XtremeMac Shieldz for iPod shuffle

XtremeMac’s Shieldz for iPod shuffle aren’t quite cases, as they don’t completely cover your iPod shuffle. And they’re not “clip” accessories, as they don’t have a belt clip; in fact, they can only be used with the iPod shuffle’s lanyard. So their name is actually quite appropriate: They shield your shuffle from the kinds of abuse it’s most likely to take while swinging from your neck — impact to the front and sides and crushing. (All controls, front and back, remain accessible.) In addition, by surrounding the top and bottom of the shuffle in a hard shell, they prevent your shuffle from being accidentally pulled off the lanyard; on the other hand, this means that to sync/charge your iPod shuffle, you need to remove it from the Shieldz. Available in packages of three — bubblegum, grape, and lemon; neon bubblegum, neon lemon, and neon tangerine; and cherry, ice, cobalt — Shieldz also let you add a bit of shiny, translucent color to your player.

One other drawback to XtremeMac’s shields is that although they’re priced quite low at under $7 each, you have to buy at least three — an approach many vendors seem to be taking towards iPod shuffle “cases,” thanks to their low cost and, therefore, margins.–Dan Frakes