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Strange iPod Accessories

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the what-no-bio-ipod-interface dept.

abb_road writes "The desire to customize the iPod, when combined with the desire to make a quick buck, can lead to some very strange iPod accessories. While sales of iPods are lower than predicted, the accessory market is still going strong. 'In fact, iPod add-ons have gone, shall we say, fringe. There's a growing list of weird and wacky accessories that range from a leather thong case (it's not what you think) to a dock that doubles as a toilet-tissue holder.'"

32 of 136 comments (clear)

  1. Win one... by mark0 · · Score: 4, Funny

    "While sales of iPods are lower than predicted" I bet this is because most people believe they'll eventually win one. I don't think I've gone through an entire day in the last two years without seeing a marketing gimmick that promises to give one away...

    1. Re:Win one... by timster · · Score: 4, Insightful

      More like "submitter is making stuff up".

      In fact, Apple sold 8.5 million iPods in the quarter ending April 1, which of course doesn't include the holiday quarter. This is an increase of 61% over the same quarter in 2005.

      To include the holiday season: for the six months ending on 4/1 they sold 22.5 million, which is an increase of 128% over the same period in 2005.

      True, "predicted" is sort of a weasel word; some people predicted more, and some people predicted less. I'm not aware of a published consensus estimate of iPod unit sales.

      --
      I have seen the future, and it is inconvenient.
    2. Re:Win one... by phookz · · Score: 4, Informative

      More like "submitter is using data from TFA".

      According to TFA, Credit Suisse analysts say Apple has shipped 7.75 million device in fiscal Q3, compared with an earlier forecast of 8.25 million.

      Is this accurate? I don't know, but I think it's unfair to claim the submitter is making up the statement when it's clearly there in TFA.

    3. Re:Win one... by kfg · · Score: 2, Funny

      I think it's unfair to claim the submitter is making up the statement . . .

      But. . .but, that would imply that market analysts are just making stuff up!

      KFG

    4. Re:Win one... by kalidasa · · Score: 4, Informative

      According to Apple's own fiscal results report this morning, they shipped 8.11 devices, a significant increase over last year.

  2. iPod Nano Thong?!?! by gasmonso · · Score: 2, Funny

    A leather thong? Is this part of the iPod S&M series? Sweet!

    http://religiousfreaks.com/
    1. Re:iPod Nano Thong?!?! by jb.hl.com · · Score: 2, Funny

      Some might say that using an iPod is masochism enough without all the leather shit ;)

      (note: not me. I like my iPod. Just not putting videos onto it from DVDs, what a pain...)

      --
      By summer it was all gone...now shesmovedon. --
  3. UnNews-worthy by alamandrax · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is this really what we're supposed be looking for?

    Next thing you know, you'll be covering cooking eggs on over heated laptop models.

    Oh. Wait.

    --
    'tis but a scratch.
  4. Meanwhile by MrSquirrel · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Creative and the other mp3 players get no accessories. This is an overlooked market (last time I checked, Creative holds 5% of the mp3 player market... don't say that's too small, because remember -- that's about the percentage that Apple holds in the computer market) and it makes me sad (then again, maybe I don't want any accessories if manufacturers are going to make a leather thong for my Zen).

    --
    A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.
    1. Re:Meanwhile by kfg · · Score: 3, Funny

      This is an overlooked market . . .

      Then why are you overlooking it? Get out there and do it.

      Here, I'll start you out. Go to K-Mart and buy two placemats made out of the same stuff as the iSticky Pad, for the same price.

      Cut a couple dozen ZenSticky pads out of them and sell them to your Zen owning friends for 5 bucks each, nearly half what the poor iPod suckers have to pay for one of those things.

      Shhhhhhhh! Don't tell anybody about the placemats.

      Profit!

      KFG

    2. Re:Meanwhile by kfg · · Score: 5, Funny

      . . .except the bullet-proof case, *drool*

      Tell me where you are - so I can not go there.

      KFG

    3. Re:Meanwhile by Golias · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Writing software for a Mac and/or Linux is a very different proposition from fabricating hardware for a niche music player.

      As expensive as software development is, it doesn't really compare with tooling a factory for making hardware that works with a specific MP3 player, then programming the firmware for said device.

      The iPod has been using pretty much the same dock connector for a couple years now, so if you make a gadget for the iPod dock connector there's damn near 50 Million potential customers out there.

      Creative has clawed it's way to be the biggest of "the rest of them" with the Zen, at least in terms of this year's sales, but I wouldn't be surprised if somebody came out with a statistic that said there were more iRivers out there than Zens. If you are going to go after the "not an iPod" market, your best bet is to make generic gadgets which plug into the headphone jack of any player, and don't rely on the manufacturer-specific features on one niche player.

