Audio Video News

Evidently someone at Advanced Technology Office (ATO) -- come on, guys, you could have thought of a more imaginative company name than that -- got tired of watching movies on the 2.5-inch, 320 x 240 pixel TFT display Apple chose to incorporate into their ubiquitous portable multimedia device. As a result, they recently introduced the iSee 360i, a hand-held docking station that turns an iPod into a full-fledged video recorder/player and adds a 3.6-inch 320 x 240 LCD screen. (Now I can put my low-tech, definitely not-cool bifocals away and watch those $1.99-per-download episodes of "Monk" without looking like an old fart...)

The newly introduced device works with most fourth- and fifth-generation iPods, iPod minis, and iPod nanos. (The iPod nano requires an optional adapter. The iPod Shuffle is not supported.) Compatible models slide into the back of the iSee 360i which contains a replaceable, rechargeable 2400mAh battery that is said to last up to four hours without drawing power from the iPod's battery. The unit's AC adapter will charge the iSee and the docked iPod at the same time.

Once mated together, the iSee 360i's graphical user interface operates the combo, allowing users to play video, record audio and/or video from an external analog source, playback video on an external display, download and view multimedia content from a PC, as well as zoom in and pan digital photos stored on the iPod. The iSee 360i supports multiple video formats including MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and Windows Media 9/10. The unit does not include an internal speaker but does have a headphone jack.

Expected to begin shipping during the first quarter of this year, the super-slim iSee 360i will retail for $250.