Chestnut Hill Sound George Audio Speaker System for iPod (White)

• Brilliant Sound. Drop in your iPod, select your favorite tune and hear it in a whole new light.
• Ultimate Control. Navigate through your music faster and easier than any other system.
• Smarter Radio.Traditional presets are great, if you have a photographic memory
• Advanced AM/FM alarm clock with BANDLESS Tuning
• Powers/charges iPod while docked

GEORGE does things very differently from most iPod products. The beauty of the iPod is it's interface, and Chestnut Hill has spent a great deal of time thinking about how users interface with GEORGE. What they've come up with is elegant and allows a significant feature set while remaining elegantly simple to use.

In a brilliant touch, the controls can be removed from the radio and placed in a charging stand. In this configuration everything functions as before, only wirelessly. You can put the radio a distance away -with your iPod mounted on top -and have complete control of both GEORGE and the iPod from your nightstand.

The sound quality also differentiates this product. It does not try to hide or gloss over the fact that it is a small box by using electronic tricks. Instead, it packs the cleanest, tightest, and truest sound I've yet heard from a box of this size. The bass is tight and musical, without the BOSE tendency towards flatulent exaggeration. Treble is good and articulate, without sounding harsh or edgy. And, considering it's size, GEORGE creates a decent stereo image as well.

Just for reference, I own a BOSE SoundDock, Apple HiFi, and have quite a bit of higher-end audio gear. GEORGE has proven to be one of the best-engineered iPod-related products I've ever owned.

Furthermore, the designers did not ignore the design of the built-in radio tuner. Connected to a Sangean Twin-Coil Ferrite AM Antenna, this thing pulls in each and every AM station that my top-of-the-line Sony Shortwave radio can. FM performance is also quite good and seems every bit as good as the tuner in our Tivoli Audio Model One.

Highly recommended, and we've just ordered a second unit for our guest room...

[UPDATE Jan. 20,2009]

Well, add "customer service, second to none" to my list of pros about the George. I recently began having issues with decreased battery life in the remote. I contacted the company at 10 p.m. PST, received a reply from Rob of Chestnut Hill Audio (within 10 minutes, via BlackBerry), and they promptly sent me a new battery for free. It's a pleasure to do business with a company who values its' customers and tries to take care of them!

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My wife and I love this system! Yes, we looked at and listened to ALL the different table radio models. First, the remote is genius, this piece alone makes the system. Second, audio quality is superb! No, it is not a high fidelity home theater or stereo system, it wasn't designed to replace those systems. It sounds better that most home-theater in a box systems (and you would have to spend a lot to beat the Chestnut Hill Sound George), and it's audio fidelity is much more than what you would expect from a table radio. The sound is very natural, weighty and deep were it needs to be, clear and detailed in the other areas (if your afraid that it will be too bright, see next--->>). Third, if you choose to do so, the adjustability (is that a word) of this system is fantastic. Make the system brighter, warmer, or softer, depending on where you place the system and what sounds best. Most table radios can't do this!!! This unit fills the kitchen (where it is located) with sound, gets plenty loud, and is easily heard in each adjoining room of the house even at low to normal listening levels. From another room, you never guess that it is a table radio, it sounds too good! Don't hesitate, get this unit, not any of the others.

Well, it's been a great radio, family loves it, but, we need some repairs and I have contacted Chestnut Hill Sound twice in the last month, no response.

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I bought George as a present for my daughter. She wanted a clock-radio but also likes to listen to her ipod Nano and wanted speakers for it so she wouldn't have to use her earbuds all the time. George seemed like the perfect fit and it was. She uses George to listen to her ipod and uses George's alarm function to wake up in the morning (and can choose which ipod tune she wakes up to pretty cool feature!). The detachable remote sits in its charging cradle on her nightstand while George sits on her dresser.

As far as sound quality is concerned, George is obviously does not produce audiophile quality sound but the sound it produces is surprisingly full and rich for its size.

The only criticisms I have are:

1. The battery in the remote doesn't hold its charge for very long (leave it out of its cradle for more than an hour or two and the battery will be almost completely drained)

2. The remote doesn't seem to have a very large operating range (maybe 20-25 feet at the most).

3. Being able to update George's software over the internet is a very cool feature, but unless its permanent location is right next to your computer, you'll have to unplug it and take it to wherever you have a computer (it updates via USB cable) to do the update.

None of the above are a very big deal for me because of the way George is used in my house, but if you're placing George in a larger room and/or if you have a hard time remembering to put rechargable remotes back in their cradles, they could be larger issues for you.

I have had to call tech support only once since buying George. The remote mysteriously lost communication with the base unit and I couldn't get it back. However, I was able to talk to a tech support person immediately no wait at all and he solved the problem by simply having me reset George. There have been no problems since then.

All in all, I'm very happy with George and so is my daughter. If you're looking for a device like this (and can afford the admittedly heft price tag) I can recommend George without reservation.

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The sound is superior to any other radio I've seen, and I also own a Cambridge Soundworks 765i, which sounds really good. Bose is not in the same league as either of them. I am amazed at the depth of thought that has gone into the design of the George. I think that if Apple were to make a radio, it would be like this, but wouldn't sound as good. The basic idea is brilliant-the sound unit sits across your bedroom, while the controls sit on your bedside table like an alarm clock. My only negative comment is this: the George does so much and is so flexible, that it can be difficult to remember how to use some of the functions. If you want to set Alarm 2 to wake your wife with the iPod set on "Here Comes the Sun" on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 6:30, it'll do it, but it may take you a few minutes to work your way through the controls to get it set up. So far, I have not been able to figure out how to come in from running, put my iPod in the dock, and continue with whatever I was listening to. My CS 765i will do this easily. Maybe CHS could make this possible with one of their software upgrades. On the whole though, I love the George and I can see that someone was really thinking hard about how to redefine what a clock radio should do.

