Oh! Gizmo

By Andrew Liszewski

Looking for another way to put your expensive iPhone, iPod or PDA at risk? While this bike mount holder makes it easier for you to pay attention to your portable electronics instead of the road, I’d be quite leery about trusting it with anything that’s not already mounted in a shock-proof case. It features a set of adjustable clamps padded with a good half-inch of foam which will accommodate any device that’s between 40mm to 75mm wide. It also uses a ball and socket joint where it connects to your bike’s handlebars, allowing you to position the device at just the right angle.

It’s priced at just $14.99 from USBfever.com which should give you a good idea of what the build quality and reliability are like. I think this is another case where you could save yourself a bit of money and just simply throw your iPhone or PDA on the ground the next time you’re riding your bike.

[ Bike Mount Holder For Portable Devices ] VIA [ The Red Ferret Journal ]

By Andrew Liszewski

For some people the Summer means long hours spent in a pool, lake or other equally refreshing body of water. But if you wanted to enjoy your music at the same time, it usually means settling for a splash proof radio sitting at the water’s edge. Lame! Instead, you might want to consider this waterproof case that will allow you to take your iPod Shuffle underwater with you. The case will protect the Shuffle to depths of about 10 feet, while still allowing you to push the volume and playback controls, even if you’re wearing a glove.

The H20Audio waterproof case also includes an armband which will keep your hands free for swimming or fighting off sharks, and there’s even a belt accessory if you wanted to go that route instead. The case is available from iPodWorld for about $60, but to ensure it remains completely watertight you need to use it with a set of headphones attached. And since it’s designed to be used underwater, you’ll also need to make sure those headphones are waterproof too, which will add to the cost.

[ H2OAudio Waterproof Case for iPod Shuffle 2G ] VIA [ The Gadgeteer ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Altoids seem to be just as popular for their curiously strong flavor as they are for the metal tins they come in. I’ve seen everything from headphone amps to battery backups to even actual iPods crammed into those tins, so it seems almost logical that someone would make one specifically designed for that purpose. Case Logic, who produces cases for nearly every piece of electronics on the market, is now selling a Traditional Tin metal case for the current generation iPod Nano and 80GB/160GB iPod Classic.

The tins are custom fitted for either iPod, and are lined with a silicon insert to cushion the MP3 player while the metal case protects it from wear and tear. There are holes cut in the top and bottom giving you access to the iPod’s ports and controls, and the lid slides up and down so you can see the screen and access the scroll wheel. The cases run $30 each and are available in either black, pink, eggplant purple or silver depending on which version you buy.

[ Case Logic Traditional Tin Case iPod Nano & iPod Classic ] VIA [ iLounge ]

By Luke Anderson

Have you ever wondered how you could transform your iPod from a beautiful and sleek piece of hardware into something hideous that no one else will want to touch? It’s rather easy, just make it look like a piece of meat.

I’m sure there are some other disgusting cases out there, but this one takes the cake (beefcake?).  This case will set you back nearly $100. Really, there’s just no way to even justify that cost.

[ GeekStuff4U ] VIA [ Pocket Lint ]

By Andrew Liszewski

If you’re like me, you hate seeing your iPhone covered in fingerprints, even though it’s as inevitable as death and taxes. And if a few smudges bother me, you can safely assume there’s no way I would take it anywhere close to a bathroom. So while I’m going to pass on their suggested use, I still like this unique iPhone/Touch stand from the Thought Out Company. The NAJA King (pronounced NAHA) uses a soft, flexible 3-foot coil that can be reshaped for a variety of uses. Like as a stand sitting on your desk, or wrapped around the back of your neck with the device hanging in front of you.

The grips that securely hold the iPhone and Touch are covered with soft rubber so they won’t scratch your device, and the head is able to rotate 360 degrees. You can get it directly from the Though Out Company’s online store for $39.99.

