iPad 2 Docking Station

iPad 2 Docking Station Overview

Even though the iPad 2 seemingly came out just yesterday, It can still be difficult to settle on only 1 of the hundreds of available iPad 2 docking stations out there. Yet, if you want to fully take advantage of the media capabilities of your brand new touchscreen pad then they’re an absolute necessity.


This whole process is made even more difficult because the iPad 2 came out so recently and there really hasn’t been time for there to be a clear consensus on what the ‘Best’ and ‘Worst’ iPad 2 docking stations are, especially because there are just a few products developed soley for the new iPad2.

As you continue reading this article you’ll be getting an overview of what makes an effective iPad dock by examining the various features that are currently available from products on the market right now. We’ve divided them up into 2 categories:

Basic iPad 2 Docking Stations

Most of the various iPad 2 docks that are currently available are formatted similarly to Apple’s very own official docking station. At the most basic level they feature a charging input custom fit for your iPad 2 and not a whole lot else.

In this category, Apple’s own official docking station probably stands out as the safest bet. It will hold your iPad 2 at a perfect viewing angle, and also has USB connectivity and an audio line out. It’s compatible with other apple accessories that let you get even more out of your iPad, such as connecting your iPad to a TV or speakers.

Apple’s docking station retails for $30, but you can find similar docking stations on Amazon for cheaper. The cheapest one we found was $20. You also may consider buying a simple keyboard dock instead of a docking station, if that’s a function that you need.

Advanced iPad 2 Docking Stations

If you have a little bit of a budget to spare on entertainment, then you can definitely get more out of your iPad 2 dock than just a charging stand for your touch screen.

Since there are so many features available across all of the iPad 2 docks out there, we thought it would be easiest if we did a simple bulleted list of some of the most prominent (and useful) features that you can currently get in an iPad dock, if you’re willing to pay for them:

  • Speakers -. Most speaker-equipped docking stations for the iPad start at around $80.
  • Car Ready – Do you want to use your iPad 2 as a GPS? Whatever you’re reason, if you’d like to be able to use your iPad whilst driving, then there are stands designed for in-car use.
  • Dual Device Compatability – Do you have both an iPod and an iPhone AND an iPad? If so then you’ll benefit from a multi-docking station which will let your charge and use multiple devices.
  • Keyboard – If you’d rather use a normal keyboard than the touch screen one provided on the iPad 2, then keep this feature in mind when looking for a docking station.
  • Remote Control – Are you hosting a tailgate party or a similar social gathering? You’d be surprised at how much having a remote comes in handy. Trust me, it’s one of those things that you don’t miss until you’ve tried it.

Please note that there are quite a few similarities between iPad 2 docking stations and the iPod docking stations, and since we’ve already written about the latter, you can read about that here:  iPod Docking Stations


As you can see, whatever you want from your iPad 2 docking station you can probably get. There are a wide array of iPad docks out there, so it really is as easy as figuring out what features you want and getting out there to start shopping!

To make it even easier for you, we got a little review page up: iPad 2 Docking Station Reviews