Etón Raptor NSP200WXB Solar USB Charger and Weatherband Radio (Black)

• Monocrystal Solar Panel with Solar Charge Indicator , Solar Powered USB Cell Phone Charger (5V, 500mA)
• Compass Chronograph AM, FM, WB Digital Radio Tuner NOAA Weather Alert 10 AM /10 FM Station Presets Digital Clock with AlarmIPX-4 Splash Proof
• Audio Line Input DC input with mini-USB plug (5V, 500mA) 1800mAh,
• Digital Display Altimeter (altitude information)
• Rechargeable Lithium Ion Battery Battery Charge Indicator Bottle Opener Thin Form Factor

When I first got this unit, I thought it didn't work at all. I couldn't get the radio to turn on, or get most of the unit to function properly. It wasn't the Raptor, it was the horrible instructions! I sat on the back porch playing with it and figured out how it was supposed to work. Seems the functions were activated, but they have to be turned off BEFORE you can turn on the radio (*AM/FM/Weather) The unit should have been set to off. Then you can turn on the functions, or the Radio, but not at the same time. Once I turned off the functions, I turned on the radio without a problem. In the off position, it shows some info on the main screen, like the time, etc. The solar charger doesn't work on my Palm phone, but the solar charger does work well on keeping the unit fully charged. My unit seems well built and took it on my first camping trip and it worked well. It saved a lot of space and I am quite happy with it. Eton really does need to make a decent instruction manual and they might start by putting one on-line.

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I bought this even though I couldn't find any reviews because I figured it was worth a shot due to all the features it had. I really wanted to like it but I was completely disappointed. Right away I noticed the antenna was loose. I figured ok, not that big a deal and went into the quick setup book. Everything seemed easy enough to set. It was only until I got to the full instruction book that I started to get frustrated. Contrary to how this thing looks, it is not rugged at all. Right away they tell you that it's not splash proof or can even be used in high humidity. Also if you think you're getting a practical solar charger, radio, compass, etc you're wrong. They tell you takes 18 hours to get a full charge on the battery! And if you think you're getting a decent radio you'd be wrong as well. There were no instructions on how to start the radio! Not in the quick setup book or in the main instruction manual. The simply tell you turn on the radio! I played with it for an hour and could not get the radio to work! The instructions on how to power on and off the device were the same as the radio. The simply tell you to press the power button to turn the device on and off. I tried holding the power button down for 3 seconds, then 10 seconds and nothing! Great work Eton! You should stick to making Red Cross emergency radios. If you want a solar charger get a solio classic. If you want a radio get any old one with a hand crank. If you want an altimeter, barometer, thermometer, compass go to campmor.com or REI and you'll be able to find a clip on style device that does all that. I'm never buying another eton product unless I get the chance to check it out in person.

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This product arrived in fine condition. It has a rugged anodized rubber outside and it is splash-proof NOT water-proof (they do not claim it to be water-proof).

Pros:

-Great radio with great sound

-Compass works accurately once set

-Barometer is actually accurate, along with temperature.

-You can save radio frequencies that stay even if battery dies

-Solar panel is extremely sensitive and is great at charging, though will take about 18 hours to charge from empty (though it can be charged via USB)

-Aluminum clip is sturdy

-Illuminated background and clear screen make reading the screen easy on the eyes

-Flashlight is VERY strong, despite my initial worries (a metal strip built in ensures this)

-Can charge phones and iPods, and can be used as an external speaker for your iPod or other MP3 player

-Aesthetically pleasing (to me anyhow); it looks rugged and cool (not to mention I've dropped it several times with no resulting problems)

Cons:

-Antenna is a little flimsy-feeling, though has held its own through rigorous use

-Solar panel takes about 18 hours to charge (but come on, you can charge via USB, so even WHEN you go with it, you can use it until the next day, and just leave it in the sun to get back to full)

-Speaker may sound a bit tinny at times

-Only splash-proof, not water-proof (though I've taken it into heavy rain and never experienced any problems)

-Battery dies quickly if charging a cell phone or iPod (though most products that do multiple things do die quickly)

-Poor instructions (though not incompetent; I was able to figure everything out with them)

-User interface could have been made more laymen (though I am not a simpleton and am able to figure out everything)

Despite these cons, I must still give it a 5 star, for I paid for it knowing what I would get, and it works just as instructed (not to mention Eton's fantastic customer service). I love this thing and take it with me wherever I go.

