The design of the Philips DC350 — standard speaker towers on either side of the iPod docking station — is functional but not particularly interesting and is constructed entirely from plastic. A large LED display sits above the dock which helps you keep track of the time, the current FM radio station or the music source. This can be important as the DC350 sports a range of connectivity options.

Firstly there's the obvious, an iPod/iPhone connection located front and centre. On the rear of the speakers you'll find a 3.5mm headphone socket for connecting the vast range of other MP3 players on the market. There's also a mini USB connection (with a cable in the box), which you can use to sync your iPhone with iTunes whilst it's docked in the DC350.

Apple products will also charge while connected. Those after a truly wireless experience can make use of the built-in Bluetooth radio. The DC350 supports the A2DP stereo audio and AVRCP remote control protocols, so you can keep your iPhone in hand while streaming your music to the dock.

On your bedside table or beside the computer on your desk, the DC350's tinny delivery of sound is probably fine but it won't do for people looking for music to be played across large rooms. Dance music aficionados will be disappointed any which way, as the lack of bass really shows through when playing music that rely on the low end.