Audio Video News

If you find it hard to separate yourself from your iPod, now there's one more accessory (yes, another iPod accessory) that will let you keep your lovable, luggable hard drive music box close by even when you sleep.

Coincidentally available "in time for Father's Day gift giving", the miPillow is being introduced by fashion bed and bath product maker WestPoint Home. The miPillow system is said to allow the user to wirelessly listen to an iPod or other mp3 player (my gosh, are there actually other mp3 players?), a CD player, a television, or any other device with an audio output through a speaker discretely hidden in the pillow. WestPoint home says the new device will prevent avid music listeners from disturbing a sleeping partner (let sleeping partners lie, I say) and does away with "bothersome" wires. (Presumably, non-bothersome wires will be allowed to stay.)

So what do you get when you buy a miPillow when it becomes available for purchase on June 1? The miPillow package includes a wireless speaker/receiver, wireless transmitter, and "lofty poly-fill pillow with a 233-thread-count 100-percent cotton cover that fits the user's own standard/queen pillowcase." The transmitter uses 49 MHz RF transmission technology (an oldie but goodie technology - unless your next-door neighbor owns an ancient cordless phone or baby monitor, in which case you might find yourself waking up for a 3:00 AM feeding before you realize you're not a parent and there aren't any kids in the house...) The battery-powered speaker hides in a pocket built into the pillow - which can be up to 25 feet away from the transmitter - and touch-sensitive power and volume controls magnetically clip on the pillowcase. The whole shebang requires a total of three AA and three AAA batteries.

The suggested retail iPrice for a musical night of iSleep is $39.99.