Gorilla Cases are a young enterprise out of Berlin who create rad carbon fiber iPod and iPhone cases. Love it.

Russ Mills is one of our favorite artists, but has a knack for selling out his prints in less than 24 hours. It can be frustrating, but when you actually get your hands on one it’s very satisfying. He's finally released a product that hopefully won't be gone by the time you read this. Partnering with Infectious, he has lent one of his images, “Tilisis,” for you to stick on your gadgets. Only one image is available but in various sizes for Laptop (MAC & PC), iPhone and iPods. Staying constant he has kept his prices low; $30 for a laptop, $15 for iPhone/iPod.

If you've missed out on his previous print releases, this is a sure way to get your hands on a Russ Mills something. In related news, there are talks of a Russ Mills London gallery show very soon. Hopefully, we'll see some more prints soon too. We'll let you know.

Personally, we’ve always wanted an iPod dock that looks exactly like a bent staple. Haven’t you? Should it be put into production, not only will this little device help you have dreams of Office Space with its helpful bed light, the Sang-Hoon Lee designed device will also blast out your music while its speakers go unnoticed. What are you going to do, go buy the iHome at Target? Really. But, while you’re checking out the Korean artist’s work and waiting for this concept to become a reality, don’t miss another of his concept designs: a lamp in the shape of a coffee cup that pours out light through a little bendy straw. How cute!

If only more online stores had a typeface purchase option. Japanese design firm LoWorks sells books, DVDs, and toys when it isn’t busy being awarded Favourite Website Awards‘ Site of the Day and collaborating with Nike and Yahoo. Takashi Murakami hasn’t got anything on the imaginative iPod video and Nano skins that art director and LoWorks CEO Haruki Higashi has created. The bright and often elephant-themed work looks best on screen, but T-shirts suffice in a pinch.

As technology evolves, our favorite electronics get smaller. The 4G iPod Nano is one of these small, sleek pieces of gadgetry that’s easy to lose track of. The new iVolution grip from Vaja Cases ensures that it remains tethered to your person by utilizing their new rivet clip system. You can attach your iPod two way: using the GoClip, which hooks into your belt loop, or the Rivet Kingpin Chain that somewhat resembles a wallet chain. Either way is better than it getting scuffed up in your inhospitable pocket.

Different people have different opinions about LeRoy Jenkins. If you’re a jazz aficionado, Jenkins is a musician who played with legendary cats in the 60s and 70s. If you’re a gamer, Jenkins was a character Ben Schultz created to play in World of Warcraft that received undue attention. And, if you’re part of the fashion and design world, LeRoy Jenkins is an apparel designer whose work is defined by fresh bold colors, old-world filigree, and a down-home Southern feel. MusicSkins is now selling four skins of Jenkins’ design that offer plenty of pop – from the black-and-green skin featuring collard greens to the floral one that looks like you pulled it straight off your great aunt’s parlor chair – for those brave enough to make a statement.

I love listening to my iPod while I’m on the go but I hate having to deal with the wires. I always end up accidentally ripping my earphones out because they get in the way. Luckily, Icelandic design firm Preggioni has just released a genius solution to keep those loose wires neat and tidy. The Magneat lets you adjust your earphones to the perfect length, while two strong magnets are used to safely fasten the wire to any garment. Take that, flailing arms.

Ladybugs are known for being lucky and making your garden look great. Element Skateboards are known for pumping out slick-looking boards for pro and amateur skateboarders alike. And now the two have been brought together for a new line of iPod docks by Element. The docks feature speakers that open like the wings of a ladybug and while some of the docks – available at Vestalife’s online shop are standard, but spiffier, iPod docks that play music, charge your iPod, etc. – others are one-off art pieces available on eBay that are for merely sitting there and looking good.

Either way, all proceeds from the docks designed by thirteen Element/VestaLife artists – including Aaron Martinez, Craig Metzger, and Dan Severson – help kids attend their Element YMCA Skateboard Camp that otherwise couldn’t afford it. So, while they may not give you any extra boost of luck when you try to land more nollies or kickflips, at least you’ll make someone else feel lucky this summer.

Your iPod is a vital organ. It contains the music and video essential to your everyday existence and sits comfortably in the palm of your hand or wherever you keep it. While your other vital organs are protected by at least your epidermal layer, your iPod isn't quite as safe. If you've chosen to protect it at all there's a chance you're doing so with a flimsy cloth pouch provided by the manufacturer. Could you imagine protecting your spleen that way? To help you protect your vital technological organ we recommend The Tinbot. These iPod cases are made of impact resistant tin of the highest quality and have padding lined insides, not to mention headphone and charging ports. While your iPod is snug and safe inside, it's always stylish on the outside as these cases are adorned with designs from art world luminaries like toy designers MAD, SKET-ONE, and Christopher Lee; DC Comics master JOCK, as well as Urban Artists Parra, Kurt Ketchum and 7Sleepr. If that doesn't add enough flava for your eyes, there's also a white matte Tinbot case that you can customize yourself. Paint it like an Altoids case to confuse potential thieves.

