GEAR4 has announced the launch of the HouseParty Blu, a high quality stereo speaker that lets you play tunes from your iPod, or from your mobile phone using Bluetooth 2.0 technology. It combines the familiar iPod docking station with Bluetooth connectivity that is now standard on most mobile phones.

The HouseParty Blu also features an AUX line-in port, providing compatibility not only with iPod and mobile phones, but most other music players too.

The HouseParty Blu's stylin' LED controls and retro design make a nice change from other design-by-numbers speaker systems. Tom Dudderidge, managing director commented: "Rather than the new generation of MP3 playing mobile phones replacing the iPod, we believe that people will begin to use both devices to play their music. Just as land-lines and mobile phones co-exist, we think the MP3 phone and the iPod will live side by side for a long time to come. There are already millions of people out there who own both an iPod and a Bluetooth music phone so developing a speaker that supports both devices makes perfect sense".

The 30 watt output from two speakers, charge-and-listen functionality for iPods and remote control are certainly making perfect sense to us and we look forward to having a closer look…

The Houseparty Blu is available now at £79.99, for a list of GEAR4 retailers and resellers, see www.gear4.com.