I finally got around to ordering some SumajinSmartwraps. These simple little plastic widgets are used to wind up headphone wire and other thin electric cords. The ends of excess cord are simply slid into the two slots. The brightly-colored Smartwraps make them very easy to spot in your gadget pile. The lime green version goes well with a lot of Apple's current iPod identity graphics.

You get the lowest price on these ($5.00) by ordering direct from the manufacturer in Singapore. Shipping for six of them was under $5. The bubblewrap envelope arrived in about a week.

Smartwraps were designed by Singapore Industrial Designer Marcus Ting and won an ID Magazine Design Distinction Award in 2002.

Also check out the review at iPod Lounge.

- mike lee - langley park, md