Apple ipod, Apple iphone World

11 Responses to “Belkin Headphone Adapter with Remote for iPod Shuffle”

1. J Scott Morrison
   October 11th, 2010 at 7:10 am

   

   Review by J Scott Morrison for Belkin Headphone Adapter with Remote for iPod Shuffle
   Rating:
   My original review (but keep reading, because I’ve added something important to what I said originally):

   This product came into being because of deficiencies in the controls for the 4th generation iPod Shuffle Apple iPod shuffle 4 GB Silver (4th Generation) NEWEST MODEL, Apple iPod shuffle 2 GB Silver (4th Generation) NEWEST MODEL, whose controls are so close to the ear-pieces of the headphones that they are not only awkward to use, but they get soaked with sweat (if you’re exercising, which is what many people who buy the Shuffle use it for) and then may perform erratically or not at all. This product puts the controls down near the iPod itself, which can be clipped onto a shirt away from your sweaty head. But best of all, you can use your own preferred headphones. If you’re like me, you prefer the better tone quality of bigger headphones.

   At any rate, this is a product whose designer saw a need and filled it with a new product. Thank you, Belkin.

   November update:
   
   A couple or three weeks after I had received the Belkin unit and had written the above review, I discovered that the Belkin had simply fallen apart. As far as I know I had not been rough with it and don’t remember accidentally hitting it against a wall or taking a sledge hammer to it. But it fell apart and was useless. This was a shock. So I took a chance and bought a different unit, the one made by Scosche Scosche Control Adapter for 3 rd Generation iPod Shuffle and have now had it for about a month. It works just fine, seems to be a bit more solidly built, and best of all it hasn’t fallen apart.

   And all of you have had problems with sweat inactivating the iPod Shuffle, 4th generation, controls, I hope you’ll write Apple and complain.

   Scott Morrison

2. Miguel Sanchez
   October 11th, 2010 at 7:10 am

   

   Review by Miguel Sanchez for Belkin Headphone Adapter with Remote for iPod Shuffle
   Rating:
   First off, it worked fine for a while.
   
   Then the volume up button wouldn’t click. Still worked, so whatever.
   
   Then the middle button would get stuck. I would have to pry it back open with my fingernails.
   
   Then the thing started acting up; it kept thinking the middle button was pushed. I would have split the thing in half, peel off the poorly stickied metal contacts, and it still thinks the middle button was being pushed.
   
   OK product. Shoddy construction.

3. Dana Linder
   October 11th, 2010 at 8:03 am

   

   Review by Dana Linder for Belkin Headphone Adapter with Remote for iPod Shuffle
   Rating:
   The concept is very simple, volume up, volume down pause.

   Volume up works perfectly.
   
   Pause mostly paused. One time it skipped to the next track.
   
   Volume down raised the volume. I could get it to lower the volume sometimes, but it required just the right spot between the pause and volume switch, which most of the time first raised the volume or paused.

   Mine was obviously defective, but, with other reviews I have read in different places, there are MANY quality issues with it.
   
   It’s a great idea, but don’t waste your money.

4. W. Palmer Johnston
   October 11th, 2010 at 8:40 am

   

   Review by W. Palmer Johnston for Belkin Headphone Adapter with Remote for iPod Shuffle
   Rating:
   I ordered this because my Shuffle 3G headphones had been rendered useless by my workout routine, just like everyone elses’. I use it with a set of high quality in-ear monitors, made for performing musicians (& therefore sweat resistant), and the good news is that I can hear no discernible loss of sound quality or addition of unwanted noise when the Belkin is plugged in between the Shuffle and my in-ears. So now I can control my Shuffle without the terrible Apple headphones. The bad news is that the build quality of this unit is not great. The volume down button never ‘clicked’ out of the box, and although it does work, it doesn’t provide any tactile response, which leads me to believe it will fail at some point (to be fair, it’s been working for 3 months now). Also, the center button seems to not respond as it should, making it difficult for me to get the VoiceOver feature of the Shuffle to work consistently, if at all, although I can usually get it to switch between playlists, which is crucial for me.
   
   All in all, the Belkin is OK in my book, as without it, my Shuffle would be nothing more than a tiny, utterly useless paperweight, and with the Belkin, I can manage to listen to my music through the headphones of my choosing. This item, even with its’ cheap construction, is essential to anyone who plans on working out with the Shuffle 3G.

5. T. Stephens
   October 11th, 2010 at 9:26 am

   

   Review by T. Stephens for Belkin Headphone Adapter with Remote for iPod Shuffle
   Rating:
   I’m not sure what is worse: Apple’s cynical decision to get more licensing revenue by making the new shuffle useless without an adaptor such as the Belkin, Belkin’s shoddy quality or my decision to skip the Nano in favor of the smaller shuffle. In any event, the Belkin adaptor worked for about two weeks. Now it only functions to increase the volume…nothing else. Basically $20 worth of junk.

