iLounge

By LC Angell

Senior Editor, iLounge
Published: Tuesday, January 18, 2005
News Category: iPod Accessories

MacFixIt is reporting on a potentially dangerous issue with Digital Lifestyle Outfitters’ (DLO) iBoom when battery power and AC power are used at the same time.

“My father received an iBoom for Christmas and at first, everything seemed great. Initially, he plugged it into the wall and tried it out. Soon after, he put in the batteries and did some work outside. When he returned inside, he put the iBoom on his computer desk and just plugged it into the wall and listened to it while working on his computer (rather than draining the batteries). The following morning, he noticed the back of the unit was very hot and there was fluid around the iBoom. It turned out to be battery acid. It seems that if you plug in the iBoom, approximately 12.75 volts DC go to the 6 D cell batteries. This can be extremely bad possibly resulting in a fire.”

The Mac site has also received a reader report detailing other issues with DLO’s boombox accessory for the iPod.

“From the first day I received the iBoom I found it to have two problems: 1) The volume control is faulty—it will not lower the volume in a gradual way but simply switches the volume totally off at the low end of the scale rather than allowing for a lower volume setting. 2) There is an unacceptable amount of hiss coming from the iBoom speakers. This is regardless of which input or the volume control setting—both the tuner or the iPod input show the same problem at any volume control setting.”

DLO has not responded to inquiries from iLounge regarding the original issue, and has not provided hardware for testing and review.