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Showing posts with label satellite clock radio. Show all posts

Midland Wr-100B Weatheralert All-Hazard Weather Radio (Two-Way Radios/Scanners )

This is the second Midland weather radio I have had and the speaker has gone out yet again!!! Luckily I also have an app on my phone which gives me weather alerts. I'm not sure what the defect is that causes the speaker to go out, but be aware and check it regularly. I will not purchase another.. My family is to precious to me to depend on a poorly made product.

ILUV IMM157BLK Vibro Blue Bluetooth Wireless Speakers - Black

1 Amp USB charging port charges your smartphone (cable not included)
Large, easy to read LCD display
View alarm settings at a glance
10-Level LCD dimmer control adjusts to preferred brightness
Aux-in jack for a direct connection to audio device

I love everything about this product, its portable and i can travel with it.

The sound quality of the speakers is good.

The alarm clock is great.

Regarding the Bluetooth , I can pair my iPhone but unable to pair my iPad.

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Nokia 700 Unlocked GSM Phone with Touchscreen, 5 MP Camera, Symbian Belle OS, and NFC--U.S. Warranty

After month or so with the phone, I am really happy with it according to my criteria in this order:

1. I can use it as I please any operator, any country, no contract. This is great for money, time and environment.

2. it is not too expensive for unlocked, no contract phone with so much functionality

3. it is phone by form factor easily pocket-able and light not a huge screen brick/pad

4. it is phone by battery life lasts days, not hours like other smart phones. There are days when I do not use it at all. So what would be the point of charging it for the sake of it

5. it can be charged over standard USB cable great for travel/work/anywhere no need to worry about where to get charger or your "special" cable.

6. can sync with Outlook properly and without the need for network or on-line service. USB cable is ideal simple and safe. Does calendar, notes, tasks. Perfectly replaces aging but excellent Palm pilots. There is no way many people can share calendar and tasks ... with anybody, even if they wanted to

7. works just fine without persistent internet connection and you can disable data usage in one place to control your bill. In this respect it is better than most smartphones you disable network services and it stops communicating no exceptions

8. does maps and navigation off-line This is absolutely brilliant about Nokia just download the maps you need and it works and does not need any data. This is low point of Android .. in my opinion

9. No nonsense, logical User interface (UI) well done to Nokia for fixing the bloat. It was pretty frustrating on older phones. This UI honestly works better than anything I've seen, including ICS

10. talks to any bluetooth headset/headphones and GPS receiver no other phone I know of can just do this ... especially external GPS which saves power and you can place the receiver better than phone.

11. can talk to wifi network when needed, and reliably ... connects to any network. Even those bizarre hotel setups where other not full computer devices fail.

12. runs Skype reliably when needed while traveling

Anything else is just great bonus: uSD card, PDF, fantastic screen, document reader, calculator, convertor for imperial measures, .... app shop is basic, but has more stuff than I'd put on a phone

Camera is not that great ... got way better quality + auto-focus on relatively old 3Mp cheaper feature phone. Not a major problem ... it is phone, not camera

I can recommend it to anybody looking for nice and light phone ... not a monster ... Must say this Symbian rocks, I'm pleasantly surprised.

You really have to try this phone in person to appreciate how compact and well built it is. If you have large pockets, want a big screen, and don't mind the extra weight, there are many other options out there. But if you want a compact phone, with decent email, messaging, calendar, map, etc. there really is no competition right now.

Symbian Belle is a vast improvement over previous versions of Symbian, and on my phone it's been solid, and the battery life is good.

Buy Nokia 700 Unlocked GSM Phone with Touchscreen, 5 MP Camera, Symbian Belle OS, and NFC--U.S. Warranty Now

I'm from Europe and a sucker for Nokia products, so this review will be biased.

This phone is very stylish. It's clearly a Nokia design bar form factor but with a touchscreen, very very thin, no huge screen or plastic construction. The chassis feels very sturdy. I have been put off with the "bigger is better" trend in current smartphones this phone is perfect for me.

The display is gorgeous. Comparable to my roommate's Galaxy S2, but not as bright. Battery life is okay, but the phone will die within a day and a half of heavy 3G/gaming.

Speaker is loud and clear, louder than my iPod Touch. The "lip" design worried me but is much more subtle in person. Phone came with a 4GB microSD card plugged in for some reason, which was a nice bonus; the support of 32GB microSD cards was a big selling point for me.

Symbian Belle is great. It's definitely not Android, but I like it more than iOS it's polished and very customizable. There is a severe lack of Apps in the Ovi store, so if you're the kind of person that likes 5 different Fart apps, this phone isn't for you. Nokia tries to integrate some things with their Ovi "suite" but the implementation seems half-assed. Probably because they've given up on Symbian and switched to Windows Phone, which I think is a huge mistake after using this phone. Symbian has just started coming into it's own. Browser is much improved over previous Symbian versions, but from what I can tell, still slow compared to other mobile browsers.

In the end, it's a nice mid-range smartphone with great functionality; it's not superduper quadcore with a discrete GPU, but it's got a solid smartphone feature set and great design. The price is maybe a bit high, but the phone is quite new to the market.

I found these specs and review helpful when deciding to buy:

Read Best Reviews of Nokia 700 Unlocked GSM Phone with Touchscreen, 5 MP Camera, Symbian Belle OS, and NFC--U.S. Warranty Here

It's a great phone, very easy and intuitive to use thanks to the operating system that brings Nokia, it is also faster because it has 512MB of RAM, has all the necessary applications for what you need in a cell, is a good buy if looking for a decent phone that is commensurate to the mobile world of today

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I bought my phone the first week of June. I needed an unlocked, contract-free phone and I wanted it to have manufacturer warranty, valid in the US. I discarded the "latest and greatest", either for their price, size or lack of US warranty, and started looking for a so called mid-range smartphone. My search was over when I found this one at Amazon for $204.

I admit price was its top selling point. But I can tell you today without hesitation that I end up with much more than I bargained for because this is indeed a very good phone. In my humble opinion, it has excellent build quality, excellent call quality, comprehensive and easy to use software (not as fancy as an iphone but easy to use nevertheless), a full year Nokia warranty valid in the US, and the right price, size and weight. And it is a fast phone with an impressive display.

Please keep in mind my opinion is determined by my specific needs, so when I say "comprehensive" is because I'm thinking about contacts, calendar, instant messaging, Skype, e-mail, MS office documents, web browsing, maps, 3G, Wi-Fi, voice commands and so on and so forth. I don't pay too much attention to other stuff like camera, video, games, music and the whole "social" thing (with the exception of Twitter, which I use as an alternative source of news), and even at this point I can say it is very easy to take and share pictures and video, and their quality is good, especially the video. And when I say "the right size and weight" is even more subjective: ladies wouldn't mind much about some extra inches and grams in their already overloaded purses, but when we, old-school (definitively no purse) gentlemen have to slip our phones in our pockets, then they do matter.

Of course, it is not perfect. Some might find the screen to be too little for their sight or their hands. Other might find its battery life to be short.

I have found myself wishing for bigger fonts in some applications, such as WhatsApp (it is my current understanding that only its iphone version allows selecting a bigger font). As for writing, is not really hard. The phone comes with a very good prediction and correction software that practically fixes every mistake and works in English, Spanish and French. Even so, it took me a couple of weeks to get used to the landscape full QWERTY keyboard. In portrait mode I discarded the QWERTY keyboard (way too little) and I'm using the traditional alphanumeric keypad, which allows me to write single handed, once again thanks to software. The phone automatically switches from alphanumeric keypad to landscape full keyboard depending on the way you hold it.

As for battery life, so far I've always got home with some charge left in it, even in my busiest days, with lots of calls, messages and e-mails coming and going, but no YouTube, Facebook or Angry Birds. And for those of you who like to have their phone "up to date", a word of advice regarding the Belle Feature Pack 1 (FP1) software update: remember the old southern saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Some people are complaining about reduced battery life and some other problems after upgrading their phone to Belle FP1. I think the phone is fast enough as it is and there is no need to sacrifice battery life to get a faster phone, which seems to be the most appealing feature of this pack.

