New iPod Shuffle rejects 3rd party headphones
Apple may have finally wised up to the fact that no one likes DRM in its iTunes store, but it looks as though the trendy tech company still has some way to go when it comes to being over-protective of its hardware. The newly revamped iPod Shuffle reportedly doesn’t function properly with any headphones that aren’t made by Apple, as third party headphones now need to contain an Apple authentication chip to function with the small, 4GB flash device. According to iLounge, which has recently reviewed the new iPod Shuffle, the use of third-party headphones will result in the iPod Shuffle being stuck at one volume level, and you won’t be able to skip tracks or pause the player either.
The iPod Shuffle itself only has controls for switching off the machine and setting the playback mode to shuffle your tracks or play them in order. The rest of the usual control features are performed by a remote control on the headphones, but the need for a new authentication chip means that all current third-party iPod headphones with a remote control will not be able to control the device. Worse still, says the site, no compatible third-party headphones or remote control adaptors have entered the manufacturing stage yet. Plus, Apple currently has no plans to make a remote control adaptor that functions with the Shuffle either. According to the site, the price of a compatible set of headphones currently starts at $49 US (£34.64). Of course, the need to include a new piece of silicon in the headphones will also push up the price of a third-party set of headphones too.
Source: Bit-tech
Comments(92)
Jebać apple!
The usual arm-twisting from Apple. What else is new…
its a real shame really. from experience i know that the apple earphones are not at all ideal for jogging or going to the gym. just some sweat on those earphones and they will stop working. so what's the use of having such a small device if u can't take it for a run? i know a lot of joggers who use the older shuffle cuz its small and durable. if it breaks, u just buy a new one.
Damn that sucks. First they cripple the video-out on the new iPods, and now this? I was actually considering picking up one of these new shuffles to keep in my pocket while walking around, but this is just too much.
These are real?
Entourage.S06E01.PreAir.HDTV.XviD-Choke
Entourage.S06E02.PreAir.HDTV.XviD-Choke
If this were microsoft people would cry monopoly.
why not make the remote optional? why on earth would u not want to have buttons on the actual device??? its really not such as big difference whether u press the buttons on the device or on the remote. is it really that much more convenient to press the remote??
just look at apples ad:
http://images.apple.com/sg/ipodshuffle/gallery/images/ipodshuffle_image7_20090311.jpg
look at how convenient it is to press the remote which is like 2 inches away from the actual device.
i really don't get why apple does this. they have a chance to make a near perfect little mp3 player but just choose not to.
"If this were microsoft people would cry monopoly."
Exactly. In fact, if this was MS they'd probably by fined millions of pounds by the European courts. Apple get away with murder when it comes to DRM. MS get fined for shipping Windows with their own browser in it, while Apple can sell an OS that only works on their overpriced hardware. The Mac zealots will no doubt write this one off though, as they write off all of Apple's wrongdoings.
Don't you just love proprietary stuff?
Creative Labs has a nice player that works with everything ….
Who needs an overpriced MP3 player anyway? It's a hassle that you have to synch it with itunes. Why not get a generic china made mp3 player for a whole lot less. Im sure there will be a good imitation of this new shuffle soon enough from china.
I never saw the point of the Ipod just get a zune or Zen there both better imo
Sould like apple have messed up, I doubt DRM has anything to do with it. The older iPods had controls on the headphones but this was kept separate (the headphone plugged into the part with the controls on it.
@9 Creative wide screen player FTW!!
But keep it secret from the dumb iPod and Zune fanboys.
Apple sucks. Creative with their ZEN is the best.
You guys do all realise that the iPod Shuffle isn't aimed at people who want different headphones?
Next time you're on a train or walking around, look at how many people still use the standard iPod headphones. I bet at least 90% of purchasers never worry about this.
Remember: If you're on rlslog you're automatically a geek, not part of the majority consumer population.
Can't change battery + can't use any headphones = epic fail
Bad bad move ipod and apple, even the zune lets 3rd party function.
Proud Zen Owner Here
apple really sucks!! i would never buy any of their products…In fact, you can compare apple's headphones with plenty of other brands which are way better (ergonomy, better sound, longer life)
But, unfortunatly, people keep buying apple's stuff….so don't be surprised with such news…
@15 yes i'm a geek. but… not a hardcore fan or something. t use creative zen with phillip earphone.
from the beginning i thought i-pod is just great with its popularity. i-pod and zen share the same quality.
but this annoying attitude of apple just make me happy that i chose creative.
