14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has released a 17MB VoiceOver Kit (update), which fixes pronunciation and stability issues with the new, third-generation iPod shuffle. According to several sources, the update also brings a slew of minor bug fixes for minor issues, yet Apple does not specifically document the changes. The update is available solely via the Software Update mechanism in Mac OS X and cannot be downloaded as a standalone installer via Apple's website.
Released in mid-March, the new iPod shuffle is, according to Apple, “the first music player that talks to you.” Apple has chosen this way of touting the new iPod thanks to the inclusion of a feature also used by Mac OS X – VoiceOver. Apple's description of VoiceOver goes as follows:
Musically speaking, the new iPod shuffle is brilliant, thanks to an exciting new feature called VoiceOver. Say you’re listening to a song and want to know the title or the artist. With the press of a button, VoiceOver tells you as the music dips down. It even announces the names of your playlists. And when your battery needs charging, VoiceOver tells you that, too.
Users hear different voices depending on what type of computer system they use when they sync their iPod shuffle. For instance, if you sync your shuffle with a WIndows PC or Mac running Mac OS X Tiger, you’ll hear the English voice included in the VoiceOver Kit. Since Mac OS X Leopard already has the English voice built in, that’s the one you’ll hear when you sync your iPod shuffle with a Mac running Leopard, according to Apple.
So, if you're the proud owner of a 3rd generation iPod shuffle, be sure to plug it in your computer, fire up iTunes and download the just-released VoiceOver Kit for iPod shuffle 1.01. Come back with your comments and tell us if you've observed any changes with your shuffle's ability to speak.