Philips Fidelio DS8550 docks your iPad
Dock your iPad in the Philips Fidelio DS8550 -- or if you can't bear to part with your fruit-flavoured tablet, it'll stream your music through the wireless magic of Bluetooth.
Cynics reckon the Apple iPad is a bigger iPhone, and if you've ever tried jamming an iPad into an iPod dock you might agree. Instead, your iPad will fill the Philips Fidelio DS8550 iPad dock -- and if you can't bear to part with your fruit-flavoured tablet, it'll stream your music through the wireless magic of Bluetooth.
You can also use your iPod touch and iPhone, but they might look a bit daft. You don't even need to remove the bumper case from your iPhone 4.
iPad docks are all the rage these days. High-end audio manufacturer Bang and Olufsen has just unveiled the BeoSound 8, while Altec Lansing is dropping by CNET Towers next week to show off its latest models.
The curved design of the Philips Fidelio minimises soundwave diffraction and vibration, reducing the 'muddying' influence of standing waves, and reversing the polarity of the neutron flow. One of those features may be made up.
The Fidelio is portable thanks to a carry handle and rechargeable battery. If you want to leave it where it is, while still wandering around with your iPad or iPhone, you can stream music wirelessly to the dock. Tunes zap through the air via stereo Bluetooth, with a 30W RMS amplifier in the dock giving it a bit of oomph. While you're wandering free, a Fidelio app will allow you to control the tuneage, monkey with the graphic equaliser and check the battery.
A built-in proximity sensor detects when you approach, and multiple alarms mean you can wake up to the strains of your favourite songs. All this can be yours right now, for around £250.
Apple has just spent some of its £30bn treasure chest on Wi-Gear, maker of iMuff Bluetooth headsets. This suggests Apple-branded stereo Bluetooth headsets could be on the cards.