The second-generation Apple miniplayer gets even smaller, and cuts its price by almost half.

Apple’s minuscule iPod Shuffle is smaller than a matchbook, slimmer than a microcassette, and so light that you could clip it on your shirt and not stretch the fabric. In my hands-on testing of the updated Shuffle, I found it a worthy player for the price–despite limited controls and capacity.

The 1GB iPod Shuffle sells for $79, quite a drop from the the original 1GB Shuffle’s price of $149. And while the elder Shuffle came in a white, gum-pack-size, plasticized case, the new one has a matte-anodized aluminum finish that resists smudging during ordinary use. A spring clip on the Shuffle’s back accounts for half of the device’s thickness, and attached firmly to my clothing during my tests.

The Shuffle comes bundled with a USB 2.0 dock for charging and syncing the player. The player fits into the dock snugly, attaching at both the dock connector and the headphone jack. The dock is tiny, but its weight and the grippy nonslip pad underneath will help keep it in place on your desk. (An optional $29 USB adapter lets you charge the Shuffle without the dock.)

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