Gadget of the week: speaker up!

What is it?

A larger, more powerful version of the previously released dock OnBeat, this one from the speakers experts JBL is called the OnBeat Xtreme.

What's special about it?

On the face of it, the JBL OnBeat Xtreme looks optimised for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, what with its rotating connector that lets you easily dock your Apple device and positing it in landscape or portrait mode. But in truth, the Xtreme supports any device with Bluetooth capability. Your iDevice does not even have to be docked to be used — you can stream your audio wirelessly.

Still, the OnBeat Xtreme is a marked improvement from the OnBeat, which required devices to be docked for use. The addition of tweeters and woofers will likely win over audiophiles. There's also an additional microphone to turn it into a speakerphone when your device is docked. While JBL says it is perfect for using Apple's famed FaceTime and Skype, both those services are unavailable in the UAE (although supergeeks might have mastered their way around that).

What the OnBeat Xtreme is perfect for, and this is just a personal opinion, is the iPad 2. With connectors that hold it in place, it's perfect for viewing your movies or interacting with your games.

Apple product users have an edge in that they can download a specially created OnBeat Xtreme app for free through which they can control playlists, audio settings and set an alarm or sleep timer. There's also an accompanying RF remote, nicely designed, which the company says can be used even from another room.

When is it available in the UAE and for how much?

The JBL OnBeat Xtreme is available at all Harman House outlets across the UAE for Dh1,999.