the iPod shuffle is a joke. it's entirely randomized playlist. That is nearly useless. It is cheap, relatively, but i would rather get one of these 256mb mp3 players that are tiny and only $75. i do appreciate your input, no intention to just knock it down, but i am not in the market for an ipod. the $$$ for what you get isn't worth it to me, not for what i would be using it for. i would be using it almost entirely for biking and running and hiking. so i need something that can get sweaty and a little dirty, and not something real $$$