Samsung i900 Omnia Unlocked Phone with 8 GB Memory, 5 MP Camera, GPS, Wi-Fi, Windows Mobile 6.1, and

Samsung i900 Omnia Unlocked Phone with 8 GB Memory, 5 MP Camera, GPS, Wi-Fi, Windows Mobile 6.1, and MicroSD Slot--International Version No WarrantyI am glad I bought this phone. I fell in love with it since I got it out of the box.

PROS:

* Slim design, executive look

* Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional (great improvement)

* AGPS. 100% accurate when you choose My Location. Associated with

google maps is an A+. (Why pay for something that is already part of the

phone...That goes for you VERIZON!!!!).

* Opera Browser works great (sorry Internet Explorer)

* Touchscreen is very responsive (if you do not want screen to vibrate,

you can disable it in SETTINGS.

* Stylus, I do not use it. my fingers do the job excellent.

* Push E-Mail. I get all my emails from work, POP accounts, Gmail, (which

is already integrated in the phone), and of course windows live

messenger.

* Video player is very good, good resolution, great audio. (One thing

I dicovered today is that I can listen to Internet radio, WOW!!)

* My 5 Faves...NOT REALLY, but keep reading, (in this case 4 faves, yes, one of the widgets lets you add 4

people you call the most just like my five faves.) I am using my Omnia

with T-mobile and this came very handy.)

* Microsoft Office, YES! you have Excel, Word, Power Point. All 3 are

mobile version, you can read and edit any documents as you wish. you

also can read .pdf files, isn't that something?? you will love this

phone.

CONS:

* I personaly, don't have any negative comments on this phone, but I will

mention one that I know bothers some people out there, that is:

NO 3G Network compatibility in the USA. This phone was made exclusively

for Asia and Europe and their 3G works on a different band. But I tell

you one thing, Internet over EDGE is very good, so I really don't care

at all about 3G speed. So keep this in mind....NO 3G in the USA.

Over All, this is a great phone. you will have to take your time to play with it to find all its features and how to make them work for you. Don't get frustrated if you don't get it to work the way you want the first time. It took me a good week to figure this phone out and now I am very excited I chose this phone. Iphone is a thing of the past, which I never had but my friends have it and some of them are not too happy with it, plus, they got stuck in a contract. Here you don't have to do that.

Thank you SAMSUNG for this phone.

I have include this link called Omnia i900 The Whole Nine Yards

This will make you take a final decision to get this phone or not.

Hope it helps, like it helped me to get this phone

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_i900_omnia-review-267.php

Thanks! and let me know what you think.

I decided to stay with Verizon instead of switching to ATT to go with the Apple Iphone.

I am an early adapter, I picked my omnia over the blackberry storm when both had just come out in january 09.

The Omnia offered far better processing speed, immensley better use of the touch screen technology, better screen resolution, full version of MS office rather than just a viewer and the use of Internet Explorer Mobile for internet viewing as well as Opera (not able to view all internet pages).

The camera was superior, the integration with outlook was phenominal and the bundled apps were perfect.

Learning curve on the Keyboard was tough but manageable.

Althouth I believe this product is electronically far superior to the Iphone and Storm, there are some serious issues that have not and probably will never be resolved as Samsung is already moving on to their next "superphone" without resolution of problems with this one and Microsoft has already (at the announcement of this phone) announced the release date of Windows Mobile 7.0..

Although the Iphone is slower and has less memory, it has a far more predictable speed allowing for constant rate of typing and response . . the Omnia like anything running Windows bogs down over the course of the day making the search and input speed vary. This is fine until you figure out how to use the keyboard to do email and are maddly typing only to find that the phone is three letters behind you...A simple reset solves the issue but . . . . you dont have to reset an Iphone every day!

The battery life is no where near advertized. If I unplug the phone at 7AM it starts complaining that a recharge is necessary by 5PM . . just in time for the evening commuteheck of a time for the cell phone to run out!

If you are accessing the internet or listenting to music or a movie, you get about 6 hrs before the low battery alarm starts chiming.

Standby time is about 36 hrs lot of good that does though!

Apple had similar issues with their phones and worked some fixes on the early ones, Samsung has no intention.

When you are on a high call day . .or watching a video on the phone, the phone gets hot . . my IR thermometer says over 103 degrees . . .Samsung says this is normal and fine . . .dont know about that as there is a Lithium Polymer battery in there and that is getting hot too.

I have had two phones and they both acted the same way, this is a design issue not a particular unit.

The biggest reason to think carefully about the purchase of this phone is that there are NO aftermarket apps that mix well with Mobile 6.1 and none on the horizon that are reasonable.

I tried to find a calculator to figure time cards, the Blackberry progam was 9.99, the palm version was 4.99, the Iphone app was 9.99 and the windows mobile version with no promise of compatibility with 6.1 was 49.99.

Check on Amazon, downloads.com and try to find aftermarket software for windows 6. . . .not much . . .

Go to Apple Store and see how many apps are out there for Iphone . . heck, there is even an app that allows you to use it as a flute!

I like the Omnia even with it's faults but wish I had known then what I know now . . If you have no intention of doing anything other than what this phone has built into it, then it is better than an Iphone. If you want to watch movies and listen to tunes, have some odd and end games for the train ride home at night, then dont waste your time with this phone, buy an Iphone.

Buy Samsung i900 Omnia Unlocked Phone with 8 GB Memory, 5 MP Camera, GPS, Wi-Fi, Windows Mobile 6.1, and Now

First, I bought this phone thinking that it would resolve the problems I was having with my treo 750...HA! It has created more problems than solutions. Touch screen doesn't respond as you would expect and as stated in other reviews the widgets are small and sometimes hard to manage.

I was so excited to get this phone, windows mobile 6, great internet, email, on and on. It states in the phone review that this phone is compatable with microsoft voice command. That isn't the case, at least not for my i900. I used voice command with my treo 750 and it worked great so I just assumed it would work with the i900...it does not. So while you can receive calls thru the blue tooth headset, you can not make a call and that is huge for me. This is definitely a big negative.

It won't send picture messages as advertised, at least not with T-mobile. Texting and email work fine. If the email is set up correctly thru your phone service it works great and you can either receive emails automatically, set it up to retrieve them every few hours or get them when manually requested .

I guess that if I had done a better job of researching the pros and cons of purchasing a phone made in Asia, I might have waited. You won't get any help from Samsung USA as they just give you the excuse that since the phone is European, they do not support it in the US. As a matter of fact, you get that excuse almost anywhere you turn for support.

Read Best Reviews of Samsung i900 Omnia Unlocked Phone with 8 GB Memory, 5 MP Camera, GPS, Wi-Fi, Windows Mobile 6.1, and Here

23 more months. I too have a Samsung Omnia. As you read the reviews everyone sings the praises of all the "features" of this phone. I bought this phone for 2 thingsto take and make cell calls and to access Excel spreadsheets when I'm in the field.

Load up a spread sheet and you can see 2-3 rows and 2-3 columns which is fine until the data is spread out over 4-6 rows/columns. Guess I'll keep toting my laptop.

Now the calls you want to put the call on speaker? First you have to hit the little mouse pad to remove the stupid black box, then hit the speaker button -Oh, I'm sorry did I lose the call?

Did you miss a call? I don't know. First you have to pick up the phone shake it repeatedly to switch back to portrait, enter your security code then you may see a box that tells you a phone number. Does it tell you what time or if they left a voice mail no that would be too convenient.

If you are thinking it may be time to upgrade your phone I strongly recommend you go into the providers store and get a "hands-on" experience because it may just turn out the phone doesn't do the simple things. 23 more months, sigh.

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I have given this phone 8 months before finally admitting it's the worse handset I have ever owned. 8 months...of resetting, crashing, hanging, fixing .. I doubt I have enough room here to list the problems I have had, so let's think of a few of the more annoying ones, starting with WinMo 6.1 (need I say more)..the fact that syncing music is a nightmare because when you sync 4GB of music the phone "tricks" itself it is full and you can't use the camera ...the Touch Player is only marginally better than the Windows Mobile player..the touch screen sticks or scrolls uncontrollably, the phone/dial screen locks in seconds making it cumbersome to use the keypad in touchtone calls..having to unlock every few seconds, the sms and email notfications decide when they're going to work if at all..the email app seems totally unable to sync with an MS Exchange Server...you have to constantly remove tasks in the task manager to save on battery and processing memory, it doesn't like 3rd party apps or shells...the stylus hanging from the phone without a cradle was bound to break off sometime (and it did)..the animation/rotation has a mind of its own even when you've altered the settings. The clock and alarm apps decide they're only going to work when THEY want to...the Opera app decides it can't run at all because despite what the memory status is telling you , it thinks there is no more memory left...there is much much more..I had a 2G iphone for a year before the iphone was released here and even with the restrictions I had network-wise made that a more functional handset...I did/do not want another iphone because I wanted a phone that had "more features"...but seriously, I cnanot beleive that I haven't yet launched this Omnia into a wall..

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Casio WS300-1EV Men's Full LCD Ana-Digi Illuminator Sport Watch

Casio WS300-1EV Men's Full LCD Ana-Digi Illuminator Sport WatchWhen I ordered this watch I did it because I saw this watch has features I need and maybe more than that. I was right.

