Over the years, I've owned a lot of phones, computers, music players & various accessories that are supposed to make my life more enjoyable by promising to fulfill all of my entertainment needs. So many products, so many promises, so little delivery. Over the past few months, my working style has been in transition as my priorities are evolving. I'm spending as much time at home as I am running around the city and setting up "office hours" at a nearby coffee shop between appointments. These changes have necessitated that I not only adapt my mobile technology, but my home systems as well. That's when I discovered the Acoustic Research ARS2i Sound Dock - things have been much happier ever since.

What I LOVE about this device is that it is capable of so much more than it looks - a hidden gem. In addition to playing music from your iPod/iPhone, you can also connect additional devices through auxiliary input. For me, this means blogging in bed while listening to music or falling asleep while catching up on my favorite tv shows. As an added bonus, the ARS2i can also charge my iPhone, comes with a handy remote, has a built in handle and is complete with a backup battery.

There are similar products on the market (and have been for a couple of years), but after reading product reviews, I was always hesitant to buy them. The majority of complaints were about poor sound quality. To ensure that this product would not be one I would become disappointed in, I put it through an array of tests - from movies where things blow up to music engineered to make you feel the bass in places you never imagined. The speakers didn't fail and continue to impress.

If you don't have a blogger on your list this year, there are many others who would enjoy the ARS2i. In fact, I'm considering getting one for my mom - just don't tell her ;).