Sangean Pillow 3.5mm Aux Portable Speaker

• Sangean Pillow Speaker - Color White

The thicker the pillow speaker, the more it hurts my ears to lay on it. This Pillow Mate speaker is second best because of its thickness, but it seems of good quality. My wife cannot sleep if there is any noise or light in the room, and I cannot sleep without the television turned on. I tried many brands of pillow speakers, and there is only one that really works well, the C. Crane Pillow Speaker PS2. It comes with a soft cover on it, but it works best if you remove it from the cover as it makes the speaker much thinner instead of feeling like a lump under your pillow.

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My only complaint is that the volume of this speaker is very low, even with my iPod volume control as high as I can set it.

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I enjoyed this speaker .... until the connection wire became intermittent. It only works if I play with the wire.

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It's cheap, but the Sangean Pillow Speaker is a fat rock under your pillow. I used it for about a year before the cord started shorting out. (This is typical of the lifespan of pillow speakers for me, so I don't count that as a negative.)

The real frustration was the 'dead spots'. Unless you place the speaker in just the right position, the pressure of your head on the speaker will mute the sound. I found myself sleeping with the little rock in my hand under the pillow so it would stay in the right position.

Another point worth mentioning, I had to cut the insulation around the headphone jack to get this speaker to work with my iphone 4 case.

Alternatives:

I have had better luck with the Pillowsonic Stereo Pillow Speaker, which is flatter, cushioned and has two speakers. Of course, it is also twice as expensive. I'm currently using the Relaxso Stereo ASLEEP Pillow Speaker which is slightly more expensive than the Pillowsonic, but is much more comfortable.

The one advantage that the Sangean has over the two listed above is that it has a very long cord. If you decide to try out the Relaxso or Pillowsonic, be sure to look into an extension cord.

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I have used pillow speakers for years, but this is the best sounding one that I have ever purchased. It is clear and crisp and I don't have to have the volume up all the way like some others I have owned over the years.

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Sangean RCR-5 Digital AM/FM Clock Radio

• Digital tuner with 10 station presets
• Dual alarms with "human wake" buzzer
• Set recurring alarms for daily, weekends, and weekdays
• Sleep timer (15-120 minutes)
• Includes AC Power Adapter

I have nothing but praise for the Sangean RCR-5 clock radio. Specifically, here are the most noteworthy aspects of this truly amazing product:

Display

Here is where the RCR-5 truly shines, as it incorporates a backlit LCD with adjustable intensity: one may adjust the backlight to suit your needs, so you have a perfectly legible, yet not too bright display (at night) which can never be "washed out", even in direct sunlight. The display even has a clever feature whereby it will illuminate to full intensity when any of the buttons are pressed, after which it returns to the user's preset intensity after ten seconds. As you can see from the product photos, the display is of a soft, warm color, most conducive to a good sleeping environment; other clock radios using bright blue or green illumination, IMHO, should be avoided if you want to get any sleep.

Auxiliary Input

Very useful for listening to my podcasts at night; when an external source is attached, the Band button will cycle through AM/FM/AU; when none is attached, only AM/FM are available, thereby eliminating "clutter" for those who do not wish to enable this feature. (Note: I'm old-school, and prefer using this method over a "Dockable" iPod solution, as I prefer to completely run my iPod's battery source to zero before recharging...)

Flexibility in Programming

Only found on more expensive clock radios, this model will allow you to use the "Sleep" feature to listen to a particular station (or podcast with the Auxiliary feature) at night, and then to wake to radio on a different station. In addition, all alarms allow Daily, Mon-Fri, or Single, with the Audible Alarm using a gentle "ramp-up" feature.

Reception and Speaker Quality

The radio's receiver portion of this product is very good, rivaled by only my Sony short wave receiver (a great radio, by the way!); what looks like a 3-inch speaker provides a very warm, intelligible output, very suitable for the spoken word, adequate for music. If you need a strong system for powerful music, I would suggest purchasing an additional desktop speaker setup (such as for a computer) which can be attached to the headphone output by means of a standard mini-jack connection.

Finally, a no-nonsense Sleep function

Sangean has cleverly incorporated the Sleep function into the Power button (which is gently illuminated when the radio's off); to turn the radio on or off, press the button. To use the Sleep feature, press and hold the same button to select up to 120 minutes. Simple, effective, "it just works".

Final Recommendation

Well, what more can I say? This product works for me (and I'm purchasing three more for gifts) and has a lot going for it, including high value (very reasonably priced!). Is there anything that you should be aware of? Yes:

> As described in the previous customer's entry, setting the alarm may require a few extra key-strokes, as this product offers many options when it comes to waking by either the alarm or the radio; if you do not need all of these features, you may wish to consider something of simpler means. That being said, it took me only about 22 seconds to set the alarm; for me, it was relatively intuitive and logical.

> The built-in battery back up feature only works for about ten minutes worth of backup, according to the manual; in my neck of the woods, this is not a big issue, but should be noted if you experience many nighttime blackouts where you are located.

