This week at iLounge: It was a review-heavy week at iLounge, with nine new ratings handed down. We took a look at several speakers, including the Altec Lansing inMotion iMV712 Portable Audio System, and while the audio was impressive, it’s large size and so-so video quality hampered its performance. We also played with the Kensington FX 500 Speaker To Go, a “speaker case” that surpasses the company’s FX 300 in functionality, but also in bulk and price. We found the Sharp i-Elegance DK-A1 Music System for iPod to be a well-designed all-in-one speaker, but its sound balance left something to be desired. Finally, Memorex’s Mi1111 Home Micro System for iPod packed lots of features, but also packed some bass distortion. We also examined several cases, including Capdase’s Belt Leather Case for iPod nano 2nd Generation, and found its quality on par with its low price. The same can be said for the company’s Pattern Leather and Bifold Style Classy Leather Cases for second-generation nanos. On the other side of the spectrum, AB Sutton’s Video Slip and Video Book for fifth-generation iPods offer precise customization and high build quality, albeit at a premium price.
We got our first looks at the XtremeMac XtremeHD HDMI Switcher, which packs four-port HDMI switching and Apple TV-styled looks, and the Griffin iTrip Pocket for iPod nano, a small, slightly limited version of the earlier iTrip for iPod nano. We also checked out the DLO HomeDock Music Remote, which lets you navigate your iPod from a display on the remote, and the Kensington QuickSeek FM Transmitter for iPod, a combo FM Transmitter and charger that automatically finds the clearest station for your broadcast. We checked out NLU Products’ BodyGuardz Scratch Proof Transparent Film for iPod 5G, which claim to combine substantial film protection with clear visual clarity, and the Burberrry-esque Speck TechStyle Classic for iPod.
In the News: The iPhone finally received FCC approval, hurdling one of the last obstacles on the way to release. Nokia’s CFO is hoping the device expands the high-end market, TBWA is going to handle the phone’s advertising, and ezGear introduced some of the first iPhone cases. Amazon announced its DRM-free iTunes competitor, Coke announced it will give away 2 billion iTunes downloads in Europe, and a study said that iTunes-like video services have no future. Many are wondering whether the new McCartney iTunes exclusive is a precursor to the Beatles’ appearance on the store, Apple aired a new iPod+iTunes ad, and and Microsoft announced plans for a Zune plant in China. Finally, don’t forget about our iPod Fashion Contest, which ends in three days — four iPhones are still up for grabs.
