Fusion Marine Stereo, iPod right
It’s still in prototype, “but close to done”, and close enough that I’m sure this entirely new Fusion marine stereo design is going to make some boaters very happy. Particularly those of the iPod orientation. This stereo doesn’t just work with the iPod’s stereo jack; as you can see below it has a complete iPod dock tucked away behind the faceplate, where your precious player will be safe from spray and bumps. Should you want a model with a CD player in this spot, then a separate weatherproof iPod dock will be an option.
And apparently the Fusion’s interface—besides having all those big dedicated buttons (good for old boater eyes like mine)—has an iPod control section that mimics the iPod interface so a user doesn’t have learn another one. The Fusion has a lot more going for it, including multi zone controls, each with a custom wattage cap so you don’t blow out your speakers. The New Zealand company, which already has some marine gear, now also has the product and marketing savvy of one Todd Crocker, a gent who did good work at Standard Horizon and then at Uniden. Fusion is going to make some noise in marine stereo.
Looks interesting. There is another option for iPod users. It is the DUAL MXDMA80 CD\Weather Receiver\Media Player, which also comes with a MWR30 wired remote control and includes a 39″ iPod interface cable. $299.99 + $49.88 at West Marine. If iPod is the primary concern, the Fusion sounds like a much better solution, provided that the price is right.