What it lacks in features, the new Creative D200 Bluetooth speaker more than makes up for in sound quality and performance.

Unfortunately, you will pay for the extra performance benefits - the D200 sells for $169.95, which is slightly more than comparable speakers from other manufacturers, such as Logitech.

But if you’re willing to sacrifice features such as a built-in FM radio, CD player or iPhone/iPod dock, then the trade off in terms of audio is definitely worth it. Despite its compact form factor (measuring just 406×101x93mm), the Creative D200 is powerful enough to fill just about any room in the house with sound, with bass performance being particularly noteworthy.

Beyond audio performance, the only feature really worth mentioning is the inclusion of support for the apt-X codec, which is basically a high-quality format for wireless broadcast. If you want to use this feature, you’ll need a device with apt-X support (i.e., iPods, iPhones, iPads and some notebooks) plus you’ll need to purchase an extra adapter in order to pair the device.

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By Caroline Warnes

If you’re looking for the perfect lapdesk for your laptop or notebook while you’re sitting on the couch at home, then the Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N700 is worthy of review.

Not only does it provide a stable and comfortable surface for your notebook to rest upon while it’s on your lap, but it also comes with a built-in cooling system to prevent your legs from overheating and stereo speakers to enhance your audio output.

In terms of design, the best way to describe the N700 is to think of it as a specced-up Stable Table, complete with a soft, cushiony part on the underside for your comfort and a stable surface on top to rest your computer. But naturally, there’s a lot more going on under the hood.

The fan does an excellent job of keeping your lap cool, and it’s also extremely quiet - which is most important if you’re going to be watching TV or listening to music or videos from the speakers. And the speakers themselves perform adequately for a device around the $150-mark. There are four speakers located at various points on the exterior.

Because it packs in all these components, it’s unsurprising that the N700 weighs significantly more than your humble Stable Table, coming in at a little under 2kg. Thankfully, 2kg of weight on your lap doesn’t come near to being umcomfortably heavy.

The Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N700 has a local price of $149.95.

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By Caroline Warnes

These days most of us have all our music stored on an iPod or MP3 player of some kind. That’s fine for listening to with headphones, but what if you want to play your music for everyone else? That’s where iPod docks (or speakers) step in.

What is an iPod dock?

iPod dock is basically a fancy name for a speaker that connects directly to your iPod and plays the music out loud. The main difference between an iPod dock and a typical speaker is the inclusion of an iPod Dock Connector so the player sits directly in the speaker. This dock will also charge your iPod.

Can I use my MP3 player with an iPod dock?

Most MP3 players can be connected to most iPod docks using a standard 3.5mm cord plugged into the player’s headphone jack. However because it isn’t “docked”, this won’t charge the playe. Basically, you’ll be using the speaker to play the music and that’s it.

Which iPods can be used in a dock?

The short answer is all of them. The long answer is that while most of the newer generation iPods will connect directly to new speakers using the standard iPod Dock Connector, you may require an adaptor for older iPods and docks. Usually a range of adaptors are included in the box, or can be purchased quite cheaply. The exception to this is recent generation iPod Shuffles, which will connect via a 3.5mm cord, similar to connecting a non-Apple MP3 player.

You can also dock your iPhone. Even if the speaker is not technically labelled “iPhone compatible”, it will still usually play the music. However non-compatible iPhone docks may experience noise distortion when the phone is about to ring or when the phone accesses a network.

iPod dock speakers

When it all boils down, an iPod dock’s feature is its speakers, and the variations in quality are vast. As a very basic and general rule of thumb, you do pay for what you get with speakers, so the sound quality from an $80 dock would be nowhere near that of a high-end dock, which will set you back up to $1000.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that quality in equals quality out. If you’re downloading poor quality music, an expensive dock won’t magically make it sound great on the way out.

iPod dock features

Most iPod docks offer extra features beyond just playing your music, and once again this varies widely from model to model. These might include FM/AM radio, remote control, wall mountability and so on. Some have built-in alarm clocks that you can set to go off with music from your iPod, but keep in mind that function will only work with a docked iPod so if you have a player connected via 3.5mm cord you’ll only be able to wake up to the speaker’s alarm buzzer or the radio.

