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9 iPod Accessories You Might Not Know About

Carol Pinchefsky — Thu, 29 May 2008 17:26:40 -0500

The iPod is not only the best-looking and best-selling music player to date but also a springboard from which dozens of accessories have launched and soared. These products turn your iPod from a mere digital music player into multi-functional tool--that happens to play episodes of Family Guy.

Some attachments are so useful that it makes you wonder why Apple didn’t think of it first. In fact, some of these accessories can become so integral to your iPod that it can feel naked without them.

TalkTune Stereo

This handy voice recorder is so common that dozens line the shelves of every Apple store—yet every time I whip it out and slap it onto my iPod, I’m literally greeted with ooos and ahs of astonishment. Yes, I’ve turned my iPod into a recorder. You may curtsey.

Belkin manages to get some decent sound quality in such a tiny device (although it helps to have the recorder placed near the speaker in crowded rooms), which is perfect for taping conversations, lectures, voice-memos, and promises from a reluctant spouse.

Students and secret blackmailers will appreciate the ease of playback: just sync your iPod, and your voice recordings automatically to your iTunes folder. Once there, consider converting your WAV voice recordings to AAC, which takes up less space on your hard drive.

I’ve tried a competitor’s recorder, and this one producers a cleaner sound. I carry it in my purse at all times, waiting for the right opportunity to earn some hush-money.

BluEye

You know who you are: you’re the one who can’t answer your cell phone in time because you’re happily engrossed in your favorite podcast. And as you’re fumbling with your earbuds, you wonder why you haven’t succumbed to the iPhone’s charms.

(And then you remember the EFF’s class-action suit against AT&T.)

Enter BluEye. And as long as you have a Bluetooth-enabled phone, this remarkable widget turns your iPod into a headset. With it, your music pauses when you get an incoming call; when clipped to your shirt, the BluEye picks up your voice on a minute but workable microphone. Now you’re talking.

Although I didn’t manage to utilize the best feature--getting BluEye to dial out through my iPod--it’s still a powerhouse of an accessory. Have I mentioned the FM radio yet? Although changing channels was a pain, once I selected the presets, it worked just dandy.

It’s only real drawback is that it sucks your battery like a chupacabra.

iKaraoke

Good news, crooners. You no longer have to limit your heartfelt version of Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach” to the karaoke bar. Now, thanks to iKaraoke, you can express yourself wherever you can find a stereo or computer with an audio-in line.

Griffin’s iKaraoke works as a filter, overlaying the vocal track without manipulating the original recording. Although Griffin recommends using a stereo system, I used the iKaraoke through my old PowerBook; this requires an audio intermediary, so I used FinalVinyl. Be careful. The sound levels are preset, and the only way to adjust the volume is through your Apple preferences.

The results are varied. For songs with fancy mixing, the iKaraoke does nothing to mute the audio track; older songs fare better. Still, there’s quite a lot of bang for a relatively small amount of buck.

If you like to belt out songs, you can make up your mind and keep your iKaraoke.

RockStar

There are times when you don’t want intruders listening to your music, because without paying for the privilege, that would be like stealing.

Enter RockStar, a multi-headphone splitter with one hardwire cable for your iPod. You and four friends can hook up to the RockStar and listen together, which puts you one step closer to having a hive mind. It also works in situations where speakers are impractical, like your high school cafeteria.

With an extra 3.5 mm cable (not included), you can plug in a second iPod and use the RockStar as a medium for mashups. You and your friends will enjoy new versions of music that only they can hear. To the groove of this new beat, the hive mind will plot world domination.

Solar Charger

Who hasn’t thought, “Boy, I wish I could harness the rays of the sun to power my Gnarles Barkley tunes”? Well, ponder no more. The Solio solar charger saves you from the bummer experience of running out of power plus earn you some green street cred.

Depending on which model you choose, one hour of sunshine gives you 40 minutes or more on your iPod or 14 to 25 minutes of talk time on your iPhone. The Classic model even comes with a suction cup; place it on a sunny window, and you can lazily refuel those cells without expending your own energy. Plus, for those cloudy days, the Solio can be charged either via USB port or a wall socket.

As long as the sun keeps fusing hydrogen atoms, Gnarls Barkley and the other musicians in the ‘pod will never miss a note.

