The rumors have been flying around about a release date for the iPad 3. Some speculated it would come out February 24th on what would have been Apple co- founder’s, Steve Jobs, 57th birthday. Other sources claimed it would be unveiled at the iWorld this month. However, both theories have proven to be wishful thinking. Reports are now pointing to an unveiling date of March 2012. With all this talk about the iPad , what will the new iPad 3 docking stations look like? Clearly, docking stations in the past have had excellent features, yet we have yet to see one that combines all the best qualities. To go about trying to figure out what to expect from the new docking stations, we should review the pros and cons of older models. This will give us some sense of the direction Apple designers may be headed, while allowing us to make an educated guess on what to expect.

Let’s start with the Altec Lansing MP450 Octiv Stage for example. Known for its convenience, it came with a remote control and was capable of charging iPads, iPhones, and iPods. The problem was its speaker system was low-quality. Customers who used it complained of it speakers sounding “scratchy” when its volume was raised passed 90% capacity.

 The iLuv iMM747 Audio Cube has excellent speaker sound and charged the iPad and the iPhone 4. Its sound quality was a result of its Enhanced jAura Echo Soundrell Technology. One customer suggested making it less bulky and giving the station more features such as an alarm clock.

 Another one is the iSound iPad Power View Pro Charge Station. It can charge two i products at once, including two iPads at the same time! Another unique feature is its horizontal docking capability. This allows users to play Angry Birds, watch the latest viral You Tube video, or tinker with new apps with ease.

 The new docking stations will combine the best features of the previous ones to complement the expected innovations of the iPad 3. Considering the recurring rumor of an HD display on the new tablet, expect the docking station to have horizontal docking capabilities. To fit the visual improvements, the speakers will hopefully be of good quality. So when you use it, you will get the best visual and audio experience possible, what shows us the trend: The iPad 3 docks are developing in the direction of multi media devices.

More iPad 3 rumors:

The Wall Street Journal reported Apple invested a large amount of money in Sharp’s LCD manufacturing facilities. This investment was followed by reports that Sharp has been working on its IGZO (indium, gallium, and zinc oxide) display. The display is capable of 330 dots-per inch resolution and would be compatible for small devices like smartphones and tablets. Many believe this investment is a strategic move to acquire the best resources for Apple products like the iPad 3. The iPad 3’s battery life is expected to be even better than the impressive ten hour batter life in the iPad 1 and 2. According to sources, Dynapack International Technology Corp. will be providing the iPad 3’s battery. Look for it to be thinner and meet the CTIA’s new standards.

Without a doubt, the tablet’s HD picture quality is its most exciting component we have heard of yet. iPad 3 docking stations enhancing a user’s visual experience should be expected. Therefore, anticipate horizontal docking capabilities and speaker quality. It will need to improve the mobile capabilities, as well. Look for a docking station with all these features and fits conveniently on your nightstand. Probably we are not so far away from the day when our iPad will be an even bigger outlet for television viewing and home entertainment. One could infer from Apple’s investment in Sony that it anticipates this new trend, and it is setting itself up to be the pioneer in bringing tablets and smartphones into the television industry.

We have good news: Tomorrow is Black Friday and as so many shops, Amazon is also having great Black Friday Deals. From the 21th to the 26th of November, you can shop Amazons Electronic Black Friday Deals, take a look here:
Shop Amazon’s Electronics – Black Friday Week Deals

You’ll pretty sure find cool iPod docks and other stuff for your little Apple devices.

If you should miss the Black Friday Week, don’t worry: Amazon has a holiday offers until the end of December. Shop here to find you Christmas-gift iPod docking stations:

Shop Amazon’s MP3 Players and Accessory Deals

 

Have fun shopping ;)

We decided to start a survey section on our website. We want to know what you are interested in,  especially which kind of iPod docks/stuff you like. We also like to collect ideas on how we can improve our site to make your experience better. Here is our first poll:

 

What docking stations are you interested in?

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Please vote and write about your opinion in the comments section, we need your help to make this website better.

