Apple patent application details universal iPhone / iPod dock

Don’t get your hopes up too much just yet, but it looks like you might one day no longer need to detangle a USB cable or fiddle with a plastic dock adapter the next time you want to charge or sync your iPhone or iPod. That’s if this recently revealed patent application for a new type of universal dock from Apple turns into an actual product, at least. The secret to the dock, such as it is, is that the base would be made of an elastic, sponge-like substance that could conform to any device and hold it in place. What’s more, the dock would apparently even be able retain the imprint of your device for convenient use next time, and be reset at the push of the button to let you use it with another device — we’re not quite sure how this thing is supposed to hold up a tablet, though.

Apple patent application details universal iPhone / iPod dock originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Altec Lansing inMotion Classic iMT620 iPhone stereo review

We’ve been playing with the Altec Lansing inMotion Classic iMT620 for a few days now, and before you think “man, not another iPhone stereo dock,” look again. It was (mostly) love at first sight when we spotted this mini boombox — sharp corners and minimalism are what Altec Lansing does best these days, and the hint of retro isn’t hurting anyone, either. Like the iMT620’s predecessors, the inMotion series still bears the portability hallmark in the form of a built-in battery (up to five hours for this model), and now with the addition of a multifunctional handle as well. But is it really worth the $149 tag? Read on to find out.

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Altec Lansing inMotion Classic iMT620 iPhone stereo review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic debuts MW-10 photo frame / iPod dock / sound system

Can something manage to be both an iPod dock and a photo frame yet still manage to look like neither? It can if it’s Panasonic’s new MW-10 “multimedia audio system photo frame,” which looks more like a shrunken down LCD TV than anything else. If that suits your decor, however, it looks like you’ll get quite a bit from this little package, including a 9-inch WVGA display, 4GB of internal memory, an SD card slot, an FM tuner, some puported “audiophile-quality sound,” and even a built-in CD player to complement the iPod dock ’round back. Look or this one to hit US retailers sometime in December for $299.95 — or if that’s too long to wait, you can pick one up in Japan right now, where it launched last month.

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Panasonic debuts MW-10 photo frame / iPod dock / sound system originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seiko Ocean Theater alarm clock brings the life aquatic to your bedroom

If you’re anything like us, you’re terrified of whales for pretty much no reason. Seiko‘s newest alarm clock — the Ocean Theater — probably isn’t for you then. Fair enough, but plenty of people are not maladjusted, and we’re willing to admit that it’s pretty cool, even if it’s terrifying. The clock, which responds to touch, can project various marine life upon your walls, and we imagine it’ll be a huge hit with children. As you’ll see in the video after the break, if this thing works as advertised, it’s really rather impressive. The Ocean Theater also doubles as an iPod dock, and will be available from Japan Trends; it’s up for pre-order now and runs $235. Like we said, definitely check out the video after the break.

[Via Uber Gizmo]

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Seiko Ocean Theater alarm clock brings the life aquatic to your bedroom originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Regen’s ReNu solar panel system in the flesh

While great in concept, solar powered gadgets just never seem to be very practical at the end of the day. Regen’s tweak on the formula might help a little, by stuffing a battery into the solar panel itself, meaning you don’t have to keep your iPod plugged in for a painfully long trickle charge or juggle multiple elements to make it work (there’s a USB plug on the side). ReNu also has batteries in its various docking accessories as well, all of which can be charged by the ReNu panel or by AC power. It’s not going to turn the emerging market on its head, and at $199 for the ReNu unit by itself it’s not cheap either, but it seems like a logical direction for sun-fueled devices — and looks pretty cool doing it.

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Regen’s ReNu solar panel system in the flesh originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin mini iPod dock lands for a hands-on

We’ve seen plenty of carefully staged press shots of Bowers & Wilkins’ new Zeppelin mini iPod dock, but we’re guessing that anyone about to shell out $400 for one of these is going to want a considerably closer, more unvarnished look at it. Thankfully, the folks at iLounge have now stepped in and provided just that and, while the agree it’s certainly not for everyone, they do seem to think that those with the money to spend won’t be disappointed, noting that the Zeppelin mini is another great example of the “speaker as art.” Hit up the link below for a closer look, including a comparison with B&W’s full size Zeppelin.

