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iPodNN: At the CEDIA show on Thursday, Sharp announced it will soon launch a new Blu-ray player, the BD-HP52U.

The reader will have the ability to connect to the web, and Sharp will partner with an unnamed service provider to bring premium streaming video content. This partner is expected to be named later in September.

Other known features of the BD-HP52U include Blu-ray Profile 2.0 support and the ability to decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio surround sound formats. Sharp has also officially unveiled the DK-AP8P and the DK-AP7P iPod docks, both of which are portable.

The AP8P includes a removable front face plate that can then act as a remote control, and is more powerful than the physically smaller DK-AP7P. Either has 2 speakers and a subwoofer, and will charge any docked iPods or iPhones.

Their internal batteries are rated at about six hours of playback, and a carrying case is included. Auxiliary line inputs let users connect devices other than iPods.

The Blu-ray player will begin shipping sometime in October, priced at $380 (€260). Sharp’s DK-AP8P and DK-AP7P iPod docks will ship later in September, priced at $190 (€130) and $130 (€88), respectively.

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Pioneer: Pioneer are previewing their new iPod Speaker Systems at IFA.

The XW-NAS5 and XW-NAS3  systems, due to hit the shelves from December, feature a 2.1-channel digital amplifier and provide precise sound reproduction with warm acoustics, while a down-firing subwoofer supplies dynamic and powerful bass.

Both systems offer a direct digital audio connection and incorporate unique features that are not available on other high-end iPod speaker systems.

They come in a characteristic shell-shaped housing, in a choice of four quality metallic-finish colours: red, black, silver or white (XW-NAS3 in metallic white only).

All the official information and pre-release pictures are here.

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Engadget: If there’s one thing we’ve always maintained here at Engadget, it’s that “HD people are good people.” Hell, we have a whole website devoted to HD, home entertainment, and the whole “HD lifestyle,” only because you warm our hearts so much.

And the folks at Philips are obviously on the same tip — as proven not only by all the wonderful products of theirs that grace these pages regularly, but by all the surround sound gear they’ve schlepped to IFA this year, including: a new SoundBar with Ambisound, featuring a Blu-ray disc player, optional iPod dock, 7.1 surround sound, and DoubleBASS.

Available in black (HTS8160B) or white (HTS8161B). Just the thing for those of you who think that a single speaker could somehow replace seven (plus one) in the surround sound stakes. Also on hand for the less credulous, the company is unveiling a number of home theater systems with the now-mandatory Blu-ray playback, including: three separate 5.1 surround affairs for folks with on varying budgets, and a two speaker / one sub combo for those of you who want to try out “Dolby Virtual Speaker” technology after all.

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HardwareSphere: The Philips HF3490 is a Wake-up ‘light alarm’ that will act as your own ‘Sun’ in your room. It will slowly and gradually increases its light and will wake you up gently using the light.

You can also spice it up using FM radio, natural sounds or even music from your iPhone or iPod. This is very nice if you compare to the noise conventional alarm clock.

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AkihabaraNews: Here’s another 2.1Ch speaker that happens to also offer an iPod dock. With 5Wx2ch, it can be used with a wide variety of other DAPs and even PCs. It will be sold in Japan in August for 19,800 Yen (€149).

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Akihabara News: Hare the NAS-Z200iO and CMT-Z100iR, two new all in one iPod docks with FM radio, CD player and a gorgeous remote control (for the NAS-Z200iO) which streams music from a PC with its DLNA and WiFi module… Man I’m in love! If only these systems were iPhone friendly with a little mic for hands-free operation Sony would make my day!

The full press release is after the break.

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Newlaunches.com: Panasonic Japan has announced two new iPod docks for its D-dock series.

The SC-HC4 and SC-HC3 have the same features except the latter lacks a SD card slot. Common features include iPod dock, AM / FM radio, digital amplifier delivering 20W×2ch output, CD player and a SD card slot (HC4 only) for playback and recording of audio CD’s.

The speakers are made of a newly developed Bamboo fiber material which makes it lightweight and keeps the vibration down too.

Scheduled to hit stores by April 18th the SC-HC4 will be available in four colors silver, pink and black for 40,000 Yen (€335) and the SC-HC3 will be available in silver for 35,000 Yen (€298).

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DVICE: Plug your iPod into this DLO HomeDock HD Pro, and it upscales your video to 720p/1080i quality.

Notice the HDMI and optical digital audio ports on the back, giving you a digital connection between your music player and home theater AV system. It even has an RS-232 control port for those high-end home theater mavens.

Can this dock really make HD video out of your iPod movies? Our experience with upscaling video to HD tells us not to get our hopes up.

However, if you have some good quality video that’s not too compressed, this might be able to do it justice.

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T3: Yes, it’s essentially a glorified radio/alarm clock, but the Roberts iDream does offer a little bit more than the traditional FM reception and nasty buzz alarm.

Being Roberts, DAB is a shoe-in, with FM RDS thrown in too for back-up. You can also opt for your own playlist – an iPod dock offering playback through the substantial speakers, as well as a boost to the battery for the following day.

You can get up to your own tunes too. That included remote should save you having to stretch for the ‘snooze’ button too.

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Tech Digest: iPod docks are ten-a-penny around here. They’re not the most exciting product to write about, and every company in the world makes one. This, however, is something special. It’s got valves.

If you don’t know why that’s good, then go ask your neighborhood audiophile. It basically makes the music sound ‘warmer’, and valve amps have long been praised for the lovely feel that they give to sound and music.

Of course they’re not cheap. This model costs £300 (355 Euros). For that, you’re getting lovely lovely sound, a pair of 40W speakers (though you can plug in whatever speakers you like) and two auxiliary inputs, for plugging in your TV or stereo.

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DVICE: Plug your iPhone, or just about any iPod into this Cygnett GrooveNeo Alarm Clock Radio/Dock and wake up to the music of your choice.

Sure, it’s not the first iPod clock radio/dock of its kind, and we usually skip over such things, but this one’s design caught our eye. Just look at its smooth, rounded form!

The  device brings along respectable specs with those good looks, too, with a couple of 2.75-inch speaks, touch-sensitive controls and it even charges up your iPhone or iPod while you sleep.

If you don’t have an iPod, you can plug any audio source into its line-in jack in the back.

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DVICE: Curiously dubbed “YO,” this attractive iPod and MP3 stereo speaker dock is a concept by American-born designer Victor Vetterlein.

The speakers are detachable and wireless (as well as waterproof), and charge at the dock just like an MP3 player would.

The odd shape of the speakers is to help produce a more pronounced, directional sound.

Even curiouser, Vetterlein intends for the unit to be charged by a “renewable energy source such as solar power, wind power, or hydroelectricity.”

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