I feel like the only person in the world without a "real" ipod, but quite frankly, I feel like the Sandisk gives me everything I need at a fraction of the price. This is the 3rd model I've bought (I had the 1/2 gig, the 1 gig, now I'm up to the 2 gig). I think I have about 300 songs on my current model.... loading the player is really easy (I use Windows Media Player), and the navigation on the player is a scinch. And it takes "normal" AAA batteries (alkaline or rechargeables). If you're considering the ipod shuffle, you should seriously consider this model instead.... it gives you a lot more features for a fraction of the price.My only suggestion is that Sandisk always include white earbuds instead of black ones, regardless of the color of the player itself (they did on the last 2 models, but not on this most recent one). Black earbuds look dated.