Tags: creative, ipod, walkman, wheel

Smirk About: Slip your phone into something more comfortable

iPhone skins are a dime a dozen these days, but what about PS3 and Xbox controller skins, or notebook skins for that matter?

The Pioneer XWNAS5 boasts a premium fit and finish, and while it goes loud a slight tendency for boominess spoils its hi-fi credentials.

Sony Walkman B Series (NWZ-B143F)

It has none of the elegance of the iPod Shuffle, but it's cheaper and has a built-in screen, FM radio and recording capabilities. Minor concerns aside, the NWZ-B142F is a good performer with an attractive price tag.
Creative Zen MX

Creative's latest player may have some drawbacks, but it still is a strong contender that provides great value for money.
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Mini

A Trojan horse in a field full of cardboard cutouts, the new Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Mini delivers fine sound in an affordable package.
Altec Lansing inMotion Classic

The Altec Lansing inMotion Classic offers a stylish way to play your iPod or iPhone around your home. It sounds remarkable for its size, but it lacks the low-end oomph of a larger system.
Creative Sound Blaster Arena Surround

As an all-in-one sound system, the Arena Surround is a solid performer capable of engaging the user in a surround audio experience.
TDK iVibe

If you can find a place for the iVibe in your home then you'll be happy with the sound it produces, especially if you overlook its various shortcomings.
Sony Dream Machine (ICF-CL75iP)

We have a few nitpicks and grumblings, but overall the Dream Machine is a happy marriage between the alarm clock, iPod dock and digital photo frame.
EOS Wireless multi-room iPod dock

Given its price and average sound, the EOS only makes sense if you absolutely need to stream music from one room to another.

Best high-capacity MP3 players

Music hoarders rejoice! Here are a few picks of the top players for those large collections.
Best portable video players

When you buy an MP3 player these days, it's more than likely to come with video playback support as well. Even so, we've collected some of the best players for watching video on the go.
Best FM transmitters for the car

Not all iPod FM transmitters are created equal — some have dodgy cradles that fling your iPod around the cabin, others roll over at the first sign of interference. We pick three of the best, so you have your tunes everywhere you drive.
Best tiny MP3 players

When it comes to tiny MP3 players, flash chip-based players are where it's at. We choose some of the tiniest, cutest models on the market.

My Pet Speaker for dogs with discerning playlists

Speaker by Pet Acoustics works with any device that has a 3.5mm output, including MP3 players, CD players, iPhones, iPods, iPod Touches and scratching posts.
What's next for social gaming on the iPhone?

Apple now markets the iPod Touch as a gaming device. Both it and the iPhone 3GS contain updated hardware that can run 3D (and 2D) games quite well. So what can we expect in 2010?
iPod cases unleash your inner DJ

Not everyone can afford B&W Panoramas for Christmas, so if you have a music fan in your life then try out one of these funky turntable iPod cases.
Sony Vaio, Walkman, Reader get OLED treatment

In lieu of OLED TVs, Sony shows off OLED-based Vaio, Reader and Walkman prototypes at the CEATEC show in Japan.

Convert your videos for the iPhone or iPod for free

Brian Tong shows you some free programs that can be used to take all your videos and move them to your iPhone or iPod.
Advanced iTunes: Get more from the software

Here's a collection of four tips for getting more out of the software — using multiple libraries on a single machine, the best uses for Smart Playlists, getting true CD-quality rips from your CD, and tips for getting perfect album art.
How to use Spoken Menus on your 4G iPod Nano

We go step-by-step through the process of activating the latest iPod Nano's spoken menus and tweaking them to your taste.
How to convert video for the iPod

Got a bunch of video you want to put on your iPod? Here's how to get it into the right format for watching on the go.