There are tons of audio docks for your iPhone or iPod touch, but models for your iPad are much harder to come by. The Sound Step from Soundfreaq is built to accommodate your iPad or any other dock connector–equipped device. But the connectivity doesn’t stop there. This small speaker dock is also Bluetooth-enabled, so you can stream wirelessly, and there’s also an auxiliary input, so you can connect with just about anything. But for those times when you just want to disconnect, the Sound Step Recharge also comes equipped with a rechargeable battery so that you can cut the cord and take your tunes on the road—or at least to the backyard.

Imagine every feature you could ever want from an iPod dock. Go on, make a list. Ours includes AirPlay, solid sound quality, an iPod charging dock, and a reasonable price tag. This is good news for the iW1, which includes all these features and a boatload of others we didn’t even know we wanted.

Unlike the internet, analog synthesizers really are made of tubes. Well, not all of them, but the really nice ones do contain vacuum tubes. They range from ugly green metal boxes to incredibly beautiful pieces of art with wood cases. Someone looking to buy one of these instruments better be willing to pay a pretty penny—analog gear is not cheap. So while we’d all like a Moog, it’s hard to justify the premium price unless you’re a rock star. That’s why we’re impressed that M-Audio’s Venom brings the warmth of analog into the digital age at a price even enthusiast players can afford—and frankly, it does an incredible job.

The Mac|Life editors’ favorite new pastime (besides fiddling with our Apple gear, of course) is playing DJ. Most days, we can be found at turntable.fm/maclife spinning tunes and nerding out on music while we work. But office decorum dictates that we wear headphones while rocking out. Yes, technology has made it extremely easy for Robbie to go on a Smiths bender and take the rest of us along for the ride -- but Paul’s ban on Morrissey in the office is still very much in effect, and violators are punished swiftly.