Gadget Accessorizing: Testing Extras for the iPod
The Wall Street Journal Online
By Kara Swisher
It seems that everyone and his mother these days has those signature white cords dangling from their ears. But only the rare few have a purse that can broadcast the Bee Gees' "How Deep Is Your Love" for everyone within hearing distance.
The business of trying to cash in on the popularity of the iPod is taking off, as sales of the players -- in many sizes and shapes -- have reached 10 million, with most of the increase over the past year.
That has created a large ecosystem surrounding the main product -- a cornucopia of add-ons that Apple founder Steve Jobs estimated in a recent speech numbered more than 400. Most are from small companies and many haven't necessarily been approved by Apple.
Many of these accessories seem to be either complex wires, "skins" or cases for the iPods in various colors and materials, or one of a range of speaker systems to play the device in your room and car. But I have been increasingly interested in some of the more novel companion products for the iPod.
So I went on the lookout for wider-ranging devices, and found four accessories to jazz up the iPod in less obvious ways. They included the Groove Bag, a patent leather-like white handbag -- kind of Nancy Sinatra influence meets what its maker calls "Gucci-style"; a laser and flashlight add-on; an iPod-focused boom box; and a case that withstood being dunked in my kid's bathtub full of bubbles. Overall, I was delighted with most of the items I tested, with some caveats.
One certainly wouldn't have thought of using a music player as a flashlight or a laser pointer, but Griffin Technologies of Nashville, Tenn., came out with the iBeam late last year. Though Griffin makes a lot of other iPod accessories, this nifty pair of plug-ins work on all iPod models and also attach onto your keychain for easy access.
While a bit pricey for what they are -- about $20 compared with a few dollars each for cheap laser pointers and flashlights -- the two white plastic lights work seamlessly and click on with ease.
The lights, about the size of the top of a thumb, don't need a battery, since the iPod essentially becomes one, although you cannot listen to the iPod while using the flashlight or laser. But while the iBeam is neat, it isn't necessarily a must-buy -- using the iPod's backlight function works just as well.
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