14 DAY TRIAL // Surely some of you fell in love with the 3rd generation shuffle the instant Apple's site was updated with imagery of the new product. For those who are looking to grab one ASAP, or already have, Apple has a few more pieces of information to share, such as where to get a longer USB cable for the small player, or that older iPod accessories aren't compatible with the fresh device.
According to the company headquartered in Cupertino, California, a longer cable (1 m) for your new iPod shuffle (3rd generation) is available from the Apple Online Store, Apple Retail Store, and Apple Authorized Resellers. A support piece linking to these places is now online, so if you need one such cable, go here.
Apple outlines that the iPod shuffle (3rd generation) comes with a 45 mm USB cable for syncing and charging. According to the company, “These cables are compatible with the iPod shuffle (3rd generation) only and are required to charge or sync the iPod shuffle (3rd generation).”
However, the new shuffle's sync & charge USB cable is not the only accessory tied to the device. “The iPod shuffle Dock, which came with the iPod shuffle (2nd generation), and all third-party chargers sold as compatible with the iPod shuffle (2nd generation) are incompatible with the iPod shuffle (3rd generation) and should not be used,” Apple explains.
It is also worth noting that earphones not equipped with the controls shown in the iPod shuffle guided tour will not work with the new iPod, although Apple doesn't explicitly say this. The device sports no physical controls on its own, except for the switch that allows users to switch the iPod on and off, or to move from shuffle to continuous play. As such, users are “locked” into the earphones provided with the 3rd gen shuffle. A more detailed look at the new iPod shuffle is coming soon, so stick around.