International fashion house Gucci Group has pounced on the market opportunity inherent for third parties in the success of Apple Computer’s iPod introducing its own designer iPod carrying case.

Gucci Sets Its Sights on Apple - Designer carrying case will cost you almost as much as an iPod.

Available online through Gucci’s U.S. stores, the Gucci iPod case is available in multiple colors and costs almost as much as an $195. The Gucci iPod case is available in this season’s Gucci colors - beige/ebony GG plus with dark brown leather trim, red/green/green web carrying handle, and silver hardware.

So, did you take our word and pick up the free yet most expensive iPod in the world? Yup, Xexoo was giving away iPods free - if you paid for pimping them with 18k gold, which cost you close to $14,000. Well, now all you need Gucci iPod case, complete with GG logo and green Gucci web on the strap. Music for your brand-sensitive ears?

About Gucci:

The House of Gucci, better known as simply Gucci, is an Italian iconic fashion and leather goods label. It was founded by Guccio Gucci in Florence in 1921. Gucci is considered one of the most famous, prestigious, and easily recognizable fashion brands in the world. The House of Gucci belongs to the French conglomerate company Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PPR). Gucci generated over US$7 billion worldwide of revenue in 2006 according to BusinessWeek magazine and was ranked 46th in the magazine’s annual chart “Top 100 Brands”. For this reason Gucci is the second biggest selling fashion brand after LVMH. Most importantly Gucci is the biggest selling Italian brand in the world. Gucci operates about 425 stores worldwide and it wholesales its products through franchisees and upscale department stores.

News source: ilounge.com & techtilldate.com

Packard Bell, one of the leading consumer electronics brands in Europe, today expanded its line-up of MP3 players with the Eclipse portable media player.

Featuring a large 2.2-inch widescreen colour TFT display for vibrant movie playback, compatibility with a wide range of media formats, and high quality in-ear headphones, Eclipse offers a comprehensive and affordable mobile entertainment experience.

Today, consumers have fallen in love with portable media players because they’re the perfect match for today’s mobile lifestyle,

says Emmanuel Fromont, Sales & Marketing Vice President, Packard Bell.

In the very competitive flash-memory player segment, our new Eclipse raises the bar for quality, with a big widescreen display and high-quality inear headphones.

In keeping with Packard Bell’s tradition of design and performance, the slim Eclipse is barely 12mm thick, making it perfect for enjoying video, photos and music on-the-go. The 2.2-inch TFT display and in-ear headphones are combined to provide a vibrant entertainment experience.

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