Apple iPod shuffle Dock

If you’ve purchased more than a couple of USB peripherals, at one time or another you’ve received an extra USB cable that bears a male connector on one end and a female connector on the other. Some hardware vendors toss these USB extender cables into the box if they suspect the supplied standard USB cable (one attached to a keyboard, for example) may not be long enough for your liking. If you’ve yet to find a use for one of these cables, you have one now: Save yourself $29 by using that cable rather than the iPod shuffle Dock.

To be fair, the iPod shuffle Dock has this going for it: It’s the same color as the shuffle, it has a nice non-skid surface on the bottom, and it does provide a tidy way to mount and show off your iPod. Other than that, however, it’s no different than the USB extender cable you’ve shoved into the bottom drawer of your desk.–Christopher Breen