Monitor 'first to dock an iPod'

Viewsonic has revealed what it claims is the first LCD monitors to be fitted with an iPod dock. The displays come with adapters to fit any iPod into a slot below the screen and play audio tracks on the the built-in speakers, which include a sub-woofer in the base.

But the monitor will not screen iPod video directly. Instead you have to connect the monitor to a MacOS or Windows XP computer, to which the iPod will appear as a removable hard disk, and stream the video from that.

When the computer is turned off, the unit works as a hi-fi unit only. It also has an 8-in-1 card reader and a built-in microphone. Viewsonic will not sell iPods with the screen.

Two models will be made available on 1 November: a 19in VX1945wm Viewdock LCD , and a 22in VX2245wm Viewdock LCD; both will be available in black only.

They have resolutions of 1,440x900 and 1,680x1,050 respectively. The 19in costs £239.99 and the 22in costs £359.99. This is a £50 inc Vat premium over identical monitors without the iPod docks, sub-woofer, card reader and microphone.

A demonstration of the product at a launch event was a little uninspiring due to crackling bass-response; however we will be testing it properly when samples are available.

See also:

Review: Apple iPod portable media player

Few new features, but a big price cut for the flagship iPod  27 Sep 2006

iPod users buy little from Apple

Just five per cent of their tracks come from iTunes  18 Sep 2006

Review: Viewsonic VP2330wb monitor

High-resolution monitor with excellent software support  20 Sep 2006

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