As apple recently introduced the new iPhone 4S we got a new page up: iPhone 4S Docking Stations. Here you’ll find information whether you need a new docking station for the new iPhone or not and what might comes in future…

iPod and iPad Dock Test Series

We finally published our new review and test pages. We replaced the old review pages with new more detailed  tests of 8 different docks:

iPod Dockign Station Reviews

iPad Dock Reviews

You’ll see an overview of all tested docks and their pictures, just click on the image to read the full test. Additionally we still have our special review articles online, like the luxury iPod dock reviews. Just surf on the page or visit this blog here to get more cool information.

Luxury iPod Docks

For those of you who are searching for the ultimate sound experience combined with your iPod, we got a new review page up. You’ll read about the 3 best iPod Docks available (at least in our opinion, if you got a really good station, please write us). They’re not for the small pockets but their sound is just awesome. Read yourself: Luxury iPod Docking Stations

Main Site Update

We just got an update for our main site. You can now find information on the different kinds of docking stations and what you should take care of if you like to buy one. In the future, there will be more reviews of the top iPod docking stations.

You are probably looking for an attractive iPod docking station to display and enjoy your new mp3 player with!?

With so many different brands promoting their own iPod products, it is difficult to accurately assess which products are good quality and which are junk, even with the plethora of Amazon reviews available.

Fortunately, that’s where we come in.

This article is meant to give you new shopping ideas. As you continue reading we’re going to share with you what we think are some of the coolest iPod docking stations at the moment in 3 separate price ranges: Cheap, Mid-range, and Medium-High end.

Sound good? Here we go:

- Top Cheap iPod Dock Station ($10 – $30) -cheap iPod Docking Station

The Sinjimoru Sync & Charge iPod Dock would definitely be my recommendation if you’re on a budget. The design is sleek and complements the look of your iPod or iPhone extremely well. The stand is sturdy and charges your mp3 player exactly like expected. You can sync your iPod to your computer while using the dock and listening to music.

However, there are no speakers with this particular docking station…Check out our other 2 recommendations for that particular feature.

On the whole, if you just need something to hold and charge your iPod while you’re not on the go, then this is a great product. However, if you want more features from your iPod dock, then keep reading.

 

- Top Mid-Range iPod Station ($30 – $80) -

The Cyber Acoustics Portable iPod Docking Speaker is by far the best bang for your buck you’re going to see out of a docking station under $60. Not only can you plug and play your iPod through deceptively powerful speakers, but there’s an audio auxiliary jack in the back for hook ups to other audio systems.

mid-range iPod docking station

Furthermore, you can use 4 AA batteries to power this Cyber Acoustics iPod dock, making these speakers a good source of entertainment anywhere you go. Of course, the drivers within the speakers are magnetically shielded so that you don’t have to worry about hurting your precious computer!

 

 

 

 

- Top High End iPod Docking Station ($80+) -

The iLuv Audio Cube Speaker Dock for the iPod is definitely a premium quality product, deserving of every dollar in its price tag.

high-end Ipod docking stations

Here’s what sets the Audio Cube away from the Cyber Acoustics dock:

- More & Better Quality Speakers – You get a real kick out of this iLuv dock featuring a triple driver network.
- Works With the iPad – If you have the hottest apple product, the iPad, then you’ll need the iLuv’s Audio Cube to fully take advantage of it’s media capabilities.
- Flexible Connector for Added Security – Basically, there’s an adjustable block that keeps your iPod from slipping around…Very helpful.
- It’s really cheap for a High end station

 

Well, that about wraps up our iPod docking stations review. We hope we at least gave you enough new ideas to get started shopping!

For more ideas and reviews visit our Docking Station Review Site

New blog section

We are happy to announce our new blog section. From time to time we will write about new interesting upgrades for your iPod (and iPhone or iPad) like iPod docking stations and similar hardware. If there is something extraordinary about Apple or an iProduct we will probably also report about this.
So check back for interesting information.

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