Have you been searching for the perfect set of speaker to accessorize your iPod nano, shuffle or mini with? If you are like the rest of us and a mere mortal then the plethora of options can often be confusing. There are so many options out there that it get hard to choose. After all this is the 20th century and the name of the game is customize, tweak, personalize and get everything in a multitude of ways. So it is no wonder that like everything else on the market today there are tons of options.

When Apple first came out with the iPod back in 2001 the only way to listen to music was from a set of headphones. At the time there were no speakers created by Apple for the iPod. This lead a lot of other manufactures to jump in a fill the gap creating a huge area of aftermarket iPod accessories including speakers.

This guide will help you begin to navigate the jungle of iPod after market speaker products.

Fir you need to think about how you will be using your speakers. Are you a traveling business man that wants to listen to some to your ipod in the hotel room and only need some basic lightweight speakers? Or are you planning on having a ton of big raging parties at your parent's house and want to blast the iPod at the party to show off your enormous play list. It honestly comes down to do you want power and sound or portability. Once you have made the decision there you can start looking for what option works for you.

Portable iPod Speaker Solutions

Altec Lansing inMotion iM4These portable speakers are top rated by many indepent companies. All cite that the sound quality is exceptional for smaller portable speakers and the price is great. Typically these will run around $75 but can be found cheaper if you search around the internet

Altec Lansing inMotion iM3This is a bit more expensive but the sound quality is better. The iM4 is considered the 'Lite Version'. The iM3 features a docking station so the iPod can charge from the speakers and it can also sync with your computer from within the speakers. The iM4 is missing these features.

So which option you pick from these two top rated speakers is really an issue of money versus features.

A few other top rated iPod speakers that are portable are Triton Technologies Sound Bite which runs roughly $30 dollars and is very light and portable. Again you will give up a little on the features and sound quality but will gain on the portability side with these speakers. On last recommendation is Tivoli Audio's iPal which is super portable yet runs about $150.

Stationary iPod Speakers This category of speakers can be portable but they often are rather large and bulky and much better if you do not carry them in your luggage etc. However they make a great set of speakers next to your computer or in a bedroom.

One of the most popular yet expensive option in this category is the Bose SoundDock which runs around $300 dollars currently. However if you have the cash to lay down on these speakers you will notice the difference. The sound quality from these speakers is top rated!

Another very popular speaker system is the iHome Audio iH5 Alarm Clock. This is great for your bedroom as it has an integrated clock and will make a great alarm clock to wake up to. Now instead of the annoying beeping sound every morning you can wake up to the Mission Impossible theme song or whatever song gets your body up and moving for the day. They typically cost around $100.

No matter which model you choose you will end up with great sound quality and portability for a good price. This is a great way to enjoy all that music that is stored on your iPod! If you are looking for a good deals try doing some searching online once you have decided the model that you want. You can check the comparison shipping engines and eBay and often get a set at a much discounted rate. Hopefully this will help you in your search for the Holy Grail of iPod speakers to accessories your iPod with.