Altec Lansing has officially announced the inAir 5000, its first Airplay-capable speaker. As with all Airplay speakers, it allows you to stream audio direct from iTunes, your Apple TV, or any iOS device to the unit, and can also be paired to work in stereo when connected to iTunes. Altec's looking to differentiate itself from the rest of the market through the use of multiple kevlar drivers and reinforced construction to ensure that no stray vibrations will ruin your listening experience. The unit employs a pair of 3-inch midrange drivers, a 4-inch woofer, and a pair of neodymium tweeters, powered by a three discrete amplifiers to avoid any distortion. It also promises that its intelligent DSP will enhance the bass response and create a widened stereo effect. We had a chance to try the inAir 5000 out for ourselves back in September, and although the release date has slipped by a couple of months, so has the price.

Sadly Altec's not any more forthcoming on technical specs — we don't know how powerful the unit will be, for example — but it does have one more trick up its sleeve. To make setting up the speaker as simple as possible, the company has introduced an app for iOS which guides you through the configuration process. The dock is set for release later this month for $499.95.