News Archive for 07/03/09

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Arcam's audiophilic rDock

03/09, 2:30pm

Arcam rDock goes to extremes for quality

Home theater designer Arcam today launched the rDock. As an alternative to other cradles for the iPod, the rDock is claimed to be the first to truly satisfy audiophiles. Its construction and materials are influenced by dedicated home stereo gear, and include a pre-amp as well as a low-interference power supply. The iPod's power is also carefully managed to preserve audio quality -- since even recharging the iPod can interfere, Arcam says, the charging system automatically shuts down when the battery is full. Despite this, listeners can also connect any dockable iPod to more sources through increased output options, including native RCA stereo output as well as RCA and S-video jacks for image-capable iPods. The rDock should be available in the UK now for the equivalent of $231.

iPods to oust CD players?

03/09, 12:55pm

iPods may oust hi-fi CD players

Apple's iPods and Mac systems playback music with better sound quality than hi-fi CD systems, according to AVI's Ashley James. James cautions that Apple products are nowhere near perfect, but notes that "there are some CD players from prominent manufacturers that are miles worse. They're so bad that from the moment they're on -- if you came into this room with one of these CD players I'm telling you about -- you'd know there was something wrong with it. You wouldn't know what it was, but you'd just say 'that's bloody terrible'." The difference in quality and convenience is apparently causing CD players to lose market share, according to James. Further issues affecting sales of CD players include failed copy protection schemes, as well as the tendency for CD player mechanisms to fail.

Initial iPhone sales

03/09, 12:40pm

Initial iPhone sales may fall short

Apple's iPhone, which is due to launch in June, could fall short of heightened expectations in the near-term due to its small potential market, according to Forbes.com. The market for the iPhone is, at first glance, quite appealing with worldwide handset sales expected to top more than 1 billion in 2007, but Apple's goal of selling 10 million iPhones by the end of 2008 could prove to be wishful thinking. A closer look at the handset market shows the iPhone's price as too high for many customers, placing it right alongside other smartphones like the BlackBerry that account for just 10 percent of handset sales. Additionally, Apple's choice to offer the iPhone exclusively through Cingular further narrows its potential customer base, enabling only those users whose contracts are near expiration and die-hard fans willing to cancel current contracts for a penalty as likely customers. Nevertheless, Apple could create its own market as it did with the iPod in 2001, or generate enough buzz around the iPhone's features to create a "must have" mentality in the minds of customers who wouldn't have normally spent $499 or even $599 for a smartphone.