If you are really serious about making music on your iPhone or iPod Touch, you might be interested in getting a dedicated keyboard controller such as the Akai Professional SynthStation25 for your handheld unit. According to Akai, the new SynthStation25 is the first-ever musical keyboard controller designed exclusively for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

The SynthStation25 is a portable, 25-note mini keyboard with a built-in dock for that iPhone or iPod Touch. The mini keyboard provides two octaves of Velocity-sensitive, synth-action keys, pitch and modulation wheels, and physical buttons for the most commonly used controls: octave up / down, part-select, and patch-select. With the SynthStation25, you can play on real, physical keys rather than a tiny touchscreen keyboard. For monitoring and recording audio, the SynthStation25 has a RCA stereo-line output and a headphone output, and for controlling MIDI music software (Mac / Win), the SynthStation25 has a USB MIDI output.

Akai Professional SynthStation25 features:

• 25-key MIDI keyboard controller for iPhone and iPod Touch
• Velocity-sensitive, synth-action keys for expressive performance
• Pitch and modulation wheels, octave +/-, and sound-bank buttons
• Stereo RCA line outputs and headphone jack
• USB / MIDI for virtually any MIDI music software or MIDI hardware devices
• Compatible with the Akai SynthStation app and approved third-party apps

The SynthStation25 works with version 1.20 or higher of Akai Professional’s SynthStation app available from the iTunes App Store. The latest app version 1.21, which includes iOS 4 compatibility and improved graphics, is a free upgrade for existing SynthStation app owners and is now on sale for $1.99 for new users (the regular price is $9.99).

The coordinating app, SynthStation, contains three synthesizers, a drum machine with MPC beats, and more. This app's record function allows you to perform songs within the app and then download the audio and MIDI data through a Wi-Fi connection. Together, the SynthStation app and SynthStation25 controller provide musicians with portable tools useful for making music on the go.

The SynthStation25 is now shipping for $299 (MSRP) with an estimated street price of $99. For more information, visit akaipro.com.