The most popular personal digital music player is getting better all the time!  This week a couple of new accessories were announced to bring some much-requested capabilities to third-generation iPods.  The first is the Belkin iPod Voice Recorder ($49.95).  Simply plug the small Voice Recorder module into your iPod, and record memos, lectures, anything.  The module contains a small speaker so you can review what you’ve recorded.  Your voice notes can be uploaded to your computer and cataloged via iTunes for storage, editing, or sending to others via email.

Taking a lot of pictures with your digital camera, but don’t have a laptop along to download the pictures to?  Try the Belkin iPod Media Reader ($99).  The Media Reader is a module that contains card readers for (among others) Compact Flash, Smart Media, and Memory Stick cards.  Just take the Compact Flash card out of your camera, insert into the Media Reader, and download (at FireWire speeds) your photos onto your iPod for short-term storage and transfer to your Mac later.  The 10GB iPod can hold an equivalent of eighty 256 MB memory cards.

Want to listen to the music in your iPod through your car stereo?  Try the $34.95 Griffin iTrip.  The iTrip is a small FM transmitter, powered by the iPod itself.  Simply hook up the iTrip, select a station from a playlist you install in the iPod, tune your car’s FM radio to the station, and you’re jammin’.  You can also use the iTrip to turn any FM radio into an iPod stereo.

Speaking of stereos, Altec Lansing makes a portable stereo system, great for office or hotel room, specifically designed for the iPod – the inMotion Portable iPod Speakers ($149).  It’s battery or AC adapter powered, weighs in at about a pound, and is only 8 inches wide by 5 inches deep by 1 inch thick, when folded closed.  It has a built-in dock to connect the iPod, two speakers that fold upwards, and an auxiliary jack to connect other audio devices, like laptops, CD players, or other MP3 players.  The integrated docking station connects to your computer to download songs, and charge the iPod battery.

Again, all of these nifty gadgets work only with the third-generation iPod with the dock connector. Both the Voice Recorder and Media Reader require the new iPod Software v2.1.

© 2003 Peter F. Zimowski