iHome iD50

The traditional alarm clock is going the way of the wristwatch as smartphones and speaker docks replace them. iHome offers the functionality of an alarm clock with?an AM/FM radio, a?wireless speaker, and a 30-pin dock for iPhones, iPads, and iPods. At $169.99 (direct), the iHome?iD50 is?inexpensive for a Bluetooth speaker, but its sound quality doesn't quite satisfy when compared with non-clock radio docks.

Design
Looking vaguely trapezoidal from the side, the iD50 is a matte black finish with silver edging surrounding its sides. On the front of the dock, there's a bluish LED that shows the time and date, and cloth grille covers the speakers on either side of it. The top panel holds several controls, including individual buttons for setting two alarms, setting sleep mode, starting and ending hands-free cell phone calls, and changing radio presets. The 30-pin connector also sits on the top, with a large tongue providing a stand for your iPhone or iPod. Around back, you'll find the power connector, an AM radio antenna connector, and an FM radio antenna, which is a long thin wire that runs directly out of the device's body. The thin membrane remote offers the same controls as on the dock itself, including radio playback and volume controls, and Call Answer/End buttons.

While you can dock your iOS device, Android and other smartphone and tablet users can still connect their devices via a 3.5mm auxiliary input or wirelessly over Bluetooth. Since the dock has a microphone just below the dock connector, it can work as a Bluetooth?speakerphone, whether you have an iPhone, an Android, or another Bluetooth-enabled phone.

If you have an iOS device, the iD50's clock can be automatically set just by plugging your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch into the connector. iHome also offers free Internet radio and alarm apps that complement the dock. Of course, since the iD50 supports Bluetooth and has a built-in alarm you can set manually, you can use your non-Apple smartphone or tablet to play tunes or Internet radio just as easily.

Performance
Like most sub-$200 speaker docks, the sound from the iD50 isn't particularly impressive. High-end and midrange frequencies sound clear, like the opening notes to Captain Beefheart's "Her Eyes Are a Blue Million Miles." Bass isn't quite as impressive, as our standard low-end test track, The Knife's "Silent Shout," suffered very crunchy distortion in the flat bass notes, and the docked iPad rattled slightly as I turned up the volume. Obviously a Bluetooth connection will prevent the rattle, but you can't get past the mediocre, distorting bass response.

If you want a conventional, fully functional clock radio that happens to double as an iPhone and iPad dock and a Bluetooth speakerphone, the versatile iHome iD50 is hard to ignore. Its audio quality isn't good enough to be your full-time sound system, but if you want a place to handle calls, charge your iPhone, and play music to wake you up, it's a strong pick. You can certainly do better if you're willing to spend more and value audio quality more than alarm clock functions. The Editors' Choice Bose SoundLink Wireless Mobile Speaker ($299.95, 4 stars)?is compact, puts out impressive wireless Bluetooth sound, and offers battery-powered portability, but it won't wake you up in the morning.

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