Speaker dock
A speaker dock is one of the most used accessories I have ever bought. The JBL On Stage IIIP is a highly rated unit with good sound quality. I own a JBL On Stage speaker and have found it to be well made, faultless and produce high sound quality. If you want the added ability to view your video and photos on a television screen you could consider the Klipsch iGroove SXT MFI iPod Speaker System which also provides an S-video output.

The JBL On Stage IIIP

Klipsch iGroove SXT MFI

Alarm Clock
If you are wanting to pair your device with your radio alarm clock; the Sony ICFC7IP Clock Radio for iPod looks like a choice that a lot of people are very happy with. It is a reasonable price and includes a full function remote control. The only thing that some people have highlighted as a problem is the display being too bright.

Sony ICFC7IP Clock Radio

Device stand
If you use your iPod or iPhone at your desk, as an alarm clock or like to watch a lot of video content you may find a stand useful. The Mobis Technology Xtand for iPod Touch 2G or iPhone is a well engineered solid aluminum king of stands.

Mobis Technology Xtand for iPod Touch 2G

Mobis Technology St-188 Xtand for iPhone 3g

iPod Touch microphone
The features of the iPod Touch can be extended considerably with the addition of a microphone. Adding a microphone allows you to make recordings, take voice notes and even use your Touch as a Skype phone. There are a few different microphones available but I feel the tiny ones are most useful. I would like to get a ThumbTack Micro-Microphone but it looks like the Mini Microphone is also a good option.

ThumbTack Micro-Microphone Black for iPod Touch 2g & iPod Nano 4G

Mini Microphone Mike & Speaker for ALL Apple iPod & iPhones

Stylus Pen
Yes I know what you’re thinking; Why would anybody need a stylus for an iPhone or Touch when you can just use your finger. I agree, in most cases your finger is fine but I have a few drawing app which I think could be easier to use with a stylus, as well as a couple of freehand writing apps. Its not easy writing with your finger. I also think if you wear gloves a lot a stylus could be particularly useful. It seems the stylus of the moment is the Pogo Stylus which also comes with a useful clip that keeps it attached to your device.

SELECT Pogo Stylus Pen for Apple iPhone 3G, 3G S (Black)

FM transmitter for the car
Perhaps the most useful FM transmitter is one that not only transmits your music to your car radio but also charges your device and provides a means to hold it. The Griffin RoadTrip 6195-RDTRPB with Smartscan seems to be a reasonable option as does the Cygnett GrooveTransmit. Both of these devices provide a cradle for your iPhone or Touch which is supported by a short flexible gooseneck with a cigarette plug on the end. If you feel you don’t need the charger or cradle you could try TeckNet MT-096 or Griffin iTrip

Griffin RoadTrip 6265-RDTRPB2 for iPhone and iPod

Cygnett GrooveTransmit FM Transmitter/Charger and Cradle for iPod and iPhone

TeckNet MT-096 Apple FM Transmitter For Apple iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3G S and other iPod Player

Car mount
If you don’t need an FM transmitter but just want to mount your device in your car, perhaps to use as a GPS you may want a simple car mount. The Kensington Car Mount seems to be a simple solution with good reviews. Alternatively the Sunwire – In Car Holder & Charger looks good and comes with a charger. The possible advantage of the Kensington option is it seems it will take a wider range of devices plus you don’t need to remove them from their cases. Macally make a mount that fits into your car cup holder. If your cup holder is rarely used the Macally mCup could be a great solution. Be aware that unless very thin you will probably need to remove your case with the Macally solution.

Kensington Car Mount for iPod and MP3 Players

Sunwire – In Car Holder & Charger – iPhone 3G/3GS

MCUP Adjustable Car cup holder mount for iphone and ipod

AV dock
There are a range of docks and cables that allow you to plug your device into sound systems and/or televisions. In my opinion a dock is a little more convenient than cables as it means you don’t have to fiddle about with…well…cables. The Logic3 WIP040 Prodock is a versatile dock with great reviews on Amazon. If you prefer cables you could try the Griffin HomeConnect – iPod audio / video cable. Please note that the video component of this cable does not work with the iPhone or Touch but does work with other video iPods that can send video through their headphone jacks.

Logic3 WIP040 Prodock for iPhone/iPod

Griffin HomeConnect – iPod audio / video cable (video does not work with iPod Touch or iPhone)

Protective case
I spent a lot of time looking for a case before I settled on the one I currently have. I was looking for one that was quick and easy to use, protected the whole device yet when in use covered the face as little as possible. It also had to look good. I didn’t want film covering the screen, case on the front of the device or the need to remove the device from a pouch to use it. What do you mean I’m fussy? My searching finally paid off when I found the Proporta Leather Style Protective Case. It is a very smart looking leather effect case with a flip up front cover. The iPhone or Touch is held to the back cover of the case by a couple of covered metal grips so when open your device is fully exposed. I have owned this case for almost a year now and still love it.

