Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Let’s be straight: nothing says “I’m a successful businessperson” quite like a dock for your smartphone. You know, smack in the middle of that solid oak desk of yours — the one in the corner office. What, you say your fancy new BlackBerry Bold doesn’t have connections for a proper dock? Well, hell, you’ve got hair plugs, spray-on tan, and a house in the Hamptons you can’t afford, so why not take the charade to the next level? USB Fever’s fabulously generic $20 cradle for the Bold will at least charge the thing, but if you want to get all crazy and sync up with your PC, you’ve got to suffer the indignance of a USB cable (coiled for your convenience) flopping off the side. Should look real professional next to the red Swingline and that stupid “Teamwork” perpetual motion rowing thing of yours, sport. You know what we’re talking about.

[Via Gear Diary]

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Filed under: Peripherals, Portable Audio

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Filed under: Home Entertainment

What can we say? Intempo has launched a new pair of iPod-compatible speaker systems, and unless you’re somehow just entering the market for one in the latter half of 2008, chances are you’re already yawning. Nevertheless, the RDi-W (pictured) does distinguish itself somewhat by including support for DAB and wireless internet radio, and there’s a 30-watt internal amplifier to kick out the jams. The much drabber Fusion keeps things small and simple by offering up just 25-watts of power and DAB / FM tuners. Expect the couple to sashay into e-tailers next month for £169.99 ($316) / £99 ($184).

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Read - Fusion

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Filed under: Home Entertainment

What can we say? Intempo has launched a new pair of iPod-compatible speaker systems, and unless you’re somehow just entering the market for one in the latter half of 2008, chances are you’re already yawning. Nevertheless, the RDi-W (pictured) does distinguish itself somewhat by including support for DAB and wireless internet radio, and there’s a 30-watt internal amplifier to kick out the jams. The much drabber Fusion keeps things small and simple by offering up just 25-watts of power and DAB / FM tuners. Expect the couple to sashay into e-tailers next month for £169.99 ($316) / £99 ($184).

Read - RDi-W
Read - Fusion

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Filed under: Cellphones

But not this guy. Seriously, he’s gonna stick drill that in somebody’s mouth after this? Not ours, no thank you. Tipster Adam Marcus wanted to make some room for his iPhone 3G in his old iPhone dock, and got a teeth fixin’ out of the whole deal, but we’d say somebody should call the dentist police on the both of them.

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Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals

If you’re an owner of the first generation iPhone then one of the (many) annoyances you’ve discovered with your new curvy and slightly chubbier 3G sib is the fact that it won’t fit your existing dock — be it the dock bundled with the iPhone or with the Bluetooth headset. To make matters worse, Apple chose not to bundle a compatible dock with the iPhone 3G — you have to purchase that separately for $29… you know, assuming you can find it. Fortunately, that old dock can be made into a suitable charging base for your iPhone 3G with just a bit of simple Dremel action and elbow grease. Sounds like a bargain to us.

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Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals

For many, dropping $199 / $299 on an iPhone 3G (provided you actually locate one not hidden behind a 4+ hour line) is enough. For those who fell head over heels with the original iPhone dock, it’s not. Here’s your chance to send 29 more US bucks Cupertino’s way, as the official iPhone 3G Dock is now on sale at Apple’s website. Oh, and if you’re really a sucker, you’ll lay down 9 whole US dollars for a 3-pack of iPhone 3G Universal Dock Adapters to slip your new mobile into a Universal Dock.

Update: So apparently these have been in Apple stores since day 1. Considering just how long it’ll take to get in one, though, this whole “online route” is still probably your best bet.

[Via Wired]

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Read - iPhone 3G Universal Dock Adapter 3-Pack

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Filed under: Home Entertainment

“Hey man, check out my $4000 combo iPod dock / Class A amp playing a 128kbps MP3 file! Listen to that brittle high-end… it’s like you’re in the room with the computer that compressed this file!”

[Via Crave; Image courtesy Audio Junkies]

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Filed under: Home Entertainment, Peripherals, Portable Audio

Hey, props for offering up the “first clock radio for Zune” (it’s certainly not the first Zune dock), we’re all quite proud, but it looks like iHome sent in the B team for the design here. The ZN9 Dual Alarm Stereo Clock Radio for Zune actually bears a slight resemblance to an Xbox 360, other than the full-featured Zune interoperability, of course. Outside of that there’s nothing of note here that your grandma hasn’t been rocking bedside since the 80’s. The ZN9 should be available now-ish for $100.

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Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio

We’ve seen a number of iPod speakers with pass-through dock connectors, but we’ve never really understood the point — why would we listen to music on our iPod when we’re already sitting at the computer, which has better speakers? iHome’s latest rig, the iH69, tries to bring it all together, though, with an iPod dock integrated directly into a set of upright computer speakers. We’re not sold on the idea until we actually hear ‘em — or we get a sub in the deal — but those of you looking to save on some cable clutter should look for these bad boys to drop sometime in June.

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Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio

You know how Apple products get when they’re around their “lesser” consumer electronics counterparts at parties. It starts with a lack of eye contact and some foot scuffing, and ends badly with a scene in close proximity to the punch bowl. That said, Inkel’s giving it a shot with this here IDS-1500 WiFi phone dock, which mixes an iPod dock with internet radio functionality and song playback through the phone. Not a bad combination in the least, so as long as the iPod steers clear of the alcohol. No word on price or availability.

