The reputation of portable sound players has spawned an entire sub-industry of MP3 plug-ins. No matter what type of machine you own, you can find all sorts of extras for it, some useful and some not so much.

While it’s the most popular player in the category, Apple’s iPod offers the most frills you can get. Some of these are made by Apple, however many of them are offered by tail industries.

The most fundamental fashion achievement is a stand for your MP3 player. MP3 player cases offer protection for the player from further damage, so they are proving to be an excellent investment because they can extend the life of your MP3 player.

These also include attractive looks: Apple’s iPod, for example, is only available in black or white. The cases are available in all colors of the rainbow helping your iPod to stand out from the masses.

Speaker systems are available for people who want to use their portable audio player at home. Just plug the MP3 player into the built-in dock and let your friends and family enjoy your music.

If you want to turn your speaker system into an advanced home entertainment structure, you can get extras that attach to FM stereos, cassette players, CD players, or turntables. If your MP3 player can play videos, you may be able to connect it to your TV to give a presentation.

To manage the MP3 player, you can get wireless or wired remote controls. Remote controls are particularly useful in the car, as they allow you to control your player without taking your eyes off the road. Within easy reach are remote controls that attach to the steering wheel and let you adjust the volume, review your music collection or skip to the next song.

Remote controls are also handy if you wear your MP3 player on an armband or clip to your belt. In this position, the isolated control fits comfortably in your pocket or purse for quick access when you need to adjust the volume or find a new song. Some of them contain monitors that allow you to choose songs by name.

Going back to the car scenario, an incredibly practical fashion accessory for people who use their MP3 player while driving their car is an adapter that allows you to listen to your music through the car’s audio system. These come in two basic types: an FM radio transmitter or a cassette adapter.

Most MP3 players come standard with an AC adapter and a cable to connect to the PC. The two functions can be shared in a docking situation that can become part of your PC workstation. Simply plug the connected MP3 player into the docking location and coordinate your music collection while recharging the battery.

Since MP3 players need a PC to offer their full functionality; many companies include ways to broaden the assimilation of MP3 player and PC. Routers specially designed for MP3 communication can be used to transmit audio and video from an MP3 player to all computers in a personal system.