Sounds great. Probably as good as the Bose dock. Easy to use. Wish the screen were in color. My big problem is the battery. I bought the machine about 2 1/2 years ago and now the battery won't hold a charge for more than 5 minutes. Emailed the company and no response. Called and I got put into someones cell phone voice mail.

Makes me wonder if the company is still in business. Suggestions would be appreciated.

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Nokia 6300 Unlocked Phone with 2 MP Camera, Media Player, Stereo Bluetooth, and MicroSD Slot--U.S. V

great nokia phone. I travel frequently, and this GSM works in asia, europe perfectly. I don't need a PDA, just a small solid phone with a good battery life. This one fits the bill.

I threw my high tech touch screen against the wall entirely to finicky and 'touchy'!

THIS PHONE IS BASIC, RELIABLE, EASY TO USE! Bogus graphics of a dog but that is irrelevant when it comes to function and reliability.

Buy Nokia 6300 Unlocked Phone with 2 MP Camera, Media Player, Stereo Bluetooth, and MicroSD Slot--U.S. V Now

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Wave® Music System III - Graphite Gray

• Lifelike sound from Bose® waveguide speaker technology
• Plays all your music sources: CDs/MP3 CDs, FM/AM--plus your iPod®, smartphone, computer, tablet or Bluetooth® device with optional accessories
• Includes CD player, advanced FM/AM tuner, headphone jack, remote, clock
• Now with: Touch-top on/off/snooze controls; dual independent alarms; displayed song/artist radio info

Let me start by saying that I am not a Bose "Hater". I own two. I bought my first "radio"

only model somewhere around 15 years ago and is still going strong in my shop. I bought my

second one with CD around 8 years ago, and was faithful up until 3 weeks ago. The radio just

conked out and died. I ain't complaining though, 8 years is a pretty good run. (My original

is still kicking perfectly though. Guess they don't make them like they used to!)

Which brings me here today. Looking to replace my dead one, I was pretty much floored to see

that Bose is still commanding a $500 price tag for 2004 technology. Yes, it sounds good.

Yes, it sounds VERY good, but at $500 this is bordering on craziness. And don't believe those

who say it can compete with a component stereo. It simply can't. They either need validation

and feel-goodness for their purchase, or they are whacko. Gotta be one or the other. Again,

I'm not here to crap on Bose. If your stuck on the brand name, and have a $500 wad burning

a hole in your pocket for decade old technology, then have at it. You will have a very good

sounding Radio and CD player. But after my 3 weeks of OCD analyzing, listening, reading,

searching, listening again, this is what I've came to the conclusion of. It's my opinion

only, so take it as that, but if it helps anyone out there, your welcome.

1. If you techno savvy, and up to date on the latest and greatest, then there's pretty much

no replacing the Sonos PLAY:5 All-in-One Wireless Music Player with 5 Integrated Speakers (S5, Black)

music system for $399. You'll need internet obviously, and a bridge of some sort, (Sonos bridge, Airport Express, etc..)

but with 5 speakers, versus Bose's two tweeters and a woofer, yes, it is definitely better than the Bose. Is it day and

night better? No. But definitely noticeable. Plus you have a plethora of more music choices such as Pandora, Spotify,

Last FM, your own digital music collection etc.... If your part of the "X" or "Y" generation, this is probably gonna

be your choice. Also has free apps to control from Iphone, Ipad or android. Plus Amazon has a great deal for $25 a year

for their Cloud Player with Sonos. You can import 250,000 songs at anytime. $2 a month for access to a quarter of a

million songs is pretty amazing if you ask me.

2. If your stuck on terrestrial radio and CD playback, with the possibility of digital music, then the Yamaha MCR-040DG Micro Component System (Dark Gray) is gonna be for you. While again, the sound of the Yamaha is not night and day better, it is definitely better. You can save some coin for not opting for the wireless adapter if your not the Apple carrying type. You'll score a better sounding product and have $220 to blow on CD's. This would be the choice if your stuck on the all in one sleek look, and do not have alot of space.

3. Which brings me to the choice I made. The Onkyo CS-445 CD Receiver Systemfor $205. I also added the Polk Audio PSW10 10-Inch Monitor Series Powered Subwoofer (Single, Black) for $100 and still had $200 left over from the Bose. Now this system does BLOW away the Bose in sound quality, in large part due to the subwoofer. Now some of you might not have the room for a sub, but if you do, it would be downright silly not to buy the Onkyo and pocket the extra cash unless of course your stuck on the Bose brand name.

In conclusion, Yes, the Bose is very good, but if you research and go listen to these, you can get SO MUCH more for your $$$$. Hope this helps.

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I bought this system through the Bose website because they offer a 90 day no questions asked return policy which includes shipping, PLUS 6 month zero percent financing, so I could try it out and only put up a hundred bucks to decide if I want to keep it. The first thing I thought when I saw the different options were that the prices are RIDICULOUS. For one of these guys without the CD player, it's 350 bucks. You add a simple decades old technology CD player, and they bump it up 150 dollars. Insane. However, if you don't listen to CDs and use your iPhone or MP3 player to listen to the majority of your music, you can get the CD playerless model, and add bluetooth connectivity for 100 bucks, which totals 450 for the system. I opted to go for this model, partly because I can always add bluetooth later but can't add the CD, and because I buy most of my music through amazon and it's all burnable to MP3 format, so I have CDs with over 120 songs on them in alphabetical order that I listen to in my car, and it's a huge bonus that they all work on this CD player.

