George iPod speaker system updates software

Chestnut Hill Sound has announced an update to the software that powers its George speaker system for the iPod. George costs $499, but the upgrade is free for registered users.

George is a tabletop music system with a built-in iPod dock. A 2.1 audio system, George combines two coaxial speakers with a down-firing four-inch subwoofer in a single enclosure. The system also features a built-in radio and alarm clock, and has an auxiliary input to attach other devices, a headphone jack, pre-amp output, and USB interface.

But what makes George unique is the wireless remote control included with the system. It provides you with a hierarchical interface to navigate your iPod’s contents, providing you with full access to your iPod’s library. It has “Jump” buttons that let you short-cut to any letter of the alphabet, and you can also use to spell out titles of songs, artists or albums you’d like to listen to.

The new 3.01 update speeds up iPod loading time into the remote by not automatically loading the Songs list when an iPod is inserted. Volume ramping between sources is also a new feature; volume ramping is also used in the alarm, for users who want to get up a bit more gradually. There’s also now a 24-hour time display option.