First of all, I like dual time watch because I like to know exact time in other time zone.

Moreover, I don't want to ask someone for exact date. I want to have it on my watch. This watch also has useful feature lap memory which helps me when I run arround socer field because I often forget how many laps I made. And, one unexpected but very good feature is auto illumitator which helps me to see the time when my both hands are busy.

It is also water resistant which means a lot when I swim.

In short this watch is perfect for my needs and it is also very cheap.

i need a watch w/ a second hand (i'm a physician, and take pulses all the time). my "good" watch a le coultre i inherited from my dad needed to go in the shop for a while. i got this to use while it was gone.

i'm *amazed* by its accuracy. i have a few clocks that automatically sync to naval observatory time, and i sometimes call the official u.s. naval observatory time message at 202-762-1069. this watch has both a digital and an analog component, and the digital part has not gained or lost a second in several months! the analog (not synced w/ the digital, like my intelliquartz) has lost about a second every two weeks!

it's easy to reset the analog part, since the second hand stops when the stem is pulled out. and the blue backlighting is great especially the feature that allows you to put it in "position sensitive mode" and have it light up when you raise the face towards vertical to check the time. |< [] [] |_ !!!

my highest recommendation: it's now my daily watch. 5 stars.

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Had this watch about two weeks. It's very light and comfortable to wear. Always shows the digital date and time, which is nice. I think it looks good, but you'll judge for yourself on that. It has a very pretty back-light, and can be set to automatically light-up when moved into "reading position". This actually works very well, although I doubt I'll ever use it. (The autolight feature automatically disables after a few hours to conserve battery.) As for durability, only time will tell, but Casio has a good rep in this department, so I expect at least a few years. Most likely it will last until I scratch up the face beyond all readability.

Read Best Reviews of Casio WS300-1EV Men's Full LCD Ana-Digi Illuminator Sport Watch Here

I have always liked Casio products. This WS300 watch is great. One feature I like is the user friendly size of the digital windows. They to see and read and yet the analog face is not obscured. Additionally, the watch arrived running and good operating order. The instruction booklet is adequate for setting up the watch.

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amazing watch waterproof and illuminates, only thing is when you shake the watch it makes a ringy noise but does not affect the watch.

Craig Retro iPod/iPhone Docking Clock Radio (CMB3215)

Craig Retro iPod/iPhone Docking Clock Radio
  • Retro design iPod/iPhone docking alarm clock radio with digital FM radio
  • LCD digital read-out display with blue backlight
  • Snooze and sleep function - wake to alarm or radio
  • Connect non-docking iPod/iPhone, CD players and other MP3 players via aux in jack
  • Included assorted adaptors and remote control

What good is an alarm clock when you can't see the clock at night? When the unit is off, not playing music, the clock display is not back lit. Who designed this thing???

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I bought this for my granddaughter as a Christmas gift. She had specifically asked for this one because she has a friend who has it and she liked theirs. She is thrilled with it. It is exactly as advertised. It also arrived quickly.

Read Best Reviews of Craig Retro iPod/iPhone Docking Clock Radio (CMB3215) Here

My daughter loves the look of this clock radio but it gets really poor reception for the radio stations. So she only uses it for docking her i phone.

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Not sure what I ever did without this clock radio. I want one for every room in my home! Big box sound.

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The product is okay as a radio, but the add needs to mention which versions of iPod/iPhones this product works with.

iHome iP90SZC iP90 Dual Alarm Clock Radio with iPhone/iPod Dock (Silver)

iHome iP90SZC iP90 Dual Alarm Clock Radio with iPhone/iPod DockHi,

It's a functional alarm clock and does the basics well. Given it's footprint, I was

expecting the sound quality of it to be better. I may be spoiled because I have a Bose

iPod/iPhone system and it sounds great .. and is about the same size overall.

The iP90 has a very muffled/muddy tone to it.

Also, the machining on the front grill is a little cheap looking.

So, I'm kind of "meh" with this product.

This was a gift to my Grandson. He loves it and it works perfectly!! He especially loves all the features of the Radio!!

GREAT PRODUCT!!!

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The radio has all the features I need. The power cord is long enough to reach the socket and the adapter is compact. reception is good and the price is right.

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Great Sound, affordable price (I bought in about $60). If anything, I'd have liked the front mesh quality better on edges... But it's just appearance). Great product!!

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I bought this alarm clock for one of my daughter's for Christmas. It's a fantastic product that has good sound for it's size, is an actual docking device, and comes with two different alarms with options for Weekday-only, Weekends, Every day, etc.

The only problem, is that the dock broke (a room full of girls, don't ask me how, but I don't blame the device), so now I'm trying to get a replacement docking PCB for it. But other than that, worth every penny.

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Tivoli Audio SongBook AM / FM Alarm Clock Travel Radio, Yellow

Tivoli Audio SongBook AM / FM Alarm Clock Travel Radio, Yellow
  • Outstanding AM/FM Reception
  • AM/FM for North America /Europe
  • Digital alarm clock and sleep function
  • Plays on AC,Alkaline/NiMH/NiCAD batteries, 12V
  • Weather resistant for use outdoors

The new Tivoli Songbook is one sweet, versatile radio. I was reluctant to order it because it was brand new model and I couldn't find any reviews, but I'm glad I overcame my reluctance and purchased this radio. I consider it expensive for an AM/FM radio so I expect serious performance for the money--I was not disappointed. It's Tivoli, so I expected sound quality and Tivoli delivers. The sound isn't quite as full as the Model One, but it's more than adequate. For talk radio, it's simply the best sound I've heard from any radio.

One reason I hesitated purchasing was because I planned to use this as a table radio more than a travel radio--the lack of external antenna jacks was a concern because I have trouble with AM reception in my area. The real surprise was the reception--this small radio locked on and pulled in signals that I have trouble pulling in with some of my better radios like the GE Superadio or Grundig Satellit 800--all while delivering a clear, clean signal. Admittedly, I'm not a DXer, and I'm not suggesting this is the radio for that purpose, but it's performance, particularily on AM, is impressive for such a small package.

Performance was great using the aux input on a Sirius tuner as well as MP3 and CD.

Overall, it has the look and feel--as well as performance--of a quality product.

One thing that you should be aware of--this model uses an outboard transformer--a relatively large wall wart. That negates some of the travel versatility, IMO, but isn't a problem for home use. One of the smart design features is the wall hang slot on the back--I promptly mounted the thing over my nightstand and cleared off the space formerly eaten up by my cheap, tinny sounding clock radio.

It's a rare day that a product meets my expectations, much less exceeds them, but this is a great radio!

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As a long-time enthusiast for the Tivoli Audio PAL radios (and owner of four of them), I was eager to try the new SongBook. But when I tried the SongBook next to a PAL, I discovered that the SongBook is inferior in every way.

(1) The SongBook is WAY too big for a travel radio; you can't tell from an isolated picture, but the SongBook is as tall as the PAL, and actually larger (the volume of a PAL is only 85% of the volume of a SongBook). The SongBook is very easily tipped over, and hard to pick up in one hand without changing the station; the PAL is very stable, and has convenient depressions for carrying it with one hand. A PAL fits into most briefcases more easily than a SongBook. [The PAL is 82.5 cubic inches (1,360 cc); the SongBook is 94.0 cubic inches (1,540 cc).]

(2) The SongBook is also actually heavier than the PAL! I weighed my PAL against my SongBook, both with batteries installed, both without power cord. The PAL weighs 1 pound 14 ounces (850 grams). The SongBook weighs 2 pounds 1/2 ounce (910 grams). A very curious "travel radio".

(3) The legendary audio quality of the PAL has been eroded in the SongBook. The SongBook does not have the same clear sound of the PAL, and has an annoying hum (the PAL does not). I notice the hum in the SongBook particularly through headphones. (Comparisons were made with a PAL and a SongBook side by side, tuned to the same station.)

(4) A small but important design blunder is that the SongBook does NOT charge its batteries when it is turned on; by contrast, the PAL charges its batteries whenever it is plugged in, turned on or not. This means that you can run the PAL all day on batteries, and also listen to it all night while it recharges. The SongBook won't do that, you cannot listen while it charges; if you turn it on, recharging stops. You have to stop listening to the SongBook to recharge it. This is both irritating and counter-intuitive. The PAL "just works".

(5) The alarm and time functions of the SongBook are very basic; you will do better with a very small travel clock. And the display for time and alarm is far inferior to most small travel alarms. (Also, if you run out the battery completely listening to the radio, you will lose your time and alarm settings for the clock--a bad interaction of functions, since if you run out the battery while sleeping your alarm won't go off.)

(6) Other functions of the SongBook are not improved over the PAL: it has the same headphone jack, the same AUX input jack, the built-in battery charger using a cord and wall wart, the same telescoping antenna. The PAL is every bit as useful as a powered speaker for a computer, MP3 player, CD player, etc. (more useful because it's easier to move around and handle). The nice "weather-resistant" rubbery coating on the case of the SongBook (also useful inside, and easy to clean) is the same as used on the PAL, no advantage.

(7) The SongBook does allow you to save stations on five preset buttons. This, however, is partly offset by the fact that when you pick up the radio you will likely hit one of the buttons and change the station. The PAL uses a round dial to control tuning, but actual station-tuning is just as digitally-precise on the PAL (and a real pleasure).