So, briefly stated this is the right phone, for me. I hope this information help you decide if it is also right for you.

Emerson CK5250 Dual Alarm Clock Radio (Silver)

Large easy to read 1.4" red LED display
Dual alarms that can be set and used independently
Wake to radio or buzzer
Over sized snooze bar
Display dimmer control

Pros:

The time on the clock is easy to set and use.

The clock is easy to see with the bright time option.

The alarm can actually go off even if the batteries are dead. However, this only works with battery power.

Very durable. Dropped it from a bunk-bed about 10 times, and still no defects.

Nap setting is a great future of the alarm clock.

Cons:

The alarm sound is kind of quiet and inconsistent. Both two alarms are quite quiet, and are just small beeps that are 1 1/2 seconds apart.

The radio quality is poor. It's hard to get even some local stations to work correctly.

The speaker is very poor. The sound on the radio disorts a lot.

BOTTOMLINE: If you're looking for a cheap yet durable alarm clock with a radio you're not gonna use often, this one is a perfect pick. If you're expecting a lot from the radio, I'd look elsewhere. Otherwise, great alarm clock!

Buy Emerson CK5250 Dual Alarm Clock Radio (Silver) Now

I do agree that this alarm clock has many features, like an AM/FM tuner, a double alarm, and a bright display.

But it is very unreliable with its alarms. It did work fine in the 9 months I owned it; then things started to happen.

Five months The radio quality seem to drop A LOT! Many stations refused to come in, and it made it almost unusable.

Six months The bright display was much darker when I first bought it. I had a hard time reading the time due to this.

Nine months (THE FINAL STRAW) The alarm would not go off at some times. In a month, six alarms did not go off, and I was way behind my day. And to make matters worse, the alarm would go off at random times; in one time it went off at 1:00 AM, and that was awful.

The CK5250 has a few nice features, but it's not durable. Unrecommended.

Read Best Reviews of Emerson CK5250 Dual Alarm Clock Radio (Silver) Here

I paid a retail price for what should have been new clock/radios. I ordered 2 which were replaced by 2 more. All had scratches on the faces, 2 had non-functioning top buttons, and 1 had a section of the digital display that wouldn't light up.

2 didn't have owner's manuals. All had banged-up boxes.

This seller LIES. Don't trust their description of merchandise.

I still own a functioning unit purchased 7 years ago from another vendor and it is otherwise a great product.

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The clock arrived with a non-functioning "time" button so I cannot set it properly. This does not seem to be a function of the shipping, simply a cheap product that cuts too many corners and is not worth the risk. Spend an extra $10 and get a decent clock, I made the mistake of buying this clock and now I have to purchase another.

This clock is easy to use and it's particularly easy to set either alarm. It keeps perfect time even when there is a power failure or the clock is unplugged from the wall.

Duracell Ultra AAA Batteries (8 Batteries)

Be warned that you will not get the Ultra brand of Duracell. If you go to their website (Duracell) you will readily see that the standard Coppertop are inferior to the Ultra type. The standard Duracell AAA batteries are model MN2400 whereas the Ultra are model number MX2400.

I ordered these Ultra batteries and received Coppertop batteries, so I returned them and asked for a replacement. Amazon shipped Copppertop again. I will return again. I had not read the other reviews because I have used Ultra batteries before and love them. They last much longer than the Coppertop. As I went to review these, I noted that other customers noted that the image for this product does indeed show Coppertop and not Ultra. So I have written Amazon to alert them to this error. In the meantime, do not order these batteries until Amazon has had a chance to correct this problem.

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Duracell batteries are great, however, these are not the Ultra-type, as represented here. Look closely at the picture and you will see what you will receive in the mail the regular batteries!

Read Best Reviews of Duracell Ultra AAA Batteries (8 Batteries) Here

I bought batteries to fill out the $25 minimum purchase required for free shipping. They came quickly, but at least one of them had no charge in it. Needless to say, the price was nothing special, so the product was disappointing. And believe me, it's too much hassle to ship them back for a refund, so I confess I didn't even try.

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While I did receive 8 AAA batteries, they were the standard "Coppertop" model and not the described/pictured "Ultra" model.

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Lynx Touch Starter Kit

The Lynx Touch L5000 Keypad, including an entire kit for installation
5816 Door/Window Transmitters,
5834-4 Wireless Key Remote and (1) 5800PIR-RES Wireless Motion Detector

The good: After reading the manuals I was able to install the system and get it operating at the level I desired. It has lots of built in sub-menu screens in the programs that make it easy to set up each sensor and the type of response you desire for your specific home.

The 4 button keychain remotes work great. The three manuals seem overwhelming at first but an included summary sheet highlights most of the basic programming that I needed. Programming is done using the control units touch screen and the manuals have examples of what the different options do.

Most of the problems I had were minor and easy to figure out after referring back to one or more of the manuals. I learned that some sensors can have more than one trigger (loop). For example if the door is opened an alarm will sound but also if the sensor case is tampered with that also will trigger an alarm report. It took me a little time to understand loops, reports, faults, and other jargon used in the manuals but it all makes sense. Just take your time. Programming changes are easy to make.

I really like the control unit voice telling you what is going on and the control unit screen is very readable and menus well layed out.

The not so good: From other reviews I understand that Honeywell/Ademco will only answer calls or assist with technical questions or problems from LICENSED installers not retail customers. If you think you may need technical support you will want to confirm this before you buy.

2. You need to buy some at least 20 gauge alarm wire and then attach the 9 volt power plug to the power terminals inside the control unit. You also should attach a grounding wire according to the diagrams and instructions. I didn't link it to our landline system so I can't address that. Note that the power terminals are marked negative and positive so don't get them reversed.

3. I don't recommend buying the L5000 kit, just buy the control unit. The door/window sensors that come with the kit are the older type that seems bulky to me. Consider just buying the control unit alone and then buy the more modern much smaller 5820L wireless sensors and keychain or keypad remotes. The door/window sensor cases and magnets I intend to paint to match our doors.

Other I didn't get any alarm window stickers in the box. But I already have a couple of small ones visible on our exterior doors and windows. Hey, it can't hurt right, better a burglar knows you have an alarm systems before he breaks one of your doors or windows and then finds out.

The double sided mounting tape did pull off some door paint when I was repositioning it. So you may want to only use a little tape it you want to move things around initially and then use full strips or screws for final mounting of door sensors.

I chose this system because it had good reviews except for lack of tech support for non Installers. Also, my wife and I will appreciate the simplicity of having to only use our keychain remotes to operate all the main functions. A wireless keypad can also be purchased for outside mounting if desired.

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When we bought our current home nearly 8 years ago, the best wireless alarm system that was available at the time that I could find was the Ademco LYNXR-EN, which Honeywell subsequently purchased and re-branded a short time thereafter. I was able to install it all myself, with some difficulty, because the programming interface was not very intuitive. I could never remember how to reprogram a zone or eliminate a zone after a sensor went bad and somewhere along the line, I lost the documentation, which REALLY made it tough. I had wired it to trigger the X10 modules I had in our home, so if the alarm went off, light would turn on, which I thought was pretty nice. Of course, the downside to that was when we arrived home after dark, disabling the alarm would then turn OFF the lights if they were already on.

Generally speaking, for several years, the old system did a great job for us. About a year ago, the chime/speaking capabilities of the control unit failed, which was annoying, because occasionally my wife and I would go out, our son would come home, not hear a chime alerting him that the alarm needed to be disabled, etc., but, we sort of got used to the speech and chimes being gone. Another problem with losing the audio is that I lost the ability to query the system for details on a fault condition. A number of the zone would show up on the display, but I long ago forgot what number belonged to what zone transmitter, etc., so frustration was building.