MiShare

Your iPod is lonely and wants a friend to share music with. That’s obviously the rationale behind the MiShare, a small widget that connects two iPods to each other, like Siamese twins. When connected, one iPod can upload music or entire playlists while the other receives it, bypassing a computer interface altogether. Certainly, the MiShare wasn’t created to steal music!

(Actually, your copyrighted song or video won’t play until you connect to a computer and authorize it. MiShare works best with your GarageBand creations.)

Transfering content from one iPod to the next has never been easier or quicker. MiShare transfers either the last song or video played, or whatever it reads on your on-the-go playlist. MiShare’s site estimates that one song can be shuttled in 10 seconds. It also shares photos.

Now your iPod will never be lonely again.

Singapore Airlines

This iPod accessory has a view screen, alright. It gives the perfect picture: you, surrounded by blue sky, soaring at 35,000 feet. Singapore Airlines is the first airline to give business-class passengers access to their iPods via the in-flight entertainment system, which makes Singapore Airlines the largest accessory on record.

With an integrated cable, you can toss aside your iPod’s 2.5-inch screen in favor of their 15.4-inch LCD screen; also, they provide noise-canceling headphones, so you can enjoy your music in blissful quiet.

Best of all, this accessory comes with flight attendants.

Tune Studio

The Tune Studio really is a remarkable piece of equipment: a portable studio, it allows you to record four different tracks directly onto your iPod—where you can mix your music on the fly. With the Tune Studio, everyday jam sessions can be forever enshrined in digital history; garage bands can eschew a professional audio engineer and use a sober roadie to check the sound levels. You can then upload your masterpiece to your Mac and polish it up on GarageBand.

On the plus side, this accessory may free small bands from cripplingly expensive studios. On the negative side, although you don’t need a professional engineer to work the controls, it looks as if only highly dedicated amateurs can master its bewildering array of knobs and inputs.

The Tune Studio is like a party on your iPod, and four musicians are invited. (But they have to bring their own microphones.)

International iTunes Music Card

While not technically an accessory, a prepaid international iTunes music card makes a great addition to your iPod. There’s something really fun about making up lyrics to incomprehensible songs. For example, “Yukiyunagi” easily becomes “Die, Die, White Devil.”

The problem with music cards from other iTunes stores is that it’s legally iffy. Before you download, you must input your address into the iTunes Music Store. And if you live in Indiana, there’s no way you’ll be able to get the J-Pop you crave. Unless you lie.

Fear of legal entanglements fell by the wayside when I downloaded Amy Winehouse from the UK iTunes store six months before anyone in the States had heard of her. Even though the song is in English, I still modified the lyrics: “The RIAA try to make me go to rehab, I say no, no, no.”

Portable Sound Laboratories iMainGo 2

Susie Ochs — Tue, 27 May 2008 11:52:52 -0500

Perfect for camping, hotel rooms, or anywhere you need a tiny speaker.

We’ve seen hundreds of iPod cases, scores of speakers, and even a few novelty products like bags and coolers that pack built-in speakers with iPod connections. But the iMainGo 2 combination case and speaker is one of the most useful and decent-sounding products we’ve tested—especially for its $40 price.

Measuring 5.7 by 3.8 by 2.4 inches and weighing 9 ounces, the case has a clear plastic window on one side that keeps your player totally covered but still lets you use the clickwheel or touchscreen controls. The other side of the case holds two 2.5-watt titanium speakers behind an attractive black metal guard. Unzip the case to install your iPod, iPhone, or other MP3 player—the player goes up against the window, and it’s held in place by a piece of memory foam that conforms to the player’s shape, a plastic shield in back, and an adjustable Velcro strap to hold it steady. A 3.5mm gold-tipped stereo plug sends music from the player’s headphone jack to the iMainGo 2’s speakers. The other side of the case holds the speaker assembly, an on/off/Alarm switch, and the battery bay (4 AAA batteries are included).

The Alarm feature was our favorite. To use it, set the wake-up alarm on your iPod (Extras > Alarm Clock), hook it up to the iMainGo 2, and set the iMainGo’s switch to ALM. The speaker will go to sleep and then wake up, along with your iPod, to play the song at the appointed time. It’s a great way to greet the day when traveling. We were pleasantly surprised by the sound. It’s strong and full for a speaker of this size, and can fill a medium-size room with undistorted music. The batteries kept chugging nearly forever, too—we got 27 hours of play from a fresh set of Duracell alkalines.

