iPhone/iPod touch Christmas 2009 buyer's guide

With the festive season looming over us like some oppressive cloud of crass commercialism it's time to ponder one of the great questions of our age: what exactly do you ask people to get you for Christmas when you already own an iPhone or iPod touch?

The answer is simple, really - it's time to accessorise.

Apple is famed for making attractive devices that drip desirability and beg to be touched, fondled and embraced. Sadly, while the iPhone and iPod touch fall into this category, they're also incredibly easy to scratch and scuff if you're not painstakingly careful with them.

As a result, some kind of protection is a must, whether it be a solid plastic case, a rubberised skin or even just an old-fashioned leather holder.

If you've got an iPhone then we'd recommend something along the lines of the Otterbox Impact case, purely because it feels so nice in the hand and the reinforced corners mean you can quite literally bounce your iPhone off the floor without damaging it. Impressive.

If the idea of using your expensive telecoms device as a bouncy ball doesn't appeal, then check out the vast number of other options available.

Naturally, if you're concerned about keeping your iPhone/iPod touch's bodywork in tip-top condition then you'll also be petrified at the possibility of marking that luscious 3.5-inch display.

Various screen protectors are now available, and while many sceptics insist that they reduce the sensitivity of the capacity display, the best examples are so well constructed that you don't even know they're there once fitted. We can personally recommend the ZAGG InvisibleSHIELD.

Once upon a time Apple was kind enough to include neat little extras like docks with its iPods, but in recent years the company has cottoned onto the fact that it can squeeze even more dollars out of its fans by selling this item separately at an exorbitant price.

The official Apple dock is the one to go for, unsurprisingly, but at nearly �20 it doesn't come cheap. Still, you're not paying for it - Santa is - so what the hey?

Charging cheer

Hate having to negotiate a labyrinth of wires every time you want to unplug your beloved device from its charging point? Then the remarkable (if somewhat pricey) Powermat is something you should probably look into.

Using wireless charging technology, the mat allows you to top up your iPhone/iPod touch's battery without having to plug any troublesome cables in.

The proviso is that your device has to be inserted into the appropriate case to be compatible with the Powermat itself (and these come at an additional cost, predictably) but the idea is incredibly enticing.

If you have wealthy friends and family, add this to your Christmas list.

Music to your ears

If the cabling required for charging your Apple device annoys you then you'll be similarly irked by the continued existence of wired headphones. Thankfully the relentless march of technology has presented us with a solution in the form of Bluetooth data transfer.

There are plenty of Bluetooth-enabled headphones available these days that offer wire-free ways to listen to your music collection. The Motorola S9-HD headphones are excellent, but they're also rather pricey at just under �100.

Also, be warned that having no cables means no physical connection to your phone, so they're significantly easier to misplace when you're on a busy bus or train.

Christmas cards

Given the cornucopia of content on offer at both the App Store and iTunes marketplace you can't go wrong with an iTunes gift card, available in �15, �25, �50 and �100 flavours) if you're struggling for Christmas present suggestions.

At least then you're guaranteed to get something you want, and with games such as The Secret of Monkey Island, Real Racing and Rolando 2 available right now, it�s money well spent.