Bose SoundDock

The easiest way to unleash the sound from an iPod is to hook it up to a dedicated speaker system. A few companies have already brought out similarly designed devices but the Bose SoundDock leaves them behind.

You may recognise the Bose name from expensive hi-fi equipment. If so, you'd also be right in thinking that the SoundDock isn't cheap - it costs £250. However, put simply, it's the best iPod-specific speaker system money can buy.

Sound clarity is exceptional and, if you dare to crank up the volume, it is very loud too. Naturally, the overall sound quality is dependent on the quality of the audio file being played but our 192Kbit/s-encoded files sounded punchy and clear.

We found it worked best in a smaller room, such as a kitchen, where the sound could bounce more easily off the walls. There are connectors for fitting the iPod and iPod mini but not the Shuffle, and once docked, the device will charge itself up as well.

The remote control lets you skip tracks and adjust volume and the white trim and grey speaker grille complements the iPod's design.

Apart from the price, the only downside is that it can't run on batteries, meaning that using it at the beach or in the park is out of the question.