The bottom line. Between the powerful output and the way the case completely covers the iPod and protects it from bumps, the iMainGo 2 is ideal for backpacking trips, the beach, or rental cars with crappy stock stereos.

COMPANY: Portable Sound Laboratories

CONTACT: www.imaingo.com

PRICE: $39.99

REQUIREMENTS: iPod, iPhone, or other device with a headphone jack

Protects iPod while allowing access to clickwheel or touchscreen. Great battery life. Decent sound. Alarm function.

Nothing, really.

Xtrememac Tango X

Zack Stern — Fri, 23 May 2008 10:17:07 -0500

It looks great, but the Tango X2’s sound won’t make you feel like dancing.

At first blush, the Tango X2 iPod speaker dock gets plenty of points for design. The smooth, black box takes the space of a couple of encyclopedias, and its elegant silver trim works dressed up for a dining room or down for a bedroom. But the Tango X2 has two left feet where it really counts, blasting out shrill, distorted sound.

The X2 is compatible with fourth-gen and later dock-connector iPods, so we shoved in a fifth-gen video iPod and began playing. But no matter how we adjusted the volume, bass, and treble with the included IR remote, the songs always echoed. We minimized this cave-simulation effect with careful adjustment of bass and treble, and by moving the unit off the desk and to the corner of the room. But we never felt satisfied with the audio quality—the built-in subwoofer crackled at louder levels and produced mashed-together sound at all volumes.

With such mediocre quality, the X2’s main value lies in its sleek design, audio input, and built-in AM/FM radio. A blue LED status panel glows briefly behind the front fabric after each adjustment, and the curved edges make the Tango X2 look inviting. Alas, that counts for little in the grand scheme of things.

The bottom line. While striking in appearance, weak sound means the Tango X2 won’t get a second dance.

COMPANY: XtremeMac

CONTACT: www.xtrememac.com

PRICE: $149.95

REQUIREMENTS: Fourth-generation or later docking iPod

Looks great. Input works with iPod shuffle or other audio source. Includes AM/FM radio tuner.

Without adjustment, shrill treble overpowers and bass sounds garbled. With adjustment, audio is mediocre at best.

Vestalife Ladybug: This Speaker's Gone Buggy

Michael Murphey — Wed, 21 May 2008 16:02:24 -0500

This is one bug that won’t spoil your picnic.

Standing out is important in the crowded iPod-speaker market, and Vestalife manages to do that with its first entry into the field, the Ladybug.

At first glance, you might not even think it’s a sound system at all. It just looks like a 5.4-by-5.6-inch ball that resembles an overgrown ladybug with closed wings. When you open it up, the speakers fan out, exposing the docking area, and the device looks ready to fly off your shelf. Parents will appreciate the unique rubberized coat of paint that gives the sub-2-pound speaker an original feel and makes it simple for kids to grip without dropping.

The unit has a full, robust sound thanks to a built-in subwoofer and digital amp, but the lack of treble and bass controls keep the audio quality from being truly extraordinary. Full video-out is also a plus, and there’s an audio-in jack to connect other devices, as well as a USB port for syncing your iPod with your Mac. For on-the-go power, you can use four AA batteries instead of the AC connection.

Design is really where this product stands out. The compact size is not only cute, but it also makes portability a breeze. In addition to the standard colors of silver and red, the Ladybug is also available with Element Skateboard artist–designed prints, which will appeal to fans of insects that have been decorated with urban and graffiti-styled art.

The bottom line. The Vestalife Ladybug’s decent sound and standout design make it an appealing iPod entertainment system for users of any age.

COMPANY: Vestalife

CONTACT: www.vesta-life.com

PRICE: $109.95 standard, $124.95 limited edition

REQUIREMENTS: Dockable iPod

Great design. Easily portable. Remote control. Battery option. Works with iPhone.

No treble or bass adjustment. Annoyingly clunky battery cover.

Alpine ex-10

Roberto Baldwin — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:04:34 -0500

So close to being great.

In the last few years, the center console of a vehicle has become command central for climate control, navigation, and enormous stock stereos. The amalgamation of these items is great until you try to add an iPod or hands-free Bluetooth system to the mix, or you want to upgrade the audio system.