Orbino, the Italian Company that lives to cover iPhones in tanned Tuscan leathers, just released a new hand-stitched case for the iPod Touch. Called the Corsa, the new skin comes in several colors and a richly stained wood, and carries the same features as Urbino’s other premium cases. Unlike many if the iSomething cases out there, Urbino’s skins respect the already elegant contours of Apple products, making your phone or music player look extra sleek instead of extra safe. Check out the full line here.

I have some first pressings of David Bowie albums on vinyl, graciously bequeathed to me from my uncle, but my annoying OCD and penchant for worrying have kept me from playing them, because I’m afraid of the scratches that might attack. Instead I’ll listen to burned CD versions, grumbling like an old lady about how much better sounding the LP version I have in the closet is. No surprise — it’s a complaint shared among stalwart vinyl lovers. But hooray, hooray, the LP-to-iPod Converter is finally going to change the vinyl versus digital debate. It’s designed as a turntable-slash-iPod dock that makes it easy turning your vinyl into digital files, all the while keeping the original quality of the record intact. You could also hook it up instead to your computer directly and use the included software to remove imperfections, but I can’t guess why you’d want to do that. Put in your orders now; the converter ships on December 20th for $260, maybe just in time for Christmas for a vinyl-loving boy/girlfriend who will love you forever as a result when they unwrap this.

A mere 4 months ago, we told you about the ultra-thin ultra-colorful iPod Cases from Shades, but 4 months ago there were no such things as the iPod Nano 3G and the iPod classic. Now we’re pleased to announce that the folks at Shades are keeping up with Joneses, if the Joneses were iPods and therefore have come up with a new line of said ultra-thin, ultra-colorful cases for the brand new line of Apple audio amusement appliances. While probably not as colorful as the music you listen to, the cases are available in 10 vivid “shades” (9 for the Nano 3G) from clearly original to serene green to hot pink, so you’ll certainly have no problem being noticed as you rock on down the block. And if making slick safe shells for your musical machinery wasn’t enough the Shades team is also charitable towards your cause offering a free iPod case with every 100th case ordered, a free 8GB iPod Nano 3G to the 1000th case ordered, and an 8GB iPhone to the 2,007th case that is ordered through their website. Now, if that don’t beat all.

Warning: do not pop Contexture’s cassette tape nano cases into your boombox hoping to hear all of those sweet tunes you taped off the radio back in 1985, because they don't work like that; while they may look like the tapes you used to record hits like El Debarge's Rhythm of the Night and Prince's Let's Go Crazy off your favorite Top 40 station, you'd have a hard time producing any sound from these audio ancestors. However, if you do own an (older-gen) iPod Nano and happen to have said sweet tunes on your playlist, feel free to rock out with your fancy new technology placed snugly inside one of these shelled-out former cassette tapes and feel the beat of the Rhythm of the Night all day or as Lionel Richie would have recommended, all night long.

swissmiss via Core77

The trend towards designer speakers that focus on aesthetics rather than technical specifications seems to be growing. I am not sure how NXT does it, but they continue to find companies to create with “innovative” ways to use their flat speaker technology. The latest comes from a company out of Switzerland called XOUNTS, which offers wireless speakers with a choice of “skins” for the ultimate in chic home decor. The 2.1 system even packs in a light source which, when lit, reminds me of Chinese lanterns…except these play music and naturally, there’s also a wireless iPod option available. Pretty sweet.

At any given time I have between fifteen and forty playlists that I actively listen to, each of them slightly different and tailored to fit exactly what mood I’m in, and generally the only time I actually share these with other people is when I’m tending bar and playing the iPod-DJ. Every now and then, though, I get inspired and/or get in one of those sappy-generous moods and start making mixtapes (okay, more like mix-zips or mixcds, but you get my point) for people left and right — a lovely tradition originally started by my friends Angela and Eric. I shared a playlist with you earlier this summer, and it got such a great response that I thought I’d do it again. This one’s a mix of some artists I consider go-to’s (The Wrens, Cold War Kids, Built to Spill) and some amazingly terrific new stuff pilfered from the goodness that is Peel (Spoon, Pinback, John Vanderslice). My full playlist is after the jump; you know what to do in the comments*.

*Addendum: You’re supposed to go ahead and post a playlist of your own. Sorry for the confusion.
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