Docking Station

While you might be tempted to think the Wall of Sound is one of the biggest music player docks you've ever seen, it doesn't quite live up to the huge proportional potential of the iTree iPhone and iPod docking station from Austrian design house KMKG STUDIO. The dock is carved from a simple tree trunk, its rear-mounted speakers are pointed towards a wall to reflect the audio and the wood serves to resonate the sound in a similar fashion to a piano or violin.  Read More

We've seen iPad docks that mount an iPad on a wall, on a car dashboard and on a fridge, but the iRoom iDock is the first we've come across that mounts an iPad in the wall. Featuring a motorized docking system that automatically opens and closes thanks to a proximity sensor, the iRoom iDock is flush-mounted to the wall, which means you'll need the services of an electrician to connect the unit to your home's electrical system.  Read More

Thunderbolt definitely seems to be gaining momentum with another peripheral for the high-speed interface rearing its head. Spotted by DailyTech at this week's 2011 Intel Developer Forum (IDF) in San Francisco, the Thunderbolt Express Dock from Belkin connects with a Thunderbolt-equipped Mac to provide the same docking station capabilities found on Apple's recently announced Apple Thunderbolt Display (but without the 27-inch monitor).  Read More

Charging an iPhone or iPod when out and about can often leave users taking advantage of any spare power outlet at hand. For those using the standard adapter and cable that came with said devices, this can sometimes mean leaving the units laying on the ground at the mercy of any big booted passersby. Bluelounge's MiniDock charging adapter overcomes this problem by replacing the dangling cable with a dock that connects directly to the standard Apple USB power adapter so that your mobile device sits upright close to the wall, safely out of harm's way.  Read More

Although B&W's Zeppelin is a great way to listen to the audio on your iDevice while charging its battery, it can only dock one at a time. JVC has announced a sleek new speaker dock that can accommodate both an iPad and an iPhone/iPod at the same time.  Read More

I think it's fair to say that many music loving mobile device users are left somewhat wanting when it comes to built-in speakers. Listening to audio either involves having to wear cumbersome earphones or sacrificing device usability to plonk it in a dedicated docking station. You can, of course, just dock your device in Soundfreaq's new Sound Step speaker and top up the battery while listening or you could keep your mobile device where it should be - in your hands. Thanks to Bluetooth connectivity, users can stream audio directly to the speaker while enjoying lots of multitasking action on the device itself.  Read More

Using earphones to listen to music while on the move can make long-haul journeys seem a whole lot shorter and enjoyable, but there are times when you want to share your tunes with others. While there are numerous house-bound docking solutions available, music lovers on the road need something mobile that's able to keep its own batteries topped up or that doesn't require any batteries at all. The iBamboo speaker from designer Anatoliy Omelchenko of Triangle Tree is said to use the natural acoustic resonance of bamboo to deliver a power-free boost to the audio coming from the built-in speaker of a docked iPhone 4.  Read More

An iPhone has various input features that a standard desktop keyboard doesn’t, such as a reconfigurable touchscreen display. A full-sized keyboard, however, is much easier to type on than an iPhone. Perhaps it only makes sense, therefore, that Korea’s Omnio Technologies decided to combine the strengths of the two devices, in the form of its WOW-Keys keyboard with built-in iPhone dock.  Read More

Many of us breathed a sigh of relief when the uncomfortable lesson in bland that was the digital age of beige came to an end, but even some of the latest styling can be somewhat disappointing. The growing popularity of Steampunk design is evidence that many crave a return to the classic looks of yesteryear but enthusiasts wanting their technology to take on a vintage look are, for the most part, left with little option but to modify the kit themselves. Those with no time to spare or no skills to speak of, though, are left to look on with envious admiration. Kirk DuQuette has not only created a whole bunch of stunning computer peripherals and mobile device docks that hark back to the Victorian age of steam but, without much of the valve, cog and gauge overkill, he has also made some of them available for purchase.  Read More