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The iPod Zeppelin Ominously Hones In On the iHome's Territory

Where: 605 N. Michigan Ave [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60611

Now that hotels are finally getting hip to providing iPod docking stations and speaker systems as standard room amenities, will there be a duel between the old standard iHome and the newer, sleeker Zeppelin? All signs point to 'yes' as the Zeppelin begins to rake in hotel clients from the top tier of luxury properties, elevating this newest of hotel tech gadgets to the big leagues.

Already you may find the curiously oblong, buttonless speaker system within The Carlyle, the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, and the Ritz Carlton Atlanta. Its deliberate takeover of luxe night stands will continue this summer with the July opening of the Elysian Hotel Chicago, a property which has marketed itself as a modern version of a grand dame hotel.

In the Elysian setting, the Bowers & Wilkens Zeppelin will hit a higher note than Mariah Carey on your iTunes; it will sync with other tech goodies in the room: "Zeppelin delivers arresting, 'audiophile-class' stereo playback from in-room sources such as cable and on-demand movies and television—as well as from guests’ and residents’ own iPod music and video libraries." They may seek to win over the "audiophiles," but what about us regular hotelphiles? We suppose we'll just to have to retrain ourselves, as adept as we've gotten as setting iHome alarms now.

[Photo: Bowers & Wilkins]