Engadget’s back to school guide 2013: docks

Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! Today we're talking docks. Head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back; in early September, we'll be giving away a ton of gear, including some of the picks in our guides.

DNP Engadget's back to school guide 2013 docks

Plug and play... and then party in your dorm. That's how the kids do it nowadays, with their iPods, iPhones and Android devices connected to virtual libraries of stored and streaming music. But unless you're rocking an HTC One with BoomSound, the dinky speakers on your daily driver just aren't going to adequately pump out the late-summer jams. For those at-home boogie breakdowns, you're going to need some serious hardware. And lucky you, we're here to sort through the clutter and highlight the best back to school picks for any budget.

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Give Your iPhone 5 The, Uh, Throne It Deserves

ireliquary-1

I like my iPhone as much as the next guy, but definitely not as much as Georg Dinkel. This dude spent 6 months building one of the most ornate iPhone docks we’ve come across. I mean, we usually don’t even cover iPhone docks because, well, yawn. But the iReliquary 1.0, as he calls it, is something else. It’s made from rhinestones, gold and silver powder, as well as polymer clay for the main structure. It does work as a 2.1 channel, Bluetooth enabled sound system, and a lightning connector presumably also charges your phone as it sits… in its throne. It’s really all a bit ridiculous but intriguing at the same time. We don’t think it’s for sale, and there’s definitely not another one like it.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ DamnGeeky ]

JBL Rumble, OnBeat Mini and Charge spotted at CES, we go ears-on

JBL Rumble, OnBeat Mini and Charge spotted at CES, we go earson

One of the more colorful -- in the literal sense -- announcements during the CES build-up was the new line of Bluetooth speakers from JBL. Here at Pepcom we spotted them out in the wild, so thought we'd take the chance to go hands- and ears-on. The little guy, aka the Charge, was the first of the bunch we heard pumping out some tunes, and our inability to hear the company reps telling us more about it is testament to how loud it is for such a small device. The design of the Charge also looks -- objectively -- even better in real life. The modern design and materials work really well with the vibrant color schemes, and while we didn't have time to test out that 12-hour battery life, everything else looked pretty solid to us.

The middle baby of the trio -- the OnBeat Mini -- is much more demure, with the low-profile unit sitting discreetly on the table top, just quietly -- or loudly, rather -- getting on with pumping out the jams from the iPad mini perched on top of it. This, of course, puts Lightning connectivity center stage, and despite its diminutive form (the connector, not the iPad) Apple's mini tablet felt securely housed within the dock itself. Our favorite of the bunch would possibly be the Rumble -- not just because the name sounds like it means business, but also because the bold design and impressive, weighty sound seem fitting of the name. The whole front of the unit has the classic speaker grille-style finish, and despite looking like a heavyset piece of kit, it's surprisingly light, yet solid feeling. More pictures of the whole family can be found in out gallery.

Sean Cooper contributed to this report.

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iHome iDL100G Lightning Dock hands-on

iHome iDL100G Lightning Dock handson

iHome didn't waste any time getting word out about its suite of CES-ready wares last week and here at CES Unveiled 2013, we're getting our first look at the stars of its lineup. Hailed as a first for the company's product line, the iDL100G and the iDL45 are two docks that support Apple's new Lightning port, making them attractive options for owners of the iPhone 5 or refreshed iPad and iPod. The triple-charging dock -- iHome's highest-end model -- retails for $150 and is fairly attractive, though it doesn't match the luxury of the Jony Ive-crafted hardware it's made to service. Up top, there are two Lightning ports to accommodate compatible devices (one dedicated as iPad charging station) and an array of buttons for alarm settings, snooze as well as bedtime, which works with a free iHome+Sleep iOS app. The 3Wx2 speakers aren't the most robust -- we noticed distortion when volume was approaching max -- but it seems serviceable as a Bluetooth-enabled FM tuner or iTunes playlist outpost. It's not currently available, but you can look for it and the lower-end iDL45 dual charging dock to hit retail shelves later this March.

Sarah Silbert contributed to this report.

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iHome unveils CES 2013 lineup, outs Lightning port-compatible docks and others

iHome unveils its CES 2013 lineup, outs Lightning portcompatible docks and others

Joining the fray of other companies ready to jump the pre-CES gun, iHome's announcing its full product suite just prior to its official Vegas showcase. Billed as a first for the audio solutions outfit, the iDL100 and iDL45 -- set to retail for $150 and $100, respectively -- are both charging stereo FM clock radio docks that feature Lightning port connectors (two in the case of the former model) to link up with Apple's latest batch of iOS products, in addition to a sole USB port and auxiliary in jack. The company's also releasing a slew of Bluetooth-enabled, USB-charging products, the most notable of which are a new $200 "retro boom box," dubbed the iBT44, that allows for wireless music streaming from any compatible iOS or Android device and the iB85, foldable headphones that incorporate an inbuilt mic and on-ear remote for $100. There's a bit more to the company's lineup than just those headliners, so head on past the break for the full rundown of what iHome has to offer next week in Vegas.

Continue reading iHome unveils CES 2013 lineup, outs Lightning port-compatible docks and others

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Iron Throne Smartphone Dock: Game of Phones

Whether you’re a fan of the Game of Thrones TV series or the A Song of Fire and Ice novels or you’re just willing to admit that your smartphone rules over your time and attention, you’ll love this dock made by Instructables member mstyle183.

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mstyle183 – for this is the manner in which the kingdom’s future blacksmiths are named – originally made the dock for himself, but rightly decided that other people might want one. Whereas he made the original using 3D printing, the docks he’s selling are made via injection molding. Each order is individually painted, though I kind of like its vanilla look.

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You can order the dock from mstyle183′s website nuPROTO for $70 (USD). It’s compatible with the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4/4S, iPhone 5 and phones that have micro-USB charging ports at the bottom. Although I’m not sure if fatter phones like the Galaxy Note are fit to sit on this throne.

[via Instructables via Nerd Approved]