So, moving along... Unpacking and getting it up and playing is as easy as the listing said it would be. Take the cord, plug it into the unit, and plug the other side into the wall, and voilayou're ready to go. One thing that I want to mention is that this does not come with an FM/AM antenna included, but the instruction manual says that you can plug one in, so that's something you may want to consider if you're living in the boonies or out in the middle of BFN. The unit uses the power cord as the antenna, and the manual states that the cord should be straight to get optimal results, but I haven't really had any problems with getting the stations I want to listen to, so it might be YP, but not MP. (My problem)

The design of the unit is very simple and seemingly seemless. There is a "touch pad" at the top of the unit, which is nothing more than an invisible button useful for the alarm functions, a slot for a CD, an lcd display, all on a clunky, though charmingly attractive box. The remote control is essential to this music player's operation, and Bose is probably counting on me losing it so they can wring me out for more cash. The remote is nothing special, and almost reminds me of those remotes I used to get when I had Kenwood CD players and disc changers installed in my car. Nonetheless, if you lose it, you won't be able to use this thing for much.

There are four inputs/outputs on the back of the system, and they are: FM antenna, Bose link, AUX in, and Headphones. The AUX in and Headphones outputs are both 3.5 mm, which is the smaller of the two main connectors, but if you have a 3.5mm to 1/4" adapter (that costs like 2 bucks on amazon) you can plug in your digital piano, or guitar from the amp into the AUX IN. I've done both, and the sound, especially from my Casio Previa Digital Piano came out about a million times cleaner and more pleasing than the stock speakers. You can also use professional headphones with quarter inch jacks with the adapter, but that almost defeats the purpose of spending 500 bucks+ on a stereo set.

After taking the time to learn the components, the remote and operation, alarm functions and time setup etc. and finally getting to really listen to music, it's easy to remember why I bought this thing in the first place. The sound is as good as money can buy. I'm a leisure musician living with a family of musicians, and we all appreciate the distinctive Bose sound. The songs I've listened to seem to come to life, and the speakers don't miss a single detail. Playing Christopher Cross's "Sailing" turns the living room into a warm day in the bay, listening to Kenny Chesney takes me back to my roots in Tennessee, "Turkish March" transforms the space into a music hall, and the bass from Juvenile's "Back that Azz Up" really makes my house feel like the VIP room at the club. When I listen to my Wave, I like to just close my eyes and absorb the sound that you almost never get to hear in your car or from your ipod. It's ear candy.

Read Best Reviews of Wave® Music System III - Graphite Gray Here

We've all heard the wonderful commercials regarding the BOSE radio system. Well this is really a first in truth in advertising. This system is worth every dollar. The sound is incredible and where I live I never dreamed I would have such great reception and a choice of so many AM and FM radio stations. The CD is better than any complete (large) stereo systems we've had in the past. Try it, you will NOT ever return it.

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I know this is very expensive. But you just can't beat the sound on this system. It is unbeilvable that something so small could sound better than a big stereo. Was really scared to purchase this because of the price, but after getting it I couldn't be happier, and glad I made the big splurge. Music has never sounded better.

AMAZING sound for the size of the system. Has equivalent sound of a top quality large stereo system. Comes with a remote. Advanced waveguide technology for the speakers, brings out the base and midrange. BOSE has a huge winner with this product. My girlfriend is now wanting one, have to be careful or she will get mine, her next birthday, I will get one for her. The Bose Wave III is far superior to all other portable music systems, it will knock the sound "out of the park" for you.

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Creative Zen Mozaic Mosaic EZ 100 8GB MP3 Player, Voice Recorder, Alarm Clock EZ100, NEW, BULK PACKA

• 8GB Capacity, Bold unique design. This Model does NOT have FM Radio or a Speaker.
• Full color display View photos on the sharp 1.8" TFT display while listening to your favorite music
• Record and play Create and record voice memos wherever you are. Play them back at your convenience anytime you want!
• Perfect travel companion, Plug and play.
• BRAND NEW ITEM, Bulk packaged (Non Retail Package), SAVE MONEY, SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT

This is one of several zen devices that I have purchased. I have to say that this product is far worse than it's previous incarnations. The player takes far longer to open it's music library, and practically hangs when opening a playlist. The on switch / lock has been removed, and replaced by the play button / a lock option in the menu. I dislike not having a dedicated on switch, and it's downright inconvenient to have a digital lock rather than an manual one. I have also had ordering problems with mp3s I've put on the player this is not usually a problem with music, but a big one with audio books.I recommend steering clear of this model and waiting till it's changed, or looking at a different manufacturer.

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I replaced this product and it seems like this creative zen doesn't work as well with holding its place with audio books as my previous product. It also has to be refreshed more. However, I do like the longer battery life and more storage.

