Anyone who has ever shopped for an iPod speaker knows that there is no shortage of models from which to choose; options range from extra-deluxe party speakers to the gadgets smaller than a pack of gum. Heck, you can even get a case with a speaker built right in: the iMainGo 2. This follow-up to Portable Sound Laboratories' popular iMainGo offers the same compact, innovative design and affordable price tag ($39.99), but includes upgraded titanium speakers as well as fit tweaks that allow it to be used with a greater number of MP3 players.
Perhaps the iMainGo 2's most attractive feature is its design. If nothing else, it's convenient since it serves to protect your MP3 player while letting you play music through a set of speakers built into one half of the case. The case itself comes in a variety of colors--black, blue, green, pink, and silver--but its shell is fabric, which means the unit is not weatherproof. The iMainGo 2 is clamshell style with a zipper that joins each half into one compact package. The half that holds your player has an adjustable Velcro belt and a removable plastic backing, both of which serve to keep the MP3 player secure and flush with the front of the case, which has a clear plastic window through which you control your device. The iMainGo 2 is compatible with 90 percent of MP3 players (including the iPhone and iPod Touch), as playback is achieved through a 3.5mm plug. The only limiting factor is the size of the device--we were able to squeeze a first-gen Zune in there, but only just barely, and it didn't rest precisely flush with the front window (we could still control it, though).
