Beats for your brain.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)In the final MP3 Insider of 2008, Donald and Jasmine discuss Dr. Dre's super stylish in-ear headphones, a way-too-pricey iPod dock from DLO, some touch-screen alternatives to the iPod Touch, and a gaggle of gear for the Creative Zen family.
Plus, find out how to follow Jasmine and Donald while they cruise around CES 2009.
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You don't see many iPod video docks these days--and for good reason. Starting in 2007, Apple locked down video accessory support for the iPod, while simultaneously releasing a product that made such accessories arguably obsolete: the Apple TV.
Click for a photo gallery of the DLO HomeDock HD.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)Even in their heyday, iPod video accessories have always been a tough sell due to the inherent limitations of iPod video resolution. The boom in high-definition TV sales over the past few years hasn't helped the cause either. Upscaled or not, who wants to watch the iPod's default 320x240 video resolution on their 40-inch plasma TV?
DLO's HomeDock HD makes a valiant effort to pull the iPod video dock back from the brink of extinction, offering HDMI output, iPod Touch support, an RF remote with a 75-foot range, and built-in video upscaling. Too bad it costs $30 more than an Apple TV and is only half as useful. I mean, if the point is to get your iTunes media library on your high definition TV, why not cut out the go-between (the iPod), save some money, and get the added benefit of hard drive storage and media streaming?
To be fair, there is a market for the DLO HomeDock HD: folks who aren't wired for Wi-Fi or Ethernet (I sometimes have to remind myself these people exist) or have standard definition televisions not supported by Apple TV. Maybe I'm crazy, but that doesn't sound like a consumer who's ready to throw $250 on an AV iPod dock.
To find out more, read my full review of the DLO HomeDock HD over on CNET Reviews.
Donald and Jasmine discuss a new PVP from Cowon with an attractive price point.
Plus, Sonos inadvertently lowers the entry price point for its excellent in-home audio networking system--for those who already own iPhones or the iPod Touch. We interview Sonos co-founder Tom Cullen to get all the details.
Also this week: cute multimedia speakers, an overpriced in-car charger dock, and Jasmine's favorite music gadgets.
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(Credit:
DLO)
FM transmitters aren't the best way to port your MP3 player's audio to your car stereo, but for those who don't have a cassette player or auxiliary line input, they're the only option. Thanks to FCC regulations, it can be a challenge to find one that offers transmission powerful enough to dominate an FM frequency without frequent drop-outs and interference, but DLO has managed to offer a reasonably strong signal with its TransDock line of transmitters. The newest addition to the family, the TransDock III with IntelliTune ($99.99), keeps the legacy going, although we found the IntelliTune feature to be useless around San Francisco. Read more.
(Credit:
DLO)
On Sale Now: $39.99 - $84.99
View the latest prices for DLO TransDock III (with IntelliTune)
(Credit:
DLO)
(Credit:
DLO)
Among the cooler products coming out of Macworld 2008 is DLO's iBoom Jukebox, an iPod-ready speaker dock expected to ship this spring. Style-wise, this unit certainly lives up to its name: It's shaped like a mini jukebox. It's a fun design, though the iBoom isn't all about form over function. Hidden beneath the grille wrapped over the speaker's arch, you get two 1-inch tweeters and two 3-inch woofers. The unit also includes a super sweet-looking RF remote that can be used from up to 100 feet away (even through walls) and features its own screen for navigating the iPod's menus. The Jukebox also offers its own built-in controls via an illuminated touch strip lining the top edge of the speaker. The unit, which will cost about $200, works with any docking iPod and will charge the player while it's docked.
DLO HomeDock HD: The HDMI output upscales iPod videos to (sorta kinda) HD resolution
(Credit: DLO)The iPod accessories are hitting hot and heavy at Macworld. DLO has used the occasion to take the wraps off its HomeDock HD. As you might guess from the name, the latest iteration of DLO's HomeDock Deluxe now offers upscaled HD video output (720p or 1080i) from an HDMI port built into the dock. (For those that still haven't made the leap to HDTV, it'll still connect to standard televisions via the composite or S-Video jacks.) In addition to playing back iPod-based videos on the big screen, the HomeDock HD also provides TV-based navigation to all of the music and photos on the iPod as well, and the RF remote should work anywhere within 100 feet, regardless of line-of-sight issues.
Sounds cool enough--especially now that iTunes is now renting movies and offering better video quality--but just remember to keep those HD expectations in check. As Gizmodo points out, it comes with the same caveat that's long applied to an upconverting DVD player: it's pretty much superfluous unless it's better than the scaler built into your TV. Look for the DLO HomeDock HD to hit in the spring for $250. It'll be going head-to-head with the very similar Creative Xdock HD ($400, includes streaming audio to a second room), not to mention the revamped Apple TV ($230).
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