Having designed the iPod and released its reference-standard video docks and cables for years, Apple is in a unique position to positively or negatively influence the future course of such accessories’ development. Last month, the company debuted th...

• A charging, synchronization, and audio/video dock designed for late 2007 and earlier iPods, including adapters for late 2007 models. Now includes simple Infrared Apple Remote, which can be used to wirelessly control audio and video playback on a direct...
• Higher price and fewer features than prior Universal Dock. Can’t be used for video out of the box, and lacks affordable S-Video and composite video outputs; now requires use of considerably more expensive video cables. No guarantee of future iPo...
• It’s almost impossible to feel good about accessories like these: not only do they represent poor values relative to their predecessors, but their very release constitutes a breach of the trust iPod owners have had in Apple for the past several...