Tech Test Drive: Drop your iPod buds at home and hop on a dock

Julio Ojeda-Zapata from Twin Cities Pioneer Press reports:

My wife gets annoyed when I have my iPod earbuds in and I'm off in another world while she tries to speak with me.

So, I've learned to put those earbuds away at home and use my player in an iPod dock (I have a nifty Apple version).

I have lately developed a keen interest in iPod docks, as a result. My editor, Amy Nelson, also has become fascinated with this kind of device. There are many docks, in an astonishing range of prices and with a wide spectrum of features.

Amy and I recently borrowed several newer iPod docks to test — and this column blends my impressions with hers.

Before I get into specific models, here are crucial criteria to keep in mind when considering a dock purchase:

Portable or stationary. Some iPod docks are meant to be used in one place, while others are easy to move around. If you intend to carry yours from room to room, you want one with an easy-to-tote design and, ideally, a battery so you don't also have to carry around the power adapter.

Device compatibility. Check a dock's specs carefully before buying to make sure it works with your Apple portable device. Some docks might charge older iPods but not newer ones. Not every dock works flawlessly with Apple's iPhones, either. Dock makers will generally list compatible iPod models.

Radio or no radio? Some of the finest iPod docks from the likes of Bose are only that: iPod docks. Others have built-in radios. Want AM? Some do only FM. Advanced models tune in something called HD Radio (more on that later).

Is it a clock radio? All iPods are alarm clocks, but it's nice to have a dock with clock-radio capabilities (not all do).

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Sony XDR-S10HdiP [is] my fave iPod dock in this roundup because it integrates a technology called HD Radio.

This is a way to access all the usual local FM and AM stations, but via digital transmissions that sound better. Extra stations with more content are available for free, too; those using old-fashioned radios can't get the bonus programming.

So, if you are in the market for a higher-end iPod dock with radio, it makes sense to consider an HD Radio variation.

The XDR-S10HdiP is a nice one (awkward name aside). It has full player compatibility (even supporting Apple's new iPhone 3G), a decor-friendlier shape than the Pure-Fi, better-sounding radio than the other docks reviewed here and a useful HD Radio feature called iTunes tagging.

Here's how tagging works: When you hear a song you like on a local station (like MPR's the Current) click the dock's tagging button. This stores the song's info on your iPod. The next time you sync that device with the iTunes software on your PC or Mac, the song info is transferred to the jukebox app; you can then buy the song on the iTunes Store.

I found tagging to work well, with two hitches: stations sometimes will not transmit song info over digital airwaves, which is needed for song tags to be put on iPods; and tagged songs sometimes won't be available on the iTunes Store.

The XDR-S10HdiP also is billed as a clock radio with useful features like a sleep timer, but it lacks a snooze button.