Apple powers up iPod Hi-Fi boombox

Apple has unveiled a new iPod Hi-Fi boombox and new Intel-powered Mac Minis

Apple chief executive Steve Jobs has unveiled a new iPod Hi-Fi boombox that allows users to play songs on their iPod portable music players around the home. 

"It's home stereo reinvented for the iPod age," Jobs said at a company event at Apple's corporate headquarters in Cupertino, California.

The $349 device is similar to appliances from high end manufacturers like Denon and Bose but costs significantly less, according to Jobs.

The iPod Hi-Fi features a universal iPod plug that allows users to plug their Apple music players directly into the device, and comes with a remote control which is identical to the device already shipping with iMac computers.

Jobs also unveiled two new Mac Mini models powered by Intel processors which ship with the remote control and Apple's Frontrow application.

Frontrow presents users with a graphical interface to access music, video and photos using the remote control rather than a keyboard and mouse.

The software has been equipped with support for Apple's Bonjour networking technology that allows devices on a network to detect each other and connect.

This addition is the 'missing link' in building home networks in which users can stream photos, music or movies throughout their homes on any television or computer, according to Jobs.

"It allows devices to find themselves automatically over a network and commun icate with each other without any configuration or settings," he said. " If you have Bonjour running on your Macs or PCs [with iTunes] they can find each other throughout your house."

A Mac Mini powered by a single-core Intel processor sells at $599 and a dual-core model at $799.

Jobs cited benchmark tests for the new dual-core Mac Mini that showed a 550 per cent speed increase.

But if the experiences with the new Intel powered Mac Book Pro laptops provide any guidance, users will see a far less impressive speed boost with everyday applications.

At the introduction of the new laptops last January, Jobs cited a 200 to 300 per cent speed gain based on benchmarks. But tests using regular applications demonstrated a performance increase of only 20 to 30 per cent.

Photos of the unveiling and products are available on the Silicon Valley Sleuth blog for the Mac Mini and the iPod Hi-Fi.