Dr. Bott iPod Connection Kit with FM Stereo Transmitter

This kit is very similar to the Dr. Bott iPod Universal Connection Kit, except that it replaces the cassette adapter with an FM transmitter so that you can broadcast your iPod’s output and receive it via FM radio. This package includes the following items:
■ FM transmitter
■ iPod auto charger
■ Mini-jack to RCA cable
■ Six-foot audio cable extension
■ Mini-jack to mini-jack cable
■ iPod carrying pouch

Web Site: www.drbott.com
Pros: Great versatility and includes what you need to use an iPod with home and car stereos; the included FM transmitter is a good way to play iPod music over other components; great value because of the variety of components it includes; supports iPods and iPod minis.
Cons: Cable quality not as good as the Apple or XtremeMac kits.

Dr. Bott iPod Universal Connection Kit

Dr. Bott is another excellent source of iPod accessory items. The Dr. Bott iPod Universal Connection Kit includes a wide variety of components that you can use to connect your iPod to both home and car stereos. Its components include the following:
■ Cassette adapter
■ iPod auto charger
■ Mini-jack to RCA cable
■ Six-foot audio cable extension
■ Mini-jack to mini-jack cable
■ iPod carrying pouch

Web Site: www.drbott.com
Pros: Great versatility and includes what you need to use an iPod with home and car stereos; great value because of the variety of components it includes; supports iPods and iPod minis.
Cons: No FM support; cable quality not as good as the Apple or XtremeMac kits.

XtremeMac’s Get Connected iPod Audio Kit

XtremeMac is an excellent company that provides all sorts of iPod accessories. The XtremeMac Get Connected iPod Audio Kit provides a broad range of tools to enable you to use an iPod with both a home stereo and a car stereo. Its components include the following:
■ Cassette adapter
■ iPod car charger
■ iShare earbud splitter
■ Mini-jack to RCA cable
■ Seven-foot audio cable extension
■ Mini-jack to mini-jack cable

Web Site: www.xtrememac.com
Pros: Extremely versatile kit that includes what you need to use your iPod in just about any situation; excellent value because of the number and type of components; supports both iPods and iPod minis; good quality cables.
Cons: No FM support.

Apple’s iPod Stereo Connection Kit

The Apple iPod Stereo Connection Kit enables you to connect an iPod to a home sound system. It includes the following components:
■ Stereo Mini-jack to RCA cable
■ FireWire to Dock connector cable
■ Power adapter
■ Dock base
■ Dock covers
Notice that this kit includes several items that might have been included with your iPod, those being the Dock, power adapter, and the FireWire to Dock connector cable. These are indeed the same components that you might already have. The only thing unique to this kit is the Stereo Mini-jack to RCA cable.

To use this kit, you connect the Dock to your stereo and then place an iPod in the Dock when you want to listen to it over the stereo (you’ll see the details of this in a later section in this chapter). Because everything you need is included, you can quickly and easily connect your iPod to a home stereo. The included power adapter and Dock mean that you don’t need to mess around with cables when you want to listen to your iPod’s music. You simply place your iPod in the Dock, and its music is instantly accessible. However, this kit is somewhat limited when compared to other kits described in this chapter because it doesn’t provide components you can use to connect an iPod to a car stereo as well.

Web Site: www.apple.com
Pros: High quality Monster cable; includes Dock and the accessories you need to power the iPod when using it with a home stereo.
Cons: No auto stereo components; no iPod mini support; expensive.

iPod Mini Armband by Apple Computer

If you prefer to wear your iPod mini on your arm, you can use the iPod mini This band features a neoprene wrap that goes around your arm and adjusts via a Velcro strap. You then snap the iPod mini into the armband’s holder. This type of holder can be more comfortable to wear than those that use a belt clip.
Web Site: store.apple.com
Pros: Holds the iPod mini firmly in a convenient location for exercise or other activity; neoprene helps protect the iPod mini from moisture coming through the band.
Cons: Wide band is stiff and cumbersome to use and somewhat uncomfortable to wear; doesn’t protect the iPod mini from any elements or inadvertent contact.

