I don't like the portrait docks as they use the mini-usb connector and i'm afraid that will get damaged.  The pogo pins are there to be used and you do get far superior audio via them than from the headphone socket.  If you are using a speaker with rechargeable battery then you still have the same problem - do you leave it on all night?  Doesn't that run the battery down?
I don't think this is the answer

I've had my Nexus 7 dock for several weeks now and have used it as a convenient place to charge the 7 overnight while running TuneIn as my radio alarm.  This works really well and I have already ditched the vhf radio alarm.  The only drawback is that the sound quality from the 7 is  not great, not surprising really as the speakers must be very small.
I hadn't tried the sound connector on the dock for lack of something suitable to plug into it that would also fit on my bedside table but then I found the X-Mi X Mini on Amazon - and then I discovered the very similar Pop Up Portable Mini Travel II, also on Amazon, for only £5.99 delivered.  At this price it seemed worth a try - and it proved to be a good decision.
I first tried it on my Nexus 4 phone and it worked well; then I plugged it directly into the nexus 7 and it was a great improvement in sound quality and volume.  But then I tried it plugged into the dock and... WOW! The pogo pins are obviously not just the same as the headphone socket, they must produce a much better level of signal as the quality was much, much better as well as much louder.  The dock sound connectors provide real hi-fi quality out.
I still have a problem though.  For my radio alarm I can't leave the little speaker switched on all night as it would use up the 5 hour battery before morning and the slight hiss might keep me awake. So I have to switch it off, change the dock setting on my 7 back to it's own speakers and then when I'm woken with the poor sound from the 7 I switch the speaker back on and go into settings to set the sound back to the dock.
Why didn't Asus make a dock with speakers already in?  If I can buy one for £5.99 delivered it must cost next to nothing to incorporate 1 or even 2 (for stereo) of these little wonders into the dock itself.  Then the dock could switch them off when no sound output is there and back on when my radio alarm starts up. 
Come on Asus - or someone else in China.  There would be a great demand for such a product - I'll put my name down for two immediately! failing that, maybe the manufacturers of this wonder device could incorporate something to switch off the amp when there is no sound input?
Anyone else found solutions to this?

Mine charges fine as long as the tablet is seated properly in the dock.  It seems to make no difference if daydream is on or off. My biggest complaint is that you still have to use the original charger and cable - which is far too short.  I will at least have to buy a longer cable

I received my dock today and it is certainly a neat little thing.  It works well and is easier to use for charging than the plugging in the cable.  However,  you have to use your existing charger and (very short) cable to plug into it.  I would have expected a seperate charger for the price.  I'm not sure about using the audio out on it.  I would prefer a wireless connection to my hi-fi.
All in all, it works and looks good but maybe not worth £30

I tried to put one on but couldn't get rid of all the bubbles so took it off again.  I clean the screen every week or so with a damp cloth and a little washing-up liquid and that brings it up as good as new.
Is a screen protector necessary at all with the modern tough glass?

As I already have a desktop pc and a laptop I thought quite hard about whether I needed something else.  I had played a bit with an iPad and already decided that it wasn't worth the money for my needs.  However, I bought a 16Gb Nexus 7 and am very pleased with it.  I hardly ever use the other computers now.  Here is my list of what it's great for.
I don't play games that much but when I do it works fine - and the grandkids like it too!
Gmail is a breeze.
Google drive works well so I can do my word processing and spreadsheets - and I got Cloud Print which is amazing - I can print anything from my Nexus 7 now.
It acts as a convenient small tv using myPlayer, also for iPlayer (when will ITV sort out their online offerings? Hopeless!)
I get news via BBC News and AppyGeek for technical stuff
I can check train times with Rail Tracker and book train tickets
I have my Italian dictionary of WordReference (and normal dictionary of course)
I can access and read my Kindle books
EveryTrail lets me record my journeys and keep photos with them
I do my home banking
Skype is brilliant and the 7" format is just perfect for it
EverNote is great for recording things and Pocket makes reading stuff off Chrome much easier
I can check currency exchange rates and monitor investments.
I can finally keep track of birthdays
It's my pocket calculator
It stops me missing appointments
I can watch movies occasionally
I can use Maps and get directions
I listen to my music that is now all uploaded to Google
I play bridge online with BridgeBase

Now what do I need my other computers for.... oh yes, hosting my printer for Cloud Print!  And when someone produces a cheap adapter that will link my printer to the internet without the need for the computer to be on I might switch the desktop off for good!

Mike