While most aftermarket cigarette-to-USB charging solutions protrude a bit from your dash, iLuv's iAD115 promises to be so small that you won't even notice it. At just 1.7-inches long, the Micro Size USB Car Adapter will squeeze into car power ports while offering a means to recharge any USB devices you've got around (one at a time, of course).

It's vailable this September for $15. [iLuv]

One trend that seems to be taking place in the land of iPod docks is that companies seem less concerned with the high end, hi-fi iPod docks. Instead, they're gravitating towards smaller, lighter docks that sound nice, but are intended more for casual listening. Both Logitech and Klipsch are putting most of their weight behind these smaller docks. In our testing, we checked out:

• Altec Lansing InMotion Max

• Bose SoundDock II

• iHome iP71

• iLuv i398

• JBL OnStage 400p

• Klipsch iGroove SXT (NOTE: Updated product specs for refreshed iGroove SXT not on Klipsch site yet)

• Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere 2

• Sony SRSGUI0iP

That said, we still went looking for the iPod dock that sounded really good while sticking as close to the $200 mark. Some were much cheaper, or much more expensive, but most of them all had something interesting to offer. Ultimately, overall audio quality had the most weight in helping to pick our winner, but price, design, and the usefulness of smaller features were also taken into consideration:

The Winner:

JBL On Stage 400p: At $250, the On Stage 400p is a bit more expensive than some of the other docks, but it sounds so nice, it was impossible to give top honors to anyone else. It uses a 30w sub to push out the low end, while delivering another 30w of power to the tweeters for the highs and mids. And though it might not wow anyone with its design, it's nice enough that you don't have to hide it in your living room. Just might want to wait till it goes on sale later on.

The Runners Up:

Bose SoundDock II: It's no huge surprise why the SoundDock II out performs the rest of the field: at $300 , Bose's accessory is outfitted with better hardware. But is the sound quality worth $100 than the rest of the docks? And what's the chance you'll ever find it on sale?

Altec Lansing InMotion Max: What the InMotion Max lacks in booming low end, it makes up for in precision audio tuning and a light, slim design. Two 2-inch drivers are bolstered by two, 2-inch passive radiators which sit directly above. The result are nice mids and highs that offer much better sound than the 14w power rating would suggest. Other nice little touches include song info that appears in the backlit display, capacitive touch buttons (which include <</>> controls), battery power that lasts 3.5 hours, and a spring loaded ipod dock connector that slides out. Well done.

Honorable Mentions:

Klipsch iGroove SXT: The new, revamped iGroove SXT (hitting stores this july) packs a lot of punch into a compact bundle. Enhanced acoustics and a dedicated amplifier for each driver give the SXT a nice, deep sound, but sometimes the high-end clarity suffers. Still it's hard not to like this one, and Klipsch is phasing out its bigger iGroove, so this is it if you love Klipsch.

Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere 2: Coming in at a lower price point and smaller size than most the other docks here, it's hard to compare it sonically because most the other docks are bigger and more expensive . But the Pure-Fi Anywhere 2 does manage to improve over the original Pure-Fi Anywhere in the sound department and does what few other docks can do: Travel around easily with a 10 hour battery life. Besides, the larger Pure-Fi Dream system may sound better, but its clock-radio interface leaves too much to be desired.

Listening Test: It's music tech week at Gizmodo.

The "portable" media player features a (16x9) 9-inch screen, DVD player, and an iPod dock. It simultaneously supports MPEG4 and VCD, iTunes libraries and DVD collections.

It will run off AC Power, a car adapter or built-in lithium ion battery. And, just in case it's too big to actually lug around, you can use it in your home theater thanks to its video out (format unspecified).

There's no price or release date set for the iLuv i1166. But like the Hardee's Monster Burger, I may have no interest in actually consuming the iLuv i1166, but I'm glad it's out there all the same. [iLuv via PMP Today]

While only offering 2.1 channel sound, the system does feature 32W of SRS-XT virtual surround, and each of the two speakers can be detached from the bar base and angled/positioned as you see fit.

Compatible with both PCs and Macs, the speakers can connect via USB or 3.5mm jacks, but USB users will benefit from the system's built-in 3-jack USB hub. Not available until June, the iSP200 will run $100 if you're still excited amidst the summer heat.

The Skinny: Another FM transmitter/hands-free Bluetooth mutant, this kit is for your car, and plugs directly into the iPod's dock port to charge it as well. Call reject, transfer and the usual hands-free Bluetooth commands. It's definitely more useful than standard iPod car kits. The Catch: Kind of ugly. And I'm tired of lower case i's.