Deluxe iPod Case by XtremeMac

XtremeMac’s Deluxe iPod Case provides good protection for your iPod and features a swivel belt clip design to make attaching or removing the iPod from your belt fast and easy. The design of the clip attaching system prevents the iPod from being ejected from the clip unless it has been rotated to 90 degrees (if you have ever used a cell phone whose clip doesn’t require this, you understand why this is good). The case’s cover is permanently attached to the case; you access the iPod by flipping the cover up (it is held down by Velcro). When you do, there is nothing between the iPod and your fingers to interfere with controlling the unit.

• Web Site: www.xtrememac.com
• List Price: $29.95
• Pros: Swivel clip design makes attaching and removing your iPod to and from your belt fast and easy; cover design prevents damage to iPod screen from rubbing contact; Headphones and Remote ports always accessible; quick flip of the cover provides access to Dock Connector port and iPod controls and display; available in black or camel tweed.
• Cons: Cover design makes the use of devices that attach to the top of the iPod, such as the iTrip, cumbersome.

SportSuit Convertible by Marware

The SportSuit Convertible is a “big brother” to the SportSuit Basic. In addition to all of that case’s features, the Convertible also sports a cover to fully enclose and protect your iPod. (The Convertible gets its name because you can easily remove the cover when you don’t need the extra protection it offers.) You also get an armband so that you can wear your iPod on your arm while exercising or in other situations.

• Web Site: www.marware.com
• List Price: $39.95
• Pros: With its cover installed, the Convertible offers maximum protection for your iPod; cover can be removed easily; when the cover is removed, the Convertible provides good access to the iPod display and controls; belt clip makes it easy to carry your iPod with you; armband is included; other clip options are available; available in many colors.
• Cons: None.

SportSuit Basic by Marware

Marware is a leading provider of iPod cases, and its SportSuit series enables you understand why. The SportSuit Basic case offers a durable neoprene exterior that helps protect an iPod from moisture and other elements. The case enables you to access the iPod’s controls, screen, and ports so that you can do everything you need to while the iPod is in its case (except place it in a Dock). The SportSuit features a belt clip—you can remove the clip and replace it with other clips available from the manufacturer.

• Web Site: www.marware.com
• List Price: $24.95
• Pros: Good protection for your iPod; provides access to the iPod display and controls; belt clip makes it easy to carry your iPod with you; other clip options are available.
• Cons: None.

iPod use faces hurdles

BY DUSTIN DOW | DDOW@ENQUIRER.COM
Lauren Hartwig plans to break the rules in Sunday's Flying Pig Marathon.

Hartwig will be running to the soundtrack supplied by her iPod, which might play inspirational tracks by U2 or the Killers to help her through the half-marathon.

"The music gets my mind off running long distances," Hartwig, 24, of Hyde Park, said. "But anytime a slow song comes on, I change it. Slow songs make me run slower."

Regardless of the beat, Hartwig will be violating race rules enacted to protect her. A controversial headphone/earbud prohibition in marathons nationwide has turned iPod-toting runners such as Hartwig into scofflaws.

"Really, they're not allowed?" Hartwig's friend Elizabeth Yoke asked last Saturday before a training run, a look of anxiety suddenly transforming her face. "I don't think I'll be able to run without my iPod."

Fear not, iPod addicts: Race officials won't be policing for ear buds Sunday. Runners aren't going to be disqualified for strapping a nano to their bicep or a shuffle on their waist.

"We're just going to discourage people from using them," Flying Pig executive director Iris Simpson-Bush said. "But we're not going to be pulling people off the course or making them remove their iPods before the race."

The iPod issue has become so controversial that the rule, which was put in place in the fall of 2006, will be reviewed by the USA Track and Field long distance executive committee next month.

The USATF sanctions many American marathons, including the Flying Pig, and is responsible for accrediting courses as qualifiers for the prestigious Boston Marathon. Individual marathons are then bound by USATF rules, which include the unevenly enforced headphone ban.

"It's almost become an unenforceable rule," said Fred Finke, chairman of the long-distance board.

"So it would be a failure of my leadership if we don't address this in the next month or two because right now it's a rule that's just not working. Still, it's a safety issue because if you have headphones in, you can't hear directions from a course monitor if there's an emergency."