(8) The PAL includes a special rechargeable battery, installed in the radio at purchase, replacements sold by Tivoli on the web. The SongBook uses six AA rechargeable batteries, not included, but widely available. This opens the possibility of using AA alkaline batteries in the SongBook in a pinch--but what sort of pinch makes rechargeable batteries stop working suddenly? They wear out slowly; so that's not very useful. And in order to use alkaline batteries in the SongBook, a tiny and nearly invisible switch hidden inside the battery compartment must be moved (which seems easy to overlook), so as not to damage the radio. For what it's worth, the batteries in my PALs seem to last much longer on a charge than the six AA rechargeables I got for the SongBook, even after half a dozen complete discharges and recharges (different AA rechargeables can vary, but mine are supposed to be good ones for this use).

(9) Curiously, the SongBook requires that another nearly invisible switch hidden inside the battery compartment be moved in order to change the spacing of AM stations for tuning in North America versus Europe. But I have carried PAL radios both ways (bought in North America and used in Europe, and bought in Europe and used in North America) and listened to AM stations without needing to make any such adjustment.

The Tivoli Audio PAL is such a wonderful product that it would be hard to improve on, and the SongBook definitely is no improvement. By all means, buy a PAL! You'll love it.

Buy a PAL, and along with it buy a travel clock which is smaller than 11 cubic inches and weighs less than 2 1/2 ounces. You'll have a setup superior in every way, for home, for business, and for travel.

Read Best Reviews of Tivoli Audio SongBook AM / FM Alarm Clock Travel Radio, Yellow Here

When my nearly 20 year old Sony Dream Machine cube style alarm clock radio finally gave out I decided to go in search of the best night stand alarm clock radio money could buy. The requirements were design style, sound quality, reception, ease of use, and a back light that goes completely off so that I can sleep at night. After a good deal of research I zeroed in on the Tivoli SongBook ($159) and the Sangean Sonido ($99). After trying both, here's what I've found:

The Tivoli SongBook has very attractive, modern styling (I prefer the black model), exceptional sound quality (like having a $1,000 Bose next to my bed), terrific reception (I don't even need to extend the antenna to get my favorite radio station clearly), very easy to set/update the clock and alarm times, and a back light which thankfully goes completely off. I took one star off for the SongBooks negatives the alarm must be turned on everyday buy pushing down and holding the alarm button for a few seconds (easy to do, but I fear the day that I forget), no alarm snooze (I just turn the volume down), and the display, with or without it's beautiful blue back light turned on, is small and difficult to read, even from only a foot or so away while lying in bed.

The Sangean Sonido looks nice, though not as attractive a design as the SongBook, cost's $59 less than the SongBook, has a more readable screen than the SongBook (with back light that goes completely off), has an alarm snooze, and has an alarm that stays on from day to day. While I haven't made my final decision yet on which to keep, I'm strongly leaning toward the SongBook given the Sonido's shortcomings to get my favorite station clearly I must extend the antenna directly upwards creating an unsightly mess, while better than a Sony Dream Machine the speaker audio quality is only about half as good as the SongBooks (I think this is what spoiled it for me), and even though the display is nicer when the radio alarm sounds the display shows the radio station number, not the time!

I hope Tivoli will improve the alarm functions in a future SongBook model update, until then I think it's still worth the $159 price tag (as long as I'm not late for a meeting because I forgot to turn the alarm on!)

Update: In the end I decided to go with the Sonido. I exchanged my first unit and the replacement had much better audio quality (though still not as good as the SongBook). The reception remains less than stellar, but while using the SongBook I was late for a meeting because of it's lack of full alarm function features, so it had to go.

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I've got a few of the Tivoli products and the SongBook shares the same great audio as its siblings. I bought the white color and after a few months there were some brownish stains developing beneath the rubberized surface. These could not be cleaned. They were faded streaks that seemed to be developing from beneath the coating. The only thing I could imagine is these were caused by recharging the batteries, for the unit becomes warm while doing so and the marks were in that vicinity. I contacted Tivoli and without question, they automatically offered a free replacement---FANTASTIC customer support! I'm presently awaiting this new unit (also in white, I guess because of warranty policy) so perhaps the issue has been solved. In order to be safe, I'd probably order the unit in another color. The radio is worth its price and Tivoli gets top honors for their support!

With iPod auxiliary, premium speaker, and above average AM/FM reception, the Songbook is an attractive radio. I've had mine for 3 years. It locks on stations well. The speaker is not overwhelming in volume or bass but produces a warm sound. The speaker is not as rich as Tivoli's brother, the Model One, but the Songbook, perhaps because of its telescopic antenna, gets far better FM reception. One of the advantages of the silver color is that it is aluminum, not rubber like the other colors and the rubber radios hold dirt, which is not easy to clean.

If the Songbook is too pricey for you, you can get similar speaker sound and superior AM/FM reception from the similarly sized Sangean PR-D7 (3-inch mono speaker) or the Sangean PR-D5 (2.5-inch dual stereo speakers).

Insignia NS-CL01 Clock Radio and Ipod

Insignia NS-CL01 Clock Radio and Ipod
  • Wake up to your favorite tunes with this clock radio that features a dock for your iPod. With 2 alarms and a snooze/sleep button, this clock radio will help get you going in the morning.
  • # Compatible with most Apple iPod models, including nano, mini, photo, 4th-generation iPod, 5th-generation iPod, classic and touch (iPhone compatible with audio output only)
  • # Dual alarms can be set to different times# Sleep function and snooze button# AM/FM tuner with 20 presets (10 AM, 10 FM)# Charges your iPod (by adapter only)# Green backlit LCD

I purchased two of these, one for each child as they were each getting a nano for Christmas. One worked fine, right out of the box and still works to this day (six months later). The other when first plugged in did nothing. So we returned it for another and the second one worked for about three months. Then all of a sudden it was just dead.

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This was a total waste of money. I bought this item for my six year old to use with her ipod. She likes to fall asleep to music and also wake up to it. I thought this would be the perfect product...HOWEVER, the alarm doesn't work and the lowest volume level is too loud to fall asleep to. The radio also allows you to program stations but there are no controls to allow you to skip to the stations you have programmed in.

Initially the alarm clock did work just not with the ipod, then the alarm setting to wake up to the radio stopped working and now none of the alarm settings work.

My advice is to spend a little extra cash and buy one that might actually do what it's supposed to.

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I finally remembered to pick up a new radio alarm, which means that this one will be receiving its long-deserved capital punishment for the crime of existing. Let me elaborate:

1. Smallest snooze button EVERhard to find with your eyes closed,

2. All of the buttons on top are actually hard to find in the dark. They are all right next to each other, and each button is only about 1/8 by 1/2 inch. Yikes! I can't even tell you how many times I pressed the wrong button.

3. Tuningno quick and easy way to go about it; you have to go through each station by repressing the tuning button a thousand times. And NO way to go easily from preset to preset. An old-fashioned radio dial would have worked better than this set-up.

4. Speaking of presets, sometimes the station that I'm trying to set "takes" and sometimes it doesn't. I'm sure that I could find the instructions again online but really-this should be intuitive. I've never had any problems setting the stations with any other radio. Why were my stations not setting in the memory 100% of the time? Who knows. Sometimes I would try 10 times before the station would "set".

I think I bought this because I wanted something with an ipod hookup. It was not worth it.

Bottom line-DO NOT buy this, you will wind up late and sorry!!

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I recently bought one at Best Buy @ $40.00; I can see I would've saved a lot shopping here. Be that as it may, it does everything it promises to do but only with mediocrity. It has dual alarms, but the controls and buttons are somewhat confusing. I don't want to have to keep the instruction manual handy as a reference everytime I use the thing, but so far that is what is necessary. My specific misgivings are these:

1) It does not have an independent sleep/alarm volume. Whatever volume you choose to have your falling-asleep music (for me, my New Age mix) is the volume the radio will go off in the morning. And if you're a heavy sleeper like me, that may not be loud enough.

2) The alarm/radio comes on for 20 minutes and then turns off; my last unit ran for 60 minutes. This means that if I fall back to sleep then I'd better catch myself pretty soon because the unit will fall silent within 20 minutes, after which I'll really be in trouble.

3) It doesn't have a remote. I keep my alarm clock across the room so I have to get up and deal with it eventually, but sometimes it's nice to change songs or volume or whatever without having to go over there. I didn't think I'd miss the remote that much.

I like its small size and the sound is OK.

Again, it does what it says it will, but it's a mediocre product. I wish I'd gotten it for what Amazon is selling it for.

I have had this dock for 8 months now and I am very pleased. I use it with my iPod Nano. The sound is great. My only real complaint is that when I use the iPod feature as my alarm clock, it doesn't keep playing song after song. But, I only use it to "start" waking me up and use the buzzer as my real alarm clock. We got it for a good price at Christmas time and have found it to be well worth the money.