> Even though this model is referred to as an "RCR-5", it should be noted that it does not employ an automatic time synchronization feature as is found on Sangean's higher end clock radios. (Not a big issue for me, and may actually be desirable for those of us who prefer to set our clocks 5, 10, or 15 minutes fast to "keep us on time"!)

I hope this helps you in making the right decision! All the best!

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I have to say that I'm quite impressed by the QUALITY of the Sangean RCR-5 clock radio. Quite a bit of great detail has already been mentioned in a fine way by a previous reviewer. I just have to say that I'm really impressed at how clear the radio reception is...absolutely NO drift, it locks onto the radio frequency and stays there! And the sound from the speaker (even if it is just a single speaker) is rather impressive...I've never heard a speaker sound so clear, crisp, and distinct, whether it be music or spoken word! I also like how smooth the volume control feels. It keeps great time with an easy-to-view display, and wakes you up comfortably with its "humane waking system." Some people have noted that the settings for the clock are too complex and complicated, but I frankly didn't experience any problems in that sense. Of course, it does not have the atomic clock updating, nor does it have a built-in cd player, but it does have the auxillary input, if you wanted to connect a cd player or mp3 player. Overall, I have to say that certainly alot of thought has gone into the designing of the Sangean RCR-5...this certainly is NO ordinary clock radio...it's a finely-crafted instrument!

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I started realizing the quality of this radio as soon as I held the box it came in. It's well packaged in heavy cardboard throughout. Take the radio out and look it over; you can tell this is not your everyday clock radio you find in all the stores. It's built solid and the buttons and controls feel solid. The sound is much better than any clock radio I've ever owned in this price range. The display is easy to see from all angles and not too brite. The amber is soft on your eyes unlike some of the blues and greens out there. Setting the alarms is slightless less intuitive then it could be but it's easy once you do it a few times (the reason for the 4 out of 5 stars). Products like this are few and far between these days. High quality and does what it is made to do very well without looking like an alien aircraft with unessessary bells and whistles. Very possibly the best engineered clock radio for under $50. Im very happy with my purchase.

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Based on reviews by others I had hoped this little radio would satisfy my needs for good AM and FM reception with decent sound. Sound was tinny but using a set of computer speakers offset that issue. Reception very spotty for both both AM and FM stations and the little wire antenna didn't help much. Didn't appear to be any way to boost reception by attaching another antenna. Since the product didn't live up to expectations, I tried to return it, but was refused. I didn't retain the plastic bags covering the radio and plug in the box and the box had a couple of tears so the package wasn't in pristine condition. No damages, scars, etc. to the radio itself so sounds to me like supplier won't accept returns once you open their box which implies a no return policy. If I had bought this locally at Wal-Mart or Target or about any other store, a return would have been accepted.

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This is a terrific clock radio despite a couple of drawbacks for insomniac listening (knocking 1 star off the rating). Features I require in a clock radio (beyond the obvious) are: earphone jack (my husband isn't interested in listening along with me ;), sleep timer, digital tuning (having to fiddle with station drift would only serve to wake me up more); preset stations (again, the less fiddling in the middle of the night, the better); and dimable display (I keep it just bright enough to read the display at night--this is pretty dim, doesn't disturb sleep). This radio has all that and more; I also like the small size of the radio and amber light of the display.

That said, here's what I dislike: when you press and hold the power-on button to use the sleep timer, the display becomes painfully bright, "only" about 15 seconds, but I find it extremely annoying. I'm working on developing a feel for how long to hold the button down without having to look at the display so I can just keep my eyes closed.

The other thing I dislike: the nap timer button is right next to the power-on/sleep timer button, making it very easy to accidentally hit the nap timer button without realizing it while feeling around for the power button, thus treating yourself and any sleep partner to the alarm a little while later. Ugh. Did that twice, then built a little "A-frame" of card stock & taped it over the nap timer button so I don't hit it by accident again. Note the power/sleep timer button *is* dimly (nicely) illuminated, so the nap timer button can be avoided if you don't mind opening your eyes, lifting your head up to see the power button, and focusing your attention on hitting nothing but the power button.

It's too bad the battery backup isn't good for more than a few minutes; hopefully this won't prove to be a significant problem. I didn't find setting the clock, alarms, or digital presets difficult, though I did need to use the manual to figure it out.

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Sharp SPC019F Red LED Alarm Clock with a Wedge Style Case (Silver/Blue)

• 0.9-inch LCD display
• Silver and titanium-colored case with control settings on the side front of the case
• Snooze function only
• 4.75 x 1.5 x 2.75 inches (W x D x H)
• Two year limited warranty

This alarm clock is very attractive on your nightstand. Takes up very little room. It has served us well for over 2 1/2 years, and after sharing it all this time (my husband resets it for me every morning when he gets up) we realized that we should just get a 2nd one! I'm placing my order right now so we'll have his 'n' hers matching alarm clocks on our nightstands. :)

One feature we like is the 2-volume setting. He is a light sleeper and wakes up fine on the quieter setting, whereas I sleep like a log but wake up great on the loud setting.

