iPod family: iPod, Nano, Mini, and Shuffle

Helmes iWorkout 3 for iPod

The good: Includes 42 exercise routines for all the body’s muscle groups; text descriptions include links with audio and images; routines are developed by ACE-certified personal trainer; works with both Windows and Macintosh iPods.

The bad: Exercise text is too brief and jargony; listening to the audio or viewing images stops your music; photos display only on video iPods; installer is confusing.

The bottom line: Those beginning to exercise might appreciate having a personal trainer in their pocket, but we find iWorkout a bit awkward to use.

Read the rest of this entry »

Belkin TuneStage

While no one will argue with the simple convenience of an iPod on the road, things get a little complicated when you want to use one at home. Despite the emergence of a thriving iPod accessories industry, most home-based iPod amplification solutions have suffered from one annoying limitation or another. The main problem: whether you’re attaching the iPod to a high-end powered speaker system (such as the Klipsch iFi or the Bose SoundDock) or pumping your iPod’s music straight into your stereo (via a dock connector or just a $5 cable mated to its headphone jack), the iPod–that is to say, your music collection–ends up anchored to something on the other side of the room. That’s all right if you have a bunch of fine-tuned playlists or can live with the vagaries of shuffle play, but anyone who wants to jump from song to song on a whim–or see the song and artist name–will need to head over to read the iPod’s tiny screen. That’s about as much fun as getting off the sofa to change the channels on your TV.
Read the rest of this entry »

Apple iPod Shuffle Dock Connector

The iPod Shuffle was made to plug directly into a computer’s USB port, but that isn’t feasible for all setups. Since Apple doesn’t include a dock with the Shuffle, it’ll happily help out by selling you one for 29 bucks. The company’s Shuffle Dock has a simple, spartan appearance, holding your Shuffle upright while you transfer songs or power it up. It also has a 45-inch cord and a grippy surface on the bottom so that it won’t move around.(Credit Review CNET)

Bose SoundDock

The huge popularity of the iPod has given rise to a cottage industry of iPod accessories, including various speakers that help turn your iPod into a boombox. With Apple’s blessing, Bose has entered the world of iPod with its SoundDock “digital music system,” a $300 stereo speaker designed to work with dockable iPods.

Read the rest of this entry »

          Altec Lansing M602

The market for iPod-centric speaker systems seems almost infinite. Altec Lansing already offers roughly seven portable iPod speakers, but the company is turning to the home market with the release of the M602 Powered Audio System. Billed as a “high-end home system,” the M602 ($199 list) is designed to sit on a table or shelf, or it can be mounted on a wall. (The latter requires mailing in a $3 check to cover shipping and handling charges for a “free” mounting bracket.) It’s not as heavy as the boombox-esque Altec Lansing iM7, but it weighs in at 5 pounds and measures 14 inches wide, 5.4 inches deep, and 8.2 inches high. The upright single chassis design is relatively compact, but it feels reasonably substantial when you take it out of the box.

Read the rest of this entry »