And honestly, I don't like apple as a company, but this product after much debate is a product that I considered worth buying

I just wish people had a better understanding of the differences between MP3 players and what dirty tricks other companies use to fit the claimed amount of songs on a 256MB player

Other companies have produced fine players, but their worth is marred by the fact that the software they supply for music management is outrageously bad, and in many cases simply too difficult for ordinary users to operate and troubleshoot

And they are from mature companies who started making such players before the iPod was a gleam in Apple's eye

Just be aware that other companies are using dishonest marketing tactics to fool the public as Apple comes out with these products and services and gobbles up more of the marketshare than the rest are comfortable with

The Apple Shuffle is a very simplistic, well thought out and great sounding device

Remember it is very small (I was surprised how small it is even though I looked at the pictures of it) and plugs into a USB port to load or change music as well as for charging up (no changing batteries, unless they wear out, and then a dealer would have to change them.)

The sound is just as good as from the iPod Shuffle's bigger brother

And the sound quality is just as good as on a bigger iPod

With a Nano, by contrast, a case is, by all accounts, a necessity if you want to avoid scratches that spoil the look and, moreover, reduce the functionality of the tiny screen (which is a pity because a case hides the Nano's good looks and adds to its size).I use the Shuffle for audiobooks and podcasts as well as for music