The USATF has three options, Finke said. Rescind the rule, keep it as is, or rescind it but recommend that races not allow headphones.

No official action can be taken until December at the USATF annual convention. But even the hint of removal is encouraging for Flying Pig officials who have heatedly debated in board meetings over whether or not to enforce the rule.

"If they rescinded the rule, it would be a lot easier for us," Simpson-Bush said. "We don't feel it's appropriate to put ourselves in a position of policing this."

The Flying Pig's policy of discouragement without enforcement aligns with most marathons but is at odds with the Twin Cities Marathon in Minneapolis, where 176 runners were disqualified in October. Ten pairs of volunteers were stationed throughout the course to watch for runners with iPods.

"I thought there would be more enforcement by other marathons," Twin Cities director Virginia Brophy Achman said. "When you're training all those weeks on trails or open roads, it's dangerous to have headphones on."

In Cincinnati, the marathon might be forced into a "sticky situation," Simpson-Bush said, especially if a race winner or top finisher wears an iPod. That would prompt Flying Pig officials to disqualify a champion in order to comply with USATF rules.

But such a scenario is unlikely, because serious runners don't wear headphones in either training sessions or races.

"When you run faster, the headphones tend to be uncomfortable," Finke said. "Slower runners don't notice them as much. So we see most iPods in the half-marathons or with about 50 percent of the people in the back half of marathons."

Mark Dobrozsi of Sedamsville will run in his first half-marathon Sunday, but is so serious about preparing for the race that he abhors the idea of running with an iPod.

"I tried wearing one, but I found myself playing with it and breaking stride and momentum," Dobrozsi said. "Part of running is being able to focus on how you're feeling. The iPod brings in so many distractions to that process."

Those distractions are exactly why Woodlawn's Joe Gast will be wearing an iPod in the half-marathon, running with encouragement from Eminem and Pearl Jam.

"I want to be distracted," Gast said. "I find running to be boring, and without an iPod, it hurts a lot."

Michael Fecher will consider both sides of the argument Sunday when he is running the full marathon, listening to artists such as Big & Rich as well as passing traffic.

"I've got two ears," Fecher said. "But I'm only going to have headphones in one of them."

iTrip by Griffin Technology

The iTrip transforms your iPod into an FM radio station. Installing the unit onto your iPod is as easy as connecting it to the Headphones and Remote ports on top of the iPod. Then you run the iTrip installer from the included CD.
After you have installed the iTrip’s software, a playlist called iTrip Stations will be installed in your iTunes Library. You then update your iPod so that this playlist is moved into the iPod’s music library.
To select the frequency on which you want to broadcast your iPod’s music, you browse the iTrip Stations playlist and then choose the frequency you want to use. After you press the Play button, the iTrip will be set to use the frequency you selected. The iTrip’s LED indicates when the selected frequency has been started on the iPod by first blinking rapidly; when this happens, you pause the iPod and the LED blinks three times slowly to let you know that frequency has been selected. After that, you tune your FM radio to the frequency you selected and play the iPod to listen to its music.
My main qualm about this unit is that it takes some time to get used to how to know when the frequency you have selected is being used—you have to look for a series of LED blinks to let you know this. And, it would be nice if there were some way to use a remote at the same time you are using the iTrip.
Other than those quibbles, this is an excellent device, and its range of available FM frequencies can’t be beat by any other transmitter. Because it doesn’t require cables, it is definitely the cleanest and easiest unit to manage.

Web Site: www.griffintechnology.com
List Price: $35
Pros: Unit attaches firmly to the iPod; provides an astounding range of radio stations to use (basically you can use any available station); very stylish; no cables to deal with; the iPod and transmitter become one unit; powered by the iPod, so you have no additional batteries to deal with; works with the iPod and iPod mini.
Cons: Fills the Remote and Headphones ports, so you can’t use the iTrip and a remote control at the same time; requires more complex steps to select the radio station to use.

PocketDock by Sendstation

This simple device enables you to use any standard six-pin FireWire cable with any
iPod with a Dock connector
Web Site: www.drbott.com
List Price: $18.95
Pros: Comes in handy when you don’t have the cable you need with a Dock connector or if you have accessories designed for the Original iPod; works with the iPod and iPod mini.
Cons: None.