll use them again when Shure update their MPA.

This will be a non-issue when all new earbuds will have those controls built-in. When those expensive non-Apple earbuds wear out and it's time to replace them, all replacements will have the controls in order to be 100% compatible with ALL the iPod models (not just the shuffle).

Kenichi Watanabe wrote:
This will be a non-issue when all new earbuds will have those controls built-in. When those expensive non-Apple earbuds wear out and it's time to replace them, all replacements will have the controls in order to be 100% compatible with ALL the iPod models (not just the shuffle).

OR the the vendor will have a suitable adapter with the controls on it...

You've got a bit of an obsession with the control being inline haven't you Kenichi?!

Thing is, whenever you start adding inline controls and the like, it's harder to keep the quality of the sound through the phones optimum.

Shame they couldn't have a regular 3.5mm socket and a v small bluetooth or similar wireless remote that could clip onto whichever cable you want to use.

I guess the main argument here is that as stands it's going to be some time before we can use any other headphones with this device, which just isn't good enough.

As I said, this product has been released for today.

The best I can get is apples in-ear phones with remote and the shuffle, coming to a grand total of £113!! For a 4gb music player with a somewhat dodgy sounding voice, that's a tad ott.

Sure manufacturers might start offering inline remotes on future models, and of course that'll be an incentive for buyers, but that would be true whether apple provided an adapter cable or not.

It boils down to a customer choice issue. Apple don't like their customers to have much say, they'll release something with couple of quirky functions but otherwise as limited as they can get away with and if there aren't enough sales for their liking they'll only then start to look at customer feedback, take their time assessing it and then offer an upgrade (iphone style).

I'm just saying that if I was a maker of high to medium quality third-party earbuds, and my largest market segment was iPod (and iPhone) users, THEN if I don't add those controls to make my product 100% compatible with ALL the current iPods (and iPhone), I'm stupid. For customers who don't need the controls (such as users of non-iPods and older iPods), the earbuds will still work fine. Except even they would see the controls being there as a positive, because anyone who uses a non-iPod player or an older iPod will appreciate the fact that their new expensive earbuds will work 100% (with no need for a extra adapter), if and when they DO buy a new iPod. Just about anyone who does not use an iPod now is at least considering getting one for their next player.

It boils down to a customer choice issue.

If every set of decent third-party earbuds have the controls (for the reason explained above), customer choice is irrelevant. The controls will just be there. The customer's choice is to use the controls or not use them.

0Ari0 wrote:
“There will also be adapter cables available, so you can use your existing headphones with the new shuffle too.”

Great news! I don't mind the new headphones (except that they're too short and they take a little getting used to), but I really want an adapter soon to play this on my portable speakers and in the car.

Can't wait.

Not only the earphones ...
I'm still enjoying a lot my (first generation) shuffle
through the AUX input in the home stereo and of
the car stereo ...

I agree, but at what cost is the question. For anyone who doesn't like the stock earbuds, the price of the shuffle is no longer $79.

The 2g shuffle is still available. If the new shuffle doesn't suit you, buy the 2g.

Relax people. You will be able to get a small adapter that will let you use any headphones with this shuffle.

ONLY the 1GB version! The 2GB has been DROPPED.

That's the problem.

On something I exercise with, I don't want to have to use an "adapter"...

Apple: Please just put a button or two back on it and you've got a winner.

Opportunity for 3rd party--EXPENSE and needless complexity (think ADAPTERS--GRR!) for Shuffle owners. Gotta love how you toe the Apple party line!

Anybody else think they should have added the "shake-to-shuffle" feature to this instead of the nano and then just put a volume control button. That would have been so much better eh!

LOL!

I already have trouble keeping track of my diminutive 2 Shuffles--I don't need or want an iPod any smaller than the 2nd Gen Shuffles. The Black one will be hard to find in dark recesses.