Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment.
Last year, Switched On discussed the KeySpan TuneView and the DLO HomeDock Remote, two products that allowed remote control of an iPod using small screens on a remote. One of the limitations of those products was that they each required their own docks instead of working with any of the scores of iPod docks already on the market. At CES 2008, though, a company showed a product that not only allows you to use your iPod -- and many other devices -- as a wireless remote with the iPod dock you may already have. Even more unusually, the company that sells it is not one well associated with these speaker docks, such as Altec Lansing, Bose or Logitech, but rather It is iSkin, a company that made its name selling silicone cases for iPods.

iSkin's music product line is called Cerulean, the most flexible configuration of which is the $129 TX+RX (transmitter / receiver). The transmitter, like those bundled with iPod wireless headphones for years, allows you to use your iPod as a remote, sending music to any Bluetooth stereo speaker. But not only does Cerulean free the iPod from the dock, it frees the dock from the iPod.

Plugging the Cerulean Bluetooth receiver into practically any iPod dock opens a door for many Bluetooth stereo music sources -- such as MacBooks and notebook PCs, digital music players from Sony and Samsung, and many cell phones. When used with a subscription service such as Rhapsody, the Cerulean lets you create playlists from thousands of songs or listen to YouTube music videos on your notebook with better audio quality, but there's even one more trick up its sleeve.

Truth be told, we knew this gem was waiting in Sony's pocket, but it finally came clean and made things official over in Europe. The 2.1 BRAVIA DAV-F200 home theater system features S-Master digital amplification, which delivers a potent 135-watts of power to each speaker (including the subwoofer). The firm also threw in its S-Force Front Surround technology to help convince your mind that 2.1 is really 5.1, and as for the integrated DVD player, it plays nice with MP3 / photo / DivX discs, too. Better still, the unit includes 1080p upscaling over HDMI along with a built-in USB port for listening to WMA / AAC files, and there's even optical / coaxial digital inputs for other external sources. Regrettably, there's no word on a price nor US availability, but we can say for certain that those across the pond can claim their own this June.

[Via Pocket-lint]

If you thought the current generation of molded-plastic-gone-wild shelf audio boomboxes was getting out of hand, you might want to avert your eyes from this Muteki extravagance. Sony's targeting Latin culture with these four new stereos, which are designed with banging Quinceaneras and Cinco de Mayo parties mind. The LBT-ZX80D tops it out with 880 watts, a karaoke "game" feature, three DVD player, DivX and MP3 support, TV out and Dolby Digital surround sound. The 720 watt LBT-ZX9 loses the DVD capabilities, and spins five CDs instead, while both systems include DJ-ish features and sound effects. The LBT-ZX6 includes 560 watts and a mic input, along with gaming audio features, while the MHC-LX1000 does 520 watts and three CDs. Those two "stripped down" Muteki units go for $400 each and are available now, while the LBT-ZX9 will go for $600 in March and LBT-ZX80D will follow in May for $700.

If you're one of the non-conforming, iDon't conformers then you'd best get with the program son. SanDisk just hit us with their Sansa Base Station which, for all the hyperbole about it transforming your Sansa MP3 into a home audio jukebox, is just a run-o-the-mill dock and remote for you Sansa player. As such, it includes a USB 2.0 and RCA jack, remote control, and of course, a "universal connector" which slots into the bottom of your e200 or C200 series players for some hot DAP-on-dock charging action. Thing is, for all their marketing audacity, the only bit we find surprising is the fact that this "must-have" accessory didn't already exist. Yours for $70 bills by October in the both the US and Europe, you choose.

Maybe we're a little dense, but we're having a bit of a time trying to figure out why someone would plunk down $2,200 for a 160GB PlaysForSure enabled audio streaming device -- even one so sexy as NuVo's (no, not that Nuvo) new NV-M3, above. Granted, NuVo seems pretty proud about implementing PlaysForSure in a multi-zone system, something Sonos users have been waiting a while to get going, but for a substantially smaller price you could go with something a little more versatile, like a Media Center PC or an Xbox 360 or a long list of other devices that wouldn't only limit you to playing music, either. Still, now apparently the onus is no longer on the PlaysForSure team to create a multizone standard for streaming DRMed audio since it can obviously be done without Microsoft's backing, so expect to hear more about this little number when CEDIA rolls around.

[Via eHomeUpgrade and Talk About CEDIA]

We know how much peeps love Bose; it remains one of the highest rated brands in consumer tech despite the availability of higher quality audio components at comparable prices, so hey there, check out the new Acoustic Wave Music System II, a CD / AM / FM all-in-one with aux-ins for using whichever other music devices you may have, iPod or not (though they'd be happy to sell you a $129 iPod connection kit or $299 five CD changer), and will set you back $1079. They also announced their new Companion 5 2.1 speaker system, which will hit you for $399 (pictured after the break). Both ship September 7th.