Edit: I just received the 2nd one and found it to not have the high/low volume setting that I previously wrote about. It also does not have the night light that my old one has. Upon further inspection, I realized that I did not check the model # before writing my review. My old one is model SPC020, which has those 2 features. Whereas this SPC019 does not. I am only noting this for people who might read this review and order based on those features.

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Sharp alarm clock is Sharp! This easy to use alarm clock looks cool and is simple to operate for those that are less techically challenged. There is nothing worse than waking to an alarm clock that you can't locate the snooze bar or off button...Not the issue here! Nice big easy to use buttons, a built in night light if you want to use it and 2 levels of alarm sound. Retro silver and blue color make it look like you were on the star ship Enterprise. A must have as far as alarm clocks go.

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nice loud buzzer, a little time consuming to reset alarm time but everything else is great (have to scroll through all times to get to yours...time consuming for impatient teens) Love the battery back-up.

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I'm not sure if it was a shipping error or that the SPC019 has been replaced with the SPC020, but the latter is the clock I received. It looks identical to the one pictured here silver and blue wedged shaped clock, red LED display. My guess is that the SPC020 is what Amazon is shipping if you order this clock since many of the reviewers mention the night light and dual volume settings which are features of the SPC020. The technical specs on this page indicate that the clock should tell "month, date, day of week and temperature in Celsius and Fahrenheit" but that is not the case, at least with the SPC020. No matter, it does tell the time with a bright display which is what a digital clock should do. The buttons are large and easy to use. The night light feature is fantastic I ended up putting this clock in my son's room and it replaced his plastic plugin night light. This is a very nice clock at a very reasonable price. Just be aware that you may be getting a slightly different (and in my opinion better) model than the one that is listed.

This clock looks better than expected and is a perfect fit on my small nightstand. I can see the time at night and day for across the room, and it beats looking in my purse for my cellphone.

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Koda IP915 iStereo Music & Video Docking Clock Radio for iPod

• Features: Digital FM radio iPod Docking Speaker Wooden cabinet compact design 2 way system and 18W*2 output power, driver 3" *2+3/4"*2, deliver crystal clear, high quality sound Dock and charge iPod 3.5mm audio input for other audio device Video output for enjoying iPod movie and photo on TV screen Black or maple color for selection

First, be warned ahead of time that this unit must be controlled with its remote. There is virtually no functionality without the remote. Second, be warned the remote is a super cheap plastic piece of crap. If your remote breaks you're stuck in the last mode you used, either Fm radio or ipod. You can't control this unit without the remote. I just tried changing the time. The remote won't work to do it. The time flashes, I push the buttons to change the hour, and nothing happens. I've only had this unit a month, and I can say without a doubt it is a piece of junk that won't be working at all in a short time. Find yourself another unit, preferably one that has controls on the unit not on some worthless remote. You were warned.

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The Wal-Mart's around here (NC) have been selling these units on clearance for $50. I'm honestly amazed how good the sound is from this relatively small unit. It's very clear with great range. Even low-range has a nice thump to it.

Now I don't have an ipod right now, I'm just using the AUX input. However, this device can apparently control any ipod avaliable, including ipod Videos. Yes, it's got TV out.

Build quality is actually very good. It's rather heavy and everything feels very tight. The three buttons (power, volume up and down) all have a satisfying click to them. I wish I could say the same about the credit card remote (which is required for most features) but it gets the job done.

The display is just a basic, inverted LCD. The clock always displays, but also is stuck in 24-hour mode. To the right shows the station or volume. That's about it; perhaps more avaliable when an ipod is being used, but again, I don't have one.

All in all, highly recommended!

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I went to walmart and found this for 40 dollars let me tell you go and get it or find it,The sound quality on this is even better then a bose system I think the sound is so great,The only thing is the cheap remote but is does the job very well, Go and get it now!!!!!!

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I bought this one for bedroom.

Build Quality is good for the price.

I disassembled this one. Inner construction is good as well.

Default sound is too warm.

I think crossover value is too high, approximately 8kHz.

I increased loudspeaker network capacitor to 15uF and inserting something to bass port.

I got more clear sound.

I just got one of these over the holidays. As others have mentioned, the remote is required to control this thing. You have on/off and volume on the speaker-clock unit and that is it. The main unit itself appears to be very well made. It has some 'heft' to it and is very solid. The sound quality is surprisingly good overall and the bass end of the frequency range does not lack. It sounds like a much bigger unit than it is. It works great with my ipod classic and the remote allows you to fully control the ipod through the system.

The down sides? In stark contrast to the construction of the main unit, the remote control is a cheap plastic piece of junk. Very cheesy. My other big complaint is that the lowest volume setting is quite loud. Much too loud for bedroom use which seems like its intended use considering it is a clock radio. The FM radio works better than most clock radios but does not pull stations in as well as my old portable stereo it does get the job done well enough so I guess that may not be a negative.

