Apple's $29 iPod shuffle Dock

Wait a second, wasn't the whole point of the iPod shuffle that you can plug it directly into your computer, no extra cables or dock needed? (Yeah, we know there are few people with older Macs who can't actually wedge the iPod shuffle into any of their computer's USB ports, but a five dollar USB extension cable solves that problem.) Anyway, Steve Jobs promised a $29 dock for the iPod shuffle during his keynote last month, but now that it's actually here it just seems like overkill to spend $29 on a dock for a $99 MP3 player.

[cowster @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

Since it's just a USB port at the end anyway, aren't you just better off getting something like the Belkin's vertical loading USB hub?

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10357686&loc=101&sp=1

It's USB2, has 2 vertical loading ports, and another 5 USB2 ports in the back and it comes with its own power supply...

???

[Eddy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

Yup, this little piece of plastic should only be priced at the most 9.99.. maybe 14.99

[Lite @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

sounds good to me!

keep flooding the market with peripherals and cater to the uber-geek who HAS TO HAVE all the latest gadgetry.

Apple will laugh all the way to the iBank.

[Eddy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

... not to mention it looks like crap. The original dock at least had the nice simplicity about it .. and turned the ipod into almost an art piece sitting on the desk... as it was tilted at an angle.

This dock looks like a cheaply made gimmick

[WLC @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

This should have been included in the original purchase/package... what a waste.

[damien morton @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

Oh god - not another iPod "story"

[Jon Maddox @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

$5 usb 2.0 extension cable? please, post a link, i'd love to find one. I was at best buy and compusa last weekend and the cheapest they have are $30

[Michael G @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

Apple knew they were not going to make to much money on the shuffle, so they are the ones selling the accessories. This is not a Belkin or griffin product, but straight from Apple.

So Buy the main product for cheap and now be prepared to pay out the nose for the accessories. No competition will mean high prices for cheap products.

Apples buisness plan i guess.

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

Here you go Jon Maddox:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=12-105-707&depa=0

Is $3.49 cheap enough for you?

I don't know about everyone else, but I don't want a dock for everything that hooks up to my computer sitting on my desk.

[barb dybwad @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

Amen, Jeff. Docks, cables - it's all so 2004, man. I want everything Bluetooth or forgeddaboutit. Including a direct Bluetooth uplink for my brain... anybody working on that one yet?! :)

[Mookie @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

Er, the story says all those people who own older Macs. What about the hundreds of thousands who own and are still buying eMacs?

I was seriously annoyed to find my Shuffle didn't plug directly into my eMac. I think everyone's letting Apple off lightly on this one. That's a massive design flaw they've made..

All they had to do was make the USB connection slightly longer. Just half a centimetre.

Apple really screwed up IMO

[mike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

Ok, is this too much to ask for - the Mac Mini is "BYODKM" right? How about somebody comes up with a mac keyboard with a built in iPod dock? Logitech, are you listening? Put it in there instead of the useless internet hotkeys or something.

[Pedro @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

http://www.vpi.us/usb-gender-flex.html

That is also handy if you are not looking to buy one of these cool little stands from Apple.

[Poolshark @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

SO what will thing cost in Canada....hmm let me think....39.99 at the least. What a stinking rip/..

[moz levy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

what about the people rich enough to afford it ?
ie - luxury add on.
it sure is much more convenient to have a dock.

dam close minded people getting pissed that apple released a
niche product accessory ?

i have an ipod 3G already,
and am planning on getting an ipod shuffle because
i need a usb flash stick anyway,
and will make for good bar hopping mp3 player.
one thats less heavy - and i dont care as much if i loose it . . .

its not always about the price people . . .
if it is for you - then buy your $3.95 extender . . .
but for ppl that just want things done nice and elegant
and fed to them with an apple shovel -
then let it be so - their is nothing wrong with that
and stop being jealous

(ps - i wouldnt buy the dock - hehe)

[Mike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

I can see this, really. It makes sense. You have your pretty iMac G5 sitting on your IKEA desk. You have your printer and router out of the way, perhaps in some closet, plugged into an Airport Express. You have a nice bluetooth keyboard and mouse. You want a clean place to put your iPod shuffle. Sure, you could reach around the iMac, but really, the dock gives you a clean looking desk without having to go hunting for everything. It fits with the Apple design. I do think it's between $15 and $10 overpriced though.

