SiliconBeat

Altec-Lansing inMotion Max

At long last, I wanted to write an updated review of the Altec-Lansing inMotion Max iPod speaker system.

As some readers may recall, I planned to test out then-new inMotion Max last spring. However, I soon abandoned the idea of writing a full review of the product, because I ran into a serious glitches.

At random intervals, the device would seize up, stop working and stay that way until I unplugged and reset it. At least one reader experienced a similar problem with the device, so it looks like the glitch might have been with a particular batch of the speaker systems.

But it doesn’t look like the problem was endemic with the device. Altec-Lansing ended up sending me a replacement unit to test out, and I played with that speaker system quite a bit over the next several months. The problem didn’t recur with the new unit. So I don’t feel I can fairly mark the device down for the problem. Just be aware that it can occur.That issue aside, I was only mildly impressed with the inMotion Max. The sound it produces is fairly thin, and it doesn’t do a particularly good job with bass notes.

I also found that the electrical plug for the device — for whatever reason — came out easily. Because the device has a rechargeable backup battery, it would continue to play even if it was unplugged. I often didn’t realize that it had become unplugged until the unit — or my iPod — simply stopped functioning after being completely drained of juice.

And one of my initial criticisms still stands. The unit’s touch-sensitive buttons don’t work well. Because they don’t physically depress, it’s hard to know how hard to push them. And because their surfaces aren’t terribly distinctive, it can be hard to know which button to push unless you’re looking right at it — in bright light.

That said, the inMotion Max does have its attractions. Its rechargeable battery allows it to be portable, meaning you can take it outside or in a car without worrying about finding an outlet. It has a fairly narrow profile, which allows you to place it on most counters without worrying about how much space it will occupy.

And its $200 price is fairly reasonable, given that it produced decent — if not great — sound, includes an FM radio tuner and is iPhone compatible. That’s about the same amount that you’d pay for speaker systems with similar features.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d likely rate it about a 6 or 7. It was fine, but nothing to write home about.