Belkin today announced a new portable, full-range speaker dock system for the iPad, the Belkin Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater. Designed to integrate seamlessly with the iPad, the Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater enhances movies, music and games with advanced digital sound technology for a rich, powerful audio experience. The Belkin Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater will be on display today from 4–7 p.m. at CES Unveiled in the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, and on Jan. 8-11 during the 2013 International CES at Belkin’s booth, South Hall #30651.

Bring your Content to Life with Belkin’s Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater™ (Photo: Business Wire)

“The iPad is known for its brilliant, high-definition display that enhances the video quality of your favorite movies, shows and video games, and now we have created an audio experience to match,” said Nate Kraft, director of product management at Belkin. “With the Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater our goal was to create a deeper, more immersive audio experience for the iPad, so you can listen to your content the way it was meant to be heard.”

Powered by mobile sound leader Audifi, the Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater features high-efficiency, front-facing speakers that project cinematic-quality sound. Ported speakers and integrated air channels in the design allow optimal airflow so bass frequencies come alive. The free, downloadable Thunderstorm App provides extended control with customized soundscapes for music, movies and games, so your content always sounds its best.

“Belkin tapped us to engineer the sound performance of the Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater from the inside out, and we’re happy to see end results that deliver an immersive mobile audio experience,” said Bruce Lancaster, general manager and vice president at Audifi. “Through the design of core circuits, sound processing, custom speakers and a surprisingly thin acoustic enclosure, Audifi engineered a level of sonic depth and precision that was, until now, impossible to achieve in mobile devices.”

Designed to fit flush around an iPad, the Belkin Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater connects directly through the iPad dock connector for a seamless, unified experience. A direct connection eliminates the possibility of dropping the connection to the speaker and provides optimal calibration for the audio sound effects. It also features a multifold cover for a variety of comfortable viewing angles and screen protection.

The Belkin Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater will be available for both 30-pin connectors and the new Lightning connector.

Belkin Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater - $199.99

G3A1000 for 30-Pin, G3A2000 for Lightning

• Integrated, front-facing, landscape-oriented, stereo speakers
• Ported speakers for rich bass and depth
• Low-distortion, high-efficiency amplifier
• Magnetically attached folding soft cover with multiple stand configurations
• MFi Certified
• G3A1000 with 30-pin docking interface is compatible with iPad 2 and iPad 3rd generation
• G3A2000 with Lightning connector is compatible with iPad 4th generation
• Pass-through access for iPad rear camera, headset jack, microphone, speaker, charging, lock switch, volume control, and mute/rotation lock toggle

Availability

The Belkin Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater with 30-pin connector will be available at Belkin.com and Amazon.com in January and the Apple Store in February in the US. Additional retailers and countries will be available soon. A version for the Lightning connector will be available in the spring. The Thunderstorm App is coming soon to the App Store.

Belkin at CES

Visit Belkin at the 2013 International CES in booth #30651 in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. To schedule a booth tour or an appointment with a Belkin media representative, please call Rachel Jones-Pittier of Formula PR at 310-906-6416.

About Belkin International, Inc.

To learn more about Belkin, visit http://www.belkin.com/aboutus/.

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About Audifi

Audifi is the leader in next-generation mobile audio. Founded in 2011 in Beaverton, Oregon, Audifi is a world-class team with decades of audio engineering experience. Audifi designs and integrates core circuitry, signal processing, custom acoustics, and software into end products that deliver unparalleled sound to maximize mobile lifestyles. To learn more about Audifi, visit http://audifi.me

Apple and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Lightning is a trademark of Apple Inc. Audifi is a trademark of Avnera Corporation.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130106005054/en/