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Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin mini iPod dock lands for a hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bose SoundDock 10 gets reviewed, probably not worth the pricetag

Bose unleashed its giant iPod dock, the SoundDock 10, back in August — all 18 pounds of it. Well, iLounge has gotten their hands on one of these $600 beasts, and they’ve given it a nice once over. The SoundDock 10 has a nice solid build, and they grade the overall sound quality as decent… which probably isn’t comforting to hear, considering the price, but they do say that it certainly outperforms its cheaper peers. They note the inclusion of extra ports — an unusual and welcomed addition to a Bose unit — though they also note the continued absence of video support in the dock. If you’re in the market for a serious dock for your player, hit up the read link for the full review.

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Bose SoundDock 10 gets reviewed, probably not worth the pricetag originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wall of Sound is loud, prohibitively expensive, and somewhat defeats the purpose

You know the problem with most iPod docks? They’re too compact, too convenient. Luckily the wild men at Brothers in Drottninggatan, Stockholm, have the cure to tinny sounds that come in small packages. Hopefully a nod to the sound generated by “the bruddas” from Forest Hills, Queens (and not that of a certain homicidal record producer), the Wall of Sound is a handcrafted, 4 x 3 foot, 125 watt tube amplified behemoth. Intrigued? We bet you are. Sadly, the company has sold out of its first run, but you’ll need time to save up your lunch money for one of these anyways: the asking price is $4,495 (plus shipping). Hit that read link to get started.

[Via Geek.com]

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Wall of Sound is loud, prohibitively expensive, and somewhat defeats the purpose originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ReNu solar panels announced for iPhone charger, sound dock, LED desk lamp

Sure, we’ve been frustrated by solar-powered iPhone chargers and amused by the irony of solar-powered lamps in the past, but that doesn’t mean we’re not looking forward to the day when we can meet our gadgets power needs without relying on fossil fuels. That’s why we’re pleased to note that a company called ReNu has just announced a solar panel that can be used to charge your iPhone or iPod, power the device’s sound dock, or even keep your desk light shining sans mains power. Featuring a modular design, the panel can dispatched to your window to soak up the rays for 10 or 20 hours (depending on the amount of sunlight it receives) and then returned to your dock for about nine hours of music playback, recharge your iPhone (twice!), or provide about four hours of light with the LED desk lamp. Of course, most people are going to hang this thing in the window once, forget about it, and then spend the next several years powering their devices with the included AC adapter — but at least they’re trying, right? Available for pre-order now, the ReNu solar panel ($199) and the Renu panel / iPod dock combo ($249) both ship in February 2010, while the Side Light desk lamp ($89) ships in next March, and the Sound Dock ($149) should see the light of day sometime in April. Hit the read link to place that order, but not before peeping the galley below.

[Via TreeHugger]

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ReNu solar panels announced for iPhone charger, sound dock, LED desk lamp originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yamaha’s PDX-60 wireless iPod / iPhone dock adds yAired to the lexicon

Sony’s got its S-AIR, Yamaha has its yAired — so, what of it? The outfit famous for making just about everything from ATVs to wicked soundbars has today introduced a classy addition to the oversaturated iPod / iPhone sound system market: the PDX-60. Apple loyalists simply dock their media player in the wireless base and watch as the tunes are streamed effortlessly into the magical box on the other side. There’s also remote control capability for keeping tabs on that playlist whilst planted on the sofa, and the dock can even power on and off automatically with “yAired-enabled iPhones / iPods.” The music maker itself boasts a pair of 3.25-inch speakers and a digital amplifier of undisclosed wattage, and it’s available in black, gray, blue or pink for $299.95. So, any takers, or are you stickin’ with Bose?

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Yamaha’s PDX-60 wireless iPod / iPhone dock adds yAired to the lexicon originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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