ViewSonic busts out ViewDock display series for iPods

We can't say with absolute certainty that every single device type known to man has now been outfitted or retrofitted with an iPod dock, but we sure are getting pretty dang close. ViewSonic's new ViewDock display series brings the iPod to your LCD, allowing you to view video, photos and those oh-so-cute menus at up to 65 times larger than an iPod screen. The displays also feature multiple USB 2.0 ports, an 8-in-1 card reader, a microphone, integrated speakers and a subwoofer to really bring the convergence. Of course, the average computer has most of those features already, along with copies of your iPod media if you're docking at your traditional computer, but what's the fun in that? We're otherwise slim on details for the new displays, with ViewSonic merely claiming "ultra-fast" response times, "high" brightness and contrast ratios and "wide" viewing angles. We've also yet to find a pic of these ViewDocks, but we'll be sure to update when we find one.

[Pic courtesy of bit-tech, thanks Ben D.]

[JMatt @ Sep 12th 2006 10:19AM]

You know, that's really cool and really smart idea! I'd love to get one, just hope that regular TVs will start to offer the same features.

[Ed @ Sep 12th 2006 10:22AM]

It's about time something like this was made...

[jps @ Sep 12th 2006 10:28AM]

just in time for the new movie service

[Alex @ Sep 12th 2006 10:38AM]

Windows Media Player -> Alt+Enter

I have saved everyone reading this like $400 (or however much this thing will cost)

[jps @ Sep 12th 2006 10:44AM]

...or quicktime apple+shift+f....

still docking an ipod right to the monitor is sweet

[teo @ Sep 12th 2006 10:48AM]

Let's see if I can understand the point of this here.

You load your videos and pictures from your COMPUTER on your ipod so that you can carry it all around with you. One day you are wandering by your COMPUTER, holding your ipod and think, "Gee, I'd like to view these on a larger screen". Guess I'll have to purchase a special ipdock to see it on an LCD."

No, saving $400 is realizing that you just turn on your friggn computer.

But i guess its really for those who need to watch when they go.
http://www.fabprefab.com/fabfiles/containerbay/059MDU-lotek/UCSB-MDU-webvers/html/MDUtoiletTV1.html

[Max Inflixion @ Sep 12th 2006 11:30AM]

My first thought was "Cool!"

Second thought was that since this is my COMPUTER MONITOR, I can probably just load up iTunes to watch the exact same video.

Heck, I could probably watch that video at a better resolution in the format it came in prior to being squashed into iPod format...

Now, if only someone would invent a way for me to listen to the music I have stored on my iPod somehow...

[Aaaron @ Sep 12th 2006 11:48AM]

Well.. if you had more than one computer you could use a monitor like this on the machine that didn't have your iPod's library loaded up on it.

Yeah of course you can stream over a network but that would require that the machine with the library on it be always on, or on when you wanted your media on the second machine.

Just a thought.. not HIGHLY useful for most people but a fairly cool device none-the-less.

Not to mention you can use this without turning your power-hungry and possibly loud PC on.

[chris @ Sep 12th 2006 11:55AM]

I like the idea of using this as a digital picture frame without hooking it up to a computer. This would be great for computer challenged folks that only want to display digital pictures. Up until most of the digital picture frames have been overpriced and small.

[Gio - NYC @ Sep 12th 2006 12:00PM]

If my ipod movies run at 340 pix, i wonder how good the quality would be filling up the screen.

[Bill @ Sep 12th 2006 12:01PM]

Yeah, interesting timing on this release. I guess we'll know in an hour what we will be plugging into this monitor (6G Video Ipod?) and what we'll be displaying on it (higher rez downloads instead of the current ultra low rez junk).

[tsubie @ Sep 12th 2006 12:02PM]

yawn.

something that would actually be useful is a ipod dock in the macbooks.

perhaps even a slot to put your nano into ala the express card slot size so it would be inside the laptop flush with the edge.

cmon apple.

[Galley @ Sep 12th 2006 12:55PM]

Hey, at least they came with something useful for the wasted space on monitor bases.

[Z @ Sep 12th 2006 9:24PM]

I really like this monitor.

To me, I like the idea of having a built in multicard reader and USB ports, and the added plus of being able to dock my Ipod to charge it.

That how I see it. In other words, some people brought up the point that you could just launch iTunes and play media from your computer instead of docking your Ipod to do the same thing. But I don't think of the dock as being another way just to play media that's already on your computer, but just simply a convenient way to dock and charge your Ipod (especially since Apple docks aren't included with Ipods and cost extra). Hey, one less dock on my desk and one less cord to plug in, along with the other features to boot, all in a great looking monitor chassis with either a 19" or 22" screen. Can't beat that. This panel would also make a great addition to a Mac Mini (too bad those don't come in black).

I hope the res is WUXGA and the screen is glossy. If that's in order, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one of these.

I do wish they'd make a 24" version. That would be even better.