6. black velvet
   October 11th, 2010 at 9:38 am

   

   Review by black velvet for Apple iPod shuffle 4 GB Silver (3rd Generation) OLD MODEL
   Rating:
   The headphones that are required to use the new ipod shuffle are probably the poorest example of product design i’ve ever seen. Based on its size, portability and Apple’s marketing, you would think this would be a perfect product for exercising. That is where you would be wrong! The controls on the headphone wire are right up next to your ear, and unless you exercise without sweating, that tiny box is doomed to get filled with sweat. I bought this ipod specifically for running, but after about 3 miles the controls start acting totally erratically, randomly and constantly switching between songs and playlists, or alternatively not playing any music but just talking at me with its annoying computer voice. I can only attribute the behavior to sweat getting on the control box. Today I even tried covering the box with plastic wrap and tape, but to no avail. I was so frustrated with the ipod’s crazy behavior on mile 6 that I actually ripped the headphones out of my ears and threw them in the ditch. Not kidding. Looking for some alternative to control it, because I do really like it’s size for running, and the new playlist feature is great…but not when it’s acting crazy. I’m so irritated that Apple overlooked this crucial aspect of this product.

7. J. Stafford
   October 11th, 2010 at 10:07 am

   

   Review by J. Stafford for Apple iPod shuffle 4 GB Silver (3rd Generation) OLD MODEL
   Rating:
   I bought the new iPod Shuffle as a replacement for my 2nd Gen Shuffle (which I loved) which died. I already have a iPhone which I use on a daily basis. The Shuffle is just for use in the gym and when out running.

   I have just returned the iPod Shuffle as I have had nothing but problems with it. The first one I bought died completely within a couple of days and was duly replaced. The replacement I was given caused me nothing but headaches and so is now on its way back to Apple. I won’t be getting another.

   Each time I used it, it either stopped working, wouldn’t change tracks or kept on repeating the message “playlist 1, playlist 1…” which was so annoying that I had to stop using it and am now looking for an alternative product.
   
   The reason it does this (so I am told) is because the controls on the headphones are not moisture-proof! Mine died on me during slow jog in which I was hardly sweating at all! So unless you are one of those people who never sweats, this product is completely useless.

   I know that Apple are working with 3rd party headphone manufacturers to produce alternative headphones, but why should you have to pay more just to get headphones which actually do what they are supposed to do?

8. Charles E. Gell
   October 11th, 2010 at 11:03 am

   

   Review by Charles E. Gell for Apple iPod shuffle 4 GB Silver (3rd Generation) OLD MODEL
   Rating:
   The only way to control this mp3 player is through controls on the headphones. I like to use my own headphones, so this unit is basically unusable.

   Even with the Apple headphones, the controls don’t work very well. Do yourself a favor, and get a different product. I don’t know what Apple was thinking.

9. J. Orrino
   October 11th, 2010 at 11:34 am

   

   Review by J. Orrino for Apple iPod shuffle 4 GB Silver (3rd Generation) OLD MODEL
   Rating:
   The headphones stop working when they come into contact with sweat. It’s been a widespread problem. (Google new apple headphones sweat)

   The volume controls and tracking controls stop working. Since there are no controls on the Shuffle itself, you cannot change the volume or change songs while running.

   The Shuffle is useless for runners. I am very disappointed.

10. Louis T. Heberlein
    October 11th, 2010 at 11:52 am

    

    Review by Louis T. Heberlein for Apple iPod shuffle 4 GB Silver (3rd Generation) OLD MODEL
    Rating:
    I am about to return my second new iPod shuffle. I wasn’t fond of the new design with controls on the headphones because I like to use 3rd party headphone (like those that sit on the ear and not in it), but as it turned out that was the least of my concerns. Sweat just a little bit and the thing starts to go haywire — sometimes I cannot change the volume at all, or the voice over randomly pops on to tell me the song or the playlist, or sometimes it just stops working altogether. The first time I thought I had a lemon and returned it. But my second one has the same problem.

    From reviews I’ve read on Apple’s official Support page, *lots* of people are having the same problem. I guess that controller in the headphones cannot handle any moisture.

    I just paid a lot more money for an older shuffle that has only half the memory. Sometimes Apple screws up, and this is one of those times.

    If you plan to use your iPod for exercise, do *not* buy this model until Apple fixes the problem.

11. voip phone service
    October 12th, 2010 at 1:11 pm

    

    This product came into being because of deficiencies in the controls for the 4th generation iPod. which is what many people who buy the Shuffle use it for and then may perform erratically or not at all.