Best iPod docks

The leaders in this market are clear: Bose and Altec Lansing are two of the best brands your money can buy.

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By Caroline Warnes

Cheap it ain’t, but the Bose SoundDock 10 iPod/iPhone speaker really proves the old “you get what you pay for” adage with its exceptional sound quality.

Bose has long been leading the way with iPod speaker systems and the SoundDock 10 shows why. If you’re prepared to part with the $999 price tag, you’ll be richly rewarded. To most ears, the sound is rich and near-perfect, even when played at extremely loud volumes. This is very rare for a compact iPod speaker system (although weighing in at just under 9kg, this unit isn’t the most portable on the market). Bass and treble are both handled well.

Bose has chosen to concentrate on the SoundDock 10’s sound quality rather than overloading it with features - in fact, beyond playing music from your iPod or iPhone, the speaker doesn’t do much else. One outstanding feature is the Bluetooth dock, so you can stream music wirelessly at short distances from any Bluetooth-enabled device (including an iPhone or iPod Touch). You can also connect non-Apple music sources to the speaker using the audio input, plus there’s a composite video port so you can connect the SoundDock 10 to a TV and show pictures and videos from your iPod.

The speaker itself sports the typical understated and stylish Bose appearance. In fact, the exterior of the SoundDock 10 is so understated that there are no buttons to clutter it up - instead you have to operate the unit using the included remote control.

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By Caroline Warnes

The Altec Lansing inMotion Max iPod speaker dock boasts excellent audio quality and iPhone compatibility - something of a rarity with today’s widely available speakers.

Many iPod docks do not have the necessary technology to handle incoming calls and other functionality of the iPhone. If an iPhone is connected to the inMotion Max and receives an incoming call, the music is paused while the phone rings and then resumes when the call is ended.

While the Altec Lansing inMotion Max is on the expensive end of the scale, it more than justifies its price tag with its exceptional audio, especially when you consider its compact size (310mmx52mmx193mm) and the fact that it has only two active drivers. Bass, mid-range and high-end are all handled well enough for the speaker to perform in the great outdoors.

The inMotion Max has been equipped with a smattering of extra features, including an alarm clock and FM radio. Unfortunately the speaker has no internal clock so the alarm is dependent on that of your iPod or iPhone. All functions can be controlled by the included remote control. There’s also a 3.5mm jack for connecting other audio sources, such as an MP3 player.

The Altec Lansing inMotion Max iPod speaker dock carries a recommended retail price of $449.

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By Caroline Warnes

The TDK Life on Record iVibe is a brand new wall-mountable iPod speaker from the manufacturer that also doubles as an FM radio and alarm clock.

The speaker can either be used with its stand sitting flat, as pictured here, or the stand can be folded back flash against the unit and then the whole lot mounted on a wall (the wall hooks are found on the base of the stand).

While this is a great idea in theory, some people may find that a wall-mounted speaker with an iPod docked on top may be somewhat out of place in their decor. However if this isn’t a problem for you, the unit itself is quite discreet and sleek enough to blend in on most walls.

Thanks to the in-built alarm and sleep timer, the TDK Life on Record iVibe would probably work best mounted on the wall in a bedroom. There is also an FM radio and all the functions can be operated using the provided remote control.

To make sure you always get the best sound for whatever genre of music you’re listening to, TDK Life on Record has equipped the iVibe with five preset equaliser settings - pass, rock, pop, classic and jazz.

While this speaker has been specifically designed for the iPod, as evidenced by the universal dock, it also comes with a 3.5mm stereo socket so you can connect any external audio source, including most MP3 players.

The TDK Life on Record iVibe wall-mountable iPod speaker is available in Australia now with a recommended retail price of $229.95.

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By Caroline Warnes