Magnasonic MAAC500 AM/FM Projection Clock Radio with WakeUp! Battery Backup Alarm, Jumbo 1.2 inch LE

Magnasonic MAAC500 AM/FM Projection Clock Radio with WakeUp! Battery Backup Alarm, Jumbo 1.2 inch LED Display, SelfSet Auto Time Set & Dual Alarm
  • Reliable WakeUpTMAlarm - Rest assured that your alarm will still sound even during a power failure
  • SelfSetTM Auto Time Set - Automatically displays the correct time/date when plugged in and after power loss
  • Convenient 180° swivel projection so you can see the time on your wall or ceiling
  • Customizable Alarm Schedule - Set independent alarm time for weekday and weekend
  • Jumbo 1.2" white LED display for time, day, month and year

Bought this clock for my wife in order to replace an older one from another company. The old clock kept resetting it's time and date over night on random days causing her to wake up late. This new clock from Magnasonic is great. It's hard buying things like this online because it's something I would really like to see and feel before buying but it was such a great price that I went ahead and ordered one. Plus I've never had problems with returns on Amazon before. There was no need to return it though, my wife really liked the clock. The only thing she didn't like about it that her previous clock had was that it doesn't display the time of the alarm clock without pressing a button to check it. Her previous alarm clock would have the time and the alarm displayed at the same time. One reviewer before mentioned that the volume and tuner knobs were sensitive, we didn't find this to be true on the one we got. It has good enough resistance that it doesn't just slip easily.

Pros:

-Big Display

-3 LCD Brightness settings (Dim, High, and Off)

-Dual Alarm

-small foot print

-Wall/Ceiling Display

-Buzzer and Radio Alarm

-Wall/Ceiling Display stays on when LCD is turned off.

-comes with internal lithium back-up battery

Cons:

-Wish it had a digital tuner.

-Some buttons are hard to read (small text)

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I like this product, but it has one serious and one modest flaw. Yes, it's small and handsomely designed. Yes, it's an excellent value. But I do have two wishes: (1) I wish it was easier to set the time that either of the two alarms will ring -the instruction manual is useless in this regard; and (2) I wish the display showed the frequency and band (AM vs. FM) of the station the radio was tuned to as it is now you need good lighting to see the frequencies molded into the dial.

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I couldn't be happier with this clock it does everything I hopped it would and more.

I was replacing an Oregon Scientific projection alarm clock that the projection had broken in. This on does everything better than my old "OS" alarm, here's a list:

It's easier to set

It's small but I can still read number without my glasses

projection not too bright the old clock projection was so bright my wife would complain it was keeping her awake

numbers are dim-able

alarm comes on soft then escalates it's not jarringly loud at first, it builds to more frequent beeps

Anyway I'm very happy the other reviews almost made me not buy this but compared to other similarly priced clocks this thing is perfect for me.

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I purchased the MAAC500 specifically for the time projection feature which my Wife needed for night observation. It has worked well, however, the digital display which I have on a bedroom wall has become a slight problem. The digits, which when all lit show 8's. When you are reading the time, the contrast between the lit digits and the unlit digits that give the time is not enough to distinguish what time it is. It takes a concerted effort to figure out the time. I'm not sure if it was this way on day one or it has deteriorated in two months. Otherwise it works fine.

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When I bought this I was looking for a projection clock radio that automatically set the time, had battery backup, and that also wasn't too bright. I bought this one because it said the alarm would go off even if the power is out. I hate oversleeping.

For some reason when the clock initially set its time it was off by about 10 minutes. Weird, huh? I was able to set it to the correct time manually, but it has gradually worked its way up to being 10 minutes slow again. How is this even possible? We have 2 other clocks that set themselves by radio and they display the correct time. I guess adjusting my alarm time is easier than returning the stupid thing, but very annoying.

The projection display is very readable and can be switched 180 degrees but not 90 or 270. You can also adjust to display the time directly above the clock or in an arc perpendicular to the clock along the ceiling or wall.

The radio is terrible. I found it very difficult to tune in the station I wanted and the sound quality is awful even for a news channel and to a non-audiophile like me.

I liked that there are several alarm setting choices.

I find the display too bright even on the dim setting. The clock faces me at eye level next to the bed and is too bright for that. I ended up covering it up at night and just using the projection display. Not ideal.

I like that the snooze button and the off button are not near each other so you can't mistakenly hit the wrong one.

I agree that it isn't easy to follow the instructions. I only got the alarm set properly after troubleshooting why it didn't go off the first two mornings I thought I'd had it set correctly.

So bottom line, even though I didn't return the clock, if I had it to do over I would purchase a different one and I will avoid this brand the next time I buy a clock.

MQ998 Cell Phone Watch Mobile 1.5" Quad Band Camera Mp3/4

MQ998 Cell Phone Watch Mobile 1.5' Quad Band Camera Mp3/4Update: the phone is broken. See comment to this review. I did get bluetooth to work well with two headsets, but it is useless now.

I was looking for a very small mobile phone when I happened on this baby and was hooked. Unfortunately, I got it in pink, not really my macho thing, but I am reconciled.

It works very well with a Tmobile SIM and there was no setup involved. I have a $15 a month plan and WAP is agonizingly slow, and I haven't figured out how to use it correctly yet. But that isn't a big concern.

The specs say it will work with a 4GB micro media card, but it seems to be working great with my 32GB card.

I primarily got this for jogging, just as a way to be able to make calls or send text messages. It does both well. The camera seems very primitive to me, but I don't care. I had to watch a video to find the stylus -my fingernail worked ok without it.

It works with a bluetooth headset but I found setup confusing. I have a Jabra BT3030. Pairing worked. I got a voice recording I made to play on my new Lenovo laptop using bluetooth -accidentally! I have not yet managed to hear music on the watch from the bt buds.

Non-bt buds came with the watch phone and work fine. But you have to plug them into the usb port which is awkward and risky if you are moving -that's why buying a bt headset is recommended.

Unfortunately, the built in FM radio requires the buds to be plugged in to the usb port to work, since it uses them as an antenna. Upshot: you probably won't use the FM radio much when on the move.

I found the sound recorder recording level very faint. I thought at first that sound playback was faint in general, but later I listened to Economist news stories and sound level was fine. The speaker of the watch is loud enough that you could call without using headphones of any sort in a pinch -you could hear the caller and the caller could hear you.

Text messages have a cute graphic when they arrive and a distinctive sound, as do phone calls.

The manual is written in that sometimes delightful fake English that is always awkward and often unclear.

The screen size is so small that reading ebooks seems an unlikely pastime, though an ebook reader is part of the software.

All in all, if you mainly want to call and text, this watch could be a blast, especially if you don't mind an occasional puzzle thrown in for free.

Apparently you can get this for less from non-Amazon sources. I think anything under $100 is a decent price.

+. colors of the screen

+.very complete

+ excellent camera

+. video recorder, video player.

+. not so big watch

+. good sound

+. battery durability

+. good pen

-. not games!!!!

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Although I do not have the cell phone feature working, yet, the watch does all that it promises after you buy the micro SD and the SIM card. Takes video, records sound, takes pictures, tells time. The screens are user friendly and make sense once you get the hang of it. The watch includes a stylus right in the wristband. The watch was set to English, instead of Chinese, which was helpful. The greatest negative was the lack of tech support. I learned by typing MQ998 on You tube.

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item was received within timeframe; however , it doesn't charge neither of the batteries work in the watch. So I'm not sure if the thing even works. Seller said they were going to send new batteries but I have never received them as of yet. Im over this thing I just want to send it all back and get my money refunded. Never had a bad experience from Amazon until this.

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Was a gift for a relitive. She was excited to get it and was using it all night. Not 100% sure much else about it.

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Nerf N105R Football Alarm Clock

Nerf N105R Football Alarm Clock
  • Wake-to Piezo Buzzer or Chip-based sounds
  • Cool football design with foam accents
  • Easy-to-read digital display
  • Adjustable alarm volume and large snooze button
  • Try me packaging
  • Cool Football Design
  • Foam Treatment
  • Wake To Chip-Based Sports Sounds Or Buzzer

We're able to set up the alarm but have trouble figuring out snooze and shut-off. My son and I would hit the off (?) button only to have it come back repeatedly. The alarm sound itself is an obnoxious and annoying beeping. It's cute and durable (my son's dropped it a few times), but not happy with it as an alarm clock.

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Like one of the other reviewers, I can't figure out how to set the alarm, either. In addition, the clock part isn't back-lit so my son can't see what time it is unless his light is on. Do not recommend purchasing this item.

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It's an AWESOME alarm clock with fun sounds!! The "demo mode" makes the 4 sounds and cycles through them with each press of the "Snooze" button. What's more, it has 2 sound level settings. I use "Hi" to wake me up every morning. And, waking up to these sounds is a LOT of fun. But, there's one small problem... it has to be close to the sleeper who owns it to wake him up! Otherwise, this alarm clock with a Nerf Football on top as the ACTUAL clock is a lot of fun!! I highly reccomend it. Just try not to lose the instructions! ;)

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Great for the little football enthusiasts. Looks durable and easy enough to for a child to use but mine did not work on arrival. My son is disappointed that I have to return this.

I got this for my husband as a gag christmas gift a few years ago. I guess the joke was on me since he actually uses the damn thing. Hearing the alarm going off every morning wakes me with a heart attack. He seems to enjoy it though.

