Belkin Sports Wireless iPod Control

By Geoff Duncan Published October 10, 2006

Belkin Sports Wireless iPod Control — Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you have trouble coming up with gift ideas for the music-loving (or podcast-loving) extreme sports enthusiast in your life, accessory maker Belkin wants you to know about their new SportCommand for iPod. The basic idea is that users can tuck their iPod away in a jacket, backpack, pocket, or other protected area, and control it via a weather-resistent pad on a fabric armband—perfect for snowboarders, skiers, mountain bikers, climbing, and other outdoor activities.

The SportsCommand offers big buttons for easy control through gloves (play/pause, next/previous, volume), and uses a tough neoprene and velcro strap to latch onto an arm, leg, or nearby sled dog. The command pad is weather resistant, hand-washable, and offers a 50-foot wireless range which Belkin says works through backpacks, jackets, and even walls, Could make for some good pranking: although we assume there’s a receiver accessory which attaches to the iPod (and drains battery power) to enable wireless control, and that might give away any iPod-practical joke you’re planning.

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The SportCommand for iPod is compatible with most recent iPods (except the shuffle), and carries a suggested retail price of $79.99. It will ship in November in North America, with rollouts in Europe, Australia, and Asia to follow.

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Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

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