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So you bought an iPod. It's cool and you love the way the interface works, the quality of the sound, how much storage you have for music and audio books, and the way you can use it like a flash drive. Wait. You didn't know you could store stuff besides music on there? Just open up your iPod on your computer the way you would a data CD and drag and drop, baby.

The iPod is very versatile, and if you look online for ipod accessories, you will see how much stuff is available for yours! But what items are worth your money? What about enhancements and replacement parts? And of course, what you buy has to work with your iPod. The best way to make a match is to sift by the type of iPod you have when looking for new accessories.

You may be wondering what you can buy. The only truly replaceable parts of the iPod are the screen, the battery, and the headphones. You should only replace the screen or the battery if they break, and don't forget to check your warranty--if it is still in effect, you can send the iPod back to it's manufacturer to have it repaired. When it comes to headphones, however, you can purchase a set that will really improve the iPod's sound quality, and in general you get what you pay for, to a point. Be wary of sites that promise seemingly impossible sound improvements, because these are often too good to be true.

But there is a wide variety of iPod accessories out there. From arm band holders you can use while exercising to silicon rubber or leather skins to add drop and bump protection, and all but invisible plastic films that make the device impervious to scratches. Companies have been offering for years speaker docking stations that let you turn your iPod into a stereo system. And some car companies are getting in on the act with in car connections dedicated to the iPod.

There are also plenty of choices of electronic add ons, whether you want to track your mileage during your daily run or use a DJ mixing table. One notable gap in the variety of products on offer--no GPS receiver! You can surprisingly often find the best stuff on the manufacturer's website, although it's always a good idea to do some price comparison before you purchase, as you might even find something better.

Searching for "iPod hacking" will show you a glimpse of a rather unusual electronic culture in modern society. You can find information on replacement of the iPod operating system with one that more geeks like, as well as how to change out parts on the inside in order to get better sound from the machine. Keep in mind that this is not something that everyone can do, and you will lose your warranty. You can have some fun, but you should be cautious.