More recently, our alarm monitoring company kept calling us to report a tamper condition on one of our transmitters. Even after changing the battery on the transmitter, we still got occasional calls, even though there was no indication here that anything was wrong and the alarm wasn't even set! So, bearing in mind the previous failure with the speech function, I decided to replace the control panel, wondering if the false tamper signals might be due to something in the control panel as well. Originally, I was just going to purchase a new Ademco / Honeywell LYNXR-EN control unit (the same model), for an easy swap, but this newer touch screen model caught my eye and I decided to "upgrade".

I was hoping the Lynx Touch ran off the same power supply/voltage as the earlier model, because getting to it after my original installation was sort of a pain, but no such luck. The good news is that the power supply that ships with the Lynx Touch is a lot simpler with just positive and negative terminals to contend with. Very easy to wire. The old power supply for the earlier model had 5 or more posts on it and all had to be connected to provide X10 lighting control.

The only downside to the Lynx Touch that I can tell is that it will no longer control my lights. Not a big deal. The fact that I can order a module to give me internet connectivity and attach a video cam more than outweighs the loss of the outdated X10 control.

On the up side (WAY up), the Lynx touch is FAR more intuitive and FAR easier to program than the Ademco / Honeywell LYNXR-EN that it replaced, yet still works with all the 5800 series transmitters that I already have installed throughout my property. I love that the screen displays the zones, by number AND an icon with a description of each zone.

The Lynx Touch is smaller than the model it replaced, so I had to create new mounting points and patch the holes where the former unit mounted. Even so, within a few hours, I had all of the zones programmed and working, including two wireless Honeywell smoke detectors and a heat sensor.

The only hangup I encountered was that I installed the unit on a Saturday, when my alarm monitoring tech support dept was closed, so I had to wait until Monday to get the info needed to program the alarm company info, including their dial-in number, etc.

I DID run into a problem with the smoke detectors. I have one mounted in a hallway on the opposite wall of our kitchen and one upstairs from the kitchen. My wife pulled some chicken out of the oven (not at all smoking or even overcooked) and first the downstairs smoke detector went off, followed by the upstairs smoke detector a couple of minutes later. Our other hard-wired smoke detectors not associated with the alarm system were NOT triggered.

So, now I need to research this "over sensitivity" of the smoke transmitters and see how to address this problem. But other than that rather strange anomaly, I absolutely LOVE the Lynx Touch over our earlier model Lynx product.

Read Best Reviews of Lynx Touch Starter Kit Here

I have set the system up in about three hours, adding sensors, internet module, motion sensors, very use to program and operate, the interface is extremely user friendly.

highly recommend this product.

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This is an excellent Alarm system with a lot of possibilities. Coupled with the Wifi module and Zwave module it not only performas as an alarm system but also as home automation nexus. The Wifi node allows you to control the system from an Android tablet (Honeywell MID-7 , which is a Coby 7012) with the L5100 connect software. No monthly fee is required for this. It works with up to 5 tablets. Note that this connection ONLY works if you are on the SAME wifi node as the L5100. So you can NOT access from outside your own home network ! Accessing outside your network does require a subsription to Honeywells Total Connect service. For those there is a different application that wokrs both on Android as iOS.

Installing the central system in a remote location of the house prevents quick smash and disable. You can then simply place a cheap android tablet on the wall as the 'control panel'. Smashing that does not defeat the systems core. Programming is a breeze. Simply select a zone , activate a sensor 3 times and the central system 'learns'. Set up your own rules , and even program scenes to turn on lights (z-wave) when an alarm is triggered. It paired with both my Z-Wave thermostats as well as the Z-wave door locks.

This starte kit comes with the central system , a keyfob for remote arm/disarm, three 'old style' door sensors and a pet-resistant PIR (passive infrared) detector.

The old style door sensors are a bit big but do have the option to run a second loop. I used these for the back door / garage door and opted for the slimline sensors for the in-house doors.

Note that this kit does not have the Z-wave transceiver nor the Wifi transceiver. Those are options that can be installed in a matter of seconds. They are small boards that simply snap into place in the central system.

First off I want to say that I was in fact one of those lucky people that got one of the "improved" alarm systems that turn on and then only half boot up, but the seller on Amazon was really good about swapping the non working unit for a working unit.

This alarm is installed in a vacation home and had to be setup in a hurry at a somewhat remote location and use the GSM module. Everything went easily, and it was really simple to get all the sensors working with the alarm with minimal reading of the instructions. As others have said, the quick setup guide is really great.

As for the mechanical instillation, it was fairly straight forward. There were a couple of things that I did a little different because I wanted a robust system that could go unattended for several months at a time. First of all, everything is attached with screws, the only thing I used the double stick tape for was to hold things in place while I put the screws in. For the heavier items like the panel and the smoke detector, that I purchased separately to go with the system, I used medium duty Sheetrock molly's that I purchased at a hardware store, two on the smoke detector, and four on the panel, Honeywell only gives you two screws to hold the panel on the wall, but that felt flimsy to me so I used four, you could use my panel as a coat rack if you wanted to. Was my install overkill? Perhaps, but it doesn't feel cheep and flimsy either, I think I did a really solid professional looking and feeling install on this system.

Tools and supplies used, because it is always nice to know what you need.

#0, #1 and #2 Philips screw drivers.

1/4 inch straight screw driver.

Wire cutter and stripper

Electric drill and 3/32 bit (I had to put magnets onto aluminum framed doors)

Hammer and nail (used as a quick way to pre-drill for screws in wood, and as a center punch)

6 50 pound mollies (the good ones that screw into the Sheetrock)

10 feet of 3 conductor bell wire.

I was able to setup monitoring service with Smarthome (Another Amazon Vendor) and they took care of all the interaction with Honeywell including setting up with alarmnet.

Overall it is still early days, but so far I am happy with the system and how easy it was to install, once the dust settles from this install I plan to put this same system into my primary home as well, but with some added sensors, and perhaps a camera.

Sony ICF-CD543RM Kitchen CD Clock Radio (Silver)

Stylish, under-cabinet design saves space
Plays standard CD and CD-R/RW discs
Tune in AM/FM, TV, and weather channels
Built-in, easy set kitchen timer
Includes magnetic multi-function remote control

I tried other radios in the kitchen, but none could compare to the sound of this unit. FM reception's pretty good too. The "kitchen friendly" controls are easy to clean. Mounting is done by drilling three holes, for which it has a paper template, and it has adjustable spacers to accommodate cabinets with recessed bottoms. It's about 11-1/2 inches deep and just an inch or two wider.

I don't seem to get any weather band channels, and the TV channels I get are very quiet so I have to remember to turn the sound down before switching to FM or CD. The timer's a nice feature for the kitchen but seconds can't be set and it takes a lot of turning to get to longer bake times, like an hour or more. The magnetic remote's also nice but you have to be able to see the sensor and stay within about 45 degrees for it to work.

Overall I'm very happy with it. The sound is great and makes spending all day around the kitchen less lonely, plus it doesn't take up any counter space. I do feel like I paid a small premium for the name Sony though.

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We went through 5 (yes, five) of these within a year. The CD mechanism was very poor and would eventually stop playing CDs. Luckily Target exchanged it every time for us. I kept exchanging it out of spite until Target got an updated model, the Sony ICF-CD553RM Under Cabinet Kitchen CD Clock Radio (Silver), which I paid 20 bucks more for and have not had a problem with it at all.

Maybe it was just a bad run, but it seems from other reviews that Sony quality control was sleeping when these went out the door.

Definitely spend the extra $ and find the upgraded Sony ICF-CD553RM it's slightly bigger, but it works and the sound is better, too.

