iPort’s LaunchPort Charges iPad 2 on Wall

The iPad has revolutionized touchscreen controls for A/V and automation systems. But how can manufacturers revolutionize the way custom installers implement the iPad into their projects?

Dana Innovations, parent of Sonance, Trufig and iPort, addressed this at CEDIA Expo 2011 with its new iPort LaunchPort system.

Through its design-friendly offerings from all three companies, Dana Innovations is used to being at the forefront of technology that combines high aesthetic appeal with performance and versatility, and the LaunchPort continues that forward thinking.

LaunchPort allows installers to dock and wirelessly charge an iPad 2 via its three-part solution: the PowerShuttle hard case with inductive charging; a BaseStation table-top mounting and charging location; and a WallStation wall-mount location.

The company says the system starts charging an iPad as soon as it's docked onto one of the stations, and a pass-through mini USB connector is also provided to charge the device sans BaseStation or WallStation.

The secure mount allows for 360-degree rotation of an iPad so it can be easily used in landscape or portrait mode, and the PowerShuttle includes an acoustic wave guide that iPort says "passively amplifies and directs sound towards the front of the iPad, creating a better listening experience for the user."

Look for the LaunchPort in Q4 2011, with MSRPs as follows: PowerShuttle $149, BaseStation $199, WallStation $199.

During CEDIA, we asked Dana Innovations director of marketing Simon Wehr to give us a quick demo: