Luckily, manufacturer Rihanna is working on this $100 kitchen scale due out next year, complete with an iPod dock and 2W speaker (the speaker is hidden under the glass platform). Your iPod shows you the song while a black and white LCD displays the weights. I mean, does life get any better than this? [ADE via gizmag via UberGizmo]

According to Stuff.tv, the $380 Heritage is well-built and produces sound far better than what you'd expect from a gadget looking as old as my parents. If you feel like spending nearly $400 on a nice bedside companion then this could definitely satisfy your inner 60's child. I'm just plain gonna focus on keeping mine outta trouble. [Stuff.tv via Engadget via Unplggd]

Pitched as "the world's most powerful iPod speaker," the Wall of Sound is a $4,500, handcrafted iPod dock with a stocky 3x4-foot frame that weighs in at 225 pounds. As for the sound itself, the 125W system promises a frequency response of 40 Hz – 20 kHz that will provide "graceful mids and crystal clear highs," according to the product's website. It's also purportedly "for people who believe that music should be listened to loudly." [Wall of Sound via geek]

Imagining writing on it aside, the Table of Sound is a neat idea with both wired and wireless docking options, but I think I'll still do with mounting my speakers in corners. [wondering boys via designboom via Dvice]

The ReNu probably doesn't work as you'd imagine from looking at the photograph. Sure, you see an iPod dock with speakers, just as you'd expect. But that huge back plate is actually a solar panel/battery combo that you can remove from the dock to hang near a window to store energy. It takes about 9 hours to charge in direct sunlight, or 20 hours to charge in indirect sunlight, to power music for 7-8 hours.

This ReNu panel actually supports a variety of different base units, including a pure iPod/iPhone dock (no speakers included) and an LED desk lamp.

I think the basic idea becomes something like, hang or place a bunch of solar panels in sunlight, then grab power as necessary. But in case you find this ease of use scenario as hard to believe as us, all of the docks and the ReNu panel itself will plug in should the sun's juice fall short.

The base ReNu panel alone can be preodered now for 2010 availability. It runs $200. The accessories start at $90 and work their way up. [Regen via Treehugger via DVICE]

Bose SoundDock 10 sits a few notches above any of its stablemates, both in size and price—this thing is as heavy as a stereo receiver, and about a foot tall. (Asked about the size, a Bose engineer said that he liked to think of it as transportable, not portable. Uh!) I'm not really sure what the significance of the "10" moniker is, but if Apple can randomly assign nice, round, out-of-order numbers to their products, why can't Bose, hmm?

They've done something kinda cool with the dock connector, which can be swapped out to suit different players, or, if you've got an extra $150 laying around, a stereo Bluetooth adapter, which feels like it should've been built in there in the first place, honestly. Bose threw in a composite video port for good measure, so you can view photos and videos on your TV.

Anyway, portability isn't really the point here, since this thing is meant to sit on a table—probably a well-polished one, in an immaculate, nautical-themed sitting room—and pretty much fill the role that the Wave radios used to: To be smaller than a proper stereo, but not to sound like crap. In fact, there's a lot of shared DNA there, since the SoundDock 10 uses the same scrunched audio waveguide piping that made the Wave radios sound, well, kinda big. And for what it's worth, the SoundDock 10 sounds even bigger, mostly thanks to this:

This here lump of speaker accompanies two "Twiddlers," which is Bose speak for "tweeters that do midrange, too, we promise." Together they throw respectable sound, which is surprisingly powerful at the very low end, and phenomenally clear in the rest of the range, most of the time. Classical music, Bose's demo genre of choice, sounds predictably great, but anything noisier, like rock music, starts to blend together, reminding you that you're still listening to an iPod dock. Which you are!

That's the obvious hangup with the SoundDock 10: It's $600, and it a dock. Granted, it's easily the best iPod dock I've ever heard, but it's still recognizable as such, and it's not that much cheaper than a real two-speaker stereo system. But hey, it's also a dock in the good way—it's easy to connect things to, to move around, and it won't clutter up your room with wires—so if those are your top priorities, docks don't get much better than this. The SoundDock 10 will be available from Sept 21. [Bose]

The MCR-140 has a wireless transmitter that attaches to the bottom of your iPod and streams music using Yamaha's own "uncompressed" wireless tech instead of Blueooth. The MCR-040—the orange one—is the exact same, but no wireless. iPod aside, they do CD, FM and USB. The 040's $280, while the wireless step-up puts the 140 at $400, and they're both out in October.