JVC RV-NB70 Kaboom System for iPod with microphone and guitar inputs'

JVC RV-NB70 Kaboom System for iPod with microphone and guitar inputs'
  • 40W Total Power,Plays CD, CD-R/RW, MP3/WMA (CD-R/RW, USB)
  • iPod dock,FM tuner
  • Twin super woofers,3-3/16 (8cm) Full-Range Speakers
  • Twist Auto Lock Door,iPod dock
  • Clock,FM Digital Tuner with 30 Presets

Nice boom box, very satisfied with unit. Sound quality may not be perfect, but good enough and lots of bass with the sub-woofer. I'm not familiar with the original Kaboom so I can't compare the old vs the new. I wanted all the input options, USB, MP3 CD's, Itouch, etc. Mostly, I wanted a line-in so that meant I had to get the RV-NB70 instead of the NB50 model. The guitar/mic input may get used for karaoke some day. The strap included is awkward to use, mostly due the size of the unit. I decided to get a duffel bag for it and padded the inside. That way I have a pocket for all the accessories. I haven't found a way to play material in a random fashion from the USB or CD yet, not sure if a way to do that exists. It would be nice if it could.

The only problem I've had is that I could NOT find a car cord for this Kaboom! The CA-R150 cord can't be found anywhere. Called JVC customer service and was told nothing exists in the catalog for a dc-in cable. So I went searching for something to use. I found the plug here.

Great Amazon deletes URL's Why? So it was supposed to say cordsplus . com Anyways search for the Philmore 255 plug

3.3mm x 5.5mm Power Plug With 1mm Center Pin Philmore 255 Part #1783 $8.39

Then I wanted to be able to clamp on to a battery and have some versatility so I used banana jacks on the other end. This way I can use a cigarette lighter converter like this: ( This was a RadioShack Enercell(tm) Vehicle Adapter Plug w/ Banana Jacks Catalog #: 270-036) or switch to use a terminal clamp to attach to a battery. rcaccessory . com / 12vclampswbananaplugs-new

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Just ordered this Kaboom for my wife, she's a cheer coach and needed something that will not distort at louder volume and can fill large areas for practices, like a gym. She hasn't used it yet in the gym, but set up at home was a pretty impressive experience. This thing is loud.

Positives:

1. Docks & Charges iPhone, iPods. Music plays right through it and with the remote you can control FF and REW within a song. Only functions for controlling iPhone/iPod on the actual boombox are play/pause. So don't lose the remote!

2. Loud! Bass knob on left, volume on right. Large, easy to turn knobs with numbers of volume on blue LCD screen. Subwoofers on ends are protected by metal screens. I'm not an audiophile, so to me this thing sounds pretty good.

3. Smart doors! CD door and iPhone/iPod dock door have a nifty little twist to open feature. I've had portables before that all you have to do is push to open, so consequently any time you bump the doors they open. Not the case here, I like their set up.

4. This has an auxilary/line in, in addition to a 1/4" guitar jack. I'm not sure why JVC wouldn't advertise the Aux In, as people care more about that now days. There's one on there!

5. Easy layoutbuttons on the front are there, big enough, simple to use.

6. Not too heavy.

Negatives:

1. There are some features that can only be accessed through the remote, so don't lose it. Which brings me to #2-

2. No remote dock! Portable stereo? Yes. Big in size? Yes. So why not slim the remote down a little and make a docking slot for it on the unit so I don't have to put on sticky velcro and ghetto it up.

3. PriceFor this price (paid $270) it performs, but is missing some of these important features listed, lending a four star rating over five.

4. NO FREAKING CORD WRAP! Come on! I couldn't believe that a portable system, with a SHOULDER STRAP for crying out loud, would not have some kind of power cord wrap on it. Give me a break. Especially at this price, it's a major oversight. This combined with a missing remote dock/storage option is enough to make me want to give it 3 stars.

5. Not a huge fan of the plastics used. Here's what I'd lovetough trash can type plastic for the body with rubber ends. Again, at this price, I think it's something JVC missed. I feel like they are capitalizing on it being a guitar amp and charging more for that (in my opinion, irrelevant) feature.

Would I buy it again? Yes. Price is too high though, and if the price were to stay there then it needs some more very PRACTICAL features on it. But it worksdoes the job and plays music how it is supposed to: LOUD.

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first off let me say, the sound of this thing is like a full on component stereo system, it is INSANE!!

I was looking at stereo recievers that have usb ports, they are hard to find and very expensive, so i

started looking at "all in one" boombox type systems. that is when i came across this baby, complete usb,ipod,

cd,fm, and it looks mean and bad ass!!! i am a heavy metal/classic rock guy and playing tool on this system

is f'ing incredible, sabbath sounds awesome!!! the bass is so good you will not believe it, and there is

a seperate volume control just for the bass. you get an awesome remote. the one thing that i wish was

different is that when you turn it on and it is on usb, you have to turn it to "random" that's another word

for "shuffle" each and every time you turn it on, when you turn the system off the "random" turns off and when

you turn it back on you must hit random again, it's not a big deal you just use the remote and it takes like

2 seconds, but it would just be nice if it just stayed on random. that's my only complaint and it's not a big one,

as for carrying this around town ect..., i have no comment, mine is place in a stationary position and will probably

never move from it's spot.

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Bought this to play the ipod in the back yard. It works GREAT!! Super sound and well built. As a side note, I used this in a wedding ceremony that had no access to a PA system. Bought a 25.00 mic and was able to be heard by about 100 people very clearly

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We finally decided to purchase this boom-box even though several others like the Altec Lansing had more of the features we wanted. This was the only one in that category that had a CD player. The sound is good but could be greatly improved with a fully adjustable eq. It does get very loud for its size and also has good sound quality at lower volume. The aux inputs are on the back except for USB and iPod. The remote doesn't have a place to keep it safe with the boom-box and does several crucial functions so don't loose it! If your iPod is also an iPhone the user interface is extremely clunky and near impossible. The doors for the CD player and iPod dock have a clunky and chintzy latch which I hope doesn't break. On the whole we are happy with this boom-box and hope to get a lot of use out of it. However, for the price if there were anything out there like an Altec Lansing boom-box with a CD player I would buy that instead. Alas apparently there isn't a lot of demand for such an item or they would make it. Again if this just had a fully adjustable 5-7 band eq I would be very happy...

Pyle PHST92IBGL 600 Watt Digital 2.1 Channel Home Theater Tower with iPod and iPhone Docking Station

Pyle PHST92IBGL 600 Watt Digital 2.1 Channel Home Theater Tower with iPod and iPhone Docking Station
  • iPod/iPhone/MP3/AUX Input - Full Function Remote Control - LCD display - Tweeter:Dual 3.5 inch - Power: DC 21 Volts w/ 110V Adapter
  • Built-in FM Radio With Memory - Independant Control of Each Channel - Output power:600 Watts - Subwoofer: 8 inch - Dimensions: 7.48''D x 11.42''W x 39.37''H
  • Alarm Clock Control and Time - iPod Can be Controlled Through Remote - L (150Watts x 1) R (150Watts x 1) Subwoofer (300Watts x 1) - S/N: 85dB - iPod not included
  • 2.1 Channel amplifier - iPod Charged Automatically - Frequency: L,R 150Hz-20kHz Subwoofer 50Hz-180Hz - THD: 0.1%
  • Real 2.1 Channel output - Touch Key Control System - Mid Range Driver:Dual 3.5 Inch - Wood Construction w/ Beautiful Exterior

The Pyle Tower with iPod player arrived on time and nicely packaged. On removal from the box it is very attractive in the Piano finish. Easy to set up but the instructions on setting the sound quality, base, treble, etc. Are not clear and it took some creative thinking to figure it out. Overall sound quality is better than desktop iPod players but disappointing for a unit this size with an 8" sub. The base is weak and treble is not crisp and sharp. Sounds like Pyle used third tier driver components. Another disappointment is that, even though the unit is marketed to be compatible with iPhone, the "non-compatible" message in the iPhone pops up each time it is docked. Also, the loud annoying iPhone interference noise is frequent if the 3G signal is weak. That seems to be better with a strong signal. Another disappointment: I emailed Pyle tech support as instructed in the manual about the interference and got no reply. I expected better but decided not to return the unit.

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I purchased two of these units for my two son's for Christmas. One worked fine but the other had a problem cutting out as my son reported to me. When I checked the unit it was only working on one side and the sub so I gave it a few taps to see if there were loose connections. Sure enough the right side also went out leaving just the sub working. I popped the 8 screws out that hold the power amp and circuit boards in the back and sure enough a ribbon cable block connector was barely on and loose. After securely re-connecting this obvious problem and getting the unit back inside it works fine. These are good units but I think there is a problem with the ribbon cables coming loose during shipping which would explain alot of bad reviews. With a phillips screw driver and small bit of investigation the unit was back in great working condition without any need to hassle with a return or refund etc. Too bad the manufacturer doesn't blob silicone on these to secure them for the shipping which would save them and some customers alot of PITA.

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I was away in Maryland to visit a friend who had music playing throughout his home. It was such a different feeling from our often dry and quiet environment. I got back to new York and promptly seartched for an ipod dock player that could do the same for us, and came across this item. Not only is it beautifully crafted, it sounds awesome!! Take this from a guy with many thousands invested in component sound systems (they could not play my playlist). This is fantastic and inexpensive. I recommend this very highly. We have brought another piece of joy into our fine home.

