The iPod has danced its way into the hearts of music lovers everywhere, but it's more expensive than many other MP3 players, leaving the budget-conscious singing the blues.

Now, Apple has come out with its $99 iPod Shuffle, which could be good news for those looking for a break.

Apple's commercial for the new iPod Shuffle features the dancing silhouettes from iPod's original campaign. It also touts the price tag, which is significantly less than any other iPod. Consumer Reports just took a look at the Shuffle to see if it really is a bargain.

The Shuffle is tiny, just 3 inches high and an inch wide. It weighs less than 1 ounce. And testers found that it has excellent capacity for the money. It holds 120 songs.

"The reason why it's called the Shuffle is because it allows you to play them randomly, in shuffle mode," said Consumer Reports spokesman Chris Lam.

But it does have some drawbacks. Because the shuffle has no display, you can't see what song is playing. And with more expensive iPods and other MP3 players, you can make your own play lists and switch between them. Or you can go directly to a specific song, which you can't do with the Shuffle.

But the Shuffle does offer plenty of the features that made the original such a hit.

"The headphones are among the best we've tested. And the Shuffle has so few features, that it is simple to use," Lam said.

And the Shuffle comes with iTunes -- Apple's software that makes downloading music onto the MP3 player a snap.

All in all, Consumer Reports says that if you can live with its limitations, the iPod Shuffle offers a great way to get music on the go.

Apple also offers a second version of the iPod shuffle that can hold 240 songs. It goes for $149, which is still much less than the original iPods.