Many of us are never far from our Apple iPad’s these days and have all kinds of accessories to make the most of these tablets. Speaker docks are popular accessories but there are so many available it can be difficult to know what to opt for. We’ve got news for you today of 2 of the top iPad speaker docks worth considering that will be on the market soon.
The first would be perfect for anybody who likes something a bit offbeat or a little retro as it’s the Jukebox Dock from ION Audio. This is a tabletop universal dock for the iPad with built-in high-quality stereo speakers but don’t let it’s traditional look fool you into thinking it has dated specs. Once your iPad is cradled in the dock the Jukebox Dock will also charge it while the music plays. Load your favorite jukebox app from the many available on the App Store and away you go.
As well as looking good, with its lighted neon trim and woodgrain finish for a touch of nostalgia, it also produces a great sound. It also has a 1/8” input so you can connect it to an iPhone or iPod touch instead. Although the Jukebox Dock is listed on the ION Audio website there is no mention of availability yet or pricing. However this site tells how they’ve been tipped off that it will be available in May or June this year at a price of $99 for a small version or in a larger model at $249.
The second speaker we’re suggesting is another promising idea, this time called the Zooka, which will offer 5 times the sound of the iPad’s onboard speakers. This is a wireless speaker concept and you can stream from your iPad or iPhone using Bluetooth for instant play. This post tells how the Zooka Bluetooth Speaker will fix on to your iPad or MacBook and won’t impede the camera if latched onto your MacBook. The Zooka also has a charging port and a 3.5mm audio input for devices that don’t support Bluetooth and will sit neatly on a desk using non-slip silicone. It also has around 8 hours of battery life.
Triato plans to market this for $99 but interested customers can pledge $89 to Kickstarter to be one of the first to receive it. Alternatively $149 will get you a glow in the dark Zooka. If you haven’t heard of Kickstarter, it’s a platform where ideas can be pitched to earn funding, enabling people to then develop a project further. The more people back the concept the closer it comes to production and so at our last look Kickstarter had 251 backers for the Zooka, raising over $23,000 of the necessary $25,000 target.
Two great ideas for speaker docks then, both a little out of the ordinary and worth a slight wait we feel. What do you think of the Jukebox Dock or the Zooka? Do you know of an excellent speaker dock for the iPad that you would recommend? Let us know with your comments.
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