If someone said fifteen years ago that you could hold 240 songs in a device no bigger than a pack of gum, you'd probably be hauled off to the loony bin. But today, they are more of a reality than Survivor, the Apprentice and American Idol combined. This is an innovation brought upon by Apple with their iPod and the iPod shuffle. The iPod is a family of extremely popular digital music players from Apple that was introduced in the year 2001 for the Mac and in 2002 for windows. The iPods are noted for their user interface that originally features a circular scroll wheel that later become touch sensitive and clickable, thus the term click wheel. Since its unveiling, the iPod released a new model each year.

On January 11, 2005, Apple launched its smallest and most affordable member of the line-up, the iPod shuffle. What is remarkable about the iPod shuffle is that it is the first iPod that used flash-based memory, allowing it to be constructed in a small frame. The shuffle, as its name implies, plays music in a shuffling order, thus making Apple use the tagline "Life is Random" in its unveiling. The new iPod Shuffle rejects the norm by playing your favorite songs in a different order every time.

This new iPod is loaded with songs by just simply plugging it into a computer's USB port and let iTunes auto fill it with up to two hundred forty songs and a new experience each and every time. The new iPod Shuffle only weighs as much as a car key and make a tuneful fashion statement. Just put the included lanyard around your neck and take a walk or run or ride or do whatever that satisfies you. It runs up to twelve hours of continuous playback time and it keeps going like the little rabbit with drums. A neat little cap protects the USB connector and the white ear bud headphones tell the world that you are a music lover in style.

The iPod Shuffle can also be made as splash-proof, arm-hugging and longer running with the optional accessories available. The controls on this new iPod Shuffle feel as intuitive and easy to use as those on every iPod model. You can play, pause, skip and repeat songs in iPod shuffle in just a touch of your thumb. The circular, ergonomic controls and one click slider make it simple to listen and control even without looking. The iPod Shuffle makes synchronizing a piece of cake. Use the optional Dock to connect to your computer or just plug iPod Shuffle directly into the USB port on any computer.

Then drag and drop individual songs or podcasts, auto fills, your favorite play lists or auto fill your iPod Shuffle with a random sampling from your music library. Since iPod Shuffle automatically charges while synching, it's ready to play after loading it with the songs. . Do you need to transfer files? No problem, the iPod shuffle can double as a flash drive as well.

You can store your files in its memory and just transfer it to your other computer. Taking home your work is a flash. Just plug in your shuffle into the USB port, drag and drop the files then vice versa to your other computer. But more than its weight and looks, the iPod shuffle is all about quality music. Some even say they have a better bass sound quality than the other iPods'.

In any case, the iPod shuffle can be very useful and quite unpredictable but hey, Life is Random.

S. Stammberger is editor of Beats and Instrumentals. An online publication covering live music, hip hop, rap, concert reviews, cd reviews, dvd reviews, tour dates, news, and music downloads.