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Olympia OL 3000 Infoglobe Digital Caller ID with Real-Time Clock

• Combination clock and voice message center
• Stores up to 76 caller ID records
• 100 Year calendar
• 3 Programmable alert messages
• 1-Year warranty

I liked this concept so much, however the actually function was not as good as I expected. The machine uses a spinning electrode to display information. This make a fairly audible humming sound that bothered me.

My biggest complaint is that the globe displays information all the time. I was hoping the unit would have a "sleep mode", and would only display a incoming call, but it doesn't. Thus if the unit is turned on, the unit displays date and time, or other messages 24-hrs a day. This was distracting, we sent the unit back for a refund.

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I consider myself lucky after what I have been reading. I do have the version that takes the 3 aaa batteries and for a week have not had a problem. A little noise but when you normally set things up, it is quiet and you have to understand how it works. It is bound to make a little noise....hey, it is a toy! Have fun and enjoy.

The only thing I agree with is the setup is somewhat confusing. Read the instructions a few times and you will figure out how to do it but there are still a lot of "clicks" to enter your 6 messages.

I do want one at work too.

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I've had mine for almost 2 years now and love it. I've noticed a few people complaining about an EEPROM ERROR after a lightning storm. i recently experienced that as well. just unplug it and take the batteries out for 10 minutes, plug it back in, put the batteries back in and reset the memory per the manual and all should be fine!

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I never used caller ID because I never made it to the phone before it kicked over to take a message. But this Globe thing has changed that. A half second after the phone rings the caller's name is circling the globe in bright letters I can see across the room. It also tells you how many caller ID's are stored so if you come back from lunch and that number has ticked up then you know you misssed a call without having to check the phone.

The kids love it because I program the globe to say hello to them. These messages randomly come up in between the time and date. It even tells the dog that she is a good girl.

I got this for my parents for Christmas after their other caller ID died after an electrical storm.

My mother called to tell me that it was working and quite entertaining to watch. She said it made an audible noise, but since neither of my parents hear too well AND since they sleep with the TV on, it doesn't bother them.

My less than perfect rating is that the thing shipped with almost dead batteries. Batteries are included, but after my mom hooked it up, the message it read out was "Batt Low."

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iHome App-Enhanced Alarm Clock with Bluetooth and FM Radio for iPad, iPhone and iPod

• Compatible with iPad/iPhone/iPod models
• Universal dock charges & plays iPad , iPhone or iPod while docked
• Wake or sleep to iPad/iPhone/iPod or app alarms
• Bongiovi Digital Power Station technology
• Customizable with advanced iHome apps - free iHome+sleep app creates alarms, local weather, etc. & iHome+radio app accesses up to 10,000 Internet radio stations from around the globe

Warning: Most of the truly worthwhile features for this alarm clock are only functional through the iPhone / iPad App ("iHome+Sleep" App on iTunes store). Without the app, it's merely an expensive speaker system with a clock (and not a very accurate one, either). I have had the iA100 for over two months now and unfortunately, the app is extremely buggy and erratic and the direct support from iHome has been completely useless and unresponsive. This makes the iA100 less useful and less worthy of its $ price tag.

I recommend you refer to the following support threads on iHome's own support forums before considering this item:

[..]

Do a search for more on the iA100 topic and you'll find similar issues with similar concerns. You'll notice that these and other postings have almost zero responses from iHome support except for one (which was not specific or helpful in any way). Direct emails to their tech support (I've sent three over the past two months over the same issues posted) go ignored. I intend to call directly, however I read a customer's posting that the phone support lacks adequate knowledge about the product, software app or remedies, and were advised to post their question on the iHome support forums for better response. This tells me that they have a limited staff and relies solely on their support forums for communicating with customers.

Needless to say, I'm very disappointed with this purchase considering it's a pretty expensive, high-end alarm clock that is customized to work with your iPad / iPhone. People on the forums have complained that their iA100s are unreliable for daily use. I simply can't rely on mine either due to the problems noted in the forum postings. I'm assuming people are merely using the iA100 as a $ speaker system for now. I personally wouldn't mind the time needed to gradually improve their iHome App, but it would be appropriate (and for $200, they should be obligated) to respond to customers with some kind of confirmation, remedy, workaround, or timeline to the fixes posted on the iHome support forum.

I'll be happy to update this post when iHome promptly responds to these and other support postings regarding similar issues regarding the app.

In the meantime, purchase this at your own risk!

