Pros: The iPodDock is well constructed. The stand portion is spacious, with plenty of room for an iPod inside of a case.
Cons: The upside down orientation of the iPod while docked makes the iPod’s screen more difficult to read and the controls harder to use.
The iPodDock iPod stand is a dual purpose iPod stand and iPod dock. Available from BookEndz with a new version for newer model iPods (with the FireWire port covers), this stand is attractive and appears to be well-built.
The Stand
The iPodDock is made from white plastic with a low gloss finish. It is shaped like a half dome with the back fifth cut off to form a flat back.
It measures approximately 4 3/8” wide by 3 1/2” deep by 2 1/2” high. It has five black rubber feet on the bottom.
On the front of the iPodDock is a recessed cutout for holding the iPod upright. The iPod is angled slightly back for optimal screen viewing while in the stand. The stand cutout is wider and deeper than the iPod itself by slightly over 1/8” on all sides, providing plenty of room for an iPod in a case (my original model 10 GB iPod in its Marware C.E.O. Classic case fits easily, but only with the front flap flipped up or removed).
There is a semicircle “lip” at the bottom front of the cutout to prevent the iPod from slipping out of the stand.
The Dock
The dock portion of the iPodDock stand is located behind the stand cutout. A smaller, less deep cutout in the dome accepts an upside down iPod, holding it straight up and down – not at an angle. The dock cutout has plugs in the bottom that fit up into the iPod’s headphone jack and FireWire port.
This dock is just big enough for the iPod itself without a case. The headphone & FireWire plugs line up well with their respective ports on the top of iPod. The dock cutout is thoughtfully lower in the front than in the back, providing full viewing of iPod’s upside down screen.