      The iPod is far from perfect. It needs more RAM, and still lacks gapless playback (a major buzz-kill, IMHO), but between its market dominance and it's dock connector with standardized pin-outs, it's no surprise that it's what most manufacturers are building accessories for.

      If I'm the CEO of "SuperCoolOggAndMP3Players, inc.", I'd be talking to Apple about licensing the iPod dock for my player. It probably would not be a cheap deal, but it would give me a leg up over Creative and all the other also-rans out there, including the upcoming player from Microsoft.

      --

      Information wants to be anthropomorphized.

    4. Re:Meanwhile by nolife · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The accessory manufacturers are going to go after the iPod demographic because those are the types of people most likely to spend more $ on kitchy add-ons, since they (knowingly and sometimes proudly) paid the "Apple premium" for their iPod

      I completely disagree. Making an accessory for an iPod is a good market decision regardless of the amount of disposable income of those who own one may have. I'm sure people with a car valued at over $100K have a lot of disposable income as well but generating enough income on third party sales of an add on for every one of those cars would not be easy because of the limited volume. A company can make an add on and everyone that already owns an iPod is a potential customer. Another advantage is Apple appears to be keeping the docking port compatible across different model lines. This allows more companies (including car makers with the optional built in docking ports) to take a chance that they will at least get their money back or even make money from the add on that uses that. Add the quantity of iPods with the quantity and variety of add-ons and the overall experience and usefulness of the iPod is much better, a synergy. The cellular phone and accessories market follows the same trends. The more popular phones have the most and least expensive add on which makes those phones even more popular. Chicken or the egg?

      Take this concept a bit further and to separate Apple from the mix for a bit. If all portable audio makers followed a standard for a docking port and remote control, the consumer would benefit even more. Imagine buying any portable audio player and being able to "dock" it into that $200 speaker system or on the dash of your car. The consumers would get more choice and flexibility and the third party products to interface with would be more plentiful and cheaper. You can always use the line out or headphone jack but that is not as elegant and unified with things like steering wheel buttons.
      Of course this will never happen because this whole thing is all profit driven. The "universal" interface would be patented and require a license to be paid to some group for every device made and the implementation would never reach a critical mass. Some companies would feel they can stay proprietary and not use the "universal system" because they think they have enough market share by themselves would hamper acceptance as well (think about the past practices of Sony and Apple). It is a shame because it really is a good idea. Back to a cellular phone example. Compare the price and availability of a standard jack (2.5mm 3 tip plug) headset for hands free to a phone that uses some proprietary hands free device with its own connector. Which is cheaper and more readily available? The critical mass has been reached for that specific application and almost every cordless and cellular phone made now uses the same standard. Power adapters for cellular phones are getting to that point but slower.

      In summary and to get back on topic ;). I believe the high quantity of iPods makes the third party market, not the income of those with an iPod.

      --
      Bad boys rape our young girls but Violet gives willingly.
  5. Ah - designer stuff... by Linker3000 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Woah - notice that the 'Sticky pad' is not just a 'Sticky pad' - it's a 'Sticky pad *XL*'. Once upon a time, it would have been the 'Sticky pad 2000', but after the turn of the millennium, that's old-hat and so now it's gotta be an 'XL' - that will add approximately $15 to the cost of anything. Stand by for the incredibly-similar-looking 'XL Pro' design that will be $5 more.

    Oh, then there's the 'woolly' pouch thingy that's nothing special - but wait - it was 'created' by a 'designer' so that'll add $20 at least.

    Gotta love consumerism!

    --
    AT&ROFLMAO
  6. I'm Guessing... by ackthpt · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm guessing those who get the Powder Room Player sit down for number one.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
    1. Re:I'm Guessing... by Satan+Dumpling · · Score: 2, Funny

      Well they did make it waterproof for those who stand up for number one.

  7. Before sporting your iPod thong... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Make sure you stop by the University of Bonn's laser tweezing center for an iBrazilian.

  8. Re:Strange? by 93,000 · · Score: 5, Funny

    The wallet didn't strike me as strange either. Though upon further thought I now think it's a bad idea, as a theif can now steal everything valuable on your person in one convienent pakage:

    CROOK: Gimme your wallet!
    YOU THINK: Crap, that has my iPod in it!

    -or-

    CROOK: Gimme your iPod!
    YOU THINK: Crap, that has my wallet in it!

    --
    Sweet informative mod.
  9. What? No mention the goatse skin? by fudgefactor7 · · Score: 5, Funny

    No iPod is complete without this... you know your iPod screams for a goatse.cx skin!

  10. Right, "strange"... by Bob+of+Dole · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's not officially weird until there is an iPod vibrator.

    And there should be an iPod vibrator. Japan, get your head in the game!

    --
    I respond to your sigs
  11. iPod Shoulder Bag by yderf · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I could see how the shoulder bag could seem strange, but my friend's wife has one and they use it to take their ipod to the beach, works great.

  12. saturation or I just dont undestand marketing by grapeape · · Score: 2, Insightful

    How is it that sales are always supposed to increase for a gadget? Doesnt the market eventually reach a point where most of the people that want one, have one? After that the market is mostly maintenance and upgrade? My understanding is thats basically what has the PC market stagnant how is the mp3 player industry any different?

    1. Re:saturation or I just dont undestand marketing by soft_guy · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yes, this does happen. That's when the business changes from being a very valuable and covetted business to being a "mature" business. If you want to have a "hot stock", you need a good rate of growth.

      For example, look at Microsoft. They are very profitable, but because they have now reached the status of "mature business", their growth rate isn't as high as it once was. This has caused their stock price to remain very steady for a while now. Back when they were growing their revenues rapidly, the stock price was climbing along with that.

      The reason why you are hearing so much about growth is that Apple was able to dramatically grow their revenues with iPod sales and iPod sales were growing. If iPod sales STOP growing, Apple's stock will be stagnate unless/until they come up with something else to drive growth.

      --
      Avoid Missing Ball for High Score
  13. Ask and ye shall receive by feldspar6 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Behold! the iBuzz!

    --
    The ratio of people to cake is too big.
  14. iPod sex toy attachment by LuminaireX · · Score: 4, Informative

    http://www.boingboing.net/2005/11/16/ibuzz_ipod_vi brator.html The sorostitutes at Arizona State are going nuts over these.

  15. What a pathetic article! by Elladan · · Score: 2, Funny

    That article didn't even come close to talking about the strangest iPod accessories. I mean, come on!

    How about the iBuzz?

    Now that's a strange iPod accessory.

  16. Wow!! How'd they miss this one??? by freeschwag · · Score: 2, Funny

    Come on now, I've never seen any accessory or gadget that is useful, funny, and can create conversation and jokes like this one...

    Drum roll please.... the.. ICOPULATE !!

    http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/41/icopulate.shtml

    Oh yeah, its bumpy, it's pink, and it's functional!

    Now if someone would just integrate the icopulate and the ibuzz.... oh wait bad gift idea for your girlfriend...you'll wonder why she stops calling...hmmmm :P

    --
    Tweet, tweet, all id10t's out of the gene pool, open swim is over.
  17. iPod Gloves by philipgar · · Score: 2, Interesting

    While most of the products on that page are ridiculous or overkill, those ipod gloves look tempting. For anyone who lives in really cold enviornments, and uses their ipod they'll know the feeling. When it's below zero outside the thought of taking off gloves to control an iPod is not fun at all. Even the 10 seconds it takes to adjust an iPod is extremely uncomfortable. I actually bought a pair of hunting mittens for the purpose of iPod control (so I could just leave my finger tips exposed when I want to control my iPod. However even this option wasn't very good, as I find mittens to be too bulky to work with, and besides I could barely get them under the handle of my coffee mug with my hands in them. I'm seriously considering these gloves for next winter. Of course that does make me wonder what the effects of subzero temperatures are on an iPod itself. I know from experience that you can't wrap up the headphones outside for fear of snapping them in that weather.

    Phil

  18. Most fun accessory by sivartis · · Score: 2, Interesting

    A couple of the accessories on that list were kinda cool, actually. The wallet for the Nano, the lock, the sticky paper. But they forgot what may be the most amazing accessory: the iBuzz, a vibrator (with attachable rubber spike ring) that pulses to the beat of whatever is playing on the iPod. I kid you not. http://www.ibuzzusa.com/. I've yet to buy my own, but then again, I don't know what good it will do me without owning an actual iPod.

    --
    "Even pirates like chocolate chip cookies." www.youtube.com/musecast5
  19. Another strange iPod accessory by pikester · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I was looking at the weekly ad for Target on Sunday and came across an iPod compatible microwave. I can see the usefulness behind some of the others on the list, but this one left me scratching my head (maybe it is the crappy looking implementation).

  20. Thong Wrong by cpopin · · Score: 2, Insightful

    How do you access the iPod wheel?

    --
    -=- Many seek good nights and lose good days.
  21. 8.11 devies? by sneezinglion · · Score: 2, Funny

    According to Apple's own fiscal results report this morning, they shipped 8.11 devices, a significant increase over last year. Wow. I hope they sell 10 whole ones next quarter.