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**Revised 01-07-2011 after iHome+Sleep v2.1 release

I've owned the iA100 for about a month, and have used it extensively. It is one of the sharpest looking iHome products on the market, and I purchased it after reading pre-release announcements and waiting for iHome to make it available for several months, while comparing the competition and deliberating whether or not it would be worth the asking price. An app-enhanced alarm clock is an incredible idea, especially since apps can be improved over time based on customer feedback. I experienced a lot of performance issues during the first few weeks while using v1 of the iHome+Sleep app, but iHome released v2.1 in late December 2010, and although there are still a few stability issues, many of the problems have been resolved. I've revised my original review 's consideration points with 0 to 10 ratings for the iA100 below:

iHOME CUSTOMER SERVICE (0 out of 10)

iHome experimentally created a user forum in November 2010, but abandoned it in December, so all of the customer posts made since then have gone unanswered by iHome employees. I've emailed them with questions about functional problems and never heard back. I've called their tech support number directly, and after waiting for 17 minutes to get a human, I was told that I called the 'computer support' number and that I should have called the 'audio support' number. Upon calling the second number they gave me, and waiting another 10 minutes for a human, I was told to call the number I originally called because they had no idea how to help me with my questions. Amazon sets the global bar for customer service, and all other companies should attempt to imitate them. Return shipping instructions are included with each order, RMA processing is automated online, and you can have them call you within seconds at the click of a button and they already know your issue. iHome has the worst customer service I've ever dealt with, but unfortunately, at this time, they are the only manufacturer of a bluetooth-ready, iPad docking, close-to-Bose-sounding alarm clock on the market.

BUILT IN DEVICE ALARMS VERSUS CUSTOM APP ALARMS (8 out of 10 improved with iHome+Sleep v2.1)

The iA100 clock itself has 2 device alarms that can be set to Tone, iPod, FM, or AUX. You can set the device alarms using small buttons hidden on the back of the clock, but it's obvious that iHome intended for customers to use their iDevice to configure the alarms. Device and Custom Alarms have improved and are easy to set using the app, but v2.1 did not correct the issue from v1 where there is no way to change the tone used by the two iA100 device alarms. With custom app alarms, there are many stereo tones to choose from, but the two device alarms are stuck using the xylophone tone. iHome also added gradual sleep and wake functionality to custom app alarms, so users have the ability to specify how many minutes the volume decreases or increases per alarm. However, this functionality is not offered for the two device alarms, and the `wake volume' slider in each of their settings is hard to adjust to a desirable volume, since the alarm blares on at that setting. It took me several tries to find the perfect wake volume using the slider. I personally prefer to use device alarms as opposed to custom app alarms, because app alarms don't go off unless the app is running and in the foreground all night. The app has a brightness setting to dim the iDevice once the `bedtime' slider has been activated, but even turned all the way down, it is still too bright for me to sleep, and sometimes the custom alarms don't go off when the app is active but the iDevice is asleep.

iHOME+SLEEP APP STABILITY (8 out of 10)

Version 1 of the app was extremely buggy. However, iHome has fixed most of the stability issues in v2.1. The app used to lose connectivity to the iA100 upon multitasking away and coming back, either while docked or connected through Bluetooth. This problem has been fixed, and the app reliably reloads the device settings every time it is made active. The only functional issues remaining are that the Overnight News integration to Twitter and Facebook never works, and sometimes the app crashes as soon as I slide the `Wake Up' slider when a custom alarm goes off. If these two issues are addressed in the next app release, the device alarms are made as functional as custom app alarms, and the reliability improves for custom alarms to go off while the iDevice is asleep, I will rate the app a 10.

BLUETOOTH (10 out of 10)

The iA100's Bluetooth features are awesome. There is a button on the back that puts the clock into pairing mode, at which point you can discover it on your iDevice, PC, or Mac in seconds. Once paired, you can wirelessly stream audio from music or video at up to 33 feet away. I carried my iPad into the living room, at least 30 feet away and through two walls, and the clock was still blaring without a hiccup. When paired to my iPhone, the iA100 rang loudly when I received a phone call, and the built in mic worked flawlessly from across the room without having to raise my voice. I also used the clock to stream music from iTunes on my MacBook Pro and as a Bluetooth speakerphone for Skype. There is a 'Sync Time' feature that syncs the clock to the AT&T time on your iPhone, and it works great over bluetooth (or when docked).

SOUND (9 out of 10)

Although the iA100 doesn't sound as big and full as a Bose system, what does?? The Bongiovi sound engine is awesome. There is a button on the clock and a feature in the app to disable it, but I don't know why anyone would. The volume ranges from 0-40, and it is loud enough at 25-30 to fill my 20x25' master bedroom with full, bassy sound. I can't tell any difference in the sound quality between docked and bluetooth wireless streaming audio they both sound great.

UPDATE POTENTIAL (10 out of 10 as proved by v2.1 of iHome+Sleep app)

iHome already corrected most of the functionality issues in the app with their latest release, v2.1. There are still a few issues, and I am personally hopeful that they will make enhancements to the device alarms, but v2.1 of the app verified my initial willingness to pay two hundred dollars for an app enhanced clock. As more customers provide feedback, iHome should continue to improve user experience. The iA100 also has the ability to download and install firmware updates directly through the iHome+Sleep app when the iDevice is docked and connected to either 3G or WIFI, so there are limitless possibilities to functionality upgrades of the physical clock itself in addition to the app.