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Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio

Recognize this sound? “Blip da da blip da da blip da da blip da da bliiiiiiiip.” If you answered yes to any of the preceding questions, you may own an iPhone. The little bugger wreaks havoc on your average unsuspecting, unshielded desktop speaker — and most iPod docks, as it turns out — emitting audible blasts of interference from up to three or four feet away. Luckily, the DLO Portable Speakers for iPhone don’t have that problem, since they’re shielded from TDMA interference. You can power ‘em off of AAA batteries or an AC adapter, and since they plug into the iPhone’s headphone jack, you can use plenty of other audio sources. The speakers detach from the rotating base, and you can even use the setup as a speakerphone if you’d like. They’re out now for $50.

[Via iLounge]

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Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Video

When it comes to iPod docking alarm clocks, few can face-off with XtremeMac’s Luna. Now there’s the Luna X2. Normally we’d shred the puffery found in phrases like “world class iPod audio system,” “crystal clear display,” and a design meant to “complement any room’s decor.” However, their first-generation Luna was so well received that we tend to believe their boasting. For the moment, anyway. Your $120 (pre-order) gets you a pair of fully customizable, independent alarms, aux-in, AM/FM radio, and same audio performance found in the original Luna. Only now in a newly designed chassis which reflects the new iPod reality: the white iPod is dead.

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Filed under: Handhelds, Peripherals, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Chalk this one up as a yet-to-be substantiated rumor, but based on an interesting video clip surfacing on YouTube (we know…), Samsung’s Y2-P2 could be getting a swank new peripheral. The YS-MC1 cradle would apparently snap onto the bottom of the already svelte P2 and add 802.11g WiFi, an FM transmitter, microSD expansion slot and a built-in mono speaker. ‘Course, we realize just how fake the concepts on the video look, but it’s not like Samsung hasn’t doled out specialized docks for its DAPs in the past. And hey, we’re all still wondering what may go along with the multiple waves of firmware updates slated to land next year. Click on through to see the video yourself.

[Via DAPReview, thanks KC Kim]

Continue reading Samsung readying YS-MC1 dock for Y2-P2?

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Filed under: Handhelds, Peripherals, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Chalk this one up as a yet-to-be substantiated rumor, but based on an interesting video clip surfacing on YouTube (we know…), Samsung’s YP-P2 could be getting a swank new peripheral. The YS-MC1 cradle would apparently snap onto the bottom of the already svelte P2 and add 802.11g WiFi, an FM transmitter, microSD expansion slot and a built-in mono speaker. ‘Course, we realize just how fake the concepts on the video look, but it’s not like Samsung hasn’t doled out specialized docks for its DAPs in the past. And hey, we’re all still wondering what may go along with the multiple waves of firmware updates slated to land next year. Click on through to see the video yourself.

[Via DAPReview, thanks KC Kim]

Continue reading Samsung readying YS-MC1 dock for YP-P2?

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Filed under: Cellphones

Unfortunately, we’ve no idea exactly what mobiles are compatible with ConnectLand’s USB Ferris Wheel Phone Stand (aside from the HTC Touch, obviously), but we’re all probably better off that way. This undoubtedly bizarre device can be powered via USB or a pair of AA cells, and it sports an incoming phone call alarm in the form of… wait for it… a spinning Ferris Wheel. That’s right kids, whenever your handset receives a call, the wheel starts to spin and LEDs begin to flash, giving you plenty of motivation to hand out your number to anyone who will call it. Those with money to burn can snap one up for $27, but if you’re that curious to see how this thing works, why not save your dough and peek the (intensely boring) video after the jump?

Continue reading USB Ferris Wheel Phone Stand shocks and awes

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Filed under: Portable Audio

We first saw Griffin’s Evolve wireless iPod speakers way back in January at CES, and it looks like they’re finally shipping. The detachable speakers each contain a battery with enough juice to last 10 hours, and the Evolve base can charge both the speaker cubes and a docked iPod. Apparently Best Buy is getting the exclusive here — the system costs $299 at ol’ Blue, but those of you morally opposed to bricks and mortar can cough up an extra $50 and buy direct from Griffin for $350.

[Via Macworld]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Filed under: Portable Audio

One man’s idea of hell is another 10 year old girl’s idea of heaven: in this case the difference of opinion is a Barbie iPod dock / FM radio / alarm clock so pink we could puke. We gotta say though, the flowery speaker enclosures are pretty well done, and the extremely out of place model number — officially, this is the BAR710 — is worth a few chuckles. Desperate parents everywhere will no doubt be shelling out for one of these very soon as the empty wallet season rapidly approaches: even if there was information about pricing, you wouldn’t want to know, right?

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Filed under: Peripherals, Portable Audio, Portable Video, Transportation

We know, it’s pretty difficult to remember all the way back to November of last year, but for those who need a refresher, Integrated Mobile Electronics’ iMe docking station enables one device to accept a multitude of DAPs / PMPs within your car. The company hopes that folks with various players (or various riders) will enjoy not having to rewire their vehicle for every single unit, and apparently, the iMe is entering production and should be in customers’ hands “within six to eight weeks.” Dubbed an “integrated package,” it should play nice with devices from Apple, Microsoft and SanDisk from day one, while a variety of other players should get support in the future. Potential buyers can even specify what vehicle they own in order to receive a system “specifically engineered to work with their setup,” and while the iMe station itself will cost $249.99, each additional dock will run you a stiff $89.99. [Warning: PDF read link]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!