Creative has introduced an ingenious iPod accessory

The TravelSound i85 may be of interest to iPod Nano 4G owners.

It is difficult to show something new in the flood of accessories for iPod models, but Creative is attempting the impossible with the TravelSound i85: in addition to functioning as a speaker, the device also enriches the repertoire of the portable player with an FM radio. A product that enjoys the official support of Apple would not be special in itself, since dozens of external speakers are available for the given iPod generation, but the presence of an integrated FM radio is already considered a cuckoo's egg in the by no means narrow field. In particular, the radio can be controlled via software directly from the iPod, so there is no question of a solution familiar from the Chinese markets, where the ingenious "engineers" integrate several products that work completely independently into a single injection-molded plastic body. It is still doubtful with what sound quality the TravelSound i85 will dazzle the high-end, but Creative's name can be somewhat of a guarantee in this area. On the plus side, the ingenious device can operate for up to 15 hours thanks to its built-in lithium-polymer battery, and it can be charged via a standard USB socket. A useful feature is that through the latter we have the opportunity to synchronize the iPod with the computer, and its power supply is also ensured through the accessory.

The product, which will hit stores at a suggested retail price of $ 149, could hit the market as early as May, but we can’t say for sure yet when European sales will begin.