The iPod has singlehandedly created an onslaught of additional gadgets into our market. While the vast majority of them have been equally or lesser stylish than the white brick, some ideas are simply intriguing…especially conceptual ones like Victor Soto’s iRing.

It’s a Bluetooth device that controls the playback functions of whatever iPod or IPhone it’s tethered to. To find out how it works, click through to read the rest and see other images of this concept.

The styling is unmistakably meant to match the glossy white or black housing of any iPod/iPhone, and I actually don’t mind it that much. The controls are fairly clever too, and as simple as they should be. Tap the Apple logo to pause/play, tap either side in the direction you want to skip to the next or previous track, and slide across the top surface to change the volume.

Think it’ll accidentally skip your favorite Arcade Fire tune? Don’t sweat it, the band has an area towards the palm-side of the hand that is activated when you curl up your finger, effectively locking all controls for as long as you hold it.

Soto also designed a cradle to house/display the iRing, which would be plugged into a computer a la USB cord. Yes, I’d imagine it lights up just as it does in the images below.

Would I buy it? If the price was right, around $50-60 i’d consider it, but I think I’d prefer to spend that much on a set of bluetooth headphones first (cords annoy me when they’re all up in my outfit). At this moment iRings are not yet available, but I can see them working for any music player, really, as long as it was Bluetooth enabled.

Would you buy one if they were available?

iRing Concept by Victor Soto via Gaj-it