New York — Philips has begun shipping new iPod-docking speaker systems to complement its array of dock-equipped compact stereo systems and home theater in a box systems (HTiBs) introduced at January’s International CES.
Philips-owned DLO also has also added to its iPod-related product collection with a new iPod speaker system and a speaker-less iPod dock that up-scales iPod video to 720p or 1080i.
During a tour of Philips and DLO products available for the holiday season, Philips executives also said they expanded distribution this year of GoGear portable MP3 players and introduced the first Magnavox-brand MP3 player, available exclusively at Wal-Mart. The distribution developments follow the January CES launch of
of portable MP3 players.
In iPod speakers systems, Philips demonstrated a trio of devices, all one-piece models whose docks mate with iPods and iPhones. They join a one-piece docking clock radio and the three-piece DC199, consisting of separate left-right speakers and a docking module that includes FM tuner and small powered woofer.
The new iPod speaker systems incorporate a USB Host port to play MP3 and WMA music files from connected USB thumb drives and USB MP3 players. Other MP3 players can be connected via line-in jack. The devices are also equipped with FM stereo radio but not with CD player, DVD player or AM radio. Two models also accept SD/MMC cards.
One of the three speakers systems is a slim, single-piece floorstanding model that looks like a 3-foot-tall tower speaker with top-mounted dock and controls. The $179-suggested DC570 features active 2.1 speaker system with 3-inch woofer, LCD display with white backlight, and included IR remote that controls the system and the iPod. It’s shipping.
Two speaker systems that can be tabletop- or wall-mounted are the $149-suggested DC910 and $179 DC912, which adds a separate powered subwoofer. Consumers attach an iPod or iPhone to the front of the bar-style metal-finish speaker systems. The iPod can then be rotated in portrait and landscape modes for viewing stored videos. An included remote controls the systems and iPods.
Both feature FM tuner, USB port and SD/MMC slot. The 2×15-watt RMS DC910 features two 1.5-inch tweeters, two 3-inch woofers and two passive radiators. The DC912 adds digital powered subwoofer for a total of 100 watts.
Philips also offers a bar-type iPod compact system, the DCM 230, with embedded CD player and FM tuner.
In portable audio, Philips this year expanded distribution of MP3 portables to Target and expanded its selection in Wal-Mart to five SKUs, including Philip’s first Magnavox-branded MP3 player, the company said. The MP3 player joins headphone CD players.
Also at the event, Philips-owned DLO said it plans August availability of its first iPod dock that up-scales iPod video to 720p or 1080i, joining a model that delivers video to TVs in DVD resolution. Both play iPod-stored music on a connected hi-fi system and display stored pictures on a TV screen. The new Home Dock HD, due in August at a suggested $249, features HDMI and S-Video outputs, RCA audio outputs and on-TV menu system The new model also adds RF remote with up to 100-foot range.
Also new from DLO is the one-piece iBoom JukeBox, a one-piece docking speaker system whose RF remote displays the iPod’s menu and metadata on an embedded color LCD screen. It ships in August at a suggested $199 with dual 1-inch tweeters and 3-inch woofers.
