Cambridge Soundworks on Tuesday introduced the PlayDock MP3, designed to let the iPod and other MP3 players work as a transportable speaker system. The PlayDock MP3 costs US$199.99.
The PlayDock MP3 features a dock that can accommodate an Apple iPod or iPod mini, Creative Zen Micro, and Dell DJ or Pocket DJ. The dock itself doesn’t charge the batteries of a Dock Connector-equipped iPod, however — although it does recharge Creative and Dell MP3 players, as well as its own built-in battery, when the PlayDock MP3 is plugged into a wall. The PlayDock MP3’s built-in battery lasts for about 10 hours of music, according to Cambridge Soundworks.
Although other “boom box” style designs, like DLO’s iBoom, feature a built-in iPod-compatible dock connector, the PlayDock MP3’s platform-agnostic design is understandable given Cambridge Soundworks’ corporate affiliation — they’re owned by Apple rival Creative, which makes the Zen series of MP3 players.
The PlayDock MP3 features a 15-watt powered subwoofer with four-inch driver and a three-speaker design. it measures 9 1/8 x 10 7/8 x 10 1/4 inches, and weighs about 9 pounds 10 ounces (without the MP3 player or AC adapter). So a news story on some new Griffin accessory would end with:
For more on iPod speakers, please visit the Speakers Product Guide.