No pricing info was available yet. – Charlie White

iLuv 'Wing' can turn the docking part horizontally for wide-view [Aving, via Coolest Gadgets

Things iLuv about the iLuv Wine Glass Dock:
The chick in the silver bikini.

Things iLuv about the iLuv Wine Glass Dock (cont.):
The fact that it looks like something you'd find at a garage sale of the widow of a Palm Beach tycoon who was the Mr Big of Niterie design way back when it was all about Bee Gees, not LGs.
Does it swivel from the stem? It had better do...

Things iHate about the iLuv:
It's still at the concept (maaaaan) stage.

Seriously, I was going to go off on one of my sugar-rush rants about this, but the more I studied it, the more I decided I that I want one for the shagpile disco room that I am going to build one day with the money I've earned from Giz. And then I realized if I waited that long, I'd have to build a room to park me and my friends' zimmer frames in (FYI, mine will be decked out in glitterball, with a horn that sounds like a cowbell, so that people know to get out of my way.)

All contributions to the "Buy Ad an iLuv Dock-That-Looks-Like-a-Wine Glass fund gratefully received. – Ad Dugdale

iLuv to present wine glass concept docking speaker
[Aving USA via Akihabara News]

As far as docks go, the i182 carries a steep price tag, $230. True, there's a slot for SD cards and MemorySticks so you can record video in a format natively supported by the Sony PSP, but the fact remains: watching video on the iPod's tiny screen isn't exactly the bees knees. iLuv, we'll talk once you automate the recording process. – Nicholas Deleon

Product Page [iLuv via New York Times]

The iLuv 277 alarm clock works as both an iPod dock with video out, as well as an AM/FM radio.

The iLuv i999 is an all-in-one multimedia center, including CD, MP3 and USB-device playback on top of the docking functionality.

But what makes iLuv more than another iSpeaker system? Essentially, iLuv is based upon Bluetooth sharing through a very tiny BluePin key. You plug the key in to and of their docks, and you can stream AV from any Bluetooth-enabled device.

The BluePin can also stream media to devices, such as their iLuv i202/i903 wireless headphones, or any third-party Bluetooth version you might already have around the house.

While the quarter-sized Bluepin seems like a neat idea at first, but why not just build the Bluetooth technology directly into these non-mobile devices? Do we really need another tiny thing to lose between our couch cushions?

– Mark Wilson

It has clock radio functions that lull you to sleep and wake you up, but if uLuv power, the iLuv's total audio output of a measly 6 watts into two small speakers may not satisfy. Still, there's a lot of tech packed into this 11-inch-wide box for just $149.99. – Charlie White

Product page [iLuv]

Product Page [Via CG]

The funny thing is, I don't even own an iPod, yet it seems like there's more and more accessories for the little player that could coming out every day. Right now, it's the iLuv i7500 2.1 channel audio system. While yesterday's iLuv i80 iPod Video Recorder was geared toward people who use the video functionality of their iPod with video, the i7500 brings everything full circle with an audio system that will hopefully sound as good as it looks.

The i7500 is available in iPod-matching black or white and comes with left and right channel speakers and a subwoofer (the ".1" in 2.1). There's a full-functioning, multiple iPod-compatable dock too, but that's to be expected from anything with a lowercase "I" at the start of its name nowadays. A remote control is also included in the package.

The little audio system not only plays back the docked iPod, but also digital audio files stored on SD/MMC/MS cards, USB devices and CDs, be they store-bought or filled with MP3s. An AM/FM radio rounds out its audio playback options.

The i7500 is listed as being available now and retails for $199.95. – Nicholas Deleon

Product Page [iLuv via iLounge]

Getting videos, especially, let's say, unofficial videos, onto an iPod with video isn't the easiest thing to do. iLuv is betting that you want an easier method of getting videos from outside sources onto the iPod. Its i180 is a full-functioning dock that lets you record outside video sources directly onto the iPod with its composite and S-video inputs. The i180 has three different recording speeds to ensure the highest space to quality ratio. It also lets you choose the recording bit rate, further optimizing the recording quality.

The i180, which only works with the iPod with video, has LED indicators to let you know just what the dock is doing, be it recording, charging or just hanging out. It's available now for $199.95. – Nicholas Deleon

Product Page [iLuv via Uncrate]

The iLuv is available in black and white to match your 5G iPods. It's got S-Video out, On Screen UI, rechargeable battery, remote control, carrying case and headphones.

Available now for $249.95. – Jason Chen

Product Page [iLuv via iLounge]