Hi-tech Frontier

Soundblock: a marginally heinous dock connector iPod speaker It's hard to guess why one would consider this device over that Lego-inspired alternative we peeked last Spring, but those obsessed with Elecom or born with an innate fear of stackable blocks can certainly opt for the Soundblock. Designed specifically for the fourth generation iPod nano, first generation iPod touch and any other iPod that ships sans an integrated speaker, this here speaker clicks into the dock connector and can be ordered in one of ten different colors. The pain? ¥4,000 ($42), which seems about a Jackson and a half too steep for our tastes.

LG HB954TBW Blu-ray Home Theater Combo Includes A Pop-Out iPod Dock According to Akihabara News, LG Korea announced this new Blu-ray home theater combo this morning that includes a pop-out iPod dock on the player that will apparently accept all iPod models (I assume that means the iPhone too) allowing you to listen to music stored on the devices. There’s no word on whether or not it can access video content on the iPods, but details are a bit vague at the moment. What is known though is that the HB954TBW will be sold in Korea for just over $1,000.

Dexim MHub mixes up an iPod dock with a USB hub We're actually sort of surprised that we haven't seen many more iPod dock / USB hub / card reader hybrids, but the Dexim MHub here is the only one we can recall seeing apart from the Griffin Simplifi. At a steep $70, it's certainly not the cheapest way to add three USB ports and an SD card reader, but it certainly does look nice. Should be on sale now.

Philips SBD7000, SBD8100 iPod docks hands-on It may not stand out from the crowd quite as much as some iPod docks, but Philips' rotating SBD7000 speaker dock should still turn a few heads, and keep you entertained for at least a few minutes as you spin and tilt your iPod to your heart's content. Apart from that somewhat nifty feature, however, the $120 dock is expectedly pretty standard fare, with it including cradles for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPod nano 4G, a four-AA battery compartment to let you take it out on the road and, well, not much else. Those looking for a little something extra can also opt for Philips' $150 SBD8100 model (pictured after the break), which employs a more standard horizontal design but adds a motorized rotating dock to its bag of tricks.

Onkyo unveils Universal Port-loving iPod dock, HD radio tuner Onkyo only kept early adopters of its recently introduced TX-SR507 and TX-SR607 receivers waiting for a month to put the Universal Port (U-Port) 'round back to good use. The company has introduced an iPod/iPhone dock (is there anything that doesn't have one?) and a HD Radio module as U-Port accessories. The $109 UP-A1 iPod dock will allow remote control of the connected device and will output component video to the connected receiver when it ships in May. The UP-HT1 HD Radio tuner will show up in July and for $159 will unlock HD radio reception to your Onkyo U-Port receiver. Neither peripheral is exactly earth-shaking, but it's a safe bet that one of them will enjoy a lot more uptake than the other.

Ion Audio's Tailgater is the iPod dock that salutes those who rock Those who live rock and roll lifestyles need accessories that look the part, accessories like the Ion Audio Tailgater. It's a $199 iPod dock that, with a few scuffs and scratches and stickers, wouldn't look too out of place getting kicked around on-stage at the club. It works with any iPod (first- and second-gen users will have to made do with playback via the headphone jack) including the iPhone and Touch, has inputs for mics or other instruments, and even has an integrated battery for up to eight hours of rocking out when you're way out. Now all you need is a gaggle of roadies to carry it there for you.

iBoo iPod dock The iPod dock that I was referring to was the iBoo, which is also from Speakal. This time around they have slimmed down a few of the features into a less-expensive ghostly shape. The main question is whether or not the lower price means lower quality. So what are the main differences between the iBoo and iPanda? Well if you’ll recall the iPanda had 5 individual speakers (1 bass, 2 mids and 2 tweeters). In order to trim down the price the iBoo has only three speakers. The mids have been removed, while the tweeters are now picking up the slack. Another change is that the sub only puts out 9W, bringing the grand total to only 15 Watts of output. On paper it doesn’t look like the iBoo will be all that impressive when stacked up against its big panda brother. Once again I’m surprised. For obvious reasons, the sound wasn’t quite as strong, but the dedicated bass does deliver decent lows and the new tweeters produced some very clear highs. As one would expect, the mids were a ...

Panasonic adds native iPod dock to D-Docks, drinks the Kool-Aid Sony gave up on ATRAC (outside of Japan anyway) and to being an iPod accessory shill long, long ago. But Panasonic, through its own inertia or arrogance has persevered with its D-SNAP and D-DOCK rigs long after its market share was doomed. After all, there's no need for Panasonic to continue pushing the SD card, they've won. Still, it does a Japanese heart good to know that it can now coax its fleshy keeper into buying a D-Dock with a native iPod dock connector and sliding panel that reveals a preference for 90's- or noughts-era music media. SD and SDHC card too, of course, this is Panasonic.

Sony obelisk-inspired CMT-Z100iR iPod dock iPod docks come in all shapes and sizes, and while Sony's last attempt would be hard to miss in most rooms, this latest one is rather more subdued and sophisticated. It's the CMT-Z100iR, naturally compatible with the iPod, iPod Touch, and iPhone, but also sporting the ability to play CDs through a top-mounted slot-loader. It can even play tunes from other MP3 players through its USB port, if you're so inclined, and while its pair of 20 watt speakers probably won't shake the walls, they should suffice for filling your minimalist retreat with the groovy beats of the Future Sound of London. No firm price or availability details yet.

Block Speaker Dock -- iPod LEGO Inspired Dock in New Colors Some of you might remember the iPod LEGO Dock that we covered here at GeekAlerts last year. This playful audio accessory is now available in two new colors: black and white. Features An iPod speaker dock that looks like a gigantic toy building block. Active Bass System for superior sound quality. Supports the following iPod family generations:Nano 1st, 2nd 7 3rd, iPod 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and Classic, Mini, iPod Touch 1st, Shuffle. Easily connect other MP3 players using the mini headphone jack cable (included). Can be charged using a 12V adapter (not included). Suitable for ages 12 years+. Requires 3 x AA Batteries (not included). Size: 24 x 9 x 4.7cm. The Block Speaker Dock is available from the IWOOT website for £39.99 (about $56 USD).

Creative Movieworks HD iPod dock Not that Creative hasn't dabbled in the HD iPod dock arena before, but it's been awhile since the company has introduced a new one. Quietly, secretly, the outfit has pushed a fresh one out in the Cambridge Soundworks line, and it's satisfactorily titled MovieWorks HD. The device does about what you'd expect by outputting iPod video and audio (via HDMI) onto one's TV and / or sound system , though Creative points out that this one is the only one with its own Xtreme Fidelity, X-Fi Crystallize and X-Fi CMSS-3D technology -- so yeah, take that for whatever it's worth. Those who detest cables can also snag the optional wireless receiver, but first you'll need to pony up $249.99 for the dock itself.