Take Your New Nano Underwater

Apple's newish iPods and Nanos are swell and all, but they can be a downer for any of us that use the cases, docks, and other peripherals to take our music everywhere. Luckily for swimmers or other aquatic sports enthusiasts who like a musical soundtrack with their workouts, H2O Audio is one of the first out of the gate with an available version of its waterproof case that works with the newer, more rounded second-generation Nano. It's called, appropriately enough, the H2O Audio for iPod Nano (2nd Gen).

H2O is the innovative company that last year introduced waterproof cases for iPods and Nanos. These cases actually let you take the devices underwater and even control them (using a special scroll wheel that activates the iPod's click wheel with a small electrical charge, the same kind we have in our fingers). In my experience, the scroll wheel syncs pretty accurately with the iPod click wheel, though with a slight lag time. Made of see-through plastic, the cases have rubberized headphones and seals that latch shut, making the whole package waterproof up to ten feet.

I used to swim in high school and remember thinking: I wish I could bring my Walkman with me to the pool so this practice wouldn't be so boring! But it seemed like a far-off pipe dream. This is one tech innovation that really blows my mind. It will also make an excellent gift for a swimmer who wants some beats with their laps, regardless of whether they have a second-generation Nano.