[Via GizmoWatch]

Onkyo's certainly be a fan of all things wireless, so it should be no surprise that the company is turning out yet another pair of cordless headphones, the MHP-A1s (not to be confused with the MHP-AV1s). This new set looks to be pretty comparable to those AV1s from last year, with Dolby Digital and DTS support and a range of inputs including optical digital, coaxial digital, RCA, and a 3.5mm stereo mini-plug. Just as importantly, the new phones also up things in the style department, looking more like something you'd actually want to keep in your living room rather than hide in a closet. Also like the AV1s (and plenty of other wireless headphones), the A1s use the crowded 2.4GHz frequency which should give you a range of about 30 meters (just under 100 feet), but could also be cause for or subject to interference depending on where you use them. Look for these to drop in Japan September 22nd for ¥25,200 ($220US), and here, well, eventually (probably).

[Via Akihabara News]

Oh you know how we're such suckers for anything that's extravagant, Japanese, and that would make a completely superfluous addition to our mounting collection of, um, unnecessary ridiculous and absurdly overpriced Japanese toys. Enter the Tannoy ST-100 super tweeter, the black truffle of high-end high-range speakers. If a 24K gold "evaporation" titanium dome diaphragm (we'll take their word for it) capable of playing back audio frequencies up to 100kHz -- far outside the range of normal human hearing -- gets the ink flowing in your check-writing pen, be warned: Teac expects you to part with yen;252,000 (about $2,200 US) for a pair of these things, so be damned sure your source plays DVD-Audio and SACD.

[Via AV Watch]

Audiophiles, listen up. (Oh, how we do love saying that.) Slim Devices has got something you'll want to check out if you've been on the hunt for a Sonos alternative: meet the Transporter (and we ain't talking about Jason Statham). Slim's new wireless audio distribution system moves your music (in WAV, AIFF, MP3, WMA, and FLAC up to 96KHz sample rates) via 802.11g or Ethernet, and outputs in XLR, with optical, S/PDIF, and coax ins and outs. But thats not all, you've also got RS-232, infrared, even a clock input port to make sure using and controlling the audio chugging through its Super Regulator-driven 120dB SNR AKM-built AK4396 DAC is a pleasurable experience. They're not going to let you off easily though, this piece will set you back two grand when it debuts September 18th. Slim Devices will, however, throw you a bone for your hard earned thousands; pre-order the Transporter before it's released and they'll toss in a free Squeezebox to say thanks for skipping out on rent (yet again).

To prove that there is still life in the world of consumer electronics outside of videogames and laptops, Sirius broke up today's monotony by announcing an updated version of their Sportster series of Plug and Play satellite radios with 44-minute buffers. The Sportster4, which is small enough to easily transport between home and car, maintains the same recording capacity and features as its predecessors, but adds a new vehicle dock that includes an auxiliary input for your MP3 player. Additional niceties include 30 presets, bundled remote, favorite artist alerts, and game reminders to keep you updated on score changes. Look for the Sportster4 later this month for around $170, with accessories like boombox docks soon to follow.

Looks like HomeTheaterView got themselves a hold of a couple of Sonos ZP100s and a controller and put the spurs to 'em to see how the system works and performs in a real home environment. We have a Sonos we're currently checking out (expect more on that soon), but HomeTheaterView found the devices to work admirably out of box with a clean, labor-free setup, and simple, intuitive interface, which we won't deny. The concept behind the Sonos isn't a terribly complicated one, so outside decent codec support, wireless range, and the aforementioned (setup and interface / use), there's not a lot else to look for in an in-home wireless audio distribution system. Fortunately the Sonos nails the codecs (outside not supporting PlaysForSure), but while the range wasn't mentioned, and they wished there were versions outfitted for in-wall installs and wetter environs like bathrooms, they seemed to find the system an excellent choice that fulfills a need otherwise unmet by the other out of box consumer home audio distribution systems on the market.

They announced it a full ten days ago with exactly zero fanfare, but we're just today getting word about Bang & Olufsen's BeoLink Wireless 1 system, their take on a wireless distributed home audio solution. You'd think that the receivers themselves might have integrated speakers (just look at that picture), but no, you've got to plug them into the wall, and then into a pair of speakers in the room you're transporting your audio to. They use a proprietary 2.4GHs DSSS wireless transport for the audio, and can support up to 21 rooms with three BeoLink transmitters. No word on price or launch time frame, but it's B&O, so it'll cost ya. [Warning: PDF link!]

[Via Sybarites, thanks Stevie J]