Docking Stations
A docking station is a device that allows you to charge and/or play your iPod, iPhone or iPad. The dock is simply the part that holds your iPod in place and connects the iPod to the station. There are many different types of iPod docking stations all with their own set of features and style.
Charging Station
This is basically a dock that will connect with your Apple device and charge it for you. These come in many shapes, sizes and styles. Obviously they make ones designed for the iPod only as well as others for the iPad only. There are some stations that allow for more than one iPod or iPhone to be charged at the same time. Charging stations are a simple way to replace the need to plug in your iPod to the computer for charging.
Portable Speakers
Portable speakers or also known as "iPod Docking Stations", are a great way to share your music and bring it with you anywhere you go. The dock is designed the same as any other docking station. However, it is built into a set of or single speaker(s). Again, with many different styles, an iPod docking station allows you to play your music almost anywhere. They can run on batteries for up to 8 or even 12 hours. These are perfect for camping or any vacation. The features will vary depending on which type of system you're looking for. You can get a pretty simple speaker that replaces a set of headphones where songs are controlled from your iPod. Or go the more fancy route that allows you to navigate through your songs with a LCD screen display or controls on the station itself. A good iPhone docking station will charge your iPhone while it plays music. Not all systems will support this feature. Be sure to check into this first. Having your battery being charged instead of drained while being used is always a better option.
Alarm Clock docks are another small but useful accessory to have. Just like any other alarm clock, these include AM/FM radio, alarm setting and digital clock display. When you add a dock to the picture, you then have the option to play your own music as well as wake up to your own music! This can also be used as a place to charge you iPod or iPhone.
iPad Docking Stations
An iPad Docking station is similar to the devices that have been mentioned above just bigger and designed slightly different. With all the features on an iPad or iPad 2, they are basically a Mac or PC. With this in mind, iPad docking stations are designed to make using your iPad much easier. Always looking down at it and using an iPad flat on the table must get uncomfortable after a while. With a rotating or stationary speaker dock for you iPod, you can play movies and games from a much better angle. This also gives you the advantage of charging your iPad while using it. The speakers on a iPad are good but with a docking station you can really bump some tunes or watch a music with good volume. Rotating docks are very useful with their ability to spin and display your iPad at a vertical or horizontal angle.
Home Theatre Docks
Connecting you iPod device to a stereo is not a hard process if you have the right cords. If you want, you can skip this and just purchase a stereo stand or set that has the docking station built in or connected already. Just like any other stereo system these come with a set of speakers, 2 or more and maybe a sub woofer. The extra part is the dock that allows you to easily play your music loud and clear. Stereo Stands are nice and simple. They provide a tower design with the dock on top for easy access. These can easily be placed in a corner and out of the way, yet still shake a room.
In the same category are home Theatre Systems. These are more designed for movies and gaming. With a good quality set of surround sound speakers in your room your movies can go from good to Awesome! It is still so easy to play your music through these speakers with today's technology.
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