There’s not much love lost between the organizers of the Consumer Electronics Show and Macworld: Each January, the dueling trade fairs, though they have separate identities, face off in the Annual Battle for the Biggest Buzz.
And though the combatants generally underplay the competition, it was quite clear this year that Apple had taken a giant bite out of the CES banquet. Even Sony and Panasonic — mainstays of the institutional CES attitude — showed systems designed specifically to accommodate iPods.
Vestalife Ladybug
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$110; AVAILABLE IN A FEW MONTHS
A portable iPod docking station with speakers that fold out like insect wings. It has input jacks for other portable players, plus a rear-firing subwoofer. Available in red and silver.
Sony CMT-BX20i
$130, AND THE CMT-BX50BTI, $180; BOTH OUT THIS MONTH
These two new shelf systems, both less than $200, come with integrated iPod docks and Bluetooth connectivity. The systems, in glossy piano black, can access the iPod’s menu remotely and have AM-FM radios. The 50BITi raises the wireless bar with Bluetooth A2DP technology to wirelessly stream CD-quality music to other Bluetooth devices such as headphones, cell phones, PCs and digital music players.
Creative Xdock HD iPod dock
$400; AVAILABLE IN THE SPRING
For those who groove on the iPod’s video capabilities, the newest Xdock can “upconvert” to video resolutions with sufficient detail to fill a widescreen HDTV. It also can output DTS surround, an audio format that uses multiple speakers, and can share music wirelessly throughout the home via X-Fi Wireless Receivers. One receiver is packed with the dock.
ILive iT188B
$99.99; AVAILABLE IN APRIL
This speaker “bar” fits neatly on a table under a flat-panel set or mounts on a wall. It has a novel motorized docking drawer for the iPod that folds out of sight when not in use. The 2.1-channel speaker system has dual built-in subwoofers, and there’s also an AM-FM radio. A remote controls it all. And dual audio-video inputs allow for the connection of a DVD player, set-top box or game system, and video out and sub out for connecting an external TV or subwoofer.