The Alpine eX-10 iPod integration and Bluetooth hands-free calling system hopes to alleviate your lack-of-an-iPod-kit-in-your-new-car blues. The eX-10’s LCD allows drivers to navigate their iPods and Bluetooth-equipped mobile phones. Users have the option of using an FM transmitter or auxiliary minijack audio output to bring the tunes to their stereo system. The FM transmitter pushed a better-than-normal audio signal to the stereo. But if it can be utilized, the auxiliary output is the way to go for cleaner sound, without the issues inherent in FM transmitters.

Alpine has been at the forefront of aftermarket iPod car stereos, which the navigation system on the eX-10 reflects. The device does its best to mimic your iPod’s menu system. Users should feel at home as artist, album, repeat, and other choices available on the iPod are found within the eX-10 menu. The eX-10 suffers from the usual latency problems of fast-forwarding to the next song, and you do get a small delay while the device communicates with the iPod.

The Bluetooth pairing was simple and mutes your music while you take a call. The option of having the device auto-answer was helpful during intense traffic situations. The external mic picked up an echo for callers when we used the eX-10’s external speaker, but the echo was eliminated when we switched to the car’s speakers. We had no audio issues while on the phone, but those on the other end heard background noise and noted that we sounded like we were yelling into the phone from down the hall. The onscreen phone directory is pulled directly from your mobile phone, and it makes navigating to a contact a chore if you have an extensive list. This is further hampered by the device’s insistence on displaying each phone number as its own contact; if someone has separate numbers for mobile, home, work, and fax, you have to sort through four entries in the directory. There is no favorites system, but there is a SIM-card directory. If your mobile phone supports copying contacts to the SIM, that’s a quick workaround, but in the end, we just picked up the phone to initiate calls.

The entire system is controlled by a remote control—a remote that we lost for a few hours while on a long trip through the mountains. Without the remote, the eX-10 becomes useless, though we were fortunate enough to have had placed the device in Shuffle All Songs mode before losing it. Still, the selection of the Cure and Elliott Smith to get us pumped up for snowboarding initiated a frantic search for the missing remote.

While Alpine calls the eX-10 a mobile device, when you actually move the device from vehicle to vehicle, the tangle of wires becomes unruly. You need a professional to install the system—which ships with an LCD display, a control unit that must be plugged into your cigarette lighter, and a gaggle of cables—in order to get the full effect without being trapped in a web of cables and input devices.

While the iPhone isn’t officially supported, our tests with one yielded nice results. We were able to navigate our contacts, place calls, and use the iPod features. We did have one issue re-pairing the device when we reentered the vehicle while on a call and tried to transfer the audio from the iPhone to the eX-10.

The bottom line. The eX-10 is a nice iPod integration system for drivers looking for more than an FM transmitter on a cable. But its reliance on the remote to control every aspect of the device is dangerous, especially for drivers with vehicles that haven’t been cleaned since their last oil change. The hands-free Bluetooth system is a welcome feature, but won’t replace a Bluetooth headset for superior audio.

COMPANY: Alpine

CONTACT: www.alpine-usa.com

PRICE: $230

REQUIREMENTS: iPod with dock connector, and/or Bluetooth-equipped mobile phone

Intuitive navigation, good sound quality from FM transmitter. Unofficially works with iPhone.

Easy-to-lose remote that controls entire device. Contacts difficult to find. Unless installed professionally, your car becomes a rat’s nest of wires

Boynq iCube II

Susie Ochs — Wed, 07 May 2008 12:01:44 -0500

At just under 4 inches on all sides, the iCube fits nearly anywhere—as long as there’s AC power nearby.

Boynq offers the iCube II (and another iPod speaker, the Sabre) in both black-and-chrome “Pour Homme” and lavender-and-white “Pour Femme” versions. While “Pour Femme” is one glitter unicorn sticker away from being “Pour 9-Year-Old Girl,” the black-and-chrome version is attractive enough for a desktop, bedroom, or kitchen.

The 3.9-by-3.9-by-3.9-inch iCube features two 5-watt speakers, an iPod dock on the top, a lighted power/volume dial, and treble and bass controls. It connects to your Mac for syncing your iPod, thanks to the 30-pin dock port. And the line-out port lets you play the iPod’s music through your home stereo, using the iCube as a dock. You can attach other devices via the audio-in port. There’s no battery option, but the iCube charges docked iPods.