OVERALL RATING (9 out of 10 improved substantially with v2.1 of app)

Despite it's few flaws and iHome's blatant lack of customer service, I love the clock even more after v2.1 was released, and recommend it. Although it is one of the most expensive iDevice docking clocks on the market, it has features that you won't find in the competition. At the time of this review, it's the only app-enhanced alarm clock with an iPad dock (although iHome added in-app support for their upcoming iD85, which will also support iPad docking). The bluetooth speakerphone, wireless control, and streaming audio features are awesome (the iA100 also includes a remote control, but you don't really need it if paired through Bluetooth). It looks great, keeps all of my iDevices charged, and I didn't need to buy universal docks to support any of them. There is a rubber insert that can be removed to support some of the larger iPad cases on the market, but I can comfortably dock my iPhone 4 with Apple Bumper Case or iPad with iLuv Silicone Sleeve on the iA100 without removing either, and the iPad feels sturdily fixed in place against the metal support bar.

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I had been holding off on getting an alarm clock that will also charge my iphone and play music off my iphone because of all the negative reviews. I took a chance on this product and regret it.

I was specifically looking for an alarm clock that could be dimmed all the way to black and had 2 alarms that could be set: one for weekdays and one for weekneds. This one does that, however, my weekend alarm never goes off even though it's set to ON. You HAVE to set the alarm using your phone, which is a pain in the neck. Also, it's not easy to tell if the alarm is set by looking at the clock itself. It is hard to determine what the volume of the alarm will be when it actually goes off in the morning too. Then, to top it all off, this thing is bluetooth ennabled, but any time I take my phone out of the bedroom, and return, I have to make it forget the device and re-pair the stupid thing. What a pain.

On the good side, it sounds great when playing music through it.

I'm packing the stupid thing up and sending it back. When you pay $200 for something, you don't expect to have this many issues with it. My trusty old alarm clock will be returned to service at my bedside.

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If you are looking for an alarm clock that integrates well with your iOS device, stay away from this one. There are a few big issues with device:

1. As an alarm clock, 2 of the most important buttons are on the back side of the clock: the ones to set/adjust Alarm 1 and Alarm 2. The Nap button is also back there, but that is simply frustrating rather than annoying.

2. The dimmest setting on the clock is still extremely bright, making it difficult to go to sleep. Though you can turn the light off, see the next point.

3. The clock based button for changing the brightness of the display does not work when an iOS device is plugged in. This makes it completely useless. The only way to control the brightness with an iOS device in the dock is through the iHome App, and the controller is way to small to access from bed. This alone is enough to make the clock useless.

4. The software for iOS is buggy at best. It will often fail to show the built in Alarms of the clock or fail to show other clock specific features. The Firmware update process is a mystery. No matter how many times I try to update the Firmware, it always shows there is an Update and that the Update installed.

5. Customer support is non-existent.

Overall, a total thumbs down.

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I've read some of the negative reviews regarding this radio so naturally I was a little hesitant on buying it especially given its hefty price tag. After doing a few hours of research about this radio and investigating others as well I learned that iHome updated its iHome Sleep App just recently, addressing many concerns that some reviewers have been commenting on so I decided to give the ia100 a shot.

First off I must admit after opening the box and playing with the iHome app I was very disappointed with the app and its reliability of waking me up in the morning. I ran a few tests using all aspects of the software to see how the alarms performed and originally they did not function properly. The sleep timer worked as it should however when it came time for the alarm to go off... nothing! This was concerning and quickly a deal breaker for me obviously because if this thing can't wake me up in the morning I have no use for it. So I tried reinstalling the app and still the same issue. There really isn't that much documentation from iHome for their devices so your left with learning this device on your own for the most part. After some more trial and error I was getting frustrated and was just about to repack the clock to return it when I thought to restart my iPhone 4. What do you know that did the trick! Now the iHome app functions perfectly.

So now that I've got the most important feature figured out and working properly, I must say I really enjoy having this thing next to my bed. I get to fall asleep to either my ipod or internet radio (which is a separate app that they force you to buy which is $1.99 but hey I what's 2 bucks after paying for this radio but it does add a lot of extra listening variety) and then wake up to a completely different station or playlist. So at night I listen to ambient type music and in the morning either dance music or sports talk radio. Cool.

I think one of the reasons this radio gets some bad reviews is because it is so complicated to use and as I said before the documentation from iHome leaves a lot to be desired. The app has some limitations. It has to be left open and your iPhone unlocked for it to function properly. iHome states that this is due to the way IOS5 now functions by putting all programs in the background when the phone is locked. But this is no biggie because you can set the screen brightness to near zero so that when putting the app in bedtime mode not much ambient light is added to the room.

A few more positives:

1. Sound clarity for the size of this unit the sound is quite good and produces a balanced mix of bass, mid-tones, and treble. Plus it has an EQ if you want to refine the sound even further to suit your listening needs.

2. Bluetooth this feature made me go wow. I like the idea that I can answer phone calls with my iPhone disconnected from the iHome and also be able to listen to music wireslessly as well as control volume etc. This is a nice added feature that adds much convenience.

3. Build quality The ia100 is built solidly and the buttons are good quality. Overall you can see that this radio is built to last. I also have no problems with some of the buttons be put in the rear of the device because basically anything you need can be controlled by the software and those buttons would overcrowd the top of the device.