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SiriusXM TTR1 Tabletop Internet Radio

• Enjoy SIRIUS entertainment in your home or office using your high-speed internet connection
• Premium audio quality in a sleek tabletop design that fits in with most décors
• Auto-set clock and dual alarms with sleep and snooze timers that can be independently set to a favorite SIRIUS XM channel or buzzer
• Large display automatically adjusts brightness to different environments to easily view artist name, song title and clock functions
• Remote Control allows users to easily control the radio from across the room

I'll answer the two big questions first: Howard Stern? yes. Do you need to keep clicking a button so the radio doesn't shut off? no (see comment below). At least, as of right now. The radio is capable of both software and channel updates.

update: As of now, the Sirius website requires a human click every 90 minutes for streaming audio. This particular radio will play for hours without intervention but will eventually shut off. These features may be updated at whim by Sirius through software updates.

How does it sound? It sounds exactly as described it's meant to be a tabletop boombox. It's the perfect companion for garage, laundry room, or kitchen. Don't expect real high fidelity sound out of these speakers. It has both a headphone jack and line out jack so it's possible to use amplified speakers or route the output into your home stereo system. When the line output is fed through my home stereo system the sound is wonderful. However, when I plugged my iPod into the aux input I was not impressed with thee quality, which I fault the iPod for.

I've been waiting for a gizmo like this ever since I subscribed to Sirius. I am an apartment dweller with no means for an outdoor antenna. Sirius works great in my car, but the only way I can listen at home is by being chained to my computer. Sirius has always made possible streaming audio from their website. But, every 90 minutes you need to click on the dead man's switch to keep the music flowing. This radio works exactly the same as the Internet streaming but is self-contained with a beautiful display. It also functions as a clock radio, although it's a tad big for the nightstand.

Before purchasing, it's best to become familiar with how streaming audio works on their website. You will need to purchase Internet streaming ability from Sirius in addition to your radio account. Be sure this is all working first.

The radio connects to your local area network via wired Ethernet or wireless with an external 802.11 antenna. You have all the settings available to you enter the IP address of your choice or select dhcp via wired or wireless. I had a small gotcha, which was it wouldn't connect via WAP so I needed to configure my router for WEP. Everyone is tending to move away from WAP so this was a necessary evil. I entered my ASCII key and it connected just fine. My Sirius username and password worked right away. If you have MAC address filtering, you can retrieve the address via the menus.

The tuner works similar to that of a dashboard radio with a turn and push to click dial. Menus are accessed fairly easily, but it took a little while to get into some of the settings. The first thing I wanted to set was the clock and DST. Be advised that automatic time setting is on by default. The first day, I had to wrestle a bit to get it on the right hour of the day so, don't set any alarms until you work all this out or put the clock into manual settings if you don't trust it. It's all configurable.

The display has a wonderful signal strength indicator so you can place it for the best reception or switched to wired Ethernet. There is no option for batteries, so you will need an AC outlet and the radio is amazingly heavy for a small box. It has automatic or manual brightness and a remote control, plus an input jack for a CD player or iPod, but no interconnection cables are provided. The display presents the channel name and song name with a nice volume control knob.

If you have Sirius and you're looking for speakers for your iPod or iPhone, get this radio instead of amplified speakers. I'm extremely happy that I can finally listen to Sirius in any room at home without an antenna. You'll need a solid, reliable broadband connection to operate this radio else you will hear dropout's and interruptions. This is not the fault of the radio. Again, test out the streaming audio on your computer first.

edit 2/14/12 it was great while it lasted. My radio is now suffering from the same connection problems which others have reported. First it would not connect to the network at all. After powering off, unplugging, factory reset, and entering my credentials a few times it started to work again... for two weeks. Now it connects, starts to buffer, then says network timeout. At least I got a few years out of it but would hesitate to buy another one. Other manufacturers are catching up on streaming Internet radios since I wrote my first review. The prices are also coming down.

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I recently purchased this product because I am living in the UK for a couple years and Siruis isn't available anywhere but the US mainland. I had to figure out a way to get this because I can't imagine not having Sirius radio to listen to. This radio is fantastic, the display is great and very well organized, although I wish it was blue instead of amber. All the features were very well thought out. The dual alarms are very convenient and you can choose between a buzzer (which can be set VERY loud) or any Sirius channel. You can set the sleep timer in 5min intervals and the alarm can be set once, daily or weekdays only. It is very easy and simple to set up, you plug it in and then type in your router password and Sirius login info, takes about 2min. The sound is very good, especially for the size of the radio, it is clear and powerful and there are a few different equalizer settings. It works well in the bedroom as an alarm clock or in the living room and is great if you have people over. I dont have the best internet speed where I live but it doesnt phase this radio, no breaks in sound and it is CD quality sound. It also doesnt slow down your internet while it's on. You can set the clock to automatically keep time or manually and you can pick time zones and DST. There is a parental control if you need it. The radio itself is very sturdy and well built, feels very solid. There is one line out and one aux in connection on the left side of the radio. The radio sits great on any flat surface (desk, nightstand, etc.). The only 3 slightly negative things I have to say about this radio is that 1. the buffer time usually takes about 10sec or so to buffer so if you are trying to switch between stations until you hear a song you like be be prepared to wait on the buffer, but this is to be expected i guess with any internet radio. 2. the size it is definitely not a compact radio, it will take up your whole nightstand, i was hoping it would be a little smaller however it's not heavy at all if you need to carry it around. 3. no battery option, (and by the way this radio is not dual voltage, 110v only so if you live overseas you need a step down transformer) i wish there was a place for some batteries, even if it was just for backup so you didnt have to reset the clock every time you unplugged it. All in all, this is an outstanding radio and i couldnt have asked for much more.

**Update**: This radio IS in fact Dual Voltage, if you pop off the back cover, there is a port for ethernet and a toggle switch for 110v or 220v.

