Altec Lansing's popular inMotion portable speaker family for iPods got a nice looking, sweet sounding new member today with the company's official announcement of the iM7. This cylindrical shaped speaker system is priced at $249.95 and should be available for purchase this month.

The iM7 has a built-in docking cradle which can recess at the touch of a button and allows for a direct connection to any third generation or later iPod, including the mini. As the iPod pumps out what Altec describes as "powerful sound from a compact system", the player's battery recharges on AC power. The iM7 itself also offers a battery-operated mode for greater portability.

Other interesting features of the iM7 include high end digital sound amplification technology, S-Video and composite video output connectors for iPod Photo users to be able to show off their photos on a television and a wireless remote that provides control of iPod song navigation as well as operating the iM7's volume and power.