Here’s an interesting idea for a gadget. If you want a really weird way to control your iPod and don’t mind carrying an umbrella around, the iBrella could be for you.

The strangest thing about this gadget is that it’s not what you’d expect. Contrary to having buttons on the handle, you actually control the iPod by motions with the umbrella.

Practically everything you would do with your iPod can be done with movement of the umbrella. The iPod simply plugs into the bottom of the handle and the umbrella does the rest. Some examples are opening and closing the umbrella to play and pause, twisting the umbrella certain ways to change volume and switch tracks, and shaking the umbrella to play a random track.

I think you’d look a little funny walking down the street shaking your umbrella or twisting it with an intense look on your face, as I’m sure it requires a bit of skill to make it do what you want ;).

Although I doubt this gadget will make the mainstream gadget world, it’s still a really neat concept and shows what you can do with a weird idea in your head. For pictures of all the motions, check out Proto-Typen; there’s even a video!

Found via TechEBlog