It’s an accessory for an accessory.
Like all of SendStation’s products, the Dock Extender works well and seems to be constructed and designed decently. Unlike most of SendStation’s products, its legitimate need and demand are questionable. I guess it comes down to how lazy you are and what you’d rather have than $28.95.
The Dock Extender is meant to plug into your iPod when you have a rubber or plastic case around it. Some after-market cases are thick and the added girth won’t allow your iPod to fit into your dock. If you’re into buying accessories that inhibit the function of your product, you should probably slow down, take a deep breath and rethink your approach to life.
For those of you who already bought into a case then realized it doesn’t fit into your dock, SendStation has the solution. The universal base of the extender sits flush-mount in your dock, and the extender protrudes a little bit. The added length weakens the integrity of the connection, so the Dock Extender has a metal wire loop that runs up the back of the iPod for additional support. At the tip of that, they have three interchangeable rubber bumpers of varying thickness to gently caress your iPod’s backside. Actually, the bumpers are to keep the iPod perfectly parallel to the metal support wires to release any tension at the connection. They’re just a little creepy in texture (to me, at least).
One ancillary advantage of the Dock Extender is that the actual extension piece is separate from the dock mount. The extension plug doesn’t have the squeeze buttons on the sides to release it from the iPod. It’s most likely designed this way because the buttons would be inaccessible when the iPod is docked on the extender. But if you should feel so inclined to keep the extender in the iPod at all times, you could add a bit of a safety feature. If the cord gets yanked harshly, it’ll break free without taking the iPod’s intestines with it.
The Dock Extender raises an important question: at what point do after-market products warrant redesign of the original product? If we need an accessory to use an accessory, the original dock design of the iPod needs to be reconfigured. Maybe it can be adjustable or made from materials that allow for small size changes. Until then, the Dock Extender is here for your dock’s shortcomings.
The Verdict