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Shuffling Off the Grid

March 15, 2005 › Sandy McMurray | comment

Last week I picked up Apple Computer's new iPod Shuffle. I'm lovin' it. As you may know, the Shuffle is a sub-$200 iPod that can hold up to 240 songs (in its one gigabyte incarnation). It's tiny, it's light and, man, is it smart. I've taken it on long runs, to the gym, on the Go bus and for walks around town (Hamilton, btw). What have I been listening to? Podcasts, mostly. And, that's the point of this entry. What I think is the coolest aspect of the iPod Shuffle is this: It untethers the Web.

It allows you to effortlessly take content off the grid in a device that is almost weightless, and certainly painless to use. It's like fashion jewelry that talks to you. Yes, I know that, for months now, folks have been pouring podcasts into iPods and iRivers and iWhatevers. But, the Shuffle is different. It's so cheap, light and elegant it could be a breakthrough Web content device. The entire "supply chain" isn't in place yet. Podcast aggregators like iPodderX still need to be de-geekified, but soon the workflow - from RSS podcast feed to aggregator to iTunes to iPod - will be seamless. Then the Web will be wireless in a whole new way. Can't wait. Stay tuned for more on podcasts coming soon.

March 15, 2005 › Sandy McMurray | comment on this item