@19
You've proved my point. You own a player that sits in the 2% market share category. You're not a sheep, therefore you demand more of your MP3 player so you avoided the "default option".
http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2008/05/12/zune-mp3-player-market-share-4%25%3B-creative-drops-2%25
@21 yeesss. I'm a proud geek and minority here. heehee
i'm now planning on combining Creative Zen with Sennheiser Headphone!!! That'll be COOL!!!
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http://www.bluraylog.info/?p=178
@9 as Archos, without the need to install any kind of software
(though i currently use creative headphone)
@15 totally agree. beside most of people that buy ipod and cie 1) do not know better, cheaper player exist 2) and/or want other to know they own an ipod
My bad, I bought one of these things over the weekend, and I have to return it. The volume/playback controls are completely unusable on the go. The headphone wire got tugged by someone's purse on the subway and now I'll need to dish $50 for replacement buds.
Sorry for my prev. posts! Guess I'm eating some crow now!
Creative Zen… Phillips earphones… ftw
ipods are for ipeople… not my people
lol and people say MS is so horrible well at least they dont lock you into using their over priced products like apple.
I'm with everyone here, my zen x-fi blows the ipod away in every way.
funny thing is that apple's headphones are garbeage , the rubber that's on the headphones , does peal off after some time , than u have to spend another 32 $ for new headphones, when u can get a damn new ipod-shuffle for that cash with headphones, apple is just lol as usual.
I use my current Ipod with Sennheiser headphones. I gave away the original Apple piece of crap headphones the minute I opened the box because they are no good to me. Why 90% of the people still use them? The same reason why those people live such modane lives, because they don't know any better.
Big secret, don't tell anybody: Apple is actually for loser and/or posers!
And yes, I do own an Ipod myself.
see! apple sucks! heehee…
can't wait to buy sennheiser headphone.
creative+sennheiser=cool!
Q Name 1 cultural identity thats even worse that iPod?
A iSlam.
Jokes aside 30 posts still no n00b screaming "OLD NEWS, FKEN WAS THERE ON TEH G00G NEWZ SITE SINCE OBAMA GAVE BAILOUTS!!"
Not getting any new viewers lately eh Martin?
Hav been using a Zen for about 5 years now with sony head phones… never gonna change the combination… luv it
they think their ipods are consoles and want royalties on everything, simples!
candy from babys springs to mind
People are still buying stuff from these Computer Nazis? Everything must be white and uniformed, there is nothing you can do legally without the Führer allowing it. Get it people. This stuff is for fashion victims and video editors. I'd go buy 5 regular MP3 players for the price of a Shuffle thank you very much.
Why would you buy mp3 player when any given cellphone comes with this function + free headphones? I don't get it.
not only are the ipod earbuds crappy, they hurt your ears after about 10 minutes of use. I been usin my replacements buds on my 30 gig ipod video for 3 years now and both still work great!
@35 simply because us guys here (releaselog fanboys..) are all techno geeks. so we don't go with the mainstreams. besides, do sennheiser make cellphone headsets? nope. and that's another reason why.
@37 Well, I'd call myself a geek too. What completely sane person would buy new Nokia N95 from his own cash?
Many phones actually have standard 3,5 JACK plug, so connecting any desired headset should be no problem.
@35
Because Cellphones do not offer the functions I want and I'm not able to use my Headphones w/o adapters aka quality loss.
Another Question:
Why do people listen to music over the cellphone speakers? It just sounds like crap in my opinion
Microsoft is trying to become flexible by accepting user's opinion. No such sign from Apple. This kind of cheap marketing strategy by Apple is going to take them nowhere.
@38 personally, i just not into combining cellphone with music player. for me cellphone is to make phone call and texting. if i want a music player then i buy ZEN, if I want a digital camera i buy olympus. just not into combining function. personally.
besides, nokia is great with cellphone, and creative great with soundcard. so for music player it's reasonable to choose creative (again geek thing).
What a crap article, you do control the ipod via controlbuttons attached to the headphones. They did this to make it smaller. It a nice side effect that you have to use the headphones made by apple, but this was not the reason. Im sure some 3rdparty manufactures will controllers to their phones soon, because the data transfer is based on a standartprotocol.
What do you guys expect, a sorry for putting products on the market that uses new technology as to which 3rdparty producer have to keep up yet?
@30
I don't know who the idiot @25 was, but it wasn't me. He's got a point, but made it like an ass!
The previous model of the shuffle is easier to use, and you can use any headphones you like.
New model for fanboys only.
It doesn't even look that great.