DB, White Plains

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Audio Output failed after just a few hours of use. Had to return to Pyle Audio still to be determined if this is a reliable product. So far, a bit disappointing, beside the failure, there are significant problems with the documentation. The English translation which is obvious is poor to say the least. The Menus and controls are not at all intuitive. Something as simple as turning the unit off is a challenge, still haven't figured it out short of turning off the main power switch on the back of the unit, which I'm sure is not the intended method, as it also resets the clock if you leave it off for 24 hours or more. I could live with all that if the audio was great, but unfortunately it's not that great, it's OK, but not great. I get far superior audio performance from my Samsung TV Surround sound system with sub, which cost about the same and also supports IPod/Iphone and has a DVD/CD Player. I will say that it is a beautiful piece of furniture I have the Piano finish Black Model and it is a nice piece to look at. Still holding my breath on this one, waiting to see how Pyle handles the return/repair process. Their instructions for returning include me paying the shipment to them which is normal and acceptable, but also me paying either $50 in a money order or providing a credit card number for them to ship it back to me after repair, which I don't think is right as this is a warranty return and should be on them. Hope this helps, good luck!

Update Pyle's parent company repair facility Sound Around USA is HORRIBLE! They returned the repaired item to me, charged me $25 for shipping, and shipped it in cardboard without anything to protect the finish and with damage, claiming they received it that way! The item was sent to them in perfect condition and they returned it with three broken/cracked corners! The best part of this unit is its looks, and now that is ruined! Was so mad after receiving, didn't even bother to check if it worked don't care now that it's damaged. Lousy customer service, hard to reach and liars. If they had received it damaged, they should have notified me so I could make a UPS claim, but they did not, furthermore they used the original shipping material as padding for the box they returned it in and there is no indication of any damage to the box that would account for the damage the unit has. The damage was obviously done at the repair facility, and the weasels don't want to admit it. There are several reviews showing the same output problem I had initially, seems to be a common problem with these units. We only had about 10 hours on this when it failed. I would recommend you stay away from Pyle Audio, because if you have to deal with the repair facility, they are horrible! When dealing with them I did not speak to one person that had any customer service etiquette, they were all rude and unhelpful, that is when you could actually get someone on the phone.

Fortunately AMAZON came the rescue contacted Amazon customer service after the repair facility refused to do anything about the damage and Amazon agreed to take the item back on return despite it being past the 30 day return rule. Hats off to Amazon for supporting their customers unlike Pyle and SoundAroundUSA who no doubt will be out of business soon if they continue their bad practices.

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I bought this unit for my office to play the iPhone and it plays very

nice the sound quality sound like you are in a home theater I love

this unit.It also has a beautiful finish and makes my room looks

great

Sony CR2430 Lithium Coin Battery CR2430

Sony CR2430 Lithium Coin Battery CR2430
  • High Energy & Continuous Voltage Supply
  • Long Shelf Life
  • Ideal Temperature Resistance
  • Superior Storage Capacity
  • Sony Engineering and Quality

No problems everything as expected. Really 15 words "REQUIRED" I said what I had to say in 5 words. Good Experience

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bought this battery for my alarm clock as the indicator told me the battery was low. For some reason that warning has now gone so haven't used the battery as yet but I have no doubt it will do the job just fine when required.

Sangean AM/FM Multi Powered Water Resistant Emergency Crank Radio

Sangean MMR-77 Emergency AM / FM Portable RadioSangean MMR77

What is most impressive about this radio is its relative freedom from power issues. This radio is very conservative in its power consumption whether one is using an external 3-Volt power source, a set of "AA" cells, or the supplied 2 x "AAA" cell internal-rechargeable pack.

Reading the pre-sales description of this radio one may mistakenly assume that it plays for only thirty minutes from the internal rechargeable batteries. In fact what is being claimed is that one-minute of cranking the dynamo results in 30-minutes of playback. Cranking for two minutes will result in one hour of playback. The longer you crank the longer it plays. When fully charged the internal rechargeable pack will operate the radio at a reasonable volume level all day and on into the night.

The radio has a built-in replaceable "AAA" plug-in battery pack similar to those found in wireless phones. These batteries are recharged by the dynamo. This pack is accessible and replaceable, after 300-500 recharge cycles, by removing six-screws at the back of the case.

Further two "AA" batteries are easily replaceable through an access-port at the rear of the cabinet. The radio can also be powered by an external source, solar-cell, wall-wart, or what have you, through a socket located under a splash-proof cover on the left-side of the radio.

The dynamo handle is sturdy. The left-side of the case is partially cylindrical in shape. The left-edge of the speaker grill is actually a rubber grip. The radio is well balanced and easy to hold while cranking the dynamo. The dynamo can be cranked in either direction facilitating use by either Right or Left handed people. Lefties will not be able to see the green-LED which illuminates to indicate that one has reached adequate dynamo cranking speed. A minor inconvenience.

The bottom of the case has four rubber-pads which when combined with the radio's weight cause it to grip well on flat surfaces. No tipping. The overall build quality, fit and finish, of this radio is very-good.

A splash-proof earphone port is located next to the external power-port. Both earphone channels are driven, monaurally. The radio's internal speaker is only two-inches in diameter. This is not a boom-box, but the sound that emanates from the speaker is very accurate within its effective range. Classical and Jass music sound fine. If you are a heavy rock-listener you may yearn for more oomph in your everyday listening.

The primary purpose of this radio is to provide information when the lights go out, but it makes a useful everyday radio as well, with the previously mentioned exception for rockers.

There is a small incandescent bulb that illuminates the slide-rule tuning-dial and provides enough-light externally for small-tasks such as reading your watch or a business-card. The lamp is illuminated through a small push-button on the front of the cabinet. There is another small push-button on the top of the cabinet. This button activates a chirping sound through the speaker. The sound is similar to that of a smoke detector, but not as loud. This does not seem like a very useful feature but perhaps some of you will think of a use for it?

Another switch on the top of the radio selects between the AM and FM bands. A switch on the back of the radio selects between the internal dynamo powered batteries, or the replaceable "AA" battery and external power options.

Most importantly, in addition to all of the above, is that this radio has very good sensitivity and selectivity characteristics. Analog-dial radio tuning may be a new experience for any of you that were raised on digital-dial radios. The Vernier slide-rule dial of this radio is relatively small so one has to tune slowly and deliberately to isolate stations. However, once a station is tuned-in, one is rewarded with solid drift-free reception. The audio is free of noise or distortion, has surprising fidelity, and good dynamic range, within the limited range of the small speaker.

I recommend that every household have one of these radios, and another in the trunk of the car. When disaster inevitably strikes the prudent use of this radio as a source of current information could allay further personal-suffering, or loss of life.

I am a radio "nut"; I hold an amateur (Ham) radio Extra Class license. I have owned many radios (including several Sangeans) and this little "thingy" is probably the handiest AM/FM Receiver I have ever owned; I carry it around the house constantly to keep up with "talk radio" programs when I am not in the Ham Shack; I crave information and news.

The Analog tuning is not real sharp but sufficient

I am not a "tunes" guy, but the FM seems good and the audio good

It runs forever on two AA cells

The charger (crank) seems to work as advertised

Don't even try to find a better unit for fifty bucks!

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This is a well-built little radio. It has the basic features that you want in an emergency.

For daily use, insert two AA batteries, and flip the dial on the back to "battery." In an emergency (when you don't have batteries), use the crank to charge the built-in "dynamo." At that time, turn the dial on the back from "battery" to "dynamo."

I bought this to replace a junky "Eton FR-350" that I found on Ebay. Don't even consider that radio. Struggling to open the battery compartment caused me to cut my finger on the sharp plastic.

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I was looking at several emergency radios from eton, gundig, and sony, and did mucho research. This one blows them all away.

The quality, fit, finish, and performance of this radio is top notch. The reception is excellent. It works off the crank, alkalines, or a/c adapter(not included).

This radio makes the eton/grundig emergency radios look like toys. No regrets at all! Highly recommended, don't waste time with other emergency radios. I did not need a cellphone charger.

Everyready makes an emergency battery pack for about 20.00 bucks no cranking and works great. Buy one of these instead. We lost all cell towers on the last hurricane anyway. Don't bet your life on a cell phone, the towers may be down or overloaded.

I live in Hurricane country Florida and needed a real emergency radio not a toy, this is it. I thought I wanted a NOAA band but AM is the official emergency frequency. I found NOAA to be slow and over-rated.

Love the radio, use it daily, buy it. Nuf' said.

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This was my second attempt at finding a portable emergency radio. I previously bought a Kaito KA1102BLK radio, sent it back and bought this. I think I found a keeper.

On the plus side:

This is a solidly built, simple, radio. Sound quality is good, and the unit feels just right in the palm of your hand, the crank seems like it will last. The tuning is easy to see in the dark.

A few cons:

This radio picks up interference very easily on the AM frequency when near other electronics. I can't use it anywhere near my computer or I get whistling sounds. As an emergency or bedside radio this won't be an issue however.

It doesn't come with a 3 volt AC power adapter. For $40 I think it should come with an AC adapter, I hate when manufacturers do this. So you're stuck buying a separate universal adapter, unless of course you want to run on dynamo or batteries all the time.

The volume sensitivity is a little twitchy, it jumps very quickly in volume level at the low end.

Besides these minor issues, I'm happy with it. The reception and sound is adequate, the size is just right, solid build, and good ergonomics. I'm tough to please, so I think most people should be happy with this radio.

