The case that will snuggle with you

The iKitty is too cute! It's obvious that the creators didn't just go on a lark when making this -- the silicone case is tougher than most iPod covers, and attachments like the tail actually serve a purpose (you can wrap your headphones around it when not in use). If only it made a purring noise when you spun the wheel...

If you get into a fight with someone who owns an mp3 player...

 You can slap this slab of faux-raw meat on your eye. Yes, it's made in Japan; I wonder if they think that all Americans inherently love red meat. Gotta love the authentic packaging, though.

How to buck the obnoxious designer trend

--with an obnoxiously earthy design! No, I kid, this is really a work of craftsmanship, and probably the only case I've seen to have five separate components. Of course, it takes forever to put on, so you'd want to make sure you're cool with such a sturdy covering for a while. Also, splinters?

Good enough to eat

Unlike the raw meat version, my mouth is watering when I stare at these wafer covers for the latest iPod Shuffle. You get your choice of vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry, and they're so detailed that there's even a trim of frosting. Mmm...

For the multitasker

I still haven't gotten used to the "Notes" function on my iPod (I don't even know if it exists on the iTouch), so I'm a sucker for the old-school way of notetaking. Danish company Scripta brings us the "iPod notesbog" (the iPod pad), a leather case with a notepad on one side and room to carry your player on the other side. There's also a cute little spot for the headphones. The downside: it's only available for the Nano right now, though Scripta's site also has a page (nonfunctioning right now) for the iTouch.

Sacrilegious, but a smart move

This is exactly the kind of thing my friends and I would have covertly used during those long Masses in grade school, if the iPod had existed back then. At first I was surprised to learn that it's made by Urban Outfitters, but it makes sense: subvert tradition by using this special book as a cover for technology. I'd love to see people's reactions to this one.

The craftiest geeky homage

I could see a lot of geek girls buying this hand-made felt star Nano cover, since it reminds me of the Mario games but isn't overly embarrassing... but oh my god, could you imagine a Toad cover?? The pic is kind of small, but you can see that there's ample room for the screen and wheel, and a cute smiling face greeting you on the other side.

The most awesome one I've seen thus far

What a fab throwback to iPod's predecessor, the cassette player. Utilizing reclaimed materials, the designer has "gutted, routered, and rebuilt" 45 cassette tapes to make nifty cases. They're also only for Nanos at the moment, due to the size of the cassettes, but maybe with more gutting we can squeeze an iTouch into there? I'd be tempted to buy it then, even though it's $45.