Treadmills with iPod Dock Comparison

It seems like only yesterday that if you wanted to rock out while you exercised the only alternatives were CD stereos or Walkmans (yes, Walkmans).

Technology has certainly changed and through this rapid progression treadmills have found a way to evolve with the times. Personal music devices (or mp3 players for short) are definitely the preferred method for listening to music while working out these days and the treadmill industry has responded by producing built-in iPod or mp3 docks.

While having a treadmill with an iPod dock at the moment is considered an added luxury, it’s highly likely that in the next five years a treadmill with iPod dock will be standard and expected. Until that time, consumers who are willing to spend a little extra (up from the budget treadmills) will be able to enjoy this special extra.

Treadmills with an iPod dock simply allow users to easy plug-in their mp3 player and listen to a playlist as they walk/jog/run on the machine. Most treadmills with this feature are also equipped with built-in speakers although a few only have the connection port so you will still need earphones.

Treadmill iPod docks are certainly a great luxury but when shopping for a treadmill it all comes down to how much you personally feel like a built-in iPod dock will benefit your fitness experience. Even without a treadmill iPod dock, most companies include accessory trays as a standard feature so you can still place the mp3 player on the tray and exercise with headphones.

Really high end treadmills are already finding ways to improve the iPod dock with the playlist displayed on the LCD/LED screen or even incredible new software “that recognizes what type of user you are and tunes in with your likes and needs”. Treadmills are also getting jazzed up these days with satellite radio and even built-in televisions. This is, of course, becoming more and more in-line with what you would expect at a local gym where you can walk/jog while watching big screen TVs.

The biggest luxury to owning a treadmill with an iPod dock is you rarely need to use your earphones. Earphones are great for when you jog/run outside, however most consumers would much rather listen to music on hi-fidelity speakers if possible. Therefore, when you shop for a treadmill with an iPod dock be sure to also study the built-in speakers.

You can probably attest that not all speakers sound the same. For example, music is obviously going to sound way better on a $500 speaker system with a massive subwoofer when compared to stock speakers on a laptop. The quality of speakers can also differ on treadmills so try and test them out before you purchase a treadmill.

If music is your life you need a treadmill that supports your addiction. IPod/mp3 players have made it much easier to store all your tunes in a small, lightweight unit. Why not expect the same when shopping for a treadmill?

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