4. Remote nice size remote included which is good if the iHome is far from where you sleep.

5. Ability to sync iHome Radio stations into the iHome Sleep app so you can fall asleep or wake up to any of the hundreds of internet radio stations available in the app.

A few negatives:

1. Text messages are inaudible when the iPhone is docked. I tried changing the alert type and we'll see but so far that one big negative. If I'm half asleep and I get a text the phone only vibrates thus unlikely to wake me up. I hope they figure a workaround for this (maybe having the option to use the iHome's speakers to alert you)

Overall I really like my iHome ia100 and hopefully they continue to improve the iHome Sleep app. I would like to give it a 4.5 stars because of the text message issue and the dearth of instructions and support for the device, but once you figure it out the iHome ia100 delivers a solid bedside clock radio.

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Timex T311T Auto-Set Dual-Alarm Clock Radio (Titanium)

• 2-alarm clock radio with large snooze bar and 90-minute programmable sleep timer
• 18-program station memory with auto station setting (12 FM, 6 AM)
• Wake to radio or buzzer
• Auto time and date setting with 100-year calendar and auto Daylight Savings adjustments
• Backlit LCD with 3-position brightness control

Finding a clock radio with battery back up and radio presets was a challenge. Most of them have analog radios, which means when I flip from the baseball game (am radio) to jazz (fm radio) I have to once again slowly turn the dial until I find the spot with the best reception. It is a joy to use presets.

Mine worked fine out of the box. Radio quality (sound) was good, suitable for a bedroom. Surprise, surprise, it came with the batteries (2 AAA) already installed for the battery back up.

Fine clock radio.

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After losing the manual, I found it here http://www.timexaudio.com/help.asp where they have manuals for all their models.

The "Dual Alarm" allows a time for radio and a separate time for the buzzer.

Each suports: Every Day, M-F or Sat-Sun and the RADIO alarm lets you set the station to play when it comes on, which can be different than the station played for 90/60/30/15/ minutes with a different volume setting.

Turning the alarms on and off is easy (just press the Radio or Buzzer buttom each time it turns on or off the alarm). Push and hold the radio or buzzer button to set the alarm time for the alarm in question (radio or buzzer).

Get a copy of the PDF file with instructions and save it on your hard disk for future reference when you lose the printed one like I did.

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I stumbled across this clock at a rummage sale. No manual and it was a breeze to figure out by instinct! I use it in the kitchen to set it to make sure I don't miss Car Talk on Saturdays, but can have the general radio set to another station! The digital tuning and presets are so nice. What a lucky find! Wish it I could find one with 7 different daily alarms...but...this is still great. Putting on my wish list for another one for a gift! Oh, the external antenna is a definite plus. I wont be purchasing any clock radio without one again.

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I have two of these. I bought a second after letting my elderly mother have mine when she moved in with me and I missed mine too much! The sound quality is great, and you never have to adjust the time for any reason: power outages, daylight savings time no matter what it always has the correct time. I highly recommend it.

We purchase this alarm clock to replace a older Timex, this one has dual alarms, that was a plus and it has a power saver set so if we loose power we still have alarms to wake by the radio is a very good system we are very pleased with this purchase.Thanks

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Pioneer AVH-P2400BT Car DVD Player - 5.8" Touchscreen LCD Display - 16:9 - 480 x 240 - 200 W RMS - i

• Intuitive User Interface and Touchscreen Controls
• Multimedia at Its Finest - CD, DVD, Pandora Internet Radio, iPod®, and More!
• Advanced Audio Functions and System Expandablility Allow for a Customized Entertainment Experience

To put it succinctly, I got the P2400BT for my '03 Chevy Tahoe for the following reasons: wanted bluetooth for hands-free phone calls; wanted a head unit with a double-din display for a backup camera; and maybe most of all, got sick and tired of fiddling with CDs in this day and age and just wanted to play music off a USB drive. The Pioneer P2400BT had all the features I wanted and more, including some I may never use (e.g., probably will never watch any videos with it), and so far it has performed all the desired functions flawlessly. After getting my P2400BT professionally installed and getting familiar with my favored features, I've come up with some initial thoughts.

Pros:

-Responsive and accurate touch screen interface.

-Mostly intuitive, easy to use interface. I say "mostly" because there's a few bits that aren't totally clear at first and have you running to the manual. See notes below.

-Bluetooth for pairing up with my mobile phones works great. My phone pairs pretty quickly. When there's an incoming call, media pauses for the call without a hitch.

-Playing audio or video files off a USB works great.

-Many illumination, theme, and background options.

-Backup camera displays quickly and can be viewed while in any gear.

-Discs load and eject quickly.

-Easy to use audio EQ. Great sound (at least with my speakers and amp).

-Radio signal strength. I've read some complaints about radio signal strength being worse with the P2400BT than the factory radio for some people, but for all the radio stations I listen to, both FM and AM, the signal strength is just as good or bad as it was with my factory radio.

-Remote and battery included.

