Sidewinder iPod case ships

Dr. Bott has begun shipping Marware's Sidewinder case in white for iPod video and iPod nano. The hard case features a retractable kickstand, headphone cord wrap, and flip-open Dock connector cover. Sidewinder includes a spacer to accommodate the 30GB or 60GB iPod with video, and users can store the case with the headphones neatly wrapped to the side via the "slide-and-hide" headphone cord wrap. The protective cover includes Marware's Multidapt system belt clip, and is compatible with all Multiadapt interchangeable clip system options. Marware's Sidewinder for iPod video is priced at $30 (shown at right), while the Sidewinder for iPod nano ships for $25.

iPod rival Creative faces tough future

Apple's rival Creative is expected to post a quarterly loss of nearly $90 million for its March quarter due to cut-throat competition and falling flash prices. After warning investors earlier this month, the company faces a tough road ahead as analysts see a bleak future for a market dominated by Apple and its iPod: "We expect the business environment for Creative to remain tough at least for the next two quarters. Demand is only expected to pick up for the year-end Christmas sales," said CIMB-GK Securities analyst Jonathan Ng told Reuters. "We remain negative on its prospects given the harsh competition in the market and a lack of new winning products in the foreseeable future," he added. The Singapore-based company offers Nomad and Zen MP3 players that compete with Apple's iPod as well as Samsung's Yepp and Reigncom's iRiver.