Read Best Reviews of Sony ICF-CD543RM Kitchen CD Clock Radio (Silver) Here

I live in an urban area with generally good radio signals. The radio reception for this system is very poor. The AM antenna is internal and the power cord acts as the FM antenna. The reception is horrible. The unit does not accept an external antenna, so options are limited. All other features of the system work well but the radio is unusable.

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For the four months we've owned this cd player, we've loved it. Love that it's off the counter. Love the remote on the fridge. Love the sound and ease of use. Then, the cd player just stopped working. When we contacted Sony we were informed that our only option was to mail it to their repair center at our cost and have a refurbished model sent back. Shipping set us back about $25 (not including the cost of packing materials). It doesn't speak well for Sony that they wouldn't send a UPS label to cover the cost of shipping, particularly on a product that broke with only a few months of standard usage. We are very, very disappointed.

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Like other reviewer's, the CD player stopped working after a couple of months of use. It took several months to get my unit fixed. It was very hard to deal with their uneducated customer service reps. Fortunately, it has been working since the repair.

AM/FM reception is poor. Most stations are unpleasant to listen to due to the high level of noise. What Sony suggests for optimal reception is rotate the unit horizontally, stretch the power cord and reinstall the unit.

Philips wOOx Dock and Remote for iPhone/iPod

Wake to your favorite iPhone/iPod music or FM radio
wOOx speaker technology for deep, powerful bass
Dual alarm with weekday / weekend settings
Gentle wake up with increasing alarm volume
Wireless remote controls your system and iPhone/iPod

I own this clock radio purchased at BB. My objective was to find a stylish clock radio that would fit on my smallish night stand. It had to have dual alarms 5 day and weekend mode; and be able to have choice of either buzzer alarm or radio. The display must have dim settings. This Philips model does all that and a lot more.

Little did I know the search would take me to so many stores. Nowadays, clock radios are an afterthought. Most are cheap-o looking and garish. I couldn't believe the poor quality of clock radios out there. This Philips model fits the bill for me with a couple of caveats see below. Although an iPod dock wasn't on my required list, the choices for clock radios are so much better than without it.

Here's what I like:

* Great sound from such a small unit

* Small footprint on the night stand most other clock radios with iPod docks are a bit large

* Contemporary looking looks nice with my black iPod Classic

* Easy to use albeit it helps to read the manual

* Remote to set time and alarm, as well as play iPod

* Charges iPod while in dock

* Gradual alarm from whisper-quiet to loud

* Ability to use either the (gentle) buzzer, radio or iPod for the alarm

* Feels sturdy

* Did I mention the great sound?

Here are those caveats:

* The main purpose of the clock radio is to tell the time. The numbers are a bit over-stylized which you can't really tell on the photo online or the box. It's evident as soon as it's plugged in. It's hard to read the time from say across the bedroom while getting dressed. But I have gotten used to it; so just a warning in case you really need, say large, bright plain numbers.

* The display doesn't have enough dim settings; it's either very bright, less-bright-but-still-bright or off. This is unfortunate; as sometimes I do wake up in the middle of the night wondering what time it is. However the less-bright-but-still-bright lights up the room a bit too much so I use the off setting. It's not a deal breaker but if you are really sensitive to the light; then you might want to consider another model amazingly, it's difficult to find a model where there are decent dim settings.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the clock radio and would recommend it but also note those warnings about the brightness and somewhat difficult to read numbers.

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Overall it sounds great, but yes, the light should be a lot dimmer for night, there is only a high, med, and off. The Med is to bright for a bedroom.

Read Best Reviews of Philips wOOx Dock and Remote for iPhone/iPod Here

First of, if you are like me and need a dark room to sleep in, this Philips alarm clock is for you. You can turn the light off completely, which is not an option you can find on most of these types of machines. I also like that it has such a small footprint, remote control and the machine is very light/not heavy (for moving around if needed). I think the sound is great for a little alarm clock, it's not that "hollow" sound you usually get with these machines. I mostly only listen to it when the alarm goes off, but when I use it to listen to my ipods while I do stuff around my room, it sounds pretty good, nice base up to the volume 20 level; anything higher than that the sound has that vibration sound and the base slips. One reviewer said it doesn't charge his/her ipod, I don't have that problem. It plays and charges all my ipods; Nano 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th generation, iPod Classic 6th generation and iPod Touch 3rd generation. I use the remote, which is very easy to manipulate in my opinion. The buttons on the machine are "flushed" flat, which makes them challenging to use. Setting up the machine is also easy, just read the instructions first before trying to set it up not difficult at all. I like this machine so much I am buying another one.

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As with every Philips product I have purchased or played with, this one is the same. Decent performance thats far from perfect. Generally, Philips products are great to look at but functionality could use a little bit more work.

Things to consider for future improvement that Philips should really consider when making a solid alarm clock.

1. Display is not bright enough. Digits are faint when you try to look at it from a short distance. you can't even see it in certain angles.

2. Loses time if unplugged for a few minutes and no battery back up!

3. Alarm siren is way too soft! Will not work if you are a deep sleeper. Have to use the radio on full blast if you want to wake up in time.

4. You can't set alarms by individual days. would be nice to be able to set alarm days according to personal preference instead of the standard programmed ones.

5. Programming the alarm could be more user friendly.

There are a few good things that this alarm clock has.

1. Fairly impressive audio quality from such a small package.

2. Syncs with Apple Ipod like a charm.

3. The sleek style and design is a very modern touch.

The bottom line is this, if you are not very concerned about the clock/alarm function and consider it secondary then this is the ipod clock dock for you! The sound quality is impressive for such a small package and is ideal for a small office or lobby. If you are looking to wake up on time, I would look at other options.

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I bought this for my son who liked it a lot, so I bought one for my daughter as well. I like the features (dimming light, weekend vs. weekday alarm, ability to choose alarm as iTouch or radio). The sound is very good. Well constructed and compact.

Apple iPod shuffle 2 GB Blue (4th Generation) OLD MODEL

2 GB capacity for about 500 songs
Up to 15 hours of audio playback on a single charge
Easy-to-use control pad for playing your music, audiobooks, and podcasts
Support for AAC, Protected AAC (iTunes Store), MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible, Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV audio formats
One-year limited warranty

Just to correct some of the previous reviews...the big problem with the 3rd gen shuffle was not that it was "too small" or even that the controls were not on the unit itself, but instead were on the headphone line...the problem was if those controls got even the SLIGHTEST (and I do mean slightest) bit of moisture on them it would totally jack up the shuffle. Now, what kind of activities would most people buy the tiny shuffle mp3 player for versus a nano or standard iPod? Oh, maybe jogging or working out? And what do you do with physical activities like this? That's right, you sweat! So it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the problem with the 3rd gen shuffle...a problem that should have been seen before they ever even produced it. Just read all the reviews for the 3rd gen and you'll see that this was not just a minor issue, but a huge one that the majority of the users had to deal with. It is good to see they came to their sense and we can once again use the shuffle during exercise.

Now as for this one, I absolutely love it. It will vary with your bit rate, but the 2GB of storage will still hold a few hours of music which is more than adequate for most workouts. The provided clip on the back makes it easy to put anywhere that is comfortable for you and you don't have to buy any "holder" or even have a free pocket to carry it around. It is so light and small I actually just hold it in my hand as a jog so I can control it easily and it's barely noticeable. The full size button is very easy to operate. The battery life is great and while I have never measured it exactly, I usually work out about 3 times a week for an hour and a half and it's usually 2-3 weeks before I hear the "battery low" voice reminder from the unit. I think the simplicity of design, great functionality, small size, easy to access controls, and light weight make this player quite possibly the best one out there to use during a workout.

UPDATE: Dec 2011 It's been well over a year and I'm still using my Shuffle every time I go to the gym or jog. It still works great. While I have had some issues with my iPod classic locking up and not even responding to a reset, this one has always worked perfectly.