Read Best Reviews of SiriusXM TTR1 Tabletop Internet Radio Here

After getting a new car with XM radio and liking it, I bought this Sirius TTR1 so that I could listen in my house, too. Set things up with XM to pay the extra 2.99 a month (above and beyond the satellite radio subscription for the car) to get xm internety radio online in my house. Got the radio in March 2011 set it up and then yesterday, about a month later, the radio has stopped being able to connect wirelessly. I tried all the troubleshooting and also doing a reset to the "factory settings" and then re-entering all my info (xm user id and password, wireless router SSID and WPA2 key) and it still won't connect.

So,on balance after one month of use, I would STRONGLY discourage anyone from buying this radio, because it worked for about a month and now has stopped working.

Update to above review: for no apparent reason the radio started working again after I wrote the above review - and it has worked fine for the last 6 months but then once again yesterday simply quit being able to connect wirelessly. Once again I did a factory reset, re-entered the key of my wireless router (which the radio was able to find, by the way) but no luck. Just sits there attempting to connect and then failing to connect. Good news is, this time, I called the new Sirius XM "listener care" number (1-866-635-2349) and (eventually, after convincing them the radio was defective NOT my wireless router, they connected me with another support office (in Indiana somewhereO which is arranging for me to get another TTR1 replacement radio (from yet a third location, in California). When they send a replacement radio, by the way, they offer two options: give them a credit card number and they will send the replacement BEFORE you ship the bad radio back, OR you just send them the bad radio (without giving them your credit card number)and they send you a replacement. I chose the first option supposed to get the replacement radio in 7-10 days. I have to pay shipping for the return of the bad radio. The person I spoke to at the shop that authorized the replacement, by the way, did not know whether improvements have been made to the TTR1 hardware or software, so the replacement may be just as unreliable as the first TTR1 I bought but, because this exchange is costing SiriusXM money, maybe they'll take steps to improve the quality of the TTR1 radio. The fact that the folks at the number above were relativley quickly willing to connect me with the office that arranges replacements suggests to me this is a commom problem that SiriusXM is trying to deal with to the extent they're now willing to replace defective TTR1s even beyond the 90-day warranty.

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SOME RANDOM NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS: An amazingly BIG rich sound from a small box. Twin stereo speakers. Easy to setup, easy to use. Can be used as a clock radio: has two separate alarms. Has a large snooze/sleep button on top. The clock sets automatically, and stays continuously accurate via the internet connection. If you have a SIRIUS internet subscription you can use it to listen with THIS radio, your computer, smartphone, ipod touch, etc: If you are listening to SIRIUS on one device, and suddenly decide to switch to another device-your internet connection seamlessly flows from one device to the next. You set up your SIRIUS user name and password once, and the radio forever remembers it. SIRIUS periodically updates the software, and when that happens, the radio automatically fetches it and installs it. The radio has a regular two-pronged AC power cord-no bulky electrical transformer on the cord!

Save 4% Off

Listening to SiriusXM in the car prompted my purchase of this radio direct from SiriusXM. After having to argue over the price (customer service did not want to honor the promo price I had received in a direct from SiriusXM email promo), they finally charged me the full price but said I get a discount on my service package spread over three months That never happened.

Now for the radio itself. When it worked, it worked well. However, from the first power-up, it seemed to want to drop my account information. At least once every three to four days, the radio went silent. When I looked at the screen, it showed a message, "Network Timeout". When I called the Listener Care Line (Ugh! Three transfers and 20 to 30 minutes of waiting), I was told to do a 'Factory Reset'. That means re-entering account information (username and account password), WiFi network info (SSID and WPA2 info), time zone, and 10 presets. All of this information is entered by spinning the knob to place the cursor over the correct symbol and pushing the Enter button. BTW, all of the phone services seem to be outsourced and I had to really struggle to both understand the rep and labor through them reading the prompts from their computer screens while working down through the fault resolution tree. Last comment on the radio itself the sound from the internal speakers could best be described as terrible. Weak audio (even when I selected Heavy Base from the audio profile setup menu) from the internal speakers. A $19.95 clock radio sounds better than the internal speakers. When the 3.5mm plug is inserted to direct the output to a component stereo, the internal speakers do not mute automatically. You must rotate the Volume knob fully CCW until a muted speaker icon appears on the display

Add to the above the fact that this is a one trick pony, SiriusXM only and not the rest of the internet stations, and I would suggest looking at any other product. I returned the radio just a few days over the 90-day return period (they did give me an RMA), but the refund will be in the form of a credit to my account. Once they have your money, they really don't want to let go of it.

Speaking of money, I don't know what the monthly charge would be for the S/XM Table Top Radio service alone would be, but I had all of the enjoyment of struggling with this radio for an added $2.99 a month on top of my basic account for my car.

I am now awaiting delivery of the Grace unit ordered right here from Amazon. Fingers crossed, but the reviews on the grace products are positive...

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WCI Quality Wireless Motorcycle Waterproof Stereo System - Pair Of 3" Hi-Fi Speakers With Powerful A

• Hot New Bike-Mounted Music System, Complete With All HandlebarMounting Tools
• MP3 Player With 3.5mm Audio Jack - Or With Wireless Bluetooth AD2P Connection
• System Plays Music From External Audio Player With 3.5mm Connection Or With Bluetooth Capability
• Pair Of Heavy Duty Waterproof 3" Loud Speakers And 1" Tweeter, 2x50 Watts Class D Amplifier
• Speakers Swivel 360 Degrees, Bluetooth Up to 30 Ft. Away, Maximum Bike Speed: 65 MPH

i like the bullet type retro look a good look on a vintage bike. i have a '82 FLH with screaming eagle pipes loud as hell on the road i can still hear them. A radio was never intended on my bike so i use this with an mp3. My bikes not the smoothest ride either and the brackets are holding. The systems dam good at the price.

