The Mac Observer

Skip navigational links

You're viewing an article in TMO's historic archive vault. Here, we've preserved the comments and how the site looked along with the article. Use this link to view the article on our current site:
Japanese Company Offers Docking Station For iMac G4 With iPod Bay

MACWORLD Tokyo - Japanese Company Offers Docking Station For iMac G4 With iPod Bay

by , 12:00 PM EST, March 22nd, 2002

A very cool innovation found on the showroom floor of MACWORLD Tokyo is a docking station for the new G4 iMacs made by a local company called IMTG. Normally, you'd have to reach around the base of the iMac to plug in your peripherals, but the new docking station brings everything to your fingertips. Called (roughly translated) "The Button," this is one gadget that we'd love to have cradling our iMac.

Adding approximately four inches (in diameter) to the iMac's footprint, this smooth looking gadget puts two USB and two FireWire ports right in front of you, as well as adding a separate, rectangular port just for an iPod. The iPod seems to fit into its dock much in the way that game cartridges would load into a SuperNintendo console, albeit horizontally. Inside the bay is a FireWire port that the iPod slides onto, mounting it on your desktop for integrating with iTunes.

Click the thumbnail for a larger image.

dscn0493.jpg
The Button in all its glory
dscn0496.jpg
A close up of the front, including the iPod bay

The bad news is that the company does not have a Web site for you to check out, and is not accepting orders outside Japan.

dscn0492.jpg
This is another device made by IMTG.
It turns your iPod into a standalone radio.
Pretty cool, huh?

The Mac Observer Spin:

We were just as disappointed as you to find out that the company isn't accepting US orders, but we can hope that it, or something like it, will eventually make it to Western markets. In any event, The Button is a very cool device that impressed us mightily.


Warning: include(/usr/local/etc/httpd/sites/macobserver.com/htdocs/forums/extension.inc) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /var/www/bbm/macobserver.com/ee2/www/htdocs/comments/comments.php on line 108

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '/usr/local/etc/httpd/sites/macobserver.com/htdocs/forums/extension.inc' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/share/php5:/usr/share/php') in /var/www/bbm/macobserver.com/ee2/www/htdocs/comments/comments.php on line 108

Warning: include(/usr/local/etc/httpd/sites/macobserver.com/htdocs/forums/common.) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /var/www/bbm/macobserver.com/ee2/www/htdocs/comments/comments.php on line 110

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '/usr/local/etc/httpd/sites/macobserver.com/htdocs/forums/common.' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/share/php5:/usr/share/php') in /var/www/bbm/macobserver.com/ee2/www/htdocs/comments/comments.php on line 110

Warning: include(/usr/local/etc/httpd/sites/macobserver.com/htdocs/forums/includes/bbcode.) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /var/www/bbm/macobserver.com/ee2/www/htdocs/comments/comments.php on line 112

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '/usr/local/etc/httpd/sites/macobserver.com/htdocs/forums/includes/bbcode.' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/share/php5:/usr/share/php') in /var/www/bbm/macobserver.com/ee2/www/htdocs/comments/comments.php on line 112

Fatal error: Call to a member function sql_query() on a non-object in /var/www/bbm/macobserver.com/ee2/www/htdocs/comments/comments.php on line 532

Recent Headlines - Updated May 21st

Tue, 10:01 AM
News - AT&T Opening FaceTime Over Cellular to All
9:27 AM
TMO Appearances - Jeff Gamet Talks Apple Taxes on The Mac Show
8:44 AM
News - Google to Merchants: We’re Killing Google Checkout
Mon, 10:50 PM
Mac Geek Gab Podcast - MGG 450: Don’t Play Ding Dong Ditch on an Airplane
7:48 PM
News - Apple Hits Another Record in Retail Dollars Per Visitor
6:50 PM
Analysis - Bipartisan Senators Accuse Apple of Avoiding Billions in U.S. Taxes
5:58 PM
TMO Appearances - Bryan Chaffin Talks About Apple Monday at SVMUG
5:13 PM
Analysis - Apple Asks Congress to Eliminate Tax Loopholes, Lower Corporate Rates
2:55 PM
Quick Look Review - Manage Your Movie Wish List on iPhone with ToDoMovies
2:32 PM
Analysis - Samsung’s Answer to App Developer Interest: We’ll Pay You, Maybe
11:42 AM
Manage Your App.net Account with Passport
10:59 AM
Rumor - Rumor Claims Apple Testing iWatch Display

The Mac Observer Reader Specials

  • Support TMO, Buy from Amazon, MacMall and The Apple Store

  • __________
  • Buy Stuff, Support TMO!
  • Podcast: Mac Geek Gab
  • Podcast: Apple Weekly Report
  • TMO on Twitter!