SHARPÒ INTRODUCES TWO NEW ULTRA-PORTABLE
IPOD® DOCKING SYSTEMS
High-fidelity Sound and Convenience in an Elegant, Handheld Design

ATLANTA, September 10, 2009 – Sharp today introduces two new iPodÒ docking systems for headphone-free music on the go. The DK-AP8P and DK-AP7P allow users to play music directly from any iPod or iPhoneÒ while simultaneously recharging the unit. Weighing less than 1.6 lbs, these 2.1-channel units feature premium sound quality, a long battery life and an ultra-portable design. An IR wireless touch panel remote control on the DK-AP8P adds flexibility and convenience, acting as a magnetic cover when not in use, while the DK-AP7P folds shut – protecting the units from damage during travel.

"As the popularity of digital music devices continues to grow, so does the desire for consumers to share their vast digital music libraries, whether traveling, in their backyard or in the comfort of the home," said Sean McBride, senior product marketing manager, audio, Entertainment Products Division, Sharp. "The introduction of the DK-AP8P and DK-AP7P strengthens Sharp's lineup of portable iPod audio systems and gives users the ultimate ease and convenience of high-quality music on the go, with an extremely small footprint."

The DK-AP8P and DK-AP7P join Sharp's existing lineup of iPod audio systems, including the DK-AP7N and DK-CL6N.

DK-AP8P and DK-AP7P

These small, yet powerful, made for iPod audio systems also work with iPhone and feature an ultra-portable design that folds closed for safekeeping when on the go (the DK-AP8P has a magnetic cover). A 2.1-channel speaker system houses all of the necessary components for an enjoyable listening experience, including the main drivers and subwoofer. With approximately six hours of battery operation and an AC adapter and soft carry bag included, these models are truly a portable solution to enjoying high-quality audio from any location.

The iPod terminal allows the user to charge and play music directly from any iPod or iPhone through the unit's full-range bass reflex speakers with HDSS™ (high-definition sound standard) sound technology. For optimum sound, the units offer ESound, a digital signal processing technology that improves the quality of compressed digital music. By enhancing the sound frequency and increasing the sound pressure, ESound mode corrects deterioration to the sound quality that plagues most compressed music. Both models also include a video output so that when connected to a TV, users can enjoy their favorite iPod videos and photos on a larger screen. Additionally, each unit features a 3.5mm stereo audio input for use with other audio MP3 players or PC audio for increased versatility.

The DK-AP8P and DK-AP7P feature a piano black finish. The current DK-AP7N is available in two eye-catching color combinations, sporting a glossy black body with either white or red accents.

DK-CL6N

With this clock radio music system made for iPod, users can wake up to their favorite playlists, direct from any iPod or iPhone (in airplane mode). The DK-CL6N charges and plays music from the docked iPod or iPhone (in airplane mode) with high-quality sound through the system's 4 watt, 2.0-channel audio speaker system. The alarm clock function includes a sleep timer with snooze and dual alarms for ultimate convenience. An AM/FM tuner allows users to program up to 10 favorite radio stations. The unit also features an electronic equalizer that customizes sound based on the music genre and has a five-step mode to accurately adjust the sound for any type of music.

The DK-CL6N is designed for the home or dorm room, featuring a compact design with a blue illuminated clock display. The unit also supports MP3 music players as well as streams video files from iPod video via the video output jack to the television.

All models feature low power consumption and comply with Energy StarÒ standards.
Pricing and availability

* The DK-AP8P will be available in September for a for a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $189.99
* The DK-AP7P will be available in September for an MSRP of $129.99

[Sharp]

Bluetooth being built-in would be nicer, but still, not having to connect to your iPhone 3GS or iPod touch 2G (or other Bluetooth device) is kinda neat.

The XW-NAS5 (pictured top) also has auto track volume leveling, an "Advanced Sound Retriever" to improve compressed music, built-in radio, and a hippy ambient sound generator to sooth you to sleep.

We don't know pricing yet, but the speakers are slated to arrive this Winter. The basic XW-NAS3 will only be white, while the S5 will have a few different colors, including red and black. [Pioneer]

Both products are attractive in their own way, but stumble over the same minor detail. The MX6021, picture above, is another one of those pretty "Expressionist" speakers Altec keeps making, and this time they've opted for some kind of auto part/heavy machinery/1990s space movie aesthetic. As far as sound goes, it's a fairly standard 2.1 system, though Altec stresses its gen-u-ine 200W rating.

