Marantz announced its IS301, a Bluetooth-enabled audio transfer system for Apple's iPod line. The Bluetooth transmitter attaches to the bottom of the iPod, providing power and volume control buttons. Though the attachment is a bit bulky, it shouldn't be a deal-breaker, since you can always take it off when not using the setup with your home theater system. The transmitter with attached iPod fit into a docking station that acts as a charging cradle. The final component to the IS301 is the Bluetooth AVRCP receiver, a breakout box providing analog audio outputs and S-video and component connections to a TV. The TV-hookup should allow some sort of on-screen guide for navigating the iPod, if you just want to hold it like a remote control, though Marantz did not go into details on how that feature would operate. The IS301, available in Japan, costs about $280, which seems a bit on the high end for a system that only transmits audio.

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