Apple Tunes Out iPod Hi-Fi

Remember the Apple iPod Hi-Fi, that ice-white, $350 iPod dock that landed with a thud last year? Of course you don't, and now Apple has quietly pulled the underwhelming speaker from its online store.

The iPod Hi-Fi was a bit like the struggling Apple TV, in that it was a half-baked attempt on Apple's part to sneak into our living rooms. Introduced with great fanfare back in February 2006, the Hi-Fi was touted as nothing less than "home stereo reinvented for the iPod age," but not even Steve Jobs' famed reality-distortion field could hide the fact that the Hi-Fi was essentially just a gussied-up, overpriced iPod dock (albeit with sweet-sounding speakers, according to reviewers). You'd think Apple would've throw in something to truly set the Hi-Fi apart—say, a remote that lets you browse the tunes in your docked iPod—but nope, no such luck.

Personally, I'd love to see more Apple accessories aimed at funneling iTunes music and video into my living room; however, Cupertino will get creamed by the competition (Vudu, anyone?) unless it takes its home theater "hobby" a little more seriously.

Related:
Bye bye, HiFi [The Unofficial Apple Weblog]