iPod shuffle -- don't buy it!

I recently purchased the newest generation of the iPod shuffle. My original shuffle disappeared between the gym and my house one day and I really like it for working out so I bit the bullet and shelled out $59 (plus tax) for the latest one on the market.

I hated it.

True to advertising, it is a bitty little thing. Thinner and longer than the square one I had, and free engraving was included with purchase. Well, my "Sofia" personalized gadget is going back this week.

The shuffle's deal-breaker is that besides the off/on button, the navigation controls are all on a slim clicker attached to the headphones. The clicker hangs at about chin level and is a pain in the ass to use. You can't use any other headphones for this shuffle because the commands are built in to the headphones. Terrible idea.

The good news is that Macintosh has good customer service and is taking back my iPod shuffle free of charge. They're even paying for Fed-Ex. I'll now wait until the shuffle charge is cleared on my credit card and then start searching for a used, previous generation shuffle.