For some, the austere look of the iPod shuffle is a thing of beauty. But if you’d prefer your own set of headphones instead of the included Apple earbuds (which also happen to feature the only way to control the shuffle), it’s button-phobic minimalism gone too far. But two low-cost accessories put the controls back in your hands. Scosche’s $30 tapStick (left) is a plastic case that slides onto your shuffle, featuring its own buttons for playing and pausing music as well as adjusting volume. (An including audio cable lets you connect the shuffle to a stereo system, making it an ideal companion for motorists.) Belkin’s $20 (compare latest prices) Headphone Adapter for iPod shuffle (right) sports those same controls on a slender cable—the shuffle plugs into one end and the headphones of your choice fit into the other.—PHILIP MICHAELS
