Bose SoundDock Portable 30-Pin iPod/iPhone Speaker Dock

Shipped fast and met expectations

About me:I'm a Computer Programmer/Photographer who uses a Laptop for coding, DSLR to take pictures and Good music player to listen to music. Simply put, I use a equipment for what it's meant for (and the manufacturer is good at making it). I'm not a musician but still have a deep love for any music.For people who aren't anywhere close to getting a Bose:So if you're the kind to use a cellphone to take "awesome" pictures, DSLR to take videos and Dock Station to have Alarm and Radio, you rather go for one of those Dock Stations which has the fancy LED Display, Radio and Alarm clocks but sounds distorted when you try bumping it up beyond 60% Volume (basically Jack of All trades, master of none). They're still worth every penny if you need a Multi-purpose gadget. No complaints there. You can stop reading now.Those who are seriously considering a Bose Sounddock:Just remember, with Great Quality comes Great Price. :( If your love for music is greater than your desire to save a couple of hundred dollars of hard earned money, then this is my 2 cent. "Buy it, blindly" (else) "Go to a store nearby and compare the quality of every Dock ever manufactured. 2 hours later, you'd still buy this one" Why? Pure "Music Magic". The SDP blew away every Dock on the shelf (of similar portable size).Sounddock Portable (or) Soundlink???Bluetooth is certainly a nice thing to have in a Dock Station, but Unfortunately SDP doesn't. But that isn't a deal-breaker and definitely not a reason you need to go for a Soundlink blindly. Soundlink sure is more portable (weight/dimension wise), but definitely slightly less on the volume front. And both Sounddock ($100 off) and Soundlink are same in price now ($299). I choose volume over portability and to fix the lack of Bluetooth, all I did was get a Sounddock Bluetooth Adapter for $15 off Amazon. So now, I have a truly portable SDP which can play music from almost anything using Bluetooth/IphoneDock/3.5mm AUX.I already have the Bose MIE2i mobile headset so I really wasn't surprised over the clarity of the SDP or the Ergonomics of Bose products. What really surprised me is the difference the Waveguide speaker technology has over other Docks. No matter which end of the room you are sitting in, it almost feels like sitting in the best seat of a Music concert... Pleasing to the ears. I still haven't jacked it up to max volume cos it's so loud, I don't want the apartment neighbors to complain. Ideal portable player for outdoor camping, BBQ, indoor parties/workout etc. It just doesn't play music... it gets you into the feel of it too. Bose has also paid attention to small practical problems of a Remote Control and frequently tangled up wires. You'll understand what I mean when you buy one.Only possible Design Flaw I noticed till now:I was a bit shocked at first, when I realized I had to keep adjusting the Iphone on the Dock for loose connection. Then I realized I hadn't docked in the iphone properly and fixed it again properly (need to apply more pressure than you would want to, on a $400 system). The Dock station pin looks a bit flimsy and MIGHT wear out eventually with heavy usage. But doesn't matter to me cos I'm only planning to use it with Bluetooth mostly.My only reason for concern before buying is that, Amazon shows this product was launched in April 18, 2005 (atleast the earliest version of it). But after a lot of research I realized that this product (new version) is just 10 years ahead of the competition and the rest are still catching up. $100 off on a Bose might mean the next version is coming soon but who cares... I ain't no professional musician and I don't think my ears can differentiate anything that sounds better/crisper/nicer than this one. 5 stars!

Bose has designed a very good small portable speaker system worthy of their name. You always know what you get with Bose and you can count on superior build quality and rich sound. I spent some time trying to decide between the Bose SoundDock Portable and Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin. While the Zeppelin provides the best sound quality it lacks the portable features of the SoundDock. I was convinced I was going to purchase the Zeppelin based on the design and strong reviews it consistently receives. However, I simply couldn't steer away from Bose when making the final purchase decision.The Bose SoundDock Portable provides traditional Bose sound quality which is rich in mid-range and bass even at low volume levels. There is a carry handle built into the unit centered and near the top on the back side. Build quality is evident; the top portion of the carry handle is even rubberized to maximize grip when moving the unit. I carry this unit all over my house and it sounds great everywhere.Operation couldn't be more simple. Simply dock your iPod or iPhone into the front and you are listening to great sound even if the unit is not plugged in. The battery life is impressive and it lasts far longer then the 3 hours claimed by Bose. The unit ran for nearly 8 hours over a period of two days prior to needing re-charged. Another impressive feature is the unchanged sound quality regardless of running on AC power or batteries. There is a removable battery pack on the back of the unit that can be replaced when the batteries (Li-Ion) eventually run down.The included remote is simple and provides basic control function (play, pause, on, off, skip, playlist change and volume). The remote has a high-quality feel to it and the buttons are the right size and provide an appropriate level of resistance. The face of the remote has a rubberized feel to it and the range as well as reception angle is excellent. There is one light built behind the front of the speaker grille that provides status. If you hold down the off button on the remote, it will indicate the current battery level by color. The indicator light illuminates while the unit is charging and shuts off when fully charged and also illuminates when you press a button on the remote. The SoundDock will charge your device when docked both when plugged in and running on the battery pack.The Bose SoundDock Portable provides excellent sound and is simple to operate. It is truly a portable unit and maintains identical sound quality when not plugged in. The build quality is excellent and remote is of equal quality. Battery life if impressive and operates far longer then the 3 hours claimed by Bose. It gets very loud with no distortion and should make all but the most discerning audiophile smile. The Bose SoundDock is a portable device that will bring you years of convenience and sound quality.

Package did not include an owner's manual, or any product information like a model number to even look one up online. Auxiliary button on the remote does not work so my iPod won't play. Everything I look for online tells me to consult the owner's manual, which, as I've stated, did not come with the dock. Also, the unit came in a cardboard box stuffed with paper - not even a Bose product box that might hold some clues, in addition to a freaking manual.

Pretty good deal.Has some distortion with heavy bass but works as I hoped. I have it in my garage for music when I'm working out there.