‘Tis the season of the iPad dock. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, though. Every manufacturer has already beaten the iPod accessories market to death; we’re happy to see another gadget get some love and give us gift ideas.

Of course, it’s another Apple gadget. That said, Altec Lansing’s Octiv Stage is a nice little add-on for you iPad owners out there. It’s not flashy or obtrusive. It just props up the iPad and gives it a little sound boost, but it does both of those things pretty darn well.

If you’ve got the iPad, the Octiv Stage’s 30-pin connector can charge it up during playback. It can also flip-flop the iPad between portrait and landscape positions, to accommodate your content, mood, and sitting position. Oh—in case you were looking for another iPod or iPhone add-on, this one can accommodate those gadgets too, as well as other devices that have a 3.5mm auxiliary jack.

The Octiv Stage is available now, for your early holiday shopping needs. For $149.95, it also comes with its own little remote. Find it at Apple Stores, on the Altec Lansing website, and other authorized retailers.

Rachel Cericola - Contributing Writer

Over the past 15 years, Rachel Cericola has covered entertainment, web and technology trends. Check her out at www.rachelcericola.com.