We’ve bulked up Playlist’s product guide with a few items for housing your iPod as well as with an affordable portable iPod speaker system and an inexpensive USB FM transmitter.
The first case is the Vaja iVod DJ. As Reviews Editor Dan Frakes writes, we’ve long been fans of Vaja’s rigid, semi-padded i-Volution (iVod) cases, thanks to the company’s use of high-quality, full-grain leather, custom-made—by hand, no less—in the color(s) of your choice. At $80, it’s another pricey case from Vaja, but if you appreciate handmade quality, good protection, and a splash of retro, this is a case to consider.
Offering far less protection but a stylish design is the Moshi miniPouch. As its name implies, this bag for the mini protects your iPod mini’s finish without adding much bulk. The fabric is soft enough to be used to polish your mini’s screen and body, and is “splash-resistant” (the company’s term) and anti-static. A pocket on the outside of the pouch holds your earbuds, and a sturdy drawstring lets you close the pouch so your iPod mini doesn’t fall out.
Power Support earns a very rare 5 Play rating for its $23 Silicone Jacket for iPod shuffle. At this price the Silicone Jacket is more expensive than other skin cases for the shuffle; however, in this instance, you really do get what you pay for—a better design, better silicone, and a belt clip. Highly recommended.
We were less impressed with the $15 Bruddy BruddyClip. While affordable, it isn’t the most attractive accessory we’ve seen—when wrapped up in earbud cable, it has a fairly cluttered appearance. And because the BruddyClip’s cable clips won’t work with thicker headphone cables, and the plastic at the top of the BruddyClip prevents the use of headphones with miniplugs significantly larger than the one found on Apple’s earbuds, the BruddyClip is best suited for use with the iPod’s stock earbuds.
In his feature review, Dan was keen on the i-Station. At $80 – $100 in the U.S. it’s around half the price of Altec Lansing’s similarly-designed inMotion iM3 yet still provides good sound. Dan goes so far to say that the i-Station is the best sounding portable speaker system for the iPod he’s heard for under $100. That’s a recommendation you can take to the bank.
And finally, Dan rates the Aurius USB FM transmitter 3 Plays, suggesting that it’s a solid product that lets you broadcast your computer’s audio, in stereo, across the room or halfway across the house for a fraction of the price of other wireless solutions.