You might have thought Apple was the only company making iPod and Mac-related product announcements lately, and Stevie J. would probably be perfectly happy to let you make that assumption. But there are still other companies making iPod accessories — at least until Apple eats their lunch with its own versions. And one accessory that might actually be worth considering is DLO''s upgrade HomeDock Deluxe. The docking station works like the original HomeDock; you just place your iPod in the cradle, run some cables to your TV and/or stereo, and you can control it via the included remote while audio and video are routed to your home components. But the Deluxe adds one key feature: the ability to control your iPod directly from your TV screen. This could be especially handy if you''ve got a lot of video on your iPod and want to be able to easily jump from one recorded show to another — if, that is, the HomeDock Deluxe allows this. The specs only list the ability to control music and slide shows from the TV screen, and if you can''t do the same for video, we''ll skip this one. It''s due out in March for $149.99; we''re sure we''ll find out more before then.
We''ve been waiting just about forever for Apple to add an FM receiver to the iPod, and the company''s competitors have had no trouble exploiting that lack; it''s almost impossible to find a digital audio player from another company that doesn''t have an FM tuner. Now Apple has thrown in the towel and added an FM receiver of their own to the iPod — sort of. The new iPod Radio Remote has a built-in FM receiver, something that''s been available for some time on third-party products like Griffin''s iFM. Of course, now that Apple''s doing it themselves, the vendors can just throw in the towel. The iPod Radio Remote supports the nano and iPod with video, and is powered by the iPod. Stations can be saved as favorites, and the radio supports the Radio Data System for display of song or station information. Of course third-party vendors may still find an audience for their products given that Apple''s offering only works with the most recent iPod models, and doesn''t include a voice recorder or some of the other bells and whistles available on some aftermarket products.
