Although specifically designed to dock an iPod or iPhone, the Jensen JiMS-205i docking station can function as an MP3 speaker as well. The docking station even has a composite video output to play video from your MP3 player on a TV or other external video device.

Unlike its competitors, the Jensen JiMS-205i is not portable. To function, the docking station must be plugged into a power outlet. This MP3 speaker system does require a 3V battery to backup the clock, radio preset and alarm clock in case of a power outage, but this battery will not power the docking station on its own. The battery is included with the dock, but the package doesn’t include a 3.5 mm cable, which is necessary to connect an MP3 player. When connected to the MP3 docking station, an external device will still need to be operated via the player. The function buttons on the Jensen JiMS-205i will not be able to access song selection or volume levels.

Another functionality quirk is the inability of this docking station to play songs purchased from iTunes. It can only play songs encoded in MP3 format, and iTunes encodes their songs in an ACC format. You will either have to change the encoding on songs you've purchased from iTunes or only purchase MP3 encoded songs.

For all of its quirks, this docking station does have a ton of built-in features. We love the digital FM radio. Simply attach the included antenna and you can access the best digital radio can offer. You can even store up to 10 preset stations. Along with the radio, the MP3 docking station also has a digital alarm clock. Imagine waking up to your favorite songs instead of an annoying beep!

All settings can be controlled via the backlit, onboard controls or via the included remote. If you run into any problems with the docking station, Jensen has included a reset button that will restore the factory settings.

Jensen’s MP3 docking station is quite bulky; at 4.5 pounds, it's the heaviest product in our top 10 lineup. However, because the docking station is not portable and must be plugged into a power outlet, the size of the player really doesn’t make a difference.

In our research, we contacted each of the MP3 docking station manufacturers with technical specification questions, and Jensen was the first company to contact us back. They also have a stellar FAQs section on their website with answers to most of the questions we had, and they offer a downloadable user manual. If you have questions that aren't answered on Jensen’s website, we recommend or emailing or calling Jensen’s technical support line. A 90-day warranty is included, but we wish Jensen would offer a more substantial guarantee of workmanship.