Parrot's high-end iPod dock and Android photo frame

iPod docks and photo frames were cutting edge about five years ago, but now that you can pick them up at the supermarket with your discount bottle of milk they seem to have lost their mystique. French company Parrot is hoping to inject some glamour back into these devices with its new designer range.

The Zikmu is an iPod dock which features Bluetooth communication between the two speakers and with other Bluetooth devices. It comes in a range of colours, with "Dragon Red" being the latest addition. The dock features "360 degree" sound with flat-panel NXT speakers on both sides, and it includes a subwoofer in the base. The dock also includes Wi-Fi support with DLNA streaming and an auxiliary port in the base for old-school stereo equipment.

The Dia (Credit: Derek Fung/CBS Interactive)

Meanwhile the Dia ("slide" in French) is a photo frame based on a photographer's light box. It features a wooden frame which separates the LCD screen and the LED backlight which gives images a silvery, photographic quality. But that's not all this frame does: it's built on Android and features apps, web browsing and even lets you plug in a keyboard and mouse!

Like the iPod dock, it supports Wi-Fi and can communicate with iPhones and iPads. It even has its own email address, which means you can email your pictures while on holiday and it will display them within minutes. It'll even pick up geo-tag data and display your pictures using Google Maps.

Both are available at Space Furniture stores and a select number of other outlets, but they don't come cheap: the Zikmu retails for AU$1995 and the Dia for AU$549.

The Zikmu comes in a range of colours including lime green, piano black and white.

"Dragon Red" is the new colour, and though the design by Philip Starck is based around a trombone we can't help but see these ones as traffic cones.

Each speaker features a 100W digital amplifier with a stereo RCA connection at the base.

A double trombone carry case?

Each system features a matching remote control.

The iPod dock: unfortunately, it doesn't fit an iPad.

Each satellite features twin NXT drivers.

The other satellite features backlit controls with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi functionality.

The Dia features a 10.4-inch LED backlit display.

There is a space between the light source and the screen, and the photo frame comes with an elongated cleaning cloth to keep it dust-free.

The LED backlight features plastic "lightguides" to distribute light evenly — similar to an LCD TV.

The frame features an Android operating system, but Parrot's own custom skin.

The Dia supports the Mover Lite iPhone app for moving images onto the screen.

Type "dia.local" into any browser on your network and you can control the Dia remotely.