20 July 2009 18:43 GMT / By Stuart Miles

We've seen plenty of speakers for the iPod over the last couple of years at Pocket-lint, but only a handful to this date that resemble farm animals. The iPig from speaker company Speakal is the latest, and as you've probably gathered from the name, is a speaker designed to look like a pig.

The concept is simple. It comes in a range of colours including pink, white and yellow, and allows you to plug in any version of the iPod, bar the shuffle, letting you share your music in your bedroom, kitchen or by the pool (although it's not waterproof).

The eyes are where two of the speakers can be found, the ears double as touch sensitive volume controls, while the mouth lights up to give you a heads-up as to whether or not it is turned on.

Around the back, where it's arse should be, you find an on/off switch, bass control, aux input and of course the power socket.

Disappointingly the iPig isn't battery powered, however when plugged in (you get a very long cable), it will charge your iPod, iPod touch or iPhone as you pretty much come to expect from iPod speaker docks these days.

In reality and there are actually five speakers including the subwoofer that faces downwards (the pig's feet give you a good air space clearance), and considering this is something that looks like a pig, the sound is good.

We aren't talking Bowers and Wilkins Zeppelin good admittedly, but then that iPod speaker looks like an airship not a pig, oh and it's 10 times the price. The iPig is certainly good enough for use in a kitchen or more likely a kids bedroom for listening to your favourite tunes rather than something that will get the neighbours beating down your door.

With virtually zero controls on the pig itself, control is left to a rather uninspiring white remote. You get the usual control over the speaker as well as your iPod. That said if it is just volume, the touch sensitive controls, which work in a similar way to LG and Samsung mobile phone handsets, work very well.

Verdict

Where the iPig succeeds is in the "cute" appeal. We were sent the white one for review (we really wanted to see the pink one up close), but even then it still gained a couple of "awwws" from people we showed it to.

While it isn't going to produce that perfect sound, it is still loud enough and clear enough for most requests you give it.

You just have to remember this is a fun speaker option rather than one that will gain you respect from your audiophile mates.

Score

Review Recap

Made by

Speakal

Price as reviewed

£50

The good

Looks cute, volume control is easy to use, one for the kids

The bad

You might get laughed at, sound good but not great, no battery option

Quick verdict

You just have to remember this is a fun speaker option rather than one that will gain you respect from your audiophile mates

Key specs

iPod dock

Score

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