Throw out all those cheap executive office toys on your desk and prepare to class up your workspace with a touch of woodcraft. A company called Westshore Craftworks has taken some of the techniques used in classic guitar woodworking and refurnished it for the iPod with a product they call the iDockCover. This unique accessory is essentially a decorative wooden top for the standard iPod Dock. It has no electronic parts or wires. The sole purpose of the iDockCover is to make the standard white plastic iPod Dock less boring and give your desk a little more panache.

SHAPES & STYLES
The iDockCover comes in several different shapes, sizes and a variety of colored lacquers and finishes. Musicians and audiophiles will probably be immediately drawn to the three different stained wooden guitar shapes. Personally I found the Orange Burst guitar cover irresistible. However, if the guitar-shaped covers don't strike the right chord with you, there's also a classic oval shape.

WOODS, COLORS, STAINS & LACQUERS
Once you decide on a shape for your iPod Dock cover, you need to choose a wood type and color. Although the grain of each tree is unique, Westshore offers several iDockCover models each made with different types of wood and finishing techniques.

The woods used by Westshore Craftworks range from standard variations of Oak, Walnut and Maple to rare and specialty woods available only in limited quantities. At the time this review was written, Westshore Craftworks had just acquired several unique pieces of raw burled walnut. Apparently a retired logger had been saving these pieces in a storage locker and just recently decided to part with them. The pieces have a few small wormholes giving them a little instant character. I'm not a "wood connoisseur" but after doing a little research I found a lot of expensive European furniture "featuring" burled walnut. Who knew even wood could have "bling"?

Westshore Craftworks offers a wide variety of different lacquers and finishes. Some of them leave the natural character of the wood and just add a glossy finish like the Natural Satin, Orange Burst or Zebrawood; while others completely cover the wood giving it a stone or plastic like appearance. Two examples of the latter are the Emerald Stone and Gloss Black covers. Picking the right color and finish of your iDockCover is purely a matter of personal taste and preference. Westshore Craftworks offers around 30 different styles of the iDockCover giving you plenty of options to choose from.

Here's a just a few to give you an idea of what they have to offer. To see a complete list, visit their website at http://westshorecraftworks.com

SIZES
Westshore Craftworks offers iDockCovers to fit all dockable iPods including the 3G (third generation), 4G (forth generation), U2, Mini, and the iPod Photo.

NO DOCK, NO PROBLEM
iPod owners without a dock can still enjoy the beauty of the iDockCover. Westshore Craftworks offers a "MockDock" insert for about $3. Just slip this fake wooden iPod dock under the iDockCover and you'll have a beautiful wooden stand for your iPod. Just keep in mind that the MockDock does not function as a stand or dock by itself. You will still need an iDockCover.

ABOUT THE COMPANY
Westshore Craftworks LLC was founded in the Fall of 2004 by husband and wife team Marty & Cheryl Knapp. They first got the idea for the iDockCover after purchasing their first iPod. After making a few dock covers for themselves, the demand by friends and family members grew and they decided to launch an online store and share the iDockCover with the rest of the world.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Although they won't make your iPod sound better, a handcrafted wooden iDockCover can transform your sterile and boring plastic iPod Dock into a classy piece of functional art. Each iDockCover is a beautifully made handcrafted masterpiece and is sure to spice up your desk and prompt plenty of questions from coworkers and friends. A photograph really doesn't do them justice.

This item is available for purchase from WestshoreCraftworks.com Westshore Craftworks LLC is a family-owned business located in Bellingham, Washington, on beautiful Puget Sound, just 80 miles north of Seattle. Marty and Cheryl Knapp, the owners, have lived in Bellingham since 1990, raising their family, including an assortment of Bulldogs. Rating: Requirements: Any dockable iPod Manufacturer: Westshore Craftworks