Bose SoundDock 10 weighs in with $599 of iPod amplification

Bose SoundDock 10 weighs in with $599 of iPod amplification

So Bose is back to the iPod dock scene a big way -- and we do mean big. The new SoundDock 10 weighs in at 19 pounds and measure 10-inches deep, leaving room for a good-sized woofer, 52-inches of winding, integrated waveguide channels and a pair of Bose 'Twiddlers' up top. The Twiddlers are apparently a patented combination of highs and mids, and the new waveguide is an effort to shrink existing Bose tech down to size. The results are positively Bose-ey: not a precise or flat reproduction of music, but usually pretty pleasing to our untrained ears, with enough volume to fill a big room. The SoundDock 10 sounds 'large' in some ways for its size, but at the same time you can still hear the limitations of the boxed-in form factor. Just as interesting is Bose's interchangeable dock: the standard iPhone / iPod dock can be switched out for a $149 A2DP Bluetooth receiver -- and docks supporting other audio players could be forthcoming based on market demand. The unit hits the streets on September 21 with a Bose-esque $599 pricetag. Check out a virtual teardown of the dock after the break.

Gallery: Bose SoundDock 10 press shots

Gallery: Bose SoundDock 10 hands-on

Continue reading Bose SoundDock 10 weighs in with $599 of iPod amplification

(Via Engadget Audio.)

Kickster Adds Stand, Handle and Case to iPod Nano

Kickster Adds Stand, Handle and Case to iPod Nano

Quirky continues to impress us with a long run of ‘community designed’ accessories, the latest being the Kickster — yet another iPod Nano case. Quirky’s take, though, is less case and more all-in-one accessory kit.

Quirky, if you don’t remember, takes design submissions from the public, hones them within 24 hours by opening them up to the community, and then takes orders. Buyers commit and get charged when enough orders have been made and the product hits the factory lines. Everyone who helped gets a cut.

The Kickster is a clear case for the new 5th-gen Nano, and although cheaper ($14.35) than most other cases, it packs a lot in. First, and most obvious, is the kick-stand, which twists and flips to stand the Nano in either portrait or landscape format. It also works as a steadying handle for shooting video, a kind of nano-steadycam, if you will.

Next to the stand are two cord-wrapping cleats, and inside is shock-absorbing silicone, and there are holes punched in the plastic case to let sound and video into the mic and camera.

(Via Gadget Lab.)

B&W Zeppelin Mini iPod Dock

B&W Zeppelin Mini iPod Dock

B&W is set to release a new version of its popular Zeppelin iPod Dock, the B&W Zeppelin Mini iPod Dock.

The B&W Zeppelin Mini iPod Dock is smaller than the previous model, and features an updated docking arm, plus a USB connectivity which is designed to bypass the analogue output stage of an iPod and access it’s digital output.

Zeppelin Mini attains the same high standards in sound quality and design set by Zeppelin, but in a more compact form. It is reduced in size, not in sound, and has amazing volume levels for such a diminutive package.  It’s ideal for lounges just like its larger sibling, but it can easily be slotted into a bedroom, kitchen, or student digs.

The Zeppelin Mini will go on sale in the UK in October for £299 about $399.

(Via Geeky-Gadgets.)

Airfonix sends 24-bit audio wirelessly to any speakers

Airfonix sends 24-bit audio wirelessly to any speakers

How, exactly, do you connect outdoor speakers to your stereo system? If you're a DJ, how do wire speakers to your console? If you've got a home theater system and a picky spouse, how do you wire your rear speakers?

Airfonix, which specializes in wireless audio connectivity, will have an audiophile solution for your remote speaker dilemma in January with its AFX-19IP001 (who comes up with these ridiculous model numbers?). It's a compact USB hub/iPod dock that transmits frequency hopping 24-bit uncompressed audio to its receiver modules connected to standard speakers. This wireless hub will run you around $300 plus receiver modules, probably cheaper and a lot easier than long high-gauge speaker runs.

(Via DVICE.)

Belkin out with new iPod cases: FastFit and Grip Vue

Belkin out with new iPod cases: FastFit and Grip Vue

The latest from Belkin in respect to the iPod is here, the Belkin FastFit has an armband that keeps your iPod safe while you're out playing sports or just enjoying the outdoors. The Belkin Grip Vue case for iPod Nano on the other hand is carved out of Thermostatic polyurethane for ease of sliding in and out the iPod nano. With its translucent covering it gives scratch free protection to your Nano. Retailing at $29.90 and $19.90 respectively

(Via UberGizmo, the Gadgets News Blog.)

Griffin Technology PowerDuo Reserve Review

Griffin Technology PowerDuo Reserve Review

Anyone who has owned an iPhone for even a short period of time can tell you that its biggest flaw — or at least, the biggest flaw that isn’t directly related to the carrier — is its frustratingly insufficient battery life, especially compared to standard mobile phones.  The typical solution for most users is to either switch off services such as Wi-Fi, 3G or Bluetooth when they aren’t being used, or to simply charge the iPhone one or more times during the course of the day.  I rarely use my iPhone as an actual phone, and I still find myself running the battery down below 20% during an average day if I don’t take the time to recharge it at least once.  I’m not always in a position where I can sit around and wait for my iPhone to charge, however, and that’s precisely the problem that Griffin Technology’s PowerDuo Reserve is intended to solve.

(Via The Gadgeteer.)

Yamaha's MCR-140 Wireless iPod Dock Sounds As Fantastic As It Looks [IPod Docks]

Yamaha's MCR-140 Wireless iPod Dock Sounds As Fantastic As It Looks [IPod Docks]

Yamaha's latest iPod docks look fantastic—it's made with metal, not plastic—and sounds damn near as good. Our quick impression is that the sound's rich—highs aren't tinny like most—and there's some nice bass response.

The MCR-140 has a wireless transmitter that attaches to the bottom of your iPod and streams music using Yamaha's own 'uncompressed' wireless tech instead of Blueooth. The MCR-040—the orange one—is the exact same, but no wireless. iPod aside, they do CD, FM and USB. The 040's $280, while the wireless step-up puts the 140 at $400, and they're both out in October.

(Via Gizmodo.)