iHome unveils bevy of colorful iPod alarm clocks / speaker systems

No sooner than iLuv hit us with two new iHome competitors, iHome has struck back with the unveiling of no fewer than seven new iPod alarm clocks and speaker systems. Going for that classic look, the iH14 is a tabletop iPod speaker system with a wood or black leather finish, AM / FM radio, and rotary knobs. The iH10 rocks the same overall design, but sports the more typical, trendy white or black finish. The ultra-compact iH4 provides an iHome for folks on the go, offering an alarm clock / docking iPod solution in a tiny enclosure that also features an aux input, adjustable LCD accent lights, and a white or black paintjob. Next up is the colorized versions of the now-famous iH5, and while the iH5 colortunes will come in white with blue, green, or pink grills, the iH3 adds silver to the mix and will be sold exclusively in Target. The iHM1 also gets a colortunes makeover to match those 2G nanos, and comes in blue, green, and pink as well. Lastly, the iH19 sport case rocks a water-resistant design, stereo speakers, and external control pad, and should be available in your choice of blue, green, pink, or silver. No pricing or release information was readily available, but we're pretty sure these colorized units will make it out just in time for Spring.

[Aaron @ Jan 8th 2007 3:01PM]

No... more... iPod... crap.... MAKE IT STOP...

[Gordy @ Jan 8th 2007 3:27PM]

Way to pick a sauce, iHome.

Their stuff is starting to bore me.

[foQ @ Jan 8th 2007 4:24PM]

I just went out and picked up a iH19B. It's a pretty cool idea, but it's heavy and kludgy. I mean I guess it's portable, but it weighs about 5lbs (w/o batteries) and is about 3x3x8 inches. The sound quality is pretty good for something this size with only 2 speakers. It would be nice if they'd had separate tweeters and midrange/woofer to get a bit better range, but that might have put it out of their target pricepoint. If the speakers aren't pointing directly at you, all of the highs are gone due to the depth of the cones.

One thing that is really annoying is that the iPod doesn't sit in the thing nicely, like the photos show -- it sits really awkwardly unless the iPod is tucked inside and the case is zipped up. It would be nice if there were some way to mount the iPod on the outside or to have it sit flat so that you could control more than just volume, play/pause, and forward/back.

The build quality feels pretty solid for the most part. But the zipper strap is not removable, and seems like it might have problems with breaking after a few months of hard use. I've not tried mounting it to anything to see if that feature works well.

Overall I'd give it about a 7.5/10. I was looking for something a bit more portable and allowing easier iPod use. But this is still a pretty good product.

[SporkRocker @ Jan 8th 2007 7:09PM]

Man, I just wish there was all these devices for my creative zen. We live in autonomous Ipod world.