iHome Readies iPad-Docking Clock Radio

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 8/26/2010

Rahway, N.J. - The iHome division of SDI Technologies is targeting September for shipment of its first iPad-docking clock radio, the $199 iA100.

iHome's first iPad-docking clock radio, the $199 iA100, also features hands-free Bluetooth and Bluetooth audio streaming.

The device also plays and charges docked iPhones and iPods. It was originally shown at International CES without iPad-docking capability.

The device doubles as a hands-free speakerphone with built-in microphone to answer and place calls when docked with an iPhone or connected via Bluetooth to other-brand cellphones. The device also streams music via Bluetooth from a PC, cellphone or portable audio device.

Other features include FM radio with 10 station presets, four active speakers, dual alarms, and wake to and sleep to music on the FM radio or on docked and Bluetooth-connected devices.

The clock radio features Bongiovi Acoustics Digital Power Stations DSP technology to restore detail to compressed music.

Like other iHome docking clock radios, it's compatible with a pair of iHome iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad apps. The $1.99 iHome+Radio app uses RadioTime's guide to stream more than 20,000 Internet radio stations. The free iHome+Sleep app provides multiple functions, including weather widgets, a morning recap of the user's overnight social-networking feeds, and customizable user-defined bedtime/ snooze/wakeup cycles.

 The iHome+Radio app also works with the iHome+Sleep app to enable users to wake up or go to sleep to a particular Internet radio station.

Other companies are also expected to ship their first iPad-docking speaker systems later this year, including Spectra Merchandising, which announced a Jensen-branded model for fourth-quarter shipment.