-----

Side Note: While writing this, I decided to try out several AC adapters that I already owned for other electronics. It turns out that this radio will work with less voltage than stated in the manual. I hooked it up to an adapter for a Norelco beard trimmer rated at 1.6volts, and the radio works great! (The light and buzzer won't work with the 1.6 volt adapter however, they require 3volts.)

SIRIUS Sportster 4 Satellite Radio Receiver with Car Kit

SIRIUS Sportster 4 Satellite Radio Receiver with Car Kit
  • Sports-specific, plug-and-play Sirius satellite radio receiver with bundled car kit
  • Decodes digital-quality signals for more than 120 music, news, and sports channels
  • Game Alert feature prompts you when favorite sports team is playing on Sirius
  • Instant replay function lets you pause, rewind, and replay 44 minutes of live radio
  • Measures 4.5 x 2.9 x 0.6 inches (W x H x D); 1-year warranty

Long story short Nice radio and programming with horrible FM modulation. Don't buy this unless you're going to wire it directly to your car's antenna or radio.

I bought this device last October to listen to college football games during long road trips. It is my first introduction to satellite radio. I've got mixed feelings about the product.

First of all, the unit was fairly easy to get working. I plugged the power and satellite antenna, turned it on, and selected an open FM station in the unit's setup menu. It's pre-tuned to a test station (national weather). I got a clear signal from the satellite just leaving the antenna resting on the dashboard. I activated it online after a couple of tries (didn't have the unit powered up the first attempt).

However, the FM transmission from the unit to my car stereo was awful, borderline un-useable. Even after choosing a completely clear FM station, turning off the car, waving the unit around until I found a sweet-spot, and crossing my fingers, there was always noticeable and very disruptive static interference. Based on what I've read, apparently the FM transmission strength for this unit way below previous models. I'm told the SP-TK2 model has a much stronger signal. I've not been able to determine whether or not that had anything to do with FCC regulations.

For my vehicle, I've overcame the FM transmitter shortcomings by connecting the unit directly to the Ai-net/Changer input on my Alpine radio and using the AUX function. This step eliminated all of the outside static interference and bypassed FM modulation completely. However, part of my attraction to this unit was the plug and play function. My friends and I have taken several road trips this year and I brought the Sirius unit with me. The cars we used did not have A/V inputs, so we had to make due with the lousy FM transmitter. We were able to fight through the static for the sports and talk radio stations, but music was un-listenable.

The unit itself is ok. It's easy to use and the screen has a lot of info. It keeps track of all the scores in sporting events, show and host for talk stations, and song/artist for music stations. It's awkward to mount though, because all of the wires plug into the back of the dock, not the bottom. You need clearance between the back of the unit and the mounting surface for these wires. My two options were to use an air conditioning vent clip or the windshield suction cup. I chose the vent because I didn't want the unit in the sunlight. At night, the unit is very bright. You can turn down the brightness of the screen, but the buttons are backlit with a piercing blue light that can't be adjusted. The rotary knob is especially bright. It looks like I have a big blue glow stick in my car at night.

The programming is pretty good. Sirius carries every NFL game, and nearly all the college football games, which is exactly what I was looking for. They also play a lot of the NBA and NHL games, but I've not paid much attention to them. They have three comedy stations, and several talk/news (including the BBC) radio and sports radio stations. On the other hand, all of their music stations do not meet my sound quality expectations. I have a decent aftermarket stereo, and the music stations sound worse than local FM. They're not terrible, but the difference between listening to a song on Sirius and on a CD is jarring. That said, they have a fair amount of genres represented. You'll hear songs on Sirius that you'll never hear on your local radio.

I've had limited customer service interaction, but it's been all bad. I chose the three month program to start off with. Sirius doesn't give you a very detailed invoice on the billing screen. It simply shows Subscription charge, Activation Fee, and Taxes. The Subscription charge on the invoice did not match what plan stated it should be, it was about $1 more. The Activation Fee was what I expected. However, Taxes came out to the 15% of the sum of Subscription plus Activation. There's not a state in the US that has a 15% sales tax rate. I called them to find out why it was so high. The lady on the phone had no idea what I was talking about. First she tried to explain why there was a charge for activation. It took quite a few minutes to get it across that my question was about the taxes, not the activation fee. Next, she tried to tell me that the tax rate was based on the Houston rate where she was located. The sales tax in Houston is 8.25%, not 15%. And besides, you are supposed to be taxed based on your local rates, not the location of the service center. After trying to get this point across (another 5 minutes) she went to speak to a manager. She came back and offered me a $15 dollar credit for the activation fee, without ever answering my question. I was tired of the conversation, so I took the credit and hung up. I'll try again to get an answer out of them when my three months are up.

All in all, the unit has sort of worked out for me. It works fine in my car, but travels poorly. I can listen to all the sports I want, but the music sound quality leaves much to be desired. It was easy to hook up, but looks silly just clipped onto my air-vent. If all of the short-comings I've described were addressed I'd be very happy with it.

**Update 12/19/2006**

Warning: The unit is dying on me less than three months after I purchased it. Sometime after around 10 minutes of use, the receiver will become locked into "acquiring signal" mode regardless of actual signal strength. Turning the unit off and then on again fixes it, sometimes. I've researched this issue online and apparently it's becoming a common problem. The recommended fix from Sirius is to either re-activate the receiver on-line or return it for a new unit. If I could, I'd knock another star off this review.

**Second Update** I eventually got SIRIUS to send me a replacement head-unit, free of charge. The second radio works just fine. However, I had to ship the original radio back to the manufacturer. A word of warning: if you ship something to Sirius, keep your tracking number. They tried to tell me that they never received my original radio and charged me for the second. I got on the phone and used the UPS website to tell them who in their warehouse signed for the package. The charge was later reversed.

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SPORTSTER 4 (SP4TK1) VS. SPORTSTER REPLAY (SPTK2)

The main difference between the Sportster 4 (sp4tk1) and the Sportster Replay (sptk2) is the sp4tk1 is slimmer and sleeker and the vehicle dock/cradle has an auxiliary input for an MP3 player or other device to transmit over the FM transmitter to your car radio. A major change is the sp4tk1 is now FCC compliant and will not emit FM transmissions as powerfully as the sptk2. While you will no longer broadcast to nearby drivers tuned to the same FM frequency as you, you are almost guaranteed to have major interference on your radio. Thus, it is critical that you install an FM modulator relay switch with the sp4tk1, unless your radio has an auxiliary input and you do not plan on listening to AM or FM radio. The sp4tk1 car dock now wires directly to its back. Thus, it will not lay flat against a surface without some modification to your dashboard for a clean look. The sp4tk1 now operates on 5 volts versus 12 V for the sptk2. Thus, it does not heat up like older Sirius receivers have been notorious for. The sp4tk1 is not compatible with the old sptk2 cradles or boom box. The sp4tk1 has fewer buttons also. There are no loss of functions as some buttons are now dual use or multifunctional. This is my first experience with satellite radio so I cannot be certain about my comparisons between receivers. Apparently, the old Starmates (st2) could only tune their FM transmitters to about 30 FM frequencies. The sptk2 could broadcast to 100 frequencies. I believe the sp4tk1 is the same as the sptk2 in this respect. It has been claimed the new sp4tk1 cannot tune below 88.1 FM but I believe 87.9 and 87.7 are the only stations available below 88.1. Also, the sp4tk1 can save up to 30 song titles, artist names, or sports teams. This memory is saved even after powering off the units. I'm not sure if this is an upgrade over the sptk2. I believe it is the same as the sptk2 in this regard.

FACT OR FICTION?

It has been rumored that all the new Sportsters, Streamers, and Starmates (st2) will be compatible and interchangeable with each other's vehicle and home docks. Some web sites are claiming the Sportster 4 (sp4tk1) has a built in FM modulator relay switch. This is not true. There are also rumors that there will be a Sportster 3 that will not have the replay function. Thus, it will be cheaper than the sp4tk1, which does have the replay option. The sp4tk1 stays true to the old replay receivers by deleting the 44 minutes of stored audio when you change the channel, turn it off, or turn off your car. There may also be a Sportster 2 which will have an amber display screen which will also be less expensive but this is doubtful. The sp4tk1 is only available in the blue black display screen. It is also suspected that the sp4tk1 has some new unique interior software that enables some new function or compatibility with some as yet unknown device or technology. This would persuade long time Sirius subscribers to purchase new receivers or perhaps for those of us with the sp4tk1 to buy some new secondary device with our hard earned cash. Perhaps as Sirius releases sp4tk1 accessories and other new receivers this will become apparent. Some people say the new "chip set" may allow the new receivers to pick up more stations like some new Canadian stations currently. This may be due to differences in broadband bandwidth signals or bit rates. Another possible software update may be the designation of Howard 100 and 101 in their own category. As of this posting, the sp4tk1 is only in limited release with no accessories available. Sirius has not begun an aggressive ad campaign touting the sp4tk1's bells and whistles.

