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Ask nearly any iPod enthusiast and you’ll find that the Bose sound dock is the best speaker system you can buy. The only limitation is that the speakers aren’t portable with a large power supply and cord. The new Bose soundock portable solves this problem with all of the power and punchy sound of the original model. This is simply the best sounding speaker system available for your IPod and it’s portable. These speakers come with a high price tag; at $399 retail you’re not only paying for great sound but the Bose name at the same time.

The sound dock portable comes in two colors: glossy white and black. The speakers have a compact design that measures 12″ x 6″ x 5″ and weighs just over 5 pounds. The new portable soundock is very similar to the original model. One difference is the swiveling dock that rotates into the sound dock body for protection when traveling.

The portable soundock has the same simplistic design as the first sound dock. There are no physical controls aside from volume up and down. There is a small remote control included that operates the volume, playlists, playback control, and power on and off. This remote is small but has rubber buttons that make it easy to use and operate as long as you don’t misplace it. The remote works well enough and I was able to control my iPod from nearly any angle in the room.

The back of the sound dock portable has only two connectors. There is an analog input and a plug for the unit’s charger. It would be nice to have USB ports or video outputs on the speaker system. The sound dock portable is charged by a lithium-ion battery and holds a charge for about eight hours of normal use. If you crank the volume up you’ll get about three hours use which is pretty good considering the volume and amount of Bass the speakers produce.

The only thing I don’t like about the sound dock’s design are the built-in volume controls. They are clumsy and not very sensitive to the touch. When your iPod is plugged into the dock the batteries are charged at the expense of play time if your charger is not plugged in. The carrying handle also serves as the speaker’s Bass port which Bose cleverly calls the wave guide exit.

There is an LED light behind the speaker grill that flashes with the remote control is used or the lithium-ion battery needs to be charged. If you forget to plug the sound dock into its charger and don’t use it for fourteen days the only way to turn it on is by charging the batteries. Bose did not include any dock inserts for the various iPod models so if you lost yours you can get replacements online or from the Apple store. The speaker’s power cord has a universal cable winder built in that makes it easy for travel. The plug is a tad large though. If you pay retail you’ll shell out $399 for the Bose soundock portable; however price shopping will get you a better deal with free shipping. Bose offers a carrying case; however, if you want one you’ll have to pay $59 more.

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