Apple iPod Dock (M9130G/A)

iPod dock connector, Synch and Charge your iPod, Plug, unplug & go,

1 Ha You think this dock charges your Ipod? Think again.
Why waste the money? I bought two of these - one for a 10G IPod and one for a 15G IPod - it charges neither. The box even states that it will not charge these models but you don't see that in the advertisements now do you?

2 considering the dock...
If you are considering the 15GB ipod you might as well get the 20GB ipod which gives you a dock. This dock is about 38 dollars and the 15GB ipod is about 250 dollars which adds up to 288. A 20GB ipod is 275 on amazon...so make good decision. But if you already have an ipod then u don't have to worry about the cost. Just get the dock.

3 Nice work if you can get it
Let's put it this way: I think the dock is great. Aesthetically is much more pleasing to see my iPod propped up securely in this sturdy little accessory. Functionally, the line out jack is great for hooking up to a stereo. And for the sake caution, I prefer having a spot to place this pricey little unit in, rather than just leaving it lying down, just waiting for the first inadvertant soda can to be set on it, or crushed under a stack of books, and so on.

The price doesn't really bother me; it could be lower, but it's not prohibitive, considering how much you just paid for your iPod. And that's why overall, I'd give the dock 4 stars...

... But not 5. Because having said all of that, it's really sort of chintzy of Apple to make one have to pay extra for a basic component and, when all is said and done, one you don't necessarily actually need. So, in the end, it's nice, if you can get it -- but if not, you're not missing much.

4 too expensive, but...
For 40 bucks you get the dock, which is nice. For 75 you get the dock, a Monster Cable audio connection cable with RCA connectors; the Apple USB-iPod cable and the Apple power adapter. Apple calls this its stereo connection kit. In May 2004 it's $5 cheaper on Amazon than at apple.com. Seventy-five bucks is too much for this, too, but bought separately, I know these items would cost quite a bit more than $75.

You do need the dock to use the line-level output to your stereo. While it's true the variable output headphone connection works fine, the line-level output provides higher fidelity and eliminates the risk of overloading the inputs on your pre-amp or receiver.

If you don't have an iPod yet and you love music, especially if you travel on airplanes, you need one. Just know that podding, like most other things, is a bit of a money pit.

5 Probably not worth it, but handy
The iPod dock may not be worth the price - but it *is* handy if you are into convenience. My iPod came with a bundled dock and I keep in on my desk for charging/syncing.

The dock is well designed - seems solidly built and is nice and small. It's also nice how it doesn't have any cables hanging out of it like most docks seem to - you just plug in the regular iPod cable to the back and that's it.

I've seen people who have two iPods leave one dock in the living room by the stereo equipment. The audio out jack on the back of the dock allows you to hook it up to your stereo and you can use the dock cable to plug in to the AC charger. This lets you quickly snap the iPod into its dock to charge and listen to music - however, if you only have one iPod, you'll want to buy an additional cable along with the extra dock so you don't always have to unplug it to sync with your computer.

If you're not feeling cheap, I guess it's handy.

6 Other functionality
The iPod dock does more than just make the iPod "stand up." It also provides a line-out which is a much better way of connecting it to a steroeo sytem than going through the headphone jack. Pricey? Yes, but worth it for some.

7 Certainly worth it...
Most of the other reviews ignore that the dock allows for flawless line-out of audio - it's not just a block-of-wood holder for the iPod. I have one on my computer and a second attached to my stereo...and the iPod looks beautiful without wires flowing out of it. It just amazes people...

8 Good idea
Obtaining this dock, or a spare isn't a bad idea. I'm about to pick up a second dock.

Some folks might debate the wisdom of obtaining something whose only function is as a pass through.

But I'm not a fan of leaving my expensive electonics lying about, and it's a good place to put it where it's handy and always charged up.

The line out port will be put to use hooked into my home entertainment system with my 2nd dock. (And after picking up the new remote.) It so happens that I have a Firewire port on that device, so I should be able to charge it there too.

The autosynching works for me well. The only drawback is I can't use it fully with Windows if I turn on the automatic autosync, that is I can't use it to haul files to and from the office and synchronize with iTunes. (Note: Your system may not have this problem, but mine did. I suspect that's the nature of a LOT of sync problems with Windows and the iPods you hear about. Yes, it is solvable, I did because I spent all night beating my head into the wall when it wouldn't work. Install your drivers, and change the device drive mapping in Windows 2000/XP -- use a "new" drive letter that is unused by any other device. Then restore the iPod to factory defaults. Then it syched from iTunes no problem. Best I can figure it's some kind of Plug and Pray issue, but nothing on Apple/Windows websites about it.)

9 DEFINENTLY Not Worth It
I looked at it on the internet and for some reason I thought it was an amazing idea. Actually, its very useless. I thought that it would be really good because it has a line out plug in it which allows you to play music while its plugged in...well it can do that without it. Anyway for some reason my computer doesn't even allow it to play while its plugged in. I used to be able to have it plugged in yet be able to play music. Now it just shows either the "Do Not Disconnect" sign or the "you can disconnect now" sign. I don't know whats wrong but I don't like it and I don't want my dock connector.

10 Not worth it
If you are buying a 10 gb iPod, I wouldn't suggest spending $40 on this small piece of plastic. While this is a nice and handy product made by apple, the price is to big to make it worth it. If you're buying a 15, 20, or 40 gb, you get a dock already included, along with a remote, a carrying case, and more hardrive space. But buying a dock separately is a waste of money. It does include an audio out jack, but the headphone out is just as good

I made my own dock for myself out of wood and painted it. It looks nice or nicer than the Apple dock and is just slightly less functional. All the dock does is make the iPod stand up instead of lying there.

If you want a dock, I'd suggest making your own or buying a 15, 20 or 40 gb iPod with the dock included as well as many other goodies that make it worth spending $100 extra.