February 23rd, 2008
Okay, we can all relax now. Apple just dropped the price on refurbished iPod Shuffles to $39.
It only took them a few days, thankfully, and now order has been restored to the universe.
In other news, these make great gifts for those one or two people on Earth who don’t have an iPod yet.
Posted by davelawrence8 at 2:18 pm on February 23rd, 2008. Categories: ipod/iphone. Tags: apple, gift, iphone, ipod, ipod shuffle, itunes, MP3, refurb, refurbished, store. Subscribe via RSS.
February 21st, 2008
With my talk yesterday of the refurbished iPod Shuffle’s price, folks over at Macenstein wondered whether or not the lowly Shuffle even counted as a true “iPod.” Is it, but in name only?
Dr. Macenstein says:
Granted, at $49, the shuffle might be the most affordable “iPod” Apple makes, but it delivers a fraction of the features and costs nearly 3 times less than the closest “real” iPod Apple makes – the iPod nano. The shuffle is not the iPod students put on their Christmas lists, the kind of iPod you see commercials for, the kind of iPod that accessory manufacturers cater to, or the kind muggers kill over.
He then goes on to list the many differences between “screened,” full multimedia iPods and the clip-on version. “Sit 10 random people down ask them to draw an iPod,” the Doctor says, “and I would wager not one would draw a shuffle.”
True enough. But it is a classy, snazzy-looking little flash player, isn’t it? And it sure delivers enough music-playing power to its audience – namely, on-the-goers and runners and such.
Good breakdown, and a heckuv an argument.
Posted by davelawrence8 at 9:08 am on February 21st, 2008. Categories: ipod/iphone. Tags: apple, blog, flash, iphone, ipod, ipod shuffle, itunes, mac, macenstein, MP3. Subscribe via RSS.
February 20th, 2008
Apple dropped the price of its mini-sexy iPod Shuffle yesterday to $49, and announced a 2 GB version that’s coming soon
Which is cool. It’s a competition thing: other manufacturers are releasing similar products for much less (some in the conference swag industry give these things away, like thumb drives). So it only makes sense that Apple would practically give away a USB drive that plays music.
What doesn’t make sense is why Apple’s refurbished models are still at the same price:
What gives? The point of refurbished models is the lower price, especially when someone else has already had their grubby hands on it.
Refurbished models are iPods that someone has already owned but turned back in. Apple then cleans them up, wipes the memory, repackages them, and sells them to you and me.
I bought a refurbed iPod Shuffle for my sister for Christmas, one of the brighter, more vibrant models that came out before this last batch. That little magenta gem was a great gift, and very affordable, and my sister never knew about its former life.
But now if you buy a refurbished Shuffle, you get no deal.
Hopefully, in the days to come, Apple will drop the price and make these little beauties ever more affordable. Let’s hope.
Posted by davelawrence8 at 7:22 am on February 20th, 2008. Categories: ipod/iphone. Tags: $49, apple, iphone, ipod, ipod shuffle, itunes, MP3, refubish, refurb, refurbished, sale, USB. Subscribe via RSS.