iBe@r shipping now

OK, so not news exactly, but just a note that Medicom's latest iPod-holding figure, the iBe@r, is on sale and can be acquired at HMV stores in Japan or via the HMV website. Ours arrived late last week.

An interesting variation versus the iKub is that the standard iPod mini belt clip is the thing used by the iBe@r to actually embrace your 'Pod: the clip slides into a plastic piece that slots between the iBe@r's legs. Neat, but we've never liked the iPod mini's clip -- we can almost feel it shaving the finish off the sides of the 'Pod each time we use it.

[iBe@r @ HMV Japan (in English, but no idea if they ship overseas)]