[Casual Observer @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

Paint an Altoids box white, cut a hole in the top for a USB extension cable end, and hot glue the end in place.

It will look and smell better than that overpriced POS.

[Stuart @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=usb+extension+cable&btnG=Search+Froogle&scoring=p
cheap enough for you?

[mac whore @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

Come on people, its an dock for the shuffle, and it looks so "nice and elegant", that makes it worth any price Steve wants to sell it for. Look people, if we don't buy Apple's overpriced and overhyped products, they will go out of business. It's not like they make their business on volume or, gasp oh my god, the v word (value).

Fine, go ahead and but your Micro%$$&*#, you can have your reasonably priced and high functioning computers, peripherals, accesories and the like. I have my $99 stick, my $500 ipod photo, and my $3000 Power Mac... I made be in debt up to my eyeballs, but I got more style in my pinkie than you got in your whole body.

[Casual Observer @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

Yes.
Quite a "lifestyle" you have there.

[Holy Moses @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

iPod accessories are way overpriced & Apple wants its share of the $$$s to.

They have now set up a programme to only approve accessories for the iPod if the maker pays them a share of the $$$ they charge & sites like iPodlounge have endorsed this new program in return for exclusives ( they were given the exclusive on the dock )

So now, even if there are cheaper accessories available from smaller companies ( probably ones that don't advertise on iPodlounge ), it's going to be difficult to hear about them now that iPodlounge has 'pimped' it's independence

Interesting thread emerging here

http://www.ipodlounge.com/articles_more.php?id=6249_0_8_0_C

[Kapila Wimalaratne @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

What Apple should have done was create a *portable* dock with mini speakers (that could be powered via USB2.0, AC or batteries).

Alternatively, they could have sold a cable that gave you an Apple dock connector at the other end, so you could plug it into the numerous iPod speaker docks that already exist.

Don't think Apple really thought the accessories through.

Kap

[Andrew Stewart @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

This device, has been avaiable to order in Australia since the iPod Shuffle was announce, so I don't see why it took this long to be posted but any way, this little device retails for $49!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11 AUD over here, where my dad bought a 2Metre USB 2.0 Extension lead from GO-LO (cheap shit that don't sell in the big stores shop) for $5 for his Kingston Datatraveler, Definately making money on this, I am going to make my own, w00t.

[rorshach @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

Hi, I own one of these controversial items (am i the first? lol)- and for �18 stirling it's a no brainer, it looks good next to my swish, white iMac G5 - it's a solid simple design with a nice soft rubber base with the Apple branding embossed into it - what else can I say - you always pay more for Apple accessories - just look at their cabling for example - but jeez for that price I'm not gonna lose any sleep over something that simply and elegantly does it's job! Besides it also extends the range on my bluetooth adaptor when I need it too! I for one ain't gonna fork out all this money on an iMac and then plug any old piece of crap into it. Ahhhfankyoo!

[Tim @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

"Posted Feb 4, 2005, 6:38 PM ET by Stuart
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=usb+extension+cable&btnG�
cheap enough for you?"

$6.50 to ship a .46 cent item... what a deal!

[Alfredo Octavio @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

A much better idea is to use an Airport Express as an iPod shuffle recharger.

[Stikkman @ Dec 19th 2005 12:10AM]

Finally received my Shuffle dock from Apple yesterday after a 5 week wait - needed it since all my Macs have USB 1.0 ports... But wanted to mention another gotcha - the connector cable off the dock is USB only and hence is incompatible w/ the firewire-compatible AC wall adapters I got w/ my iPod mini and Photo. So had to shell out another 29 bones for one of Apple's new "USB-styled" wall adapter units... So 60+ bucks later, I'm finally able to charge my $99 dollar Shuffle... (*&^%$!)