Size matters, and in the world of electronics, small is the size that matters. Compare old models of various electronic gadgets (e.g. cellular phones and computer monitors) with their newer counterparts. Notice how they become smaller and thinner as the years go by. Yes, small is the in thing, and in the area of digital music players, iPod has that covered. The Apple people created the tiny iPod Shuffle which is more or less the same size of a pack of gum. The price is also tiny in its own right at $69. For a digital audio player bearing Apple's name, that's pretty cheap. But here's a pressing question: does this player have anything going for it besides its miniscule size?

Actually, there is. Its portability is very convenient for anyone on the go, may he be a casual jogger or a professional athlete. The iPod Shuffle is small enough to be carried around without being a burden. It's also cheap enough to be easily replaced in case it breaks or gets lost. Ultimately, it is built to be a source of quick entertainment. Why is it so affordable? The disk spaces iPod Shuffles offers aren't very big to begin with--one size is 512MB (120 songs) and the other is 1 GB (140 songs).

So who would want a player with a limited disk space? Apparently, there are many. For active people, the bulky size and fragility of the bigger iPod players make them inconvenient to bring to places, like the gym, as an example. However, the iPod Shuffle is compact enough to be taken anywhere. It's also inexpensive so in case it gets damaged, replacing it will not hurt the budget very much.

And of course, the iPod Shuffle, as the name suggests, allows a new and unexpected twist to everyday listening. You can't choose the order of the songs when they're playing. Each time you turn on your iPod Shuffle, you get a new order, so you'll be kept guessing as to what song is going to play next. If this spontaneity is something you don't like, choose the Play in Order mode so that you don't have to deal with surprises.

Of course, not everyone loves the iPod Shuffle. In fact, some people are against the Shuffle feature itself because it takes away the control from the user. Nevertheless, this player is still gathering more positive feedback than negative because its price and durability are a notch higher than those of regular flash drive players. For people on the go with limited budgets, the iPod Shuffle is the perfect choice.