iPod Accessories Review: The Earpod and Pop Cable Yoyo

Are you suffering from earbud damage? Perhaps one of the newest iPod accessories will help you reform your ways and become a unencumbered listener. Two new products, the Earpod and the Pop YoYo are aiming to keep earbud cords free of knots and make listening to your tunes a more pleasant experience.

My husband and I share an iPod and have very different storage styles. He neatly wraps the cord around the iPod after each use. I'm more of a let-it-all-hang-loose kind of gal. Which has resulted in damaged cords and inferior sound. In an effort to improve my behavior, I tried out these new items.

The first to try was the EzGear Earpod. Earpods come in three colors: white, pink or black and retail for around $9.99. This tiny, round storage unit is about 2 1/2" in diameter and 1" high.

Let's start with the plus side. The storage unit is lined in felt to keep your earpieces padded and secure (rather than rolling around loose in your backpack or handbag) a plus for anyone who's had to deal with the hassle and expense of buying a new ear pod (price range from $9.99 for cheap ones to $100 for Bose in-ear headphones). Once I got the door open to the storage unit (I admit to struggling a bit), I was easily able to wind up the cord and store my ear buds. Everything was nice and neat. The price is also attractive. You really can't go wrong with a investment under $10.

That being said, I found the overall design of the Earpod a tad flimsy. The door has stiff opening mechanism, which I found a bit awkward. It did loosen over time, but I don't think the design is flawless. The clip is also clunky. I can't imagine actually attaching this item to my clothing (as advertised)-it would be too geeky for me.

On to the next device is hope for style and substance. I was in luck. The POP suction cup organizer from Blue Lounge is a much cooler design. And happily, once again, this little device wasn't a big investment, it's only $9.99.

I like the simple design. The Pop suctions on to you iPod (note it won't fit a Nano) and then allows you to wrap the earpiece cord around the base unit of the Pop. With the cord wrapped up, you simply clip your earbuds to the Pop's clip to keep them safe and secure.

It was cleaner and simpler than the Earpod. It was a snap to set up and work and it looks cool too! The Pop comes with ten different decals to personalize your look. I opted for the bold "Paul Smith" looking stripe. Since it looks good and is a snap to use, this would be my choice for organization.

One negative, it's really not protecting against battering and damage. The ear buds will still get knocked around. So this POP is best suited to iPod listeners who don't let their gear get wadded up at the bottom of their bags (not me).

According to Wikipedia, Apple is rolling in the dough. As of September 2007, the brand has sold more than 110 million units. This means there willundoubtedly be more gear to come, but for now I'm doing my best to turn over a new leaf and leave the cord-nest days behind me.