Current Article All Articles About the Author Questions and Answers

Last week we gave you our thoughts on the basic vanilla iPod that is being touted as this year's hottest gadget to have. We reviewed the models and the accessories that come with each package.

But there are other possible goodies to go along with it that you might want to think about. Or perhaps your family is having one of those well coordinated years, you know, where one group (i.e. parents) buys the big gift and other groups (i.e. grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, etc) accessorize. When that works out, it really can be fun.

Here are a few cool suggestions:

Headphones and Cases: In case you decided to go for the 20 GB model, your recipient is definitely in the market for a case and headphones. You can go the route of getting the case ($39) and earphones ($39) that Apple provides with the 30 and 40 GB iPods or you can go a different route. Cases range in price and look. A neoprene case (made out of a material like a skin divers suit), with an armband so you can listen while you are jogging, is top of the line at $40. $35 will buy you a clear plastic molded case so you can admire the style and design of your iPod while still using the buttons - all without getting fingerprints on it. Other cases in leather and neoprene are available ranging from $20 and up.

Headphones also vary in style and price. You can go and look at the variety at your nearest technology superstore where they range in price from $10 on up. $300 will buy you a set of Bose QuietComfort 2 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones that were originally designed to reduce airplane engine noise and make air travel more comfortable but are also effective wherever noise is a problem - a dorm room, the office, and at home. It sounds like a lot of money, but you have to try these to believe them. Oh, and one other cool add on - a Monster iSplitter ($12.95) that lets you hook in two sets of headphones to the same iPod. Sharing can be fun.

Speakers: Sometimes it's nice to take off the headphones and plug the iPod into a set of speakers. You can spend ten dollars or thousands of dollars on speakers - most any kind will take the output of the iPod. New this year, specifically for the iPod, are the Altec Lansing inMotion Portable iPodSpeakers ($149). Folded up to travel they are no bigger than a thin book (15 ounces and 8 inches wide, 5.4 inches deep and 1.2 inches thick), but when they fold out they deliver great sound. They can be operated either by battery (four AA) or through an AC adaptor. Best of all, when the unit is plugged into the wall, the iPod charges up while it is hooked up, making it a "home" for your iPod when it is not out on the road. The speaker unit is designed for the newest models of iPod but can also be used with older models through an included jack.

Voice Recorder: Got something you want to say? The Belkin iPodVoice Recorder ($49) is a tiny microphone that plugs into headphone jack of the latest models of iPod. It's good for storing memos, lectures, interviews, or conversations. Like the music, it syncs automatically to iTunes (version 4.1 required) (Mac only) so that what has been recorded can be stored, edited, or sent to others via e-mail. On the go you can easily review your audio notes using the built-in speaker or your headphones.

Media Reader: Besides music, the awesome storage capacity of the iPod is also good for storing data. College students use them for transporting digital projects from computer to computer. People in business use them to take PowerPoint presentations on the road. Now there's a device that makes it easy to transfer images from your digital camera to your iPod. That means you can take more pictures and not worry about running out of space in your digital camera. The innovative Belkin Media Reader ($149) reads the media card from your digital camera (make sure yours is one of the six supported media types) and, using software support that's built into the iPod, transfer pictures so you're ready to start shooting again. To retrieve the images, all you need to do is connect your iPod to your computer and import them into iPhoto or Image Capture.

Other Cool Gadgets: Whether you want to adjust your iPod from across the room or just listen to your tunes on your car radio or FM receiver, there are also gadgets for that. The NaviPodIR Remote ($49.95) allows you to control iPod's audio functions from across the room. It consists of a 5-button infrared remote control device and a receiver unit that plugs directly into the top of the iPod. Handy if you have your iPod plugged into a set of speakers. The Griffin iTrip ($35) is a FM transmitter that can play your music through any FM radio in your car, at a party, or at home. It has a clear advantage over other similar devices (and it's a great improvement) because you can choose any radio station on the dial to tune to for the best performance possible. You do this by selecting the station codes you want directly from the iPod itself. (Older devices only allowed you a choice of four stations - a problem in many crowed urban markets where the radio dial is often very crowded.)

For more information on these devices and other iPod accessories see the Apple web site at http://www.apple.com/itunes