Griffin's Simplifi iPhone Dock

Hello again Readers,

As you no doubt know, the iPod Shuffle contest has come to an end (Congrats @TulipsRnice!) However, as promised, there is more content and more fun ahead!  

 Today, I will be reviewing Griffin's Simplifi iPhone Dock and Media Reader.  The Simplifi is an interesting device, but one which we like very much.  The idea behind the Simplifi is that it will de-clutter your desk, eliminating need for a separate media card reader, iPhone dock, and USB hub.  Instead, the Simplifi combines all these into one, and does so in a stylish and well-designed fashion.

Inside the box are dock inserts for the majority of Apple's hand-held products, including the iPhone 3G/3GS.  Also inside is an AC adapter, all the cables you need, and a user's manual.  Also inside is the dazzling aluminum contraption itself.

Now, in my investigation, I tested the device in a number of scenarios.  First, in the bedroom, on my bedside table.  This is once scenario in which the Simplifi would not work.  It did not power on, did not charge my iPhone, and in fact did little more than look like an attractive piece of metal.  However, in Griffin's defense, this particular iPhone dock was not designed for that type of use.

The second scenario was the Simplifi hooked to a windows PC.  Although it did take the drivers awhile to work, it did eventually work very well under Windows XP, Vista, and also Windows 7.  I was able to fully utilize its abilities as a dock, media card reader, and USB hub, although admittedly, the USB performance was a little bit laggy in Windows (which is more that fault of Windows itself than of Griffin.)

The third scenario was with the Simplifi hooked up to my Macbook Pro.  This was by far the most pleasant of the three scenarios.  The device worked immediately with no delay, USB operated at full speed, the media card readers worked flawlessly, and I could ecen multitask with it - uploading photos from an SD card while charging my iPhone and transferring via USB.

In conclusion, the Griffin Simplifi is a very well-designed device.  It is also extremely visually attractive, and will meet the needs of the average dock user.  Now, to present the final list of pros and cons.

Pro:
Great aesthetic appeal.
Can multitask with ease.
Includes adapters for iPhones and iPods.
Saves desk clutter.
Is not too large, and is nicely weighted.
Comes with all necessary cabling and adapters.
Reasonably priced.

Con:
Must be connected to a computer to function (cannot be used as a bedstand dock).
Slow performance under Windows

Overall, it seems as if the benefits outweigh the negatives, but you be the judge!

To find out more about the Simplifi, please visit Griffin's website for the product: http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/simplifi

But wait...  There's more!  I am giving away a Simplifi on Twitter!  It is the review unit, so it has only been used for the purposes of this review, and comes in the retail box with all accessories.  To enter to win, just RT the following on Twitter: "Win a Griffin Simplifi! Just follow @JGKunzler and RT this tweet! Drawing 5/1. http://bit.ly/cnQMka"

Thanks for reading, and good luck in the contest!