In a market bloated with speakers for the Apple iPod, the Logic3 i-Station8 portable iPod speaker/dock (available in white or black for $179.95 list) does its best to stand out. Thanks to its unique stacked-driver design and a built-in subwoofer, you get reasonably well-balanced sound for small rooms. You also get a few features that its better-sounding (and more expensive) competitors lack, such as a backlit LCD that shows track and volume information. The i-Station8 takes up minimal room on a table or desk and can run on batteries or AC power. Start-up is quirky, but once you know how to deal with it, the speaker performs very well.