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I bought the iPod shuffle to replace my itouch during workouts (run, bike, hike). The ultra light weight and not-too-small size is very nice. Switching playlists with the VoiceOver announcements is handy. I'll keep fewer lists on this device and reduce the fiddle-time needed to switch playlists.

I like everything about the Gen 4 iPod shuffle except the sound quality. During workouts, I listen to songs with bass-driven beats with Klipsch S4 head plugs. On my itouch with equalizer settings, the bass beats sound rich and pure which impacts my workout. Sadly, the iPod shuffle sounds thin by comparison with the same songs and same head plugs.

I grab my itouch for gym workouts. I prefer the "full sound" and simply rest the unit in the bottle holder trays.

I grab my iPod shuffle for outdoor runs. The benefit of "less weight" is wonderful even if it means adjusting the ear buds regularly to get a bit more bass to drive my stride.

Other plus/minus points:

+ Battery life is great right now

"Mini-plug to USB" cable is a liability waiting to be misplaced

Read Best Reviews of Apple iPod shuffle 2 GB Blue (4th Generation) OLD MODEL Here

I have two of these iPod shuffles and after using them for about 3 months I decided I would write a review. To start off I came up with a list of cons and pros of the iPod shuffle.

Pros (+)

* Small and Lightweightthis makes it a perfect mp3 player to exercise and/or work out.

* Durable ClipBoth the iPod itself and the clip seem durable and strong. You don't have to worry about a screen breaking on these and since it is so small and lightweight it can survive falls.

* Buttonsthe buttons on the shuffle are very easy to use and it they work perfectly.

* AppleWhen you buy an iPod you have to remember you are buying a quality product. All of apples products tend to be of great quality.

* BatteryYes, it is true that this iPod has an outstanding 15 hour battery! This is what makes this iPod so much better than its rivals.

Cons (-)

* The priceconsidering that you are paying for only 2 GB of music storage for around $50 it does seem quite over priced even if it is an Apple product.

* headphonesI would recommend buying some different headphones aside from the ones that are included, because the ones that are included are usually very simple and most people tend to not like them as much a dither Headphones.

* ChargerDue to the fact that this is a small iPod the charger is small. In fact the charger uses e same port thatbyou use to listen to music; therefore, you can NOT listen to music and charge the device at the same time.

Overall:

Overall I still think that it is a bit overpriced, but considering it's an apple product most people buy it anyways. If you want something small and durable I would definitely recommend this iPod as it has a stunning 15 hour battery! Hope this review helped you out.

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My old shuffle finally died after a couple years, so I bought the newest model. I have a decent size library and frequently buy new music, so I thought being able to identify songs on the go would be a plus. It is, but that's the only plus on this model over the old one. Every other aspect in design and function is worse.

To start with, they've made it shorter. On the old model, there was enough room to easily get ahold of it and clip it to clothing There's about an eight of an inch between the back button and the edge, so now if it becomes unclipped while I run, I have to very carefully make sure I've gotten ahold of it perfectly, or else I'll accidentally hit the back button and start my song over. I don't have big, thick fingers. I'm 5'5, 125, so my fingers are probably best described as delicate. This sort of precision was not necessary on the old model.

Next, let's go to the software. On my old model, I never once had to consult the Apple forums. I keep going back on this one. It wouldn't play podcasts. The forums said that it's set to skip podcasts in shuffle mode. Turn it off shuffle. Done! Podcasts still won't play. Back to the forums. You have to uncheck "Skip While Shuffling." Done! Podcasts still won't play. I finally ended up having to uncheck Skip While Shuffling and change the type to music from podcasts. Now they'll play. Harder to find, but they'll play. On my old model, they just played.

I sometimes carefully choose each song for when I run. Other times I use Genius. No matter what I choose, it won't play in order. It always organizes songs by artist. Back to the forums. I have to create a playlist. Still playing only in order of artist. I have to click Copy to Play Order. Still playing only in order of artist. There goes my running playlist. Might as well only use Genius and keep it only on shuffle and hope for the best.

On the bright side, sound quality is fine, battery life is fine, headphones are fine. Otherwise, I wish my old model's battery hadn't finally died.

I got the new shuffle strictly for working out (and to replace my 2nd generation shuffle). I particularly wanted the playlist feature so that I could have more control over the songs I wanted to listen to (I have different playlists for different types of workouts, plus I include some podcasts). I am basically satisfied with the new version. It does what it is supposed to do. Switching playlists is relatively easy (although the instructions weren't clear). The new software based battery-indicator feature is very helpful and a nice improvement over the previous version. The shuffle is almost perfect for those of us who want a very small, lightweight MP3 player for (hard) workouts.

My only criticisms are minor..

First, as many reviewers have indicated, the new 4G shuffle is almost too small. I'm not a big guy at all, but I have trouble with the controls on top; plus, when clipping and unclipping, you cannot help but press the buttons on the face. This is not really a big issue, but I didn't have the same problems with the 2G version.

Second, this is not really a fair criticism, but by changing the size, my old accessories--especially my armband--are now too big to fit the shuffle. So far, there still don't seem to be any third-party products (armbands) for the 4G. This is a bit of a hassle, as I don't like clipping it to my shorts are shirt.

Third, the placement of the headphone jack on the same side as the top controls is inconvenient. I use headphones with an "L-shaped" connector, which partly blocks the top controls. Not a big deal, but to me it would have made more sense to keep the headphone jack on the other side.

HUAWEI G1000 Unlocked GSM Phone with Wireless FM Radio, Multi-Party Calling, Shared SMS and Torch Li

Remember when cell phones were like this? Me neither. First off this thing is tiny. Like 3-1/2 inches tall. You could almost wear this as a Bluetooth headset if people still did that instead of just holding their phones 3 inches in front of their faces and screaming at them. It does work like a cell phone. Just install your SIM card and you will be talking in minutes. The battery came about 70% charged. I bought this as a backup phone to keep in the house for emergencies. It did get a strong signal everywhere I tried it which is more than I can say for all my other phones.

I would recommend it as a disposable cell phone. If this got lost on vacation you would not care.

Here is what is missing from the description:

Put a piece of Scotch tape on your SIM card before inserting it or you will have a very hard time getting it back out.

The Mini USB (not micro, like all phones use today) port on the side is for charging only, no USB connectivity. The included charger is a joke (5V @ 300 MA).

The battery is not removable or user replaceable.

There is no flashlight. ("Torch Light" in the description I will have to assume is referring to the orange back-light for the LCD display)

The FM Radio requires the use of the included headphones because instead of a standard stereo mini plug, the headphones plug into the Mini USB port.

If you lose the headphones (you should) the FM Radio will not work. Also the FM Radio will drain the battery in about 4 hours.

The display is a 3 line monochrome LCD. Because of this, menus are difficult to navigate and texting would be nearly impossible.

It will hold all your contacts, but you will have to transfer them over by manually inputting the information using the 3 line LCD and the number pad.

Call quality was fine. Signal was good. But for the same price you could buy a used phone off of craigslist that would have many more features. My recommendation for this phone is to manually put in your most important contacts, charge up the battery, turn it off and throw it in a drawer. The battery SHOULD hold a charge for about 18 months.

Apple iPod nano 16GB Purple (7th Generation) NEWEST MODEL

Apple iPod nano 16GB Purple NEWEST MODEL

Design: About the size of a credit card, the iPod nano is just 0.24" (5.4mm) thin. The 2.5" Multi-Touch display is nearly twice the size of the display on the previous iPod nano, so you can see more of the music, photos and videos you have
Music: Tap to play your favorite songs, entire albums or everything by one artist. You can even browse by genres or composers. Flip through your music by album art. To keep things fresh, give the iPod nano a shake and it shuffles to a different song in your music library
Video: Now you can watch episodes of your favorite TV shows, Hollywood blockbusters, free video podcasts and home videos on your iPod nano. View them on the widescreen 2.5-inch Multi-Touch display. Tap to play, fast-forward, rewind and pause
Bluetooth 4.0: Pairing iPod nano with Bluetooth-enabled headphones and supported speakers is a cinch. With no wires in the way, connecting to Bluetooth devices is hassle free
Radio: FM radio keeps you up on what's going on out there, whether it's the game, the top news stories or your favorite talk shows. Just plug in your headphones and tap to see the controls. Flick the radio dial to change stations

The latest iPod Nano is an update to the current state of the art in ultra-compact music players and it represents incremental but important improvements over its predecessors with only a few minor trade-offs. I'm convinced it represents a substantial functional upgrade for most users.