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I ordered this after seeing a review in Wired. It would not charge. Tried USB charging to computer, AC outlet and solar. Would not take a charge so returned it for another one. Same problem. Might be a good product but getting two bad ones in a row was enough for me.

I previously owned the Eton Scorpion and I've been watching the prices for this Raptor model. When it got down to $58 shipped for the green accented model I made the purchase. After reading the reviews here I was expecting a few issues, but after receiving the Raptor and putting it to the test I found it to be better than I expected. Without reading the instructions it's not easy to figure out. You couldn't just hand it to someone and expect them to use it. Reading the directions is a must! One problem with the directions is they don't mention the importance of the FN (function) button until page 7. It needs to be the first feature understood in my opinion. The FN button is used to switch from the standby mode (where the radio can be turned on and off), to the other eight features (time settings, temperature, altimeter, etc.).

Radio receives well in all bands. The power button is sufficiently recessed to prevent accidental activation.

The edges of the casing are rubber armored. When resting it on a flat surface in most positions only the rubber will touch.

The display is backlit and automatically turns on with any key press of the front buttons. Backlight remains on for 10 seconds after the last key press.

The bottle opener works and in my test didn't scratch. I was a little hesitant to try it as who wants to put a scratch on a new radio.

The flashlight consists of three 5mm LEDs with a reflector and optics to produce a focused moon beam. Not bright, but meant to be power efficient which is what you want in a device like this. The button is a simple on/off forward clicky, meaning you can use it as a momentary light without clicking it on first.

The Li-Ion battery is definitely a step up from the previous Scorpion radio's NiMH battery. Li-Ion has a low self discharge rate and holds a storage charge far longer than NiMH. The lack of a crank to recharge the internal battery isn't an issue to me. I've had crank devices before and find they are way too much effort for what they can do. The Scorpion's crank took over five minutes of cranking just to raise my iPhone's battery level up 1%, and the Scorpion's solar panel couldn't charge an external device. The Raptor has no problem charging my iPhone from it's internal battery, and this can be done overnight. Basically you can charge the Raptor in the day's sun, and slowly transfer that power to your phone while you sleep at night. That feature alone makes this a valuable tool when there is no other way to charge your phone.

As far as other issues mentioned in other reviews I tend to see it differently.

The antenna really isn't flimsy. It's solid until you extend the last half inch revealing the pivot point. This type of antenna will normally have just a little play in it when fully extended.

The speaker doesn't sound tinny to me, but keep in mind it's what you'd expect for the size.

The concern that the solar recharge time being 18 hours (more than the sun is up in a day) isn't such a problem when you think about it. It's not likely you'll run this radio down to empty in a day. The radio itself is supposed to last 30 hours continuously on low volume. Most likely all you'll need is a few hours of sun each day to top off the battery from the previous day (and also maybe night) use. I could see if you charged your phone overnight the Raptor will probably need at least a full day of sunlight to get back to 100%.

All things considered I really like the Raptor. I think Eton put a lot of thought into it and packed it with so may features it became a little too complex for the casual user. For me the Raptor will be a backup radio receiver, a backup phone charger, a backup flashlight, a backup compass, an external speaker for my iPhone, a replacement for my travel clock (it has two alarms are they are sufficiently loud), and I suppose a backup bottle opener. Oh, it's also nice to be able to check the temperature at your campsite. You might think of the Raptor as the Swiss army knife of outdoor electronic gadgets.