As soon as Apple announced its iPod U2 Special Edition model, clad in black and with a red Click Wheel, peripheral maker Griffin Technology Inc. announced its matching iTrip-Black FM Transmitter, a device that enables the iPod to play its music over a nearby FM receiver. On Tuesday Griffin announced it’s shipping the new iTrip-Black. The iTrip-Black costs US$35.
Like its white-clad cousin, the iTrip Black plugs into the top of the iPod and is controlled by the iPod itself — you select an unused radio frequency from the iPod the same way you would select a song from a playlist. It draws a small amount of power from the iPod to function, so you don’t need to add batteries, and automatically shuts off after 60 seconds without music. The iTrip-Black also contains an improvement that keeps it in “Sleep Mode” until music starts playing, to help conserve the iPod’s power.