One of Apple's most innovative and unique versions of the popular iPod is the iPod Shuffle. It doesn't really look like the conventional iPod MP3 player that we all know and love, and it doesn't really behave like one either. But, what the iPod Shuffle did do - and do well - is that it gave iPod users and fans a different method of experiencing and enjoying one of the most popular iPod features at a much lower price point.

The iPod Shuffle will never play songs in the same order twice. According to research, Apple discovered that many iPod users enjoyed using the random feature on thier iPods to let the songs play in completely different sequences. So, what Apple did was create a newer, smaller (aren't iPods getting smaller all the time?) iPod that contained and possessed a special flash memory disk that stored the songs. Therefore, whenever someone used their iPod Shuffle, they would never hear the same songs in the same order.

How many times have you listened to music, only to predict what the next song will be even before the current song is finished playing? Even though music is wonderful, it can get boring if it gets repetitive. The iPod Shuffle takes a popular iPod feature and makes it even better. It's almost like listening to the radio - you'll never quite know what song is coming up next! Needless to say, the iPod Shuffle was a massive hit for Apple, and a massive hit among consumers and for retailers too.

One of the most striking aspects of the iPod Shuffle is how incredibly small it is. At only 3.3" × 0.98" × 0.33", the Apple iPod Shuffle is one of the smallest portable digital music players on the market today. In fact, Apple declated the Shuffle to be smaller than a pack of gum. This led Apple to actually place a warning (with tongue firmly planted in cheek, but in today's litigious world, you never know) for people NOT to eat or chew the iPod Shuffle! But, considering the popularity of the iPod Shuffle, I doubt people would actually want to eat it.

In September 2006, it was announced that over 10,000,000 iPod Shuffles had been sold throughout the world. That's an impressive number for such a tiny device. But, it does prove just how popular something can be when it's completely unpredictable!