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Trust Apple to throw up a fresh, pleasant surprise, every time you thought that the best was already in the market.

THE IPOD SHUFFLE

Enter iPod shuffle, the new iPod sibling, just when we thought all the iPod eggs had hatched. The latest of the brood were iPod Mini, iPod Photo and iPod U-2. For iPod Shuffle, prices start at $99. The iPod Shuffle's hard drive can be as small as 512 MB or as big as 1 GB. Apple is pushing the "shuffle" facility to the hilt, pegging the new product on the unpredictability" factor. (You never know what song comes up next coz you have put it in shuffle mode) Plug iPod shuffle into the computer’s USB port. iTunes will 'Autofill; your pod with upto 240 songs (4 minute per song at 120 KBPS). 

Extremely portable and snug, the iPod shuffle sets a new benchmark in miniaturization. iPod Shuffle, says Apple, weighs as little as a car key. The cool quotient, always standard with all Apple stuff, is its peak with iPod Shuffle.

Download an album from the iTunes Music Store and listen to it in order before you Shuffle it into your collection. Or just drag and drop individual songs from iTunes onto iPod shuffle. A cute cap protects the USB connector. You can charge your iPod Shuffle either through your computer's USB port or with an AC adaptor. You can use batteries too, in case neither is available. 

Accessories are dime a dozen, since Apple targets its cool gizmos to the fashion-and style-conscious. Always trust Steve Jobs to come up with a new i-Gizmo to match rising fashion demands.

The controls on the iPod shuffle are as intuitive and easy to use as on every iPod model. Play, pause, skip, repeat, shuffle, hold... all available at the touch of a thumb: The circular, ergonomic controls and one-click slider makes it simple to listen without looking.