@41 Yeah, it also depends what phone you got. If I already spent buck on it and can do the mp3 player (sounds really reasonably I tell you), portable console and navigation stuff, so naturally I'll use it for that. I carry the brick anyway. No need for another.
Just couldn't agree more about the camera. The phone camera sux big time.
@43
that explain the weirdness i felt from reading his post. oh well, it's just a comment. maybe he just share the same name.
geek or no geek, i still think apple made a big mistake with this one. even for mainstream users, not being able to connect your ipod to your car or home stereo is a huge bummer.
also, ilounge rated it as their lowest ipod ever, so that's gotta count for sth.
but if u ask me, i think there'll be an adapter pretty soon, so that u can stick ur own earphones in.
Cowon iAudio x5 + sennheiser = best.
If the x5 isn't available, some other player with a rockbox port – all factory firmwares are sh¡t.
mp3..quality.. LOOOOOOOL
Your all idiots. Who have bought into the smaller is better mentality. CD's are mastered too loud. Mp3's suck.. Get a turntable and some massive headphones. Plug it in and realize what you have been missing.
douchebags.
@49 there is a thing called bitrate in mp3 music files which show the sound quality. thank you.
@49
Doesn't sound very convenient for taking on the bus though.
apple=crap
apple=EPIC FAIL!
Decks and massive 'phones? Just what you want to carry onto a train. Don't forget the generator and the amp. May as well carry some speakers and take a full 10kw rig with you.
Or you could listen to FLACs of ripped vinyl on your rockbox player (and even some stock firmwares).
I know which option I prefer..
My creative zen works better then apple ipods
@49 If we were talking about home Hi-Fi you might have a point – but this is a disscussion about a portable device.
So if you want see what an idiot douche looks like – look in the mirror.
yeh i couldn't be happier with my creative zen x-fi for sound quality. blows any ipod out of the water.
Got sony headphones for £3.99 from amazon and they allot better then dam apples!
apple = crapple
Apple has it's place but the market share in the pc market is a good example. I bought my daughter a Sansa with a small screen it's even sleeker than the shuffle and was around ten bucks. Comes with earbuds and you just stick it in your USB port to charge and transfer MP3's over simple and to the point. My ipod nano is in a drawer sitting there.
Calling it an "authentication chip" may be a bit misleading.
That suggests (at least to me) some sort of digital DRM/encryption scheme, when in fact, it may only be sending analog control signals.
Did anyone notice that Apple is still selling (manufacturing?) the 2nd gen Shuffle (there's no mention of limited quantities):
http://i39.tinypic.com/j0ia9e.jpg
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/ipod_shuffle_2gen?mco=MTE4MzA
boooooooooooooooooo……!
Apple is becoming sooooo annoying. I hope no one buys it.
I bought a Creative mp3 player when the first iPod came out. Though it was a little bit bigger, it had twice the disk space, longer battery life and superior audio quality when compared with a 10GB iPod. The funniest thing? It cost me almost 100 dollars less than its highly overhyped counterpart.
Long story short, there's got to be cheaper or better iPod alternatives out there. Be sure to check them out before you start reaching for your credit cards.
Ipod are overrated, innovative in it's time but now it keeps making this device and that device, too much choice and what do you get, something that has compatibilty issues all over. I use Sony, battery life great, sound quality great, size Ipod beating. I plug my Sony devices into my car via bluetooth, total control from head unit. Why buy Ipod with it's compatibility issues. Get a lightweight bit of kit and look back. BTW, Sony now have bluetooth headphone walkmans. Bye Bye wires.
Just wanted to add my two cents: Apple sucks and their fanboys are idiots.
A fool and his money are soon parted. I hope you give them every last dime you have.
"Just wanted to add my two cents: Apple sucks and their fanboys are idiots."
Some are, the others are just still in denial that there are better products on the market.
That's why I will never buy an iPod!
Putting chips in printer cartridges is scum but headphones……Have a f*ckin' word!!!!!!!!!!!
how about…. lets just NOT buy it and let apple learn the hard way. problem solved.
boycott the new shuffle. thank you.
Please do not support apple. Their products are crap, their prices are crap, and their intentions are crap. Please get a real computer, media player and mobile phone. Thank you
I won't say Microsoft is better.
And I won't say Apple is better.
But smarten up world, crap is crap,
and if you don't buy what they are
are trying to hype up and milk our wallets for…
then they just might have to stop making it.
gracias.
All the more reason to check out
the Sansa Clip 8GB for the same price range.
Great soundstage for larger headphones and FLAC support!
A pointless and overpriced gadget anyway. Why carry multiple devices when a decent smartphone will do a better job and unclutter your handbag/pockets etc.
