1. A method for presenting media assets on a portable media player having a non-volatile memory and a controller that operates the player in a media play mode and a data mode, said method comprising: the controller in the data mode, receiving non-media assets and storing the non-media assets to the non-volatile memory; the controller in the media play mode, determining whether a multi-position switch is in one of a shuffle play mode position indicating a shuffle play mode or a continuous play mode position indicating a continuous play mode; the controller in the media play mode, identifying a list of media assets to be presented on the portable media player; and the controller in the media play mode and the shuffle play mode, shuffling the list of media assets, said shuffling being deferred until a media asset of the list of media assets being presented, if any, has completed.