WISHFUL THINKING

The Sportster 4 (sp4tk1) is still a true plug and play (PNP) device versus the old starmates (st2) which were not true PNP because they wired to the docks. However, the receiver remains a tight fit to the dock. It would be wonderful if it docked and undocked as smoothly as an anti-theft car stereo detachable face plate. The geniuses that designed this unit couldn't have made it anymore awkward if they had tried. It is a tight fit to the dock and there is no place to grip the receiver to easily undock it. It requires two hands. One to grip the receiver and the other to grip the dock. The home dock (suph1) is currently unreleased as of this posting. The old st2 home dock had a line out for direct connection to your home stereo or PC to avoid having to use the FM transmitter mode, which is susceptible to interference by local FM radio stations. The sptk2 home dock only allowed FM transmission. It is hoped the suph1 will have the line out option. The sp4tk1 uses the dot ultra low profile antennae which is notorious for weather corrosion, or just defective units, after 5 months with the Sportster Replay (sptk2). It is hoped Sirius has corrected this problem but it seems unlikely as they probably have tons of these things in inventory. All of Sirius' old receivers are notorious for push button burn outs and just plain defective radios. If this is attributed to the high operating temperature of the old units, perhaps the lower 5 V vs. 12 V operating voltage will reduce these problems. The sp4tk1 should come with a hard case for transport to protect its liquid crystal display (LCD). Ever pressed too hard on your watch or calculator's screen? A PNP device should be expected to be carried in backpacks and purses between cars and houses and it is almost an "absolute metaphysical certitude" that it will be dropped, crushed, or cracked.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Sirius is notorious for poor customer service. Sirius subscribers should be aware of the tinny sound of talk radio due to signal wavelength compression broadcast by the orbiting satellites and received and converted to FM by your receiver. If it is digital "CD quality" sound, it is digital "CD quality" sound of people with really tinny voices. Sirius does cut out under bridges, tunnels, and the rare tree when you are out of the line of sight of the satellites in outer space. If you are near a ground based repeater signal relay/amplifier station, you may have slightly better luck, but this is rare. Your receiver is activated when you subscribe by phone or go online and provide your receiver's unique serial identification (SID) number. Sirius then briefly emits a signal for about an hour over it's satellites that will "unlock" your specific receiver. You must pay an "activation fee" to accomplish this. Sirius will continue to charge your credit card even after your subscription ends along with "subscription fees," unless you specifically "unsubscribe." If your receiver is stolen and you notify Sirius, they will de-activate your receiver for two months. After 2 months, the thief can subscribe using your receiver and unique SID. Thus, Sirius condones a black market of stolen receivers due to their policies of corporate greed and unethical business practices. If you end your subscription or stop paying, it is highly speculative how Sirius deactivates your receiver. It is thought that they broadcast a continuous deactivation signal that is specific to your receiver's SID for 2 months, probably the same if your unit is stolen. It is also speculated that every month a continuous universal signal is broadcast that upgrades the encryption codes (or signal converter code or signal decryption key) to all receivers everywhere. If you miss two upgrades in a row over two months, your receiver is no longer able to convert the signal. If you were simply out of town, when you call Sirius to complain they will check your account status and confirm your payment history is current and briefly broadcast a new activation code specific to your receivers SID for one hour. If you are a thief, they will ask you to subscribe. Thus, if you are a thief or are late with a payment, they will broadcast a specific deactivation code to your receiver's SID for two months. If you try to tune in illegally inside these two months your receiver will be deactivated. If you avoid this deactivation signal for two months, you have missed the last two universal signal conversion updates and your receiver can no longer decode the signal. This is all highly speculative. It is thought that Sirius keeps this aspect secret to avoid individuals from tuning in illegally with pirate receivers much like is done in the cable television industry. It is only a matter of time before industrial Americans with the right know how begin producing pirate units, if they haven't already. Another word of advice concerns the "lifetime" subscription. It is only valid for 4 progressive receivers. The first at purchase price plus a $15 activation fee, the next 3 at purchase price plus $75 "subscription transfer" fees. If you are lucky enough to get four defective receivers in a row, your "lifetime" subscription is terminated. You may upgrade from your original receiver three times, but for the fifth receiver you would have to begin a "new" subscription plan. It would also be wise to purchase an extended warranty plan beyond Sirius' 1 year warranty which does not cover the antennae.

MY INSTALLATION

I own a '91 Chevy S10 pickup with no moon roof or rear window cargo access. I used a professional installation service for $80. The magnetic antennae is very susceptible to vandalism. My antennae is centered on the roof of my truck's cab next to the windshield. The adhesive wire cover included with the receiver was unusable as it is straight and my truck cab slopes down to the windshield. Even the magnetic antennae does not sit flush on this curve. The rubber molding around my windshield is rock hard from 15 years of sun rot and it was a risky venture getting the antennae wire inside it. There is a Sirius mounting bracket available from Pro Fit International made for the '87 to '93 S10. However, I had some blanks in my dash above the lighting controls and had my sp4tk1 mounted there. Of course, I also purchased the FM modulator relay switch. Also, the sp4tk1 docks in a straight down motion and undocks straight up. Thus, you need a half inch clearance directly above the dock. There is also a lock/unlock sliding knob and notch behind the right side of the dock that locks the sp4tk1 in the cradle. Thus, you need a space for your finger behind the dock and to the right for your finger if you desire to use this feature. I also had it hard wired to my truck to avoid using the cigarette lighter power adaptor.

CONCLUSION

The Sportster 4 (sp4tk1) is a slight improvement over the Sportster Replay (sptk2). The sp4tk1 is slimmer, sleeker, operates at a lower temperature, and has an auxiliary input in the dock. However, it's FM broadcaster is much weaker than the old receivers. It is practically a necessity to buy and install an FM modulator relay switch and Sirius really should include one in the vehicle installation kit, but they don't. I have been on the fence about Sirius for 7 months. I have been without Howard Stern and Ba ba booey from Jan '06 to July '06. With the resolution of the CBS lawsuit and Howard now being in possession of his past 20 years of shows, interviews, and sound clips now unedited I have finally been convinced to jump in the satellite game despite all it's shortcomings. If that doesn't validate the "Stern Effect," I don't know what does. Sportster 4?...nah. How 'bout the Sternster 4? But, he would never sell out like that. After 7 months without Stern, it was good to hear their voices again. FIRE!

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Eager to get it, I finally ordered the new Sportster 4 online. It didn't take long for me to be profoundly disappointed in the unit.

The problem is with the Sportster's FM converter: It's essentially worthless. I was unable to find a single frequency that wasn't subject to some sort of interference. Even the frequencies I use with the Starmate Replay were picking up static and/or bursts of music from elsewhere. In fact, at the lower end of the FM spectrum (the 88's and 89's) I got nothing. Zip. Nada. Even on the completely blank frequencies there was just nothing there. Finally around the 90.1 range you would be able to make out whichever channel you were trying to listen to. The upper frequencies were "listenable," provided you were willing to put up with the interference.

I finally decided to hook up the old Starmate again and put the units through a head-to-head competition. I set both receivers to the same FM frequency and the Starmate consistently overpowered the FM transmitter from the Sportster. I've actually tried the same experiment before, between the Starmate and an XM unit, and the result should be one signal or another getting through, but with a lot of interference. The bottom line is that the Sportster's FM converter is weak almost to the point of being non-existent.

I don't know what effect using a direct connect FM modulator would have on this shortcoming.

The second problem is that the power and antenna cables connect directly to the back of the cradle, NOT the sides. The end result is that the back of the radio is no longer a smooth surface, and you can no longer simply velcro the unit to the dashboard. It does come with that annoying standard-issue suction cup mount or a vent mount. I'm not a big fan of either mounting method, however.

On the plus side: If you are able to playback with either a cassette adapter or a direct connect cable, you will like the Sportster 4. It's a beautifully sleek looking unit and the various controls are laid out well. The blue backlight is just a bit weak during the day, but unobtrusive at night.

Buying additional cradles--whether for the house or other cars--makes moving the radio from one location to another a snap since you don't have to deal with connecting and disconnecting various cables.

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Does what it says... Howard Stern comes in nice and clear now! :-)

I agree that the FM transmitter is a bit weak. Of course, using the FM transmitter has other problems as well since you need to keep finding channels that don't get any interference as you drive around. Solution? Do yourself a favor... if your car does not have an AUX IN port (obviously it does not if you are using the FM transmitter feature)... USE AN FM MODULATOR. I purchased a wired FM modulator, a GLI (ground loop interrupt) and the required cables (including some special antenna adaptor cables for a Subaru) for about $75. I spent about 3 hours installing it... an now I have a mini-jack connection to my radio... no more interference from any radio station... crystal clear connection... and the bonus is that I can plug my iPod into it as well!

Google up "scoshe FM modulator" and you will get the idea.

Whe they say in the description, "includes a built-in FM transmitter that sends Sirius radio programming to your vehicle's FM tuner, so you don't have to make a direct connection to enjoy the full array of channels." This is not true. You must attached the included wire (FM EXTENDER) to your windshield to help broadcast the FM signal to your antenna. Then you will get a signal so weak, that at times, it is un-listenable. They also say, "This function also works with other FM tuners, such as the one on your home stereo," Not True! there is no signal to speak of without the FM extender (antenna) wire that comes with the car kit.

If you want to use this with your radio you must BUY an additional adapter for $20+ to wire the unit to your cars anntenna system directly or hook the unit up directly to your Audio inputs.

This should not be advertised as wireless FM it takes wires hooked to the unit and run through your vehicle. Either the FM extender (A broadcast antenna) included, or adition products to purchase.