ipod

I'm a big fan of Polk Audio's bookshelf and floor-standing speakers, so when it released two iPod speakers, I just had to check them out. Both are available in black or white.

The miDock Portfolio ($119) is a portable model and is compatible with any iPod via the supplied plastic adapters. It also has an auxiliary input for non-Apple players, though it'll only charge dock connector-equipped iPods. The speaker is pretty small and folds up flat for traveling. It has four 1-inch drivers and runs on four AA batteries or the included AC adapter. I took a … Read more

Belkin may have to work on that name a little, but I'm happy to see some more competition entering the portable video iPod accessory space. Like the Sonic Impact Video-55, this Belkin device lets you dock a 5G iPod to view its video content on a more capacious screen. Unfortunately, Belkin had very few details to provide on the floor at CES, though I was able to snap the shot at right. I can also tell you that the device has a 7-inch wide screen, an external stereo speaker, and an A/V input for use with other devices. … Read more

Convergence among devices is one thing, but it's happening with accessories as well. The Duracell PowerFM ($79.99) from Battery-Biz is three iPod Nano (1G and 2G) add-ons in one: an FM transmitter, a protective silicone case, and a battery pack.

The transmitter sends your iPod's audio out to any FM radio receiver within about 8 feet via a user-selectable frequency, while the lithium-ion battery pack doubles the life of your iPod's built-in battery. The PowerFM isn't hideously obtrusive, and a pass-through port on the bottom lets you hook up other iPod accessories that use the … Read more

Add Eton to the growing list of manufacturers such as iHome and DLO adding iPod to a clock radio so that you can wake up to your own music. But the company has gone one step further and added Sirius satellite radio connectivity to its new Sound 101 AM/FM clock radio. Unfortunately, the iPod doesn't dock on the Sound 101 (April, $150), but jacks in via a separate charging dock, which could be an ungainly arrangement on a small night table. You also have to add your own Sirius receiver.

A second Eton expandable alarm clock, the Sound … Read more

Controlling your tunes from across the room can be difficult. Now, iSkin's new Cerulean RX+TX Bluetooth solution forgoes the need for a separate remote by using your very own iPod to control your music on an iPod dock connector-enabled device. I got a chance to play around with this tonight, and the big deal here is the range, which is around 100 meters. What's nice is that when you get out of range, the music cuts out completely; there's no distortion or signal loss like you get with some FM transmitters.

The kit uses two pieces, … Read more

If you're not wandering the floors of Macworld, CES, the Detroit Auto Show or, for that matter, the neighborhood grocery store, you'll likely need some equipment of your own to virtually experience the spectacles in comfort. That's where Empower Technologies comes to the rescue with its iMedia Chair showcased this week on various displays this week.

Not only does this Barcalounger on steroids have a built-in 15-inch LCD, but it also boasts a THX-certified surround-sound system piped directly from your iPod controlled by a separate 3.5-inch touch screen, as BornRich points out. We also appreciate the … Read more

Well, this is a first...the first one I've seen, anyway. Yesterday at CES, Viewsonic announced the ViewDock projector, which features a built-in iPod dock. According to Viewsonic's press release, iPod users are "three times as likely to download video clips, movies and Web casts to their computers"--the company is obviously interested in capitalizing on this fact. Viewsonic asserts that the ViewDock is great for on-the-go sharing, but at 3-plus pounds and roughly 12 x 10 x 5 inches (my estimate), it's not really all that portable. In a car, certainly, but I wouldn'… Read more

Can't live without your iPod, even when you're taking a dip in the pool or grabbing a quick shower? The EGO Waterproof Sound Case is a waterproof iPod speaker system that's made of the same shatterproof polycarbonate that goes into bulletproof glass. It protects your iPod from water, and it even passes the "will it float?" test. Specs include a pair of neodymium speakers, a waterproof membrane for the iPod Click Wheel, and 30-hour battery life (with four AA alkaline batteries). Throw in wrist and shoulder straps and an adjustable stand, and you've got … Read more

Yeah, there's still no video standard among portable devices. But ADS Tech is trying to help us all out with the Instant Video To-Go ($79.95), the first "self-contained, hardware-based video-content conversion solution for consumers." In English, that translates to a small device that converts video content for your iPod, PSP, and so on. It connects to any PC via the integrated USB 2.0 plug and can crush a 100-minute (roughly 2GB) MPEG-2 or VOB file down into a manageable QVGA H.264 video in a mere 20 minutes. Eliminate overnight encoding jobs for less than … Read more