The iMT800 is pitched as a modern-day boombox, with five inbuilt speakers, digital FM radio, an iPod dock with a device stabilizer (so you don't shear off the connector), a remote and a pair of auxiliary inputs for other devices. I sort of hope the eight D-cell battery requirement is a sly nod to the device's battery-hungry ancestors, but I'm not so sure. To Altec's credit, though, those eight batteries last 30 hours and get their own battery capacity readout, so you shouldn't be too worried about unplugging this thing.

Now, about that "minor detail": Price! In both cases—the iMT800 at $300 and the MX6021 at $150—it's a little high. Both are available now. [AltecLansing]

The S125i, checking in at $70, is totally standard: Universal iPod/iPhone dock, 3.5mm auxiliary input for other audio sources (I like using my Zune, because I'm a rebel like that), a one-touch bass boost button, and can run on 4 AA batteries for around 10 hours.

Equally dull is the S315i, pictured, a little more expensive at $130, has the same inputs, except its battery is rechargeable and lasts twice as long, up to 20 hours. Apparently the "custom, full-range drivers" give excellent lows and highs, though without having heard it we can't confirm that.

Like we said, these docks are totally fine—if we were in the market for a new iPod dock, we'd definitely consider them. Logitech has a history of nice-sounding, nice-looking iPod accessories and it stands to reason these'll be perfectly nice as well. But there's also nothing new here, and we just can't get too excited about another black plastic and silver metal iPod dock. [Logitech]

We like the idea of being able to add attachments to an iPod dock, since they're usually incredibly boring, but this concept could be so much cooler and/or wackier. Air purifiers are pretty gimmicky, but not too interesting—how about adding a photo printer? Or a Blu-Ray deck? Or an aquarium? The list goes on and on. What would you guys like to see as an add-on to a dock? [Yanko Design]

Tony Bongiovi, producer of lots of great rock albums and founder of the legendary Power Station recording studio here in NYC and second cousin to Jon Bon helped iHome develop said processing profile, called DPS. Basically, it's like the "loudness" switch on your dad's stereo—it boosts high- and low-end frequency, but the claim to newness here is that the software actively evaluates the frequency profile of whatever MP3s you feed into it and provides boost where it's needed. Dubious? Maybe. And does it sound more amazing than any iPod dock ever? Of course not.

I heard it next to some Yamaha NS-10 studio monitors (playing 160kbps Apple Store MP3s) and yeah, the monitors sounded better. Of course. But the iHome doesn't sound bad.

Keep in mind you can get a great (and probably superior, soundwise) 2.1 setup for half the cost of the $300 iP1, but if you need an actual dock input, love the speakers-through-lucite look and have $300 to burn, sure, why not.

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 Amplifi is a utilitarian machine, but it has excellent sound for a budget iPod dock—probably because it's built upon a real wood case. And it's just inconceivable to me that you will do any better for $50. Just keep in mind that it cannot charge a (newer?) iPhone or an iPod touch (though it will play their music), which will probably be a dealbreaker for at least a few of you. [Buy via GearDiary]

The E-Pod is a dock concept that fits a projector, speaker (with subwoofer), and alarm clock all inside what looks to be a swiveling retro microphone case. It's pretty small, but as incredulous as I was taking a first look at the design, there's really no feature here that stops the E-Pod from going into production tomorrow (assuming that you could deal with a somewhat craptastic Pico projector smearing 30 Rock all over your wall). [Early Factory via Yanko]

The device also has touch panel controls, a 3.5mm audio-in jack, bass/treble adjustments, AM/FM radio and a remote control. There is no firm release date or price, though Sony Insider seems to think it will fall in the $150-$250 range, which seems pretty decent for the feature set. [Sony Insider]

Other than its atypical shape complete with speakers in its eyes and a subwoofer in its butt, the $90 iBoo features no extraordinary functions. But wouldn't it be great if the little ghost blinked white and blue sometimes? And maybe like, it could be edible only during those fleeting moments?

Boy, with the proper imaginary components, this iBoo could really be something! [Speakal]

If these showed up on my doorstep, I would thank whoever sent me the French intergalactic trumpets from space. Then I would take them out, pair 'em up with Bluetooth and stream my iTunes from my computer over wi-fi. They're $1,500, and available this spring.