@ Mike 41
It's not just a matter of Apple adding the controls to the ear phone lead, many ear phone manufacturers have controls on the lead already, and they can be used with other devices. What Apple did, and what people are criticising them for, is to deliberately make those controls proprietary so that 3rd party phone with controls won't work.
It's absolutely deliberate.
Authentication chip it appears to be, then.
http://i.gizmodo.com/5170797/confirmed-ipod-shuffle-earbuds-need-authentication-chip-to-function
And now it's confirmed that it's not confirmed …
… or it's not confirmed that it's confirmed …
Turns out your source is inaccurate. The headphones that accompany the new iPod shuffle (upon purchase) include a remote option underneath the right earphone. This remote "button" allows you to paus/play music, skip to the next track or adjust the volume.
Here's the vid.
http://www.apple.com/ipodshuffle/?sr=hotnews?sr=hotnews.rs
Click on thew Guided Tour.
"remote "button" allows you to paus/play music, skip to the next track or adjust the volume."
Yeah and it looks a real pain.
To go back 4 tracks: click 12 times etc..
Original shuffle controls much easier to use, plus it's cheaper and you can use any headphones you want with it.
If you want more capacity and playlists etc., you'd be better off looking at a Nano or something.
Epic FAIL.
Should be illegal.
I loooked at the apple stuff and ended up with a Creative Zen.
The reason for this is that from the vary beginning, Apple wants there products used with there hardware. (ie wireless apple keyboards only work with apple computers) Again with iPods… just about everyone has one.. when someone says MP3 they automatically think iPod. Yes there overly priced, but with this high-tech device, what other mp3 player has as much functionality as iPods do. This iPod speaks to you, yes its annoying because you can't see the songs, and if you have a lot of music files as I do.. it's probably best to stick with the iPods with screens. Back to the point.
Other 3rd party headphones arn't going to work on this shuffle because that fact that the headphones that come with the device are the navigation buttons as well. Watch the videos on the apple website. Its all there.
"Other 3rd party headphones aren't going to work on this shuffle …"
That'll be remedied soon enough.
http://www.ipodnn.com/articles/09/03/12/klipsch.3g.shuffle.earbuds/
http://www.ipodnn.com/articles/09/03/13/v.moda.avc.ipod.shuffle/
http://www.ipodnn.com/articles/09/03/12/scosche.3g.shuffle.audio/
@Sartre
Sweat doesn't ruin earbuds. I've been running for years with my earbuds. No problem at all.
Booo… Apple Blows!
"If this were microsoft people would cry monopoly."
"Exactly. In fact, if this was MS they'd probably by fined millions of pounds by the European courts. Apple get away with murder when it comes to DRM. MS get fined for shipping Windows with their own browser in it, while Apple can sell an OS that only works on their overpriced hardware. The Mac zealots will no doubt write this one off though, as they write off all of Apple's wrongdoings."
AGREED! And anyone wonders why they only have a small market handle…
The EFF is going after it now, too.
http://www.ipodnn.com/articles/09/03/16/eff.attacks.ipod.shuffle/
I still think it's funny how they say on their website that iPods support .WAV files, yet, I've never been able to play one on mine..?
I'm glad "iLounge" did a review and made these problems known to consumers before they buy. I thought the VoiceOver options was a cool concept (since it doesn't have a screen) as when shuffling a 4GB device you may never otherwise know what the song you are listening to is called.
"iLounge" has good headphone reviews, I was looking for some Sony MDR-EX75 Stereo Headphones today: http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/reviews/entry/sony-mdr-ex75-stereo-headphones/
http://i.gizmodo.com/5168153/do-you-use-apple-earbuds
as i said, adapter coming soon y'all!
wow, not 1 praise for the new product? apple must be doing something right.
This sort of sneaky business practice is why I never bought an Apple product since 1985.
Cowon have the best MP3 players, Creative Labs and Apple, not even Zune can touch for reliability, quality and playback life.
Apple are twits.
unbelievable. but my decision to buy non-Apple wan't based on this blunder. no iPods have built in FM radio! currently I own a Sony MP3 player and it looks far slicker than iPods, and it comes with builtin FM, no need for external add-ons – and of course it works with any 3rd party headphones.
This has now been confirmed incorrect by MacWorld magazine and Apple. The chip in the earbuds is merely a 'Made for iPod' software chip and does NOT prevent any third party headphones from being used or created. This is the reaction when ASSUMPTIONS are made. Good god..
report of drm chip in headphones is wrong get your facts right this story was found to be incorrect hours ago