Incipio Feather for iPod shuffle

Each time Apple has released a progressively tinier iPod shuffle, skeptics have predicted that it would finally be the first iPod model that couldn’t be accessorized. They said it again about the third generation shuffle, and they’ve been again proved wrong. While a number of third party shuffle-specific earbuds (complete with in-line playback control) have been announced, none have yet arrived. But in the mean time 3G shuffle owners will have to settle for more basic accessories such as Incipio’s Feather.



Consisting of a single piece of super thin hard plastic, the Feather serves two purposes: change the color of your shuffle from the front and sides, and keep those surfaces from getting scratched up. The desire for color choice on the part of 3G shuffle users isn’t surprising, as the previous shuffle came in half a dozen different colors, and the new shuffle only comes in silver or black. The protection angle is less apparent, as the brushed metal of the shuffle’s front and sides are the least likely to get nicked up during use; and it’s actually the reflective chrome clip on the back that’s highly prone to scratching, and yet the Feather does nothing to protect it. Then again, the shuffle’s clip is nearly always hidden while being worn, and a product like this is probably more likely to be purchased for its color options than its protection angle.



The fact that three different colored Feathers come in each $14 package sounds great until you realize it’s not the easiest product in the world to remove. In fact I had to set the base of the clip on the edge of my desk while pushing downward on the Feather just to get it to slide off. That suggests that the product is best left attached semi-permanently, meaning that you’re really buying a three-pack just to get your favorite color. And I’m not sure how many users want the company’s name displayed that large on the front of their shuffle. This is a decent start, but you might want to wait to see what else the industry has up its sleeve for the third generation shuffle.

Learn more at MyIncipio.com