ipods halo effect

iPod's Halo Effect

The iPod's success is helping not just Apple but a whole lot of other

companies that make accessories for the world's most popular MP3

player. The accessories include FM transmitters, speakers and now even

clothing specially designed to accomodate the iPod. I read a little

while back on BusinessWeek that some innovative entrepreneurs were

even making an iPod-holder designed like a cross to attract the

gospel-loving, staunch Christians! According to this article, the

portable digital player accessory revenue was $412 million in the US

in the first 9 months of 2005. And most of it is probably due to the

iPod, which is credited with creating an entire ecosphere around it.

Since I used to listen to songs mostly when driving, I was initially

looking at buying an FM transmitter for my iPod. But I recently bought

iHome's IH5, a clock radio for the iPod. The iPod docks onto it so

that you can then play songs from the iPod through its speakers. The

sound quality is good(nobody is gonna mistake it for a Bose though!)

and it more than replaces my old Boombox since I don't have to keep

changing CDs now.

Its pretty amazing how the iPod a lowly MP3 player, is slowly making

other everyday items obsolete with the help of such accessories. With

its different avatars like the iPod Photo, iPod Video, etc. and the

multitude of accessories, the iPod can now replace the

walkman/discman, the car stereo, the boombox, the photo album and

theoretically, even the TV. The day may not be far when a person can