-Unit easily controlled with steering wheel controls (with prerequisite adapter also installed).

Cons:

-Bluetooth audio for calls sounds a bit muddy compared to what you'd hear directly from your phone. All other audio sources sound good (provided the source media is high quality of course), so this seems to be limited to the BT feature. That being said, I've had no problem understanding people on the other end of the calls I've had, and they've had no trouble understanding me.

-I don't like how Pioneer has locked down the bluetooth dial pad when your vehicle is in motion. If you can receive calls, which requires touching the screen, why can't you make them using the unit? Let's put it this way, the majority of the unit's touch screen controls are available when driving, so what's the difference between navigating through your CD or USB's files compared to launching the phone's dial pad? They're theoretically equally distracting. Additionally, you could dial a phone number in 3 steps: 1) touch phone icon, 2) open phone book, and 3) dial contact. Any time you see "prohibited" in the manual, think "disabled".

-At least with radio as the source, you can only have a large clock face, or a large radio frequency/station, but not both apparently.

Notes on some peculiarities:

-Per the last con, if you're wondering why the dialing pad of your bluetooth-connected phone is greyed out, it's probably because your car's not in Park.

-If your mobile phone is successfully paired, but you're not seeing anything in the phonebook on the Pioneer unit consider a couple things first: a) wait a bit -it can take some time for your phonebook to load up, especially if there's a lot of contacts and b) check your mobile phone's status, as there may be a request to allow the Pioneer unit to have permission to access your phonebook, and you'll need to manually accept the request.

-If you're not finding video files on your USB drive, for example, don't forget to select the "Media" soft key to switch media file types. If a video file type is incompatible, the P2400BT will explicitly tell you so (as opposed to just acting like it can't find the file).

-The parking brake interlock "feature" seems to be flaky. According to the manual, if you attempt to view video while driving, that function will disabled until you apply the parking brake, release it, then apply it again. Well at least on one occasion the video function was disabled upon startup of the truck and going through the park apply/release/apply wasn't resolving it. Eventually what finally worked was going from Park to Reverse, actually rolling backward a bit, then rolling forward again (to stay within my parking space), then back to Park and THEN I could get video playback to work properly. Kind of nonsense there.

-There is a dimmer setting on this unit, but if you're expecting the display to automatically dim when turning on your headlights, I've been told this will only happen if your factory radio already did this. The illumination on my Tahoe's factory Bose radio automatically dimmed, so the P2400BT is dimming with the headlights on as well. Sweet.

Notes on installing the P2400BT on a GM vehicle with a Bose "Premium" system with an amplifier (e.g., 6-disc Bose stereo with amp in select Chevy Tahoes/Suburbans etc.):

-Used the Metra Axxess ASWC Universal Steering Wheel Control Interface for my install to retain steering wheel button functionality to control the Pioneer. Works great.

-Used the Meta GMOS-04 interface to retain the door chimes/alerts/OnStar stuff. Works fine except the chimes are too loud now. This should be adjustable on the interface itself, but actually isn't that straightforward and I don't think my installer knew the proper way to do it. Found out after the install that there is documentation online about a specific method of adjusting the chime volume if it's too low or too loud.

-The above interfaces are pretty expensive, but word of advice -do NOT try to go cheap and get these interfaces on eBay, or if you do, avoid the ones with a price that's too good to be true. I bought the ASWC through Amazon with no issues. Trying to save some $$, I got not one but TWO bad GMOS-04 interfaces through eBay -what a waste of time that was!

-Used Metra 40-GM10 GM Antenna Adapter.

Overall, I am very happy with the P2400BT. The bluetooth feature wasn't a priority when I bought it, but it has quickly become a favorite feature. Everyone is very impressed with seeing the backup camera in action and it's so easy to use. And now, although I can still use a disc if I *really* want to, I finally *don't* have to and can play all my music off a tiny USB drive (SanDisk Cruzer Fit 16 GB Flash Drive SDCZ33-016G FTW!) or an iPod. Everyone seems to comment that it's kind of amazing about how many features you can get for under $300 on an aftermarket radio these days and I agree. I would definitely recommend the P2400BT to anyone.

Buy Pioneer AVH-P2400BT Car DVD Player - 5.8" Touchscreen LCD Display - 16:9 - 480 x 240 - 200 W RMS - i Now

The XM tuner in my RAV4 had bombed out so I went looking for an upgrade. Did not intend to upgrade this much but am glad I did. Happy to report the receiver displays 4 lines of info for XM (with Pioneer GEX-P920XM XM tuner). The touch screen works wonderfully and it is easy to navigate to all the options. My Sony mp3 Walkman was immediately found with Bluetooth and displays all song info on screen. Lots of sound and video options available to customize to your taste. You get a message warning against watching DVD/video while driving if you insert a DVD but I don't know that I will ever watch a DVD on it anyway. I have always enjoyed Pioneer products and service and this is no exception. NOTE: I did have the unit installed by a professional at a local shop.

Read Best Reviews of Pioneer AVH-P2400BT Car DVD Player - 