Tech Shout!

Here’s a great way to spread the music through the house.

Creative has unveiled the Creative Xdock Wireless, which docks an iPod and plays music in Xtreme Fidelity – through the Creative X-Fi Wireless Receivers.

X-Fi is a technology for improving audio quality from standard sources including MP3 players and streaming sources.

The Creative Xdock Wireless also connects directly to a powered speaker system or home theater system to play video, photos and music in DTS surround-sound. It is designed to work flawlessly with the iPod and also has the credit of being certified by Apple under the Made for iPod program.

Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing said “We’re thrilled that Creative is joining the iPod ecosystem with the launch of the Creative Xdock Wireless. Just place your iPod in the Xdock and easily play music wirelessly in any room with the great sound quality of Xtreme Fidelity.”

“We designed the Creative Xdock Wireless so an iPod can easily become the audio platform for your entire home. Your iPod goes in the Creative Xdock Wireless to play music through Creative X-Fi Wireless Receivers in as many rooms as you want - all upconverted to Xtreme Fidelity,” said Sim Wong Hoo, chairman and CEO of Creative.

Creative’s X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity is produced with X-Fi Crystalizer and X-Fi CMSS-3D technology. The X-Fi Crystalizer enhances the quality of MP3s sound by analyzing and recognizing which parts of the audio stream have been truncated or damaged during compression. It then cleverly and selectively restores the highs and lows from instruments and vocals that are damaged during the compression of MP3s. X-Fi CMSS-3D create virtual surround sound through speakers or headphones. It expands audio for superior headphone listening so music completely surrounds the listener.

The Creative Xdock Wireless offers several features, such as:

It plays music through multiple Creative X-Fi Wireless Receivers, which are sold separately, in different rooms of the home connected to powered speakers or a home theater system.

It plays music in Xtreme Fidelity - music beyond CD quality.

A line-out for connection to powered speakers, which also functions as an optical-out to your home theater for DTS surround-sound.

S-video and composite video-out connections, so digital photos and videos stored on an iPod can be displayed on a TV screen.

A wireless remote to navigate the iPod menu, adjust volume levels, and activate X-Fi Crystalizer and X-Fi CMSS-3D.

It docks and charges an iPod and includes line-in for connection of other audio devices.

The Creative Xdock Wireless plays music through multiple Creative X-Fi Wireless Receivers in different rooms of the home connected to powered speakers or a home theater system. The receivers are sold separately. Furhtermore, it also features a line-out for connection to powered speakers, which also functions as an optical-out to your home theater for DTS surround-sound and S-video and composite video-out connections, so digital photos and videos stored on an iPod can be displayed on a TV screen. A wireless remote to navigate the iPod menu, adjust volume levels, and activate X-Fi Crystalizer and X-Fi CMSS-3D is included in the package and it docks and charges an iPod and includes line-in for connection of other audio devices.

The Creative Xdock Wireless plays music up to 100 feet away without requiring a wireless network, via Creative X-Fi Wireless Receivers. There are 2 different modes for music playback: broadcast and individual zones. The broadcast and zone modes enable users to have total control of whether music is played through every Creative X-Fi Wireless Receiver in the home, or specific Creative X-Fi Wireless Receivers. In broadcast mode, multiple Creative X-Fi Wireless Receivers can receive music in different rooms of the home. In zone mode, a user can turn on or off up to 4 different Creative X-Fi Wireless Receivers independently, to listen to music only in desired rooms. Each Creative X-Fi Wireless Receiver can be controlled with its own remote, to activate X-Fi Crystalizer and X-Fi CMSS-3D, adjust volume, and control music playback.

The Creative Xdock Wireless, designed specially for use with the iPod with video, iPod photo, iPod mini and iPod Nano, will be available for S$299.00 while the X-Fi Wireless Receiver will be available for S$149.00. Both products will hit stores in March 2007.