Its major advantage, in my opinion, is actually its slightly-larger size in comparison to the 5th generation. Although the smaller form factor of the previous Nano was remarkable for its extreme compactness, it actually made the device somewhat cumbersome to use. Its touch-screen was too susceptible to unintended inputs and it couldn't be easily held in one hand while manipulating its controls. Attempts to control it via screen-input while clipped onto one's clothing tended to be futile: you'd need to un-clip the device, then hold it in one hand and manipulate its touch-screen with the other. While the tiny size and convenient clip made it practically disappear while in use, it could be an ergonomic nightmare to actually interact with.

The new Nano is still tiny but much better for one-handed use. My index finger comfortably sits on the three-way volume/play/pause button (itself a major improvement) while my thumb has easy access to the sleep/wake button, the home button and the improved, larger, multi-touch-enabled screen. This easy one-handed control has the significant practical advantage of not requiring the interruption of my activities to switch, for example, between podcasts, music playlists and FM radio.

Other improvements follow logically from the Nano's new shape. The screen's larger proportions allow all the main "apps" to show up on a single home screen, so less fiddling is typically required for switching. Videos and photos become practical on a screen of these proportions, so it's perfectly reasonable to load some viewable content in addition to the audio content that will no doubt remain the Nano's main reason for existence. With few pixels, photos take up very little memory. The screen has neither the stunning colors nor the retina resolution of the premium iDevices, but photos still show up crisply and become the modern equivalent of the now-obsolete "wallet"-sized photos people used to carry. Video content is surprisingly usable as long as you can set the Nano in a viewable position for example, on a cardio machine at the gym. The Nano supports rotation, so displaying the beautiful panos you've made with your new iPhone is simply a matter of rotating the device to the horizontal and then looking very, very closely. Maybe bring a magnifying glass.

More important for most people, the new Nano is an improved device for playing music. The "Home" button is a good antidote to the common experience of getting lost in the old Nano's sometimes-inscrutable layers of touch screens, bringing you immediately back to the home screen without interfering with playback. An even bigger practical improvement is the addition of the play/pause button on the volume control, a feature lifted from the (now unfortunately absent) remote-equipped earphones of many previous iPods. It's worth a few minutes' time to familiarize yourself with this button's very clever functions: click to play or to pause, double-click for next track, triple-click for previous track (even when in shuffle mode), double-click-and-hold for cueing (great for skipping forward in podcasts), and so on. Most routine playback functions are accessible through this simple and very welcome interface and can be accomplished while diverting little attention from whatever you're otherwise engaged in.

The list of major upgrades doesn't end there. The inclusion of Bluetooth will make the Nano usable, for the first time, with many car audio systems and also with wireless Bluetooth headsets and remote Bluetooth speaker systems. The FM radio is much better than I would have imagined if I hadn't used the previous Nano, with legitimately excellent reception and a very nice interface that lets you select unlimited numbers of "presets." I've used small portable radios in the past, and maybe there are some other good ones out there, but the ones I've experienced have been terrible. I'm personally still attached to FM, and this level of FM quality would make the Nano a terrific device even if it did nothing else.

In general I find the new Nano to be a beautiful, nearly-flawless little piece of practical technology that can do things which, not that long ago, I would not have expected to be possible within my lifetime. While it's not inexpensive, it has real life-improving potential for people who love music or who want to remain portably connected to a world of podcasted information. Being smaller than a credit card in two of three dimensions, it fits easily into the smallest pocket. While jaded consumers of technology can claim it's a mere incremental improvement over its predecessors, I prefer to see it as an instance of exceptional, practical, functional design in a world full of cheap junk that too often disappoints or fails to function altogether. While I have a few nitpicks (below), none of them significantly diminish its overall excellence. It earns every star.

Notes:

There are a few disappointments and drawbacks:

--The Ear Pods that come with the device sound good overall but don't have the remote function included with many iDevice earphones in recent years. While the new Nano has a hardware button that mimics that function, the corded remote is often more accessible, making pause/play and track-change functions instantly available even if the device is buried in a pocket. A decent set of Apple-compatible remote-equipped earphones would be a nice addition.

--This latest Nano eliminates the useful integrated clip featured by the last (6th generation) Nano, making it more a pocket device. Its thin-ness and Bluetooth support compensates for this: the old Nano's clip made it slightly cumbersome in a pocket, as it could catch on things and added significantly to the device's thickness. Nevertheless the previous generation remains the ultimate for portability and, while thicker and slightly wider, weighs around 1/3 less than the latest model.

--The white screen-surround on the colored Nanos doesn't look all that great in my opinion. It does give the Nanos a clean, friendly look, but to my eyes black would be a better choice and would contrast sharply with the bright colors and icons. I chose the boring but still attractive "slate" (black) model, which does have a black screen-surround.

--I would like more flexibility in some of the settings: for example, the ability to keep the screen "on" longer, even indefinitely, before it sleeps. As it is, the screen goes dark so quickly I'm often still in the middle of fiddling with whatever I'm working on and have to re-wake the screen to continue. The previous-generation Nano was similar.

--The previous 6th-gen Nano enjoyed an unintended popularity as a watch, mainly with kids, who seemed to love using it for this purpose. It had lots of clock faces to choose from and could be set to default to the clock when waked from sleep (as can the current model). The new Nano gives up the prospect of practical wrist-wearability. It also features fewer clock faces and only a few background options, all color-matched to the device, none of which is customizable. Perhaps this helps contribute to a lean OS and optimize the device's storage space. Whatever the case, the new Nano is not a watch, nor a clock, although it will accurately show you the time and it still has a useful stopwatch and countdown-timer.

The Lightning connector is functionally far better than competing connector types such as Micro-USB and a clear improvement over the old style. The previous-generation Nano was nearly dwarfed by its connector, and it's easy to see that retaining that oversized monstrosity (as it will seem to have been, within a year or two) would have precluded the current positioning of the Home button on the new device, among other drawbacks.

The Nano is still not an iOS device: internet connectivity and wirelessor Cloud-syncing remain in the future. This makes sense: a Nano is likely to be away from a wifi signal much of the time it's used, and cellular capability hardly seems reasonable. If you're looking for a do-it-all device, a smart phone remains a much more versatile (but cumbersome) alternative. The Nano is fundamentally optimized to function as a stand-alone audio player. Pandora will have to wait.

Why not simply use a smart phone for music playback and podcasts? Well, you could but the Nano has some significant advantages. Its size makes it much easier to carry while active, or while working around the house or in the garage. Its dedicated intelligent play/pause button makes interfacing with audio playback much simpler. And at least among Apple devices it is the only one to offer FM radio, which it does very well. These tend to be very important differences in day-to-day use and can easily justify its purchase price as a separate device.

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Other reviews did a good job describing other features which work super well, so I will only cover the Nike Fitness and Bluetooth to avoid redundancy.

Pros: This nano has all required Nike Fitness components in one unit. No more need for pods on or in your shoes. Yes it even works on a treadmill and tracks Very accurately. Starting out the Nike Fitness, You can select a run by distance, time, or calorie count. During your run, it pauses the music and with a sweet sounding easily understood friendly female voice, gives you a quick update on your distance, then continues to play your playlist. This I found very cool. If you press the top sleep button while running with Nike fitness, it gives you the time, distance and current pace. I tracked this feature and compared it with my Garmin GPS watch and they tracked fairly well out of the box and only improved with multiple calibrations after I completed my run. The more you calibrate it, the more it learns and gets closer to accurate.

