From distributed brand K-array, Sennheiser has announced the Ecodock, a freestanding miniature loudspeaker that’s capable of boosting the iPhone 4/4S audio signal by up to 10dB with no battery or external power supply. Amplify conference calls, listen to podcasts, or enjoy music at modest levels.

The upsides of the iKurv are that it is a fairly stylish place to charge your iDevice and listen to your tunes while you charge up; the sound is descent and the blue light lends an interesting accent (except for you blue haters…). The remote is very handy and functions well, and the iKurv doesn’t take up a lot of space. The down sides are that the audio is clean but only okay, the volume control could use some more finesse when you turn it down, and you need to be sure you have the correct adapter tray or you may have trouble with the connection.

The iHome iA63 is a fantastic speaker/dock for the iPhone and iPod touch that really does it all. In addition to being a compact sound system that charges every version of those devices, it’s got an FM radio and is an alarm clock with built-in functionality to let you drift off to sleep listening to music. But iHome has taken it two steps further by creating apps that let your iDevice interact with the iA63, controlling and expanding its functionality, or working as standalone apps when you’re away from home.

Unfortunately, with the combination of the iPhone’s relatively quiet speaker and the fact that users don’t always keep their ringer volume at the maximum, it can be common to miss a call while in your pocket, especially if you’re in a loud and crowded setting. Developer Nick Dawson aims to end this problem for jailbreakers with his new tweak called PocketMode, which uses the iPhone’s built-in ambient light sensor to determine whether it should ring louder.

Speakal will be exploring Time and Relative Dimensions in Sound with their forthcoming TARDIS dock for iPod/iOS devices. The prototype features a pull-out tray for the 30 pin connector. Speakal also plans on adding the capability of controlling other devices, like a television, wirelessly via Bluetooth. The TARDIS prototype was part of a line of fun and distinctive shapes.

Not sure quite what to get for that Mac or iDevice owner in your life? As a group, Mac and iDevice users tend to be an affluent bunch—you know, the has-everything-gadget-guru who is notoriously hard to shop for and has pretty expensive tastes on top of it. Here are some high end offerings to make your shopping a little easier for the Apple fan in your life.

Given its broad acceptance as an audio technology, it is only natural that Bluetooth is now cutting the cords between music players and speakers. The Tenqa SP-109 is an excellent introduction to that market, handily allowing the separation of your music source (laptop/iPhone/other device) from the speakers on which you listen to it.

How often do you find yourself playing a game on your iPhone in landscape mode, but then realize you’re blocking the little speaker? The SoundClip from Ten One Design aims to make this a thing of the past. The small plastic clip connects to the standard 30-pin dock connector with a cone over the speaker. The “tuned conical deflection chamber” allows more sound waves to come in your direction, giving up to 10dB more volume, and brightens the mid-ranges of the sounds. Its profile is small and doesn’t look out of place when its being used. While synchronizing and charging, it clips securely onto the USB cable.