The iCube’s sound can fill a medium-size room—turning it all the way up introduces distortion, but it sounds respectable for its size and price point.

The bottom line. A remote would be nice, or a way to use batteries. But in the kids’ room or the office, the iCube II fits in and sounds decent.

COMPANY: Bonyq

CONTACT: www.boynq.com

PRICE: $69.99

REQUIREMENTS: iPod

Small footprint. Bass and treble controls. Line-out and syncing. Line-in for other players. Can be found for closer to $40 online.

No remote control.

V-Moda Vibe Duo

Roman Loyola — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 12:44:13 -0500

Treating your ears to good vibrations.

We like V-Moda’s Vibe earphones (4 out of 5 stars), with their rich midtone reproduction, crisp high-range sounds, and punchy bass. Fortunately, V-Moda didn’t mess with a good thing when it released the Vibe Duo, a headphone/headset for the iPhone. The Vide Duo takes V-Moda’s Vibe earphones, attaches a mic to them, and uses an iPhone-friendly connector.

Phone calls are clear, but the Vibe Duo doesn’t have a pinch controller like the one on the stock iPhone earphones/headset. That means you have to pull out the iPhone to answer and end calls. You also have to have to use the iPhone touchscreen to advance a track when you’re using the iPod function.

The black and chrome Vibe Duo ’phones come with a leather storage pouch, a set of clear silicone fittings (in small, medium, and large), and a set of black silicone fittings. The jack is shaped so that it fits the recessed iPhone earphone jack without requiring an adapter (hooray!).

The bottom line. The Vibe Duo offers a significant sound-quality upgrade over the stock iPhone earbuds. If you don’t mind the missing phone controller, you and your ears will be quite happy.

COMPANY: V-Moda
CONTACT: www.v-moda.com
PRICE: $99.95
REQUIREMENTS: Headphone jack
Great sound. Attractive design. Multiple ear fittings in different sizes.
No pinch controller like the one found on the stock iPhone earbuds.

[Editor's note: V-Moda recently released a revised version of the Vibe Duo, which has a controller that lets you answer/end calls and has next track/previous track controls. Product page.]

Griffin Technology Amplifi

Roman Loyola — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 14:01:48 -0500

Remember to put your iPhone in Airplane Mode when using it with an iPod speaker like the Amplifi.

It’s getting harder and harder to find a simple iPod speaker: one that doesn’t have a clock, a radio receiver, a CD player, or a space-age design. But we found one in the Amplifi, and for $150, we like what it has to offer: great sound for your iPod tunes, and not much else.

The Amplifi measures 14 by 5.5 by 8.5 inches, making it a nice size for a bookshelf, a desk corner, or maybe even nestled inside your entertainment center. The iPod dock doesn’t conform to the Universal Dock specifications, but it still works fine; it just means you use the supplied rubber pads to ensure a good iPod fit. Griffin says the Amplifi’s front volume dial was inspired by the company’s PowerMate USB knob controller, but the Amplifi’s knob-adorned front grill reminded us of Logitech’s portable AudioStation Express (4 out of 5 stars, May/07, p48). Unfortunately, the Amplifi doesn’t have a USB port so you can’t connect to your Mac and sync your iPod, nor does it have a video-out port for watching your iPod videos on a TV. The Amplifi does have a line-in jack for connecting other devices or a dockless iPod.

Behind the grill is a pair of 2.75-inch neodymium drivers. There’s also a 5-inch downward-firing woofer. These three components combine to produce sound that’s rich and full - you don’t feel like you’re missing anything. We thought that the downward-firing subwoofer might be a problem, since it’s aimed at the surface it’s resting on, possibly causing unwanted vibration. But this didn’t happen. Still, the Amplifi produces heavy-sounding bass that’ll please hip-hop fans, but might not suit others. Bass and treble controls would’ve been nice, but the Amplifi doesn’t have ’em.

The bottom line. Sometimes you just want an iPod speaker that simply works. The Amplifi is such a speaker. Not only does it work, it satisfies.

COMPANY: Griffin Technology

CONTACT: www.griffintechnology.com

PRICE: $149.99

REQUIREMENTS: iPod with dock connector

Compact design. Excellent sound.

No USB port for iPod syncs. No video out. No bass or treble controls.