Dock Your iPhone, Bells of Holly?
OK, maybe it’s too early for the Christmas references. Apologies. But with less than two months left until Santa visits, you might want to start thinking about what to put under your tree when the time comes around. We’ve got plenty of gift options coming up for review, but we’ll start off with the T612 from Altec Lansing.
Altec Lansing’s not-so-elegantly-named T612 is the best iPhone dock/speaker we’ve tried. 3G compatible (adapter required), it also works with the iPod touch via the normal dock, or you can use the line-in feature with any other MP3 player or audio device. The handy remote allows you to place the unit on your bedside table or across the living room, and control your music easily.
But the best features are those made for iPhone users: the T612 is immune to mobile phone interference, which bugs us on other speaker systems. Even better, when the phone rings, the music automatically pauses. With 120 Watts of peak power (60 watts RMS), the T612 packs a punch- loud enough to fill a good-sized room. The audio quality isn’t bad either for a unit this size, with good all-around range and surprisingly rich bass, until you hit the higher volumes and some distortion is audible. It isn’t the sexiest unit we’ve seen, but it holds its own, with a clean design and attractive color scheme.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a USB port on the dock, so you can’t plug it in to your computer while charging. And you can’t navigate any menus from the remote. But the price is reasonable ($199), and with relatively few iPhone 3G options available with decent audio, you can’t argue with the T612’s overall value.
Alternatively, you could look for an elegant solution that requires no power. Without any speakers, there wouldn’t be any interference worries. And a smaller unit could be placed in some spaces where a larger speaker dock would not fit or where no outlets are available.
OK, it’s maybe a little hard to see how it would work. But Griffin’s AirCurve offers a nifty solution- even if it looks better than it works. The idea is decent- an inexpensive $20 dock which uses acoustic waveguides (really) to amplify your iPhone’s built-in speakers. But the amplification of the really crappy speakers on the iPhone original or 3G just means you get louder and a bit more distorted sound. And unfortunately, the docking part isn’t so great either. You use your regular cable to charge or dock, and it tends to wiggle around a bit, meaning that it’s a bit of a pain to actually plug-in your phone. One good use though, is to make your ringtones a little louder, if you have trouble hearing them.