Buy WCI Quality Wireless Motorcycle Waterproof Stereo System - Pair Of 3" Hi-Fi Speakers With Powerful A Now

it is easy mount and doesn't require special tools to install. the sound is better than i thought but i have it on my four-wheeler and don't ride very hard anymore. the hardware and all looks good quality and all the parts were in the box. so far all is working well.

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These things are extremely shinny bright and sometimes have to be tilted to avoid glare. If you look real close at the image you can see some dude chillin in the reflection....lol...like a freakin mirror.

Since there bike mount bluetooth distance is only important if your taking a break. i crank it up sometimes in the garage when tinkering, its two bay about 500 sq. and sound fills it up.

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I was shocked when i received that item. It looks very cheap, and made out of plastic easy to break and scratch. Sound has acceptable quality only at about 30% of volume, which is comparable to a volume of a good mobile phone's loudspeaker. If you make volume higher it sounds absolutely ugly, so it is not usable on a motorcycle. However i gave it a try and mounted it to test. On maximum volume i could hardly hear words from any song while moving. And after all it broke after 30 minutes of use. When i disassemble it i've found that the amplifier chip itself was torn apart from the board and some wires on it were broken. So what i have now is just a dump of cheap plastic and wiring... Would never buy this again!!

I have ordered two different sets of these new and both came in boxes that appeared to have been opened with parts just thrown in the boxes and neither unit has worked. I returned the first set thinking there was a screw up somewhere but when the second set came in today I was not so sure.

The first thing is... after you have connected to power(directly to battery as per instructions) a red light turns on and wont go off, which means constant battery draw....ok you could incorporate a switch if you want. Secondly, neither unit would even let me do blue tooth, one of the main reasons why I purchased the units, so I had to hard wire the units with supplied audio cord. Third neither unit would let me turn the units volume down except via the phone. None of the function buttons worked on either unit. Very disappointed with purchase.... guess thats what you get when you try to buy cheap...save the headache and by a better unit.

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Apple Lightning to 30-Pin Adapter

• Lightning 8 pin USB Cable
• Lightning Adapter with Authentication Chip
• iPhone 5 Lightning Adapter
• Data Transfer and Charger Ready

I own a portable stereo that has a 30 pin connector. I have this unit so I can listen to music and charge my device at the same time.

However after buying a new iPhone 5 I had to purchase this adapter in the hope that it would do the same......no it doesn't.

Does this allow my phone to play music: yes

Does it charge the unit at the same time: no

As a matter of fact my phone says it is incompatible with this device and quits playing through the speaker, occasionally. This adapter also makes the unit sit too high off the device and I am just waiting for it to topple over.

There are no new stereo devices on the market to utilize the new connector, and because the adapter does not allow the unit to be charged while plugged in, I am wondering if one ever will be made.

I gave 3 stars because it does allow my phone to play through the system, otherwise I would give 1 star as it is a waste of money as I can do the same thing with an AUX cable connection that I have that I paid $3.00 for two years ago.......

My stereo is an ALTEC LANSING iMT520 made specifically for iPod and iPhone (pre-iPhone 5).

Buy Apple Lightning to 30-Pin Adapter Now

Part of the reason for this little piece of plastic's high price is circuitry inside that supposedly makes older devices compatible with the new iPhone and iPad's lightning connector. The new connector has only 8 pins where the "dock" connector used for the last decade or so has 30. This means a lot of accessories that used to work with your old phone won't work with the new one.

I have three devices I plugged my iPhone into on a regular basis: a clock radio, a small speaker from Klipsch, and my car. When I bought my iPhone 5 the speaker and clock radio were no longer compatible as the plug simply didn't fit. My car, while it used a USB connector, was not able to talk with the iPhone after the changeover due to how the lightning plug works.

So I thought purchasing this $30 gem would solve all of my problems. Unfortunately it only solved 2 of them. The clock radio and speaker work fine, albeit a little funny looking with the adapter hanging out of the bottom of the phone. The car, however, does not. Apparently whatever is in this adapter to make it compatible with simple devices works, but more complex devices that take more control of the iPhone's media player don't have what they need to operate as before.

My advice is to do a little research before spending your hard earned money on this expensive adapter. While it may give you the flexibility of using all of your old charging cables again, it doesn't seem to provide full compatibility to all of the millions of devices manufactured over the last decade to interface with iPod dock connectors.

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I went to the Apple store and bought one of these because I was unsure if this was a genuine Apple one or not and I had to go to Apple anyway for other things. I thought it would be okay because my case is super tiny. I was wrong; it is no good. I have to take my case off to charge and that is a hassle for me, plain and simple. Sure it is only a minor inconvenience but it is one that I think I should not have to deal with. When they make one that works with a case, I will be happy to buy a few of them since I have a ton of the old chargers and I need to keep them to charge my iPad so it is convenient to be able to use one charger for both devices. It is unfortunate that they made it this way.

I actually bought this one to use with my car charger since Apple apparently does not make car chargers at all. The charger I have is useless without this adapter but I will return it and get a new car charger that goes with a USB and then just use the USB to lightning cable. This thing is not worth the money and after a couple of times, it becomes really annoying. Especially in the car. I am pretty disappointed in Apple for making it like this.