Proporta Leather Style Protective Case (Apple 2G iPod touch) – Black

Proporta Leather Style Protective Case for Apple 3G iPhone

Additional battery power
The battery on the iPhone or iPod Touch runs down quite quickly when being used for video, games and other graphic or processor intensive applications (See my post on extending battery life here). When traveling, this can become quite an issue. The solution is an additional battery and or solar charger. In a previous post I recommended the Freeloader Globe Trotter, a portable charger/battery system that can be charged by its solar panels. This appears to be a perfect solution but having owned it for a couple of months I find my self unable to recommend it again. If you’re away for long periods of time and unable to find regular charge points you may require a battery with a solar charger. The PowerMonkey Explorer’ Portable Charger has some very good reviews and is an incredible versatile device. If you don’t require the option to charge via the sun I would consider the Kensington Battery Pack And Charger or the mStation Mohpie Juice Pack- Case & Rechargeable 1800mA Battery. The advantage of the mStation option is it takes the form of a case which means you don’t have to worry about separate batteries and cables.

PowerMonkey Explorer’ Portable Charger – Yellow

Kensington Battery Pack And Charger For iPhone And iPod

mStation Mohpie Juice Pack- Case & Rechargeable 1800mA Battery for iPod Touch 2nd Gen

mStation Mohpie Juice Pack- Case & Rechargeable 1800mA Battery for iPhone 3G

There you go! Ten suggested Christmas gifts for the iPhone or iPod Touch user. I won’t be at all offended if you want to send me one of them

The links in the copy above are my Amazon affiliate links. I searched many many different sites for products I would want to buy and in every case the products I selected were available at Amazon and at a lower cost.

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Keep it sleeping

Make it sleep quickly.
Obvious, I know but the longer your device is awake the more power it uses. You can help minimise awake time by making sure the Auto-Lock feature is set to put your device to sleep as quickly as possible. Go to Settings > General > Auto – Lock and set it to the default 1 Minute. Don’t forget that you can also manually put it to sleep by pressing the sleep button at the top of your device.

Avoid turning it off
Unless you intend not using your device for quite a long time it is probably best to avoid turning your device off completely. Restarting your iPod or iPhone is likely to use more power than you will save. When not in use for short periods of time just use the sleep mode.

Turn off features you don’t need.

Turn Off  WiFi
If you’re not in range of WiFi or just don’t need to use it you could save a bit of juice by turning it off. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and switch it to off. Whilst there you could also turn off “Ask to join Networks”

Turn Off EQ
Having EQ turned on uses more of your devices processor and battery power. Turn off EQ by going to Settings > Music > EQ and selecting Off.

Turn Off Bluetooth
If this is something you dont use much make sure it is turned off. Go to Settings > General > Bluetooth and turn it off.

Turn off Location Services
Decide how often you use this feature and if its not very often, turn it off. Go to Settings > General > and flick the switch next to Location Services.

Minimise the number of times your device performs automatic tasks

Reduce how often your device fetches mail.
Applications such as Mail, fetch data automatically at pre set intervals. You can save a bit of battery life by reducing how often this happens. Go to Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Fetch New Data and select a longer period of time in the Fetch list. Even better set it to manually. Whilst here you could also turn off Push. Rather than emails constantly being pushed to your push mail accounts they will simply be received according to your Fetch settings.

Stop your iPhone from searching for a network
If you know you are in an area where there is a very weak or no mobile network it may be a good idea to turn on Airplane mode. This will stop your iPhone from constantly trying to find a connection. Go to Settings and switch on Airplane mode.

Turn Off 3G
If you don’t require the speed that 3G offers, you may be able to save a bit of energy by just using EDGE. Go to Settings > General > Network and set 3G to Off.

Avoid bright screens

Turn down the screen brightness
The display on the iPod Touch & iPhone is a major battery drain. When its bright and busy its using lots of pawer. You can minimise its effect on your battery by keeping the brightness down as low as possible. Go to Settings > Brightness and drag the slider to the left as far as you feel comfortable with. You can also make it even more efficient by switching on Auto-Brightness.

Minimise the use of third party app’s
Using app’s that keep the screen illuminated such as games will of course drain the battery. The more you can avoid using these the more your battery will thank you. The most efficient entertainment your device can provide is playing music.

Don’t use colourful wallpapers
If you really want to take this to a silly extreme you could also make sure you don’t use any bright wallpapers. A black background requires little energy.

Avoid excessive processor use

Minimise the use of complex games
Its good to be aware that running many of the third party app’s such as games not only cause lots of battery draining screen activity, but also make the iPods processor work harder. This of course drains the battery.

If all else fails

Use a mobile charger or battery pack.
If you just enjoy using your iPod or iPhone too much to consider many of the above options, or you just need to play high octane 3D video games on your travels; you could always consider carrying an additional battery pack with you. Some battery packs also come with solar panels so you need never be without your iPod or iPhone again. Freeloader make a good range of solar and battery charging combinations. By far the most versatile and acclaimed is the Freeloader Globe Trotter. Take a look at the Freeloader range by clicking below.

Freeloader solar chargers

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