[ NAJA King Flexible Stand ] VIA [ Ubergizmo ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Even though their own ZEN line of MP3 and media players have been well received, it’s obvious that Creative is not willing to miss out on the opportunity to profit from the incredibly popular iPod. The TravelSound i80 for the latest generation iPod Nano is pretty similar to the company’s i50 model, which was designed for the iPod Shuffle. However, the i80 Nano model only appears on the Creative ASIA website at the moment, which is kind of odd.

It’s basically a portable speaker that serves as a hand-held dock for the Nano. On the back you’ll find the decent sized speaker itself, which is powered by 4 micro drivers and a Class D digital amplifier. Since it’s a powered speaker it will probably be as loud as you’ll ever need, but that also means it’s limited to about 15 hours of use with the rechargeable battery. But as an added convenience there’s a USB port which can not only be used to recharge the battery and the Nano at the same time, but can also be used to sync with iTunes without having to remove the iPod.

It should be available before the Summer for about $130, and I can only assume it will be getting a worldwide release.

[ Creative TravelSound i80 ] VIA [ Gizmos ]

By Andrew Liszewski

While the Phonofone II might appear to have closer ties to the RCA brand, it’s actually designed to complement your iPod with its sleek, white, ceramic finish. Designed by Tristan Zimmermann, what’s truly unique about this speaker is that it doesn’t contain any electronics whatsoever, but relies on your iPod’s earbuds as its analog audio source.

Instead of connecting it directly to the headphone jack like with most speakers, you actually leave your earphones connected and place them in the Phonofone’s resonance chamber. Using the virtues of horn acoustics, the speaker promises to boost the audio output coming from those earphones up to 55 decibels, or roughly equivalent to the max volume on a pair of laptop speakers. But instead of getting “trebly buzzing” as the website accurately describes it, you get warm, resonant sound.

The speaker should be available sometime in April from Unica Home for the tidy sum of $500.

[ Phonofone II iPod Speaker ] VIA [ GeekSugar ]

By Luke Anderson

If you’re one of the many people that have jumped on the iPhone wagon, you’ve no doubt realized that typing on it isn’t quite as easy as other smartphones. The main cause for this is the lack of tactile feedback. Sure, I will admit that the keyboard isn’t that bad to use, but if you could actually feel where your fingers were, it would make things much easier. This is exactly the purpose that My Touch Keys plans to serve.

This piece of plastic clings to your screen, with holes where the letters of the keyboard would be. This way you can feel exactly where your fingers are. The blue tint looks like it might wash out your picture a bit, but for $7.99, it can’t be too bad.

[ MyTouchKeys ] VIA [ UberGizmo ]

By Luke Anderson

I recently acquired an iPod, which is a little odd since I’ve said time and again that I don’t really need one. However, I probably use it for playing music less than anything. As you might have guessed, it’s a Touch. Sure, I do use it to listen to tunes now and then, however, when I’m at home there’s no need to for it, as almost any room that I’m any for long periods has some way of accessing my music collection easily. However, if you’re looking for a way to transmit music from your iPod to your home stereo, this iSoniCast Wireless Audio Bridge from Monster looks pretty cool.

The small rectangular device you see plugs into the bottom of your iPod and transmits music to the base station, which hooks into your stereo. Since the device is going directly into your iPod, you’ll just use the controls on it, rather than some other remote. This sleek accessory will set you back $99.95.

[ Monster ] VIA [ Crave ]

By Andrew Liszewski

If you heavily rely on your iPhone or iPod Touch for watching videos and movies you’re probably tired of having to hold it for long periods. And while there’s already a large collection of stands and docks on the market for both devices, I don’t think any of them will be as sturdy as the PED 3. You see it’s actually made from a pound of solid steel and while you unfortunately can’t fold it up for easy transport, all that weight should keep it from falling over.

The metal fingers you see that hold the iPhone or iPod Touch are coated in rubber so they grip the device and are strategically positioned so as not to block any of the buttons or ports. The fingers can also be rotated 360 degrees and can be adjusted between two angled positions. The large base even features a center split that allows you to keep any connected cables looking tidy.

Both the iPhone and iPod Touch versions of the PED 3 are available on the company’s online store for $39.99.

[ PED 3 Rotating Stand ]