Apple unveils new talking iPod

Apple has revealed the smallest ever version of its entry-level iPod device, the iPod Shuffle – and this one even talks.

The new model, which boasts 4GB of space and will sell for $129, will be on sale from today.

Half the size of the previous model, the new Shuffle is just 4.5 centimetres long, while the device’s buttons have been moved to the player’s earbud cord. The user presses one button to play, stop and switch between different music tracks.

A new feature added to the device is the “VoiceOver” function. When a user presses and holds the iPod’s only button, a voice will announce the name and artist of the track currently playing in up to 14 languages.

When a user “syncs” the iPod with tracks on the iTunes music program, a separate list of tiny audio tracks is created for each song that contains a voice announcing the artist and track name.

The original iPod Shuffle, released in 2005, could only load around 250 songs, but the new version boasts a 1000 song capacity.

This has been a slow year for Apple. The company revealed no major new devices at its annual Macworld conference in January, and chief executive Steve Jobs did not attend the conference citing health reasons.

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