So, I decided that charging my iPod via Laptop’s USB port was beginning to be a pain, and the firewire charger from my iPod mini just needed replacing. For a start it had the old “clips” on the dock connector to stop it from coming unplugged. The result of these “troubles” is quite simple really, a brand new replacement 
Naturally, this came in a nice appley box. Admittedly £20 for a charger is a bit on the steep side, but I had an Argos voucher which needed using, bringing the price to around a tenner. Much more reasonable. To my surprise I found that it came with a brand new USB cable, a nice little bonus which will make a handy spare, but I suppose it is justified given the price.
One of the most amazing things about these chargers is the size, compared to my MacBook charger it’s tiny, compared to my old iPod charger it’s tiny, simply brilliant!