iMM377, $120, www.iluv.com
When you replace your Android phone, should you have to replace your phone music dock/recharger too?
Maybe not. The iLuv MobiAir iMM377 accommodates a variety of Android phones regardless of which side of the phone the mini USB plug is on or which way it is facing.
The mini USB plug in the dock rotates so it can accommodate a device, no matter which direction its plug faces. A sliding set of gripping arms can be adjusted to fit any number of different devices. It worked fine with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, an oversize phone, and it can take a 7-inch tablet, but it won't fit a 10-inch one.
It's a compact unit, roughly 5 by 10 by 2 inches, and it sounds bigger than it is. Still, you won't fill your dorm room with pumping dance party sounds using the iMM377.
You can also connect to the dock using Bluetooth, which is easy to do.
A STATUESQUE SPEAKER,
BUT WITH SHORTCOMINGS
Zikmu Solo, $1,000, www.parrot.com
The Zikmu Solo, a stereo speaker tower from Parrot, a mobile products maker based in Paris, has a sleek look that is sure to turn heads at parties.
Designed by Philippe Starck, the French product designer and architect, the Zikmu Solo produces balanced stereo sound through a speaker on each side, a third in the front and a woofer in the base. Atop the tower, which stands about 30 inches high, is a dock for an iPod or iPhone.
The tower also has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capability for those who prefer to stream their music and maintain the aesthetic appeal of the tower, which comes in five colors and costs $1,000.
While it looks great as the centerpiece of a room and sounds amazing, connecting it wirelessly through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi is daunting. It's easier to dock an iPod on top of the tower and hit play.
Parrot is creating an app for iOS devices that allows users to adjust the audio settings of the Zikmu Solo. Unfortunately, the app is not ready yet.
NEW YORK TIMES
