dock

JBL goes splat with new On Stage speaker docks

The JBL On Stage series of iPod speaker docks are practically an institution at this point. We have On Stage reviews dating back to 2005.

This year, JBL is doing something a little different with its iPod-amplifying staple, offering a new design that looks like it's been crushed by an elephant and artfully glued back together.

All kidding aside, the daring design of the newest On Stage systems is available on two models. The On Stage IV ($179) is the larger of the two, with a total of four JBL Odyssey transducers, battery power up to 16 hours, and … Read more

Make the Dock even better

HyperDock is a System Preferences pane (currently in free beta) that lets you add some time-saving functionality to your Dock that is similar to the Aero Peek feature found in recent versions of Windows.

With HyperDock installed, you can mouse over applications in the Dock and see thumbnail previews of all windows open in that app--which can make switching between different apps and windows faster and easier. You can accomplish a similar effect without using HyperDock (by just clicking and holding an app's Dock icon), but HyperDock shows you the preview much more quickly, and in thumbnail form, just … Read more

iLuv's iMM747 parks both iPad and iPhone

Now that the iPad's been around for almost six months, we're starting to see a few docks that are designed for parking--and listening--to iPads. iLuv's iMM747, which also accepts iPhones and iPods, is a mini stereo system that will retail for $149.99 when it goes on sale in a few weeks at i-luv.com.

Since the iPad is much heavier than the iPhone, the iMM747 features "flexible dock connectors for solid support and easy docking through the 30-pin connector that automatically adjusts and supports your iPad, iPhone, or iPod while in the dock," according … Read more

New Sonos accesssory: The Wireless Dock

Sonos, the guys behind the highly rated multiroom music system, is getting ready to launch an accessory for users who have a lot of music stored on an iPod or iPhone.

With the Sonos Wireless Dock (WD100), which will be available at the end of October for $119, you can play all of the music from an iPod or iPhone in any room where you have a Sonos ZonePlayer setup.

Of course, a lot of people keep their music stored on a computer or networked drive, but apparently Sonos has identified that many people simply want to be able to … Read more

Car Tech Live 187: Distracted driving, what's the real story? (podcast)

Distracted driving: what's the real story? Jaguar looks into an exotic sort of hybrid; BMW slaps an iPad behind your head; new app lets you slap lousy drivers upside the head, and we drive the 2010 Scion xD.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 187 SHOW NOTES

• Distracted driving deaths fall 6% in the U.S.

• Chevy shows off Cruze EV

• BMW first with factory iPad mount?

• Modern electronics for vintage Porsches

• Take a ride in the 2010 Scion xD

Coming soon: Audyssey Audio Dock

Audyssey says it was inspired to name its first iPod-iPhone audio system after the South of Market (SoMa) neighborhood in San Francisco because of its "eclectic blend of energy and history." Well, we're not sure what that means, but the Audyssey Audio Dock "South of Market Edition" definitely is distinct-looking and has some interesting features to accompany its very good sound--all of which goes a long way to justify its fairly high $400 price tag.

If the Audyssey brand seems familiar, it's because it is the company behind the autocalibration systems in a lot … Read more

Doubling down: Altec's Octiv Duo

Earlier this year we reviewed the Altec Lansing Octiv Mini iPhone-iPod speaker and praised its compact size and attractive minimalist styling. Now Octiv is expanding the line with the dual-dock Octiv Duo, which is nearly double the size of its smaller sibling and costs about twice as much--a still affordable $99.

As with the Octiv Mini, Altec keeps things simple. After all, why build in a bunch of extras like an LCD for the clock, an AM/FM radio, or fancy alarm systems when they're all basically redundant to the impressive built-in capabilities of the iPhone or iPod Touch? … Read more

PhotoFast iPADock perfect for Apple households

Taiwan-based PhotoFast is well-known for its range of flash memory and adapters, so its newest product comes as a bit of a surprise. The PhotoFast iPADock is a dock that lets a whole household charge their Apple devices. It can hold Apple products in the following combinations:

Two iPads One iPad and two iPhones/iPod Touch players Four iPhones or iPod Touch players Six iPod Nanos

Yes, you can dock up to four iPhones with this massive dock. Not only does it let you connect these products to charge or sync, the iPADock is also a multicard reader and USB … Read more

Sony unveils RDP-X50iP speaker dock

Sony may have lost the MP3 player battle, but it still knows a thing or two about making small, powerful speaker systems.

As evidence, we have the newly announced iRDP-X50iP, a portable speaker dock made for the Apple iPhone and iPod that boasts 40 watts of power in an elegant, minimal design.

With an asking price of $199, the iRDP-X50iP includes a bass reflex speaker design, aux input, remote control with full iPod control functionality, Mega Bass audio enhancement circuitry, soft-touch controls, and certified compatibility with the iPhone and recent iPods.

Sony's press release for the iRDP-X50iP emphasizes its … Read more