UPDATE: I spoke with someone at Apple customer service and she said they just came out with a newer one that has a longer pin and I can bring mine in to exchange it for that one. I will do that and then post a review on the new one. If it still is no good, they promised I would get a full refund. Will update again soon as I have the new one.

UPDATE 2: So I went and exchanged this one to the new product and it is ever-so-slightly-slightly longer but not just barely and not noticeably (and not enough). It fits for me only if I jam it in since I have a very thin, flexible case but, it in effect kind of wears away at my case so continuous use would result in a tear. If you have a case that is harder or slightly bigger than mine, it likely will not work for you. I am planning to take this one back for a refund or get just the regular USB to lightening which I know works.

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With one broad stroke, Apple rendered literally millions of clock radios, car adapters, and stereo adapters useless with new Apple products. In my opinion, the adapter should be free and fully functional so that there is no loss in usability.

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This adapter is more than just a connector change. It also has an Digital-to-Analog converter built in for supplying line level audio. This is why the Apple adapter is more expensive and why it's the only one able to play audio on most systems.

What changed?

The original 30 pin dock supplied a digital signal, analog audio, video, and more; the new Lightning port is digital only. Analog audio is still available via the headphone jack.

What do you need?

1. If your iPhone interfaces with your stereo through a USB connection, then you can use any adapter available on Amazon, even the cheap ones.

2. If your current dock connects to the radio via a 3.5mm stereo plug, RCA connection, or a cassette adapter, then you will have to use this adapter.

3. If the dock interfaces directly with the audio device, then it could be either digital or analog. You will have to research this yourself. Find out what your device uses and get the appropriate adapter (check the owners manual, contact the manufacturer, do your homework and don't be lazy).

Why would Apple do this?

More and more equipment is going full digital. The components and software used by the digital to analog converter can greatly affect the sound quality. This conversion would be handled far better by radio manufacturers than by Apple. Not to mention that we finally get to ditch the cumbersome, ugly, limited, and outdated 30 pin dock. Technology moves forward...

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Insignia Infocast NS-DP8CH Infocast 8" Internet Media Display

• Stay Connected: The Insignia Infocast Internet Media Display allows you to instantly access your favorite web-based content without the hassle of a computer and to easily view and share apps, photos and videos with friends and family.
• 1500+ Chumby Apps: Featured apps such as Pandora Internet Radio, SHOUTcast Radio, NY Times Podcasts, Blue Octy Radio, Photobucket, and more.
• 8" Touch Screen: Vibrant LCD touch screen with 800 x 600 resolution for easy viewing of internet content, photos, videos and more.
• Media Card Support: Supports variety of media types including Secure Digital, Secure Digital High Capacity, MultiMediaCard, CompactFlash I/II, xD-Picture Card, Memory Stick and Memory Stick PRO Duo.
• In the Box: AC Adapter, User Manual, Cleaning Cloth and Quick Setup Guide.

UPDATE: Chumby the company is dead. Why is this important? Well once Chumby servers stop working, most likely this June; this product will also stop working. It's already way past June, but my Chumby still works for now. I'll updated this review if anything changes.

I got this used and refurbished from an Amazon seller for about 60 not including shipping (approx 5).

UPDATE: A lot of issues are fixed with the Chumby 8 update which is free. However you will have to download and install it yourself. It will not automatically update to it. It's pretty easy and all you need is a USB drive.

Good:

Screen Size: The biggest Chumby device size. It has a big 8 inch screen vs Sony Dash's 7 inch screen.

2 USB ports

Versatile with Flash Media: It can take most types of flash memory.

CPU: I think this Chumby model has the fastest processor (compare to other Chumby based devices). I believe this has an 800MHZ cpu vs Sony Dash's 500MHZ cpu.

Earphone plug: This makes it easy to connect to a better set of say computer speakers with bass.

Clock faces: If you can imagine a screen saver clock with ever changing faces that are really interesting, like numbers made out of robots, time being told by Pong game scores, or growing grass clock numbers; you'll wonder why other clocks are so boring. Yes all the latest tablets and phones can do this now, but the problem with them is that they don't tend to stay in one place, and you have to get to that one clock app to get the same effect. Where with these Chumby devices, you just look up and see what you need. Currently I can't stop looking at the clock(s).

Internet Radio Streaming: This makes a great Pandora and Shoutcast standalone device. Just connect it to some decent speakers (via earphone jack) and you can easily get what you want from bed.

Bad:

Discontinued: This is a discontinued product. I'm not sure if it's eligible for Chumby future firmware updates even though Chumby now has an 8 inch model of their own (costing 4 times more than a used Infocast and 2 times more than a new Infocast). UPDATE: you can manually update this to Chumby 8 firmware for free. The catch is you have to download and install it yourself.

Touch Screen: The touch screen is not the same as an iOS device or high end Android device. When you're used to an iPhone or iPad, it can be painful at times. It also limits the types of apps which this Chumby based device can host effectively. Basically anything that needs precise, responsive control like video games, just don't work very well on this platform. Typing in text beyond a few words is a pain on this device. Basically this is best for passive applications like radio, screen savers, and mini-newsfeeds. UPDATE: With the Chumby 8 update, this is more responsive.

Screen Size: While this is the biggest Chumby screen size, it's not big enough to use as a kiosk or dashboard that you can read news headlines from. It's good for twitter and Facebook status sized messages, time, weather, and picking radio stations. It's hard to read articles on it compared to your computer or tablet. Even a smartphone is better for that task.

Number of Alarms: I don't understand for something that gets everything else right, why they could miss this. There is only 1 alarm setting. I'm not sure how Best Buy missed this. People have different schedules during different days of the week and couples tend to get up at different times. Luckily we have another alarm clock that we use as an iPod dock. Even though that alarm isn't as cool, it does allow for 3 different alarm schedules. UPDATE: This is fixed with the Chumby 8 Update. Moreover with Chumby 8 alarms do more than just make sounds.

Built-in Speakers: For an clock alarm or little UI sounds, it's fine. For music it's horrible.

Video Quality: With Apple and Google Android products, video quality just isn't passable on this thing. Still pictures are still great though.

Apps: IMO only the clock faces, photo streams, music streams, and weather apps are really worth it. It didn't feel like the app library was big, and only a few were of good quality.

Freezing: Depending on how many apps you have loaded or a specific app, the Infocast may lock up every other day. I deleted a few clock apps, in particular a clock with a rotating 3d-ish time. After that it seems to be working fine for the past few days. If it freezes on you just turn it off and turn it back on, and it should be back to normal. UPDATE: I think the freezing has to do with how well my internet connection is doing, which I think is really stupid design. Essentially if my Chumby Infocast loses connection to Chumby's servers for whatever reason, I lose my clock. I need to confirm this with Chumby, but if this is the case this is just really stupid design. Why not store the apps on the device itself? In my experience, my Chumby tends to lose connection with the Chumby server during the day so for most people this shouldn't be an issue. 2nd UPDATE: I deleted even more apps from my clock channel and it seems to be more stable. With only 1/2 a page of clock apps in one channel, I haven't seen it lock up in a really long time.

Depends on Chumby Servers: If you ever lose an internet connection or if Chumby's servers ever go down for good, say goodbye to almost all your apps, if not the Chumby device itself (since even the dashboard control panel is loaded from Chumby servers each time the device turns on). This is really really really bad. Why can't we store permanently apps on a flash drive or on Chumby's internal memory?

Verdict:

Marketers need to stop with the mumbo jumbo like 'Internet Media Display' or 'Internet Dashboard'. It implies that you surf on the Internet with this thing, which you do not. It also implies that you can access most of the internet with this thing, which again you cannot. Moreover real dashboards should be at least 20 inches; ideally 32 inches. Even though 8 inches and even 10 inches are large enough for small non-computer devices, they are near useless as a 'dashboard'. To me this is simply the most perfect alarm clock radio. This blows away any traditional alarm clock. If people knew this, both this product, the Sony Dash, and any other Chumby would have sold much better. You simply can't be everything at once, and the Chumby platform is old enough (almost 10 years or more) for me to declare it as just an fancy alarm clock radio.

If you have to choose between this and the Dash, I'd pick the Infocast 8 in without hesitation. Do it fast before others find out. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that supplies are limited. A refurbished or used model is a great deal. (If you go that route, you will probably have to talk to Chumby customer support to re-tether the device from the old customer's account to your new account. Don't worry there's no fees.)

Sadly I predict Android will eventually kill the Chumby platform (at least the hardware portion) a few years from now. It's only a matter of time before Android device manufacturers realize that they haven't put them into alarm clocks yet.

Buy Insignia Infocast NS-DP8CH Infocast 8" Internet Media Display Now

Yep, it's discontinued but if you follow the directions from Chumby on how to update a Chumby 8's firmware via USB drive you can turn the Infocast 8 into a Chumby 8!

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I was really hoping for more from this product, but the interface is always in the way and some apps are lacking.

Pros

Can display video camera feeds (in our case the front door)

Good at a glance weather/time/date info

Doesn't crash

Cheap (I paid $70)

WiFi

Cons

Terrible UI, requires multiple clicks just to move from app to music & back

Apps are seriously lacking

Can't add new music stations, you are stuck with what's delivered

Frustratingly unresponsive touchscreen

Overall, unless you have a specific need (in my case, replace a radio with something which could also display the front door camera), I suggest you look at cheap Android tablets. Also not the best UI, but at least there are a lot of app options.

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I really enjoyed my Insigina Infocast. This was very similar to the Sony Dash. The Chumby community design apps that you can select to use. Some apps were supported by big corporation such as ESPN, CBS, BBC and Youtube. Too bad Netflix can't be streamed on this device.

It had a built in SD card slot which I use to display family photos. It was both a gloried alarm clock and picture viewer!

Design was, it was rather lacking and pedestrian. However, the GUI interface was much better than the Sony Dash which I also owned. Both Insigina and Sony Dash had it pros and cons. I mainly used the Insigina as my main alarm clock, picture viewer and news feed channel. The Sony Dash was kept in storage.

Unfortunately, the Insignia died on me after less than 18 month of use. It' won't boot up properly, I get a blank screen when I turn it on. When it did get pass this, I couldn't press anything on the screen to get it working. Argh!! I so like this product. Now, it's a 90 bux brick. I wonder if I can sell it on eBay for parts? Hope all those who own this, pray your Infocast will last longer than 18 months! Mine did not!!

Now I am using the much more refined and elegantly designed Sony Dash. However, the Sony dash doesn't have a built in SD card. I have to use a USB stick to play my photos. The USB stick sticks out like an eyesore ;( .....I miss my infocast...RIP

i was trying to find something cool for my husband and got this to replace his alarm clock that i hate! he really likes it! pretty much just use it as a alarm clock or for the music, so dont know about all the other stuff it can do..sorry. all i cared about is that the hubby was happy with it

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