Cons:

1)There is one Huge Fail however. The manual suggests placing it at your waist to use the Nike Fitness. Most runners are waiting for a quality workable armband which I believe would compromise this feature based on the how it works. I will test it on my next run. It seems that the Apple engineers aren't runners. This I believe may be a fail for this feature since it is geared toward runners and runners infrequently wear their ipod at their waist, especially because this Nano lacks a clip. I, however, placed my iPod in my Spi-belt which is a small flexible runner's pouch wrapping around the waist. It is a tiny fanny pack for keys, ipods and such. Remember though, it needs to be at your waist, so finding that button while running when it is enclosed in a pocket proves challenging as well.

2)My other concern is that Bluetooth connected to a stereo headset wouldn't work when it is at the waist. Most reviewers and user manuals of higher end sport stereo Bluetooth headphones state that they were required to place their Bluetooth player on their sleeve in order to get uninterrupted playback. My question to the engineers is-since the iPod cannot be at the waist and sleeve simultaneously will i be able to wear a stereo Bluetooth headset and use Nike Fitness at the same time? I would love to get into the minds of the engineers on this one.

I was also successful with Bluetooth connection with my car. It works, but some features are lost compared to when I sync it directly to the radio via USB. With Bluetooth, I no longer can use my voice activated song or artist request which Ford vehicle SYNC systems have. I would instead have to search on my iPod for my favorite song while driving. That isn't a safe option, therefore not making Bluetooth syncing with my car stereo desirable for me. Also, tag information isn't displayed on my car's stereo while using Bluetooth. Perhaps, a car other than Ford has these features.

I am curious about the Bluetooth connectivity with stereo headsets while running. If anyone has success with this feature and where you placed their iPod to maintain connectivity, and quality of sound reply to this thread.

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My new nano arrived with FedEx yesterday after a long grueling trip from China. This is my first new nano since my 2nd Generation unit -which has a lot of miles on it and which still works great. The reason I purchased this one was because I know the clock's ticking on "old reliable". Candidly, I checked out generation numbers 3 through 6 as they were released and dismissed them all for a variety of reasons. I had hopes that this one would make the necessary change fairly painless. I've only had it for a day so, for the most part, the jury's still out. First, though, let me say that I use my nano mostly for working out. It would seem that Apple has finally admitted that most nanos are bought exactly for that specific purpose. Let the iPod Touch have all the bells and whistles for those who want them. Keep the nano task-oriented!

So far, I'm most impressed with the new earphones. They fit very well and I suspect I'll have no problem jogging with them in place. I'm concerned, however, that they're going to let in a lot of ambient gym noise as they don't fit snuggly. I do like the sound quality though.

The radio also impresses me. It works well and my favorite stations come in clear as a bell.

The new nano also supports videos. I can't address that feature because I know I'm unlikely to use it. (Who wants to watch a video on a 2.25" screen?)

The unit is light (perhaps too light), thin and attractive. It's surprisingly "slippery" to hold, however.

My biggest issue: There's almost nothing you can do with it that doesn't require both hands. Hence, the title to my review. Note to Apple: Go back to the 2nd generation unit, enhance its storage capacity, and give us back our click wheel. High quality, one-handed music is what this niche market really wants!

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Update 1/5/2013: I mostly use my SanDisk Sansa Clip Zip MP3 Player instead of this Nano (it has a memory card slot), it's not as fancy but it's easier to use/navigate.

First off, you don't need more then one hand to do anything on it (maybe I just have small hands?), although, the 6th generation one was much easier to use with one hand.

Pros:

They finally put a pause/play button as an external button

the layout for skimming/skipping through a song has been made easier or switching to shuffle...

I find the earphones to be much better then the old ones but I personally use V-MODA Crossfade LP Over-Ear Noise-Isolating Metal Headphone (White Pearl) or my bose ear phones

the time is displayed on the song screen! and no more clip (i never used it)

Cons:

It's slippery

I think the button below (on) the screen surface is pointless, it just makes the ipod bigger and doesn't add much value.

The external volume control buttons barely protrude out making it more difficult to feel (b/c of the way I hold it) and you might click the play/pause button instead

Also, the buttons (volume control and play/pause) are on the side of the nano and not on the top of it like on the 6th generation so while holding onto the ipod you might click one of them accidentally (it keeps happening to me), this will take some getting used.

Video is a waste of a feature in my opinion... and they had to create a new type of usb cord (i can no longer borrow from friends/family)

Other then that, it's no different then the 6th gen nano (obviously the size/dimensions are different) and so far i prefer my 6th gen but I've only had this one for a day. I'd give it 3.5 stars as I expected more from the seventh generation nano...

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This is my first iPod. I used a Creative Zen for years, but it wore out, the plug was going, buttons not responding any more. Looking at the reviews, and seeing that the 7G was coming out, and cost a good bit less than other models, I decided to give it a try. I listen to books while knitting, also sleeping, a great help when I wake up in the night also at the gym, although I am no athelete. So using and iPod is a brand new experience.

Good things: This thing is tiny. It weighs nothing. It's like using a set of earbuds to listen, with nothing else. The new earphones work very well. I can sleep in them with no problem. The sound quality is excellent, really good. I can even get good radio reception, and we live in an area where that is not a given. The touch screen is intuitive and easy to use. I love the fact that if you buy it from Apple you can get it engraved. I bought pink, which is a great color. The cord is expensive, probably because it is new, but it will fit into a cheap adapter for the wall or the car to charge. The volume goes much lower and much higher, which is very convenient. Not all recordings are low enough for sleeping comfortably, as I'm very conscious of the need to preserve your hearing. On the other hand, hooking it up to my car's speakers, I need the volume all the way up. If you are listening to a book, you can slow the speed down by half, in case you get someone speaking too quickly to understand. A great advantage if listening to books in a foreign language. I like that the light goes out after a while, conserving battery power. IPod 7G seems to charge quickly, too. If all I did was begin to listen to something on my iPod and stopped listening to it when I was finished with my workout, the 7G would get 5 stars.

Problems: While it has nothing to do with the iPod itself, dealing with iTunes is not an easy thing to do, and the instructions are not complete. It is reasonable to include iTunes here, as it is also made by Apple. I have to transfer my considerable collection of ripped CD's into a format acceptable to the iPod. In doing so, I notice that the files do not end up in order in the iTunes library. This can get to be a nuisance when you're trying to get all the folders onto the iPod. If I go to anything else, like listen to the radio, I cannot go back to where I was listening automatically by looking for Now Playing. I like that feature in Zen, and cannot seem to get it here. While the feature for books at half speed is great, there is no way to transfer something labelled as music into something labelled a book, and the half speed feature is only for books. Once my considerable collection of books is also in the iTunes library, syncing several books may be difficult because the list will be so big.

The verdict is not in. Both Zen and iPod 7G have qualities that are better and worse than the other.

After writing the above, I called iTunes, very helpful and friendly, a real person who can speak American English, and if, after the folder is in iTunes music you right click, then go to get info and change the type from music to audiobook, it will do virtually everything I want to. iTunes, which is integral to the iPod, has a lot more features, and it is worthwhile to explore it fully, clearly. So I have changed the rating to 5 stars, as this does everything I want, and does it elegantly.

Sony Under the Cabinet Space Saving Stereo Sound System with CD Player, AM / FM Digital Tuner Radio,

Designed to maximize your counter space and blend with virtually any décor, this under cabinet CD clock radio is the perfect addition to any kitchen or workplace. Boasting deep bass and powerful sound quality, this unit lets you enjoy your favorite tunes while you cook, clean, work, enjoy dinner or just relax with a cup of coffee.
Time spent in the kitchen or work station just got more enjoyable with this attractive and slim under cabinet CD clock radio, that produces rich sound and features a built-in audio cable and cradle for all digital music, iPod, MP3, iPhone or cassette players.
The built-in audio cable lets you connect your iPod, iPhone, MP3 digital music player, while the CD player accepts burned CD-R/RWs.
Digital FM/AM Tuner with 15 Station Presets makes tuning in a desired station fast, simple and precise with accurate, drift-free tuning of AM and FM radio stations. Set up to 10 of your favorite FM and 5 AM stations
For the ultimate convenience, a remote control is included for changing tracks, radio stations, adjusting volume and more.

CD skips on multiple CD's, I'm very disappointed, I installed this as a surprise for my wife. The Skipping is unpredictable and has occurred on all CD's from various sources. The FM reception is poor and does not have the option of connecting an external antenna. These can be found at Sony outlet centers and now I know why.

update: I have not returned it yet, I bought my wife a ipod and it works fine, no skipping. I would stay away from this unless you are using with mp3 player or radio with strong a signal.

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This actually is our second unit & we wanted this one in our stationary camper as the previous owner removed the unit that came with it. We liked the under counter unit that we had at home in the kitchen so well that we simply ordered another for camp. It's up & out of the way and we put it above the table so we had easy access to it at the times when we will be more likely to listen to it. They are easy to install and a very good quality. And of course we chose Amazon to order it from because we didn't need to drive to town, use fuel, find a place to park ect. Just one click and it was here in a couple days.

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I am very happy with this stereo system, so small, yet the sound is great, takes up very little space under the cabinet, a very important detail if you have a small kitchen.It even has a cooking timer ! I also love the iPod-playing function, although you have to turn up the volume a bit more. I am happy I bought it.

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The device works fine. The problem came in mounting it under the kitchen cabinet, as the screws were not long enough to reach. Consequently it looks weird because it sits cockeyed at an angle. Need to have longer screws for mounting.

Won't play many of my discs. Not sure what the issue is, but it is very frustrating. I do like the MP3 option.

RCA RC65i Clock Radio with iPhone/iPod Cradle

Clock radio with convenient iPod docking station compatible with most iPods including 3G iPhone
Auto time set for seven different time zones
Dual wake features two different alarm settings for two different users; Wake to iPod, radio or alarm
Graduwake ramp-up alarm makes waking from a deep sleep easier
Audio Line-in lets you connect your device to an input jack so you can sit back and relax
Built in "No Worry" battery backup safeguards against power failures or outages
Charges your iPod or iPhone while docked
SmartSnooze and Graduwake features make for an easy awakening
IPod/iPhone docking audio system with clock radio

The first thing you notice about the unit is the flat front, rather stark but common nowadays in i-docking devices. A slide-away dock is a neat feature if/when you don't need to dock your phone. The second thing that stands out is the drab color scheme. I'm no fan of battleship gray... The aluminum mesh front is fine but the shiny plastic panel on top calls out for a more imaginative color scheme. Maybe an unfair quibble.

I looked at a lot of units before choosing this one. At this price range most were cheap looking or worse cheap-feeling. This unit is quite solid and it works as advertised, all the features I wanted, in a tidy package that doesn't take up too much space on a bedside table. Where things fall apart a little for me is in the human interface. Nothing to make me return it but I wish I had seen/touched one before I bought it.

Pros:

1. Radio and sound quality are good. The rear of the cabinet sports a small bass speaker with a tuned port firing on either side. Volume is fine for a bedside radio and sound is good if not hi-fi.

2. Excellent iPhone (3GS in my case) compatibility. Occasionally the phone gives one of Apples patented "This device is not designed to work with iPhone" messages but I bet it's a connector-mating thing because the two ARE compatible and work as advertised. You can wake to iPhone music, to a buzzer or to radio.

3. The dock accepts Apple Universal adapters. I got an adapter (white sadly) with the case I bought for my iPhone and it makes for a nice trim fit that supports the phone well while docked. Slides away neatly when not in use too.

Cons (No deal breakers but things I feel are less than perfect):

1. The front face is blank of buttons except for 4 curious touch-activated switches top-right that select basic modes: radio, ipod etc. These are a little uncertain in operation but not bad. I imagine they could be troublesome for thicker fingers? Time-set, alarm set, station presets and other less-used controls are behind the flat front on the main body of the unit. Pretty standard stuff. The most often used controls (volume, snooze, tune etc. ) are on the top edge, in fact they ARE the top edge of the unit. They can be hard to tell apart in the dark but sense memory is a wonderful thing. Undocking the iPhone is a little awkward because your natural instinct is to undock the iPhone with a finger as a lever on the top edge just where the large Snooze bar is located.

2. Setting the wake times is easy enough but the nap and sleep modes are counterintuitive to setup and even worse to cancel.

3. The blurb boasts of "auto-timeset" but don't be fooled into thinking of atomic clock signals from Denver or sideband information from a PBS station. Basically they set the clock at the factory and inserted AA batteries to keep it going. When you first plug it in you choose your US timezone and it magically seems to know the time. Remove the batteries however and it's flashing digits like every other clock :-(

4. The clock display has two brightness levels though some may think even the dim setting too bright at night. More troubling for me is the limited viewing angle. Like most displays this one is designed for maximum clarity and contrast when viewed from above. Sadly when lying in bed most people will be either level or below the line of the display, making it harder to read.

So that's it. Not entirely comprehensive but hopefully useful. Regarding price, I think it's very reasonable for the quality of the unit but I would certainly like a more imaginitive color scheme :-)

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good little system, daughter loves it. Sound is much bigger than it looks. Charges ipod while playing and radio automatically sets time(atomically I assume) Easy controls , she loves how the ipod mount pops out when you push it. Not sure if it was worth the walmart $69 pricetag, but a nice little alarm clock and ipod player. Kinda looks like a small executive system. (also has auxillary jack for other mp3 players). RCA---American made and still making good quality products. Daughter just showed me the lights on the top right front( for ipod, radio, functions)are actually buttons you can push, ,,,neat.

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I am more than happy with my purchase of this iPod alarm clock radio. It is just the right size and fits perfectly on my night stand with a ton of extra space.

It is actually smaller in footprint than my previous iHome IH9 iPod Alarm Clock. And I actually like this unit better than that one.

The appearance is very professional with a silver metal and plastic finish on the front with black on the rear. Sound quality is above average for this class of product, although I am not quite sure if it beats the iHome, but it is definitely very close in quality.

I also like how they use touch controls on the front of the unit for: iPod, Radio, AUX, and Off. The AUX input is obviously a huge plus as you can play any media player that has a typical head phone jack on it.

The controls are very simple, to set an alarm only requires one button push (or two or three of same button if you want to be waken up by the iPod or AUX).

The only thing that is somewhat annoying is the fact that the deeper controls are recessed behind the front and kind of hard to figure out if your not looking directly over them.

Other than that I am very happy with my new iPod alarm clock. I got it at a great price and I would definitely recommend it at this price as well as the iHome is nearly $30 more expensive than this one.

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Shopped for a radio/charger for my iphone. The iHome was expensive at stores for over $100. Also it's bulky. I only have a small counter space left for a bathroom radio and this one fits perfectly. Sounds good too. I love that I can now listen to Pandora radio when I'm getting ready in the mornings. I'm glad this isn't my bedroom clock radio because the blue power light which is on even in the off position (blue lights over the input-ex; ipod, radio, aux, off. I have to keep my master bathroom door closed since it's so bright. On the upside, it serves as a nightlight if I have to go to the bathroom. Other than that I love it for my purposes. Price is right!

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This item looks great sleek and well designed appearance. The blue lights are shockingly bright at night, even after they have been dimmed. I also have difficulty making it work with my iPhone sometimes. That said, the dual alarm feature is great and I really like the "nap" option. I'd recommend it, but not if you need absolute darkness to sleep and plan to use your iPhone through it regularly (fine w/ iPod).

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