iPod nano: Fashion accessories

The podcessories market has exploded in recent years. And with the introduction of the iPod nano comes a whole new line of glittering electro-jewellery for users to dangle, clasp and clad their iPods in. The nouveau-technorati, having abandoned the tenets of previous civilisations, now delay child-rearing until their late 30s and, instead, cradle these surrogate iPod children in fashionable caddies and bags, tending to them and dressing them up -- like parents doting on a newborn.

While Shoreditch art students dressed in trendy bohemian rags compare Shuffle stickers, suits in the city demote colleagues for having the wrong-coloured lanyard. Podcessories have become the tribal markings of a tech-literate elite. In a world where every other graphic designer owns an iPod, what is there to differentiate you other than the accessories you pick?

Here in the airy loft apartment of Crave, one media sensei has chosen the blue iPod nano Armband (£19) to attach her nano to a lithe bicep. This is a great looking podcessory (have a look at it here), and it comes in the kind of packaging we're more used to seeing in the Harrods foodhall. Both a delight to behold and a thrill to wear, it will keep you the toast of your gym for many a week to come. Plus, when someone asks what charity your iPod armband represents, you can point at the Apple logo and say, "corporate America".

Other podcessories from Apple include the nano Tubes (pictured), a lanyard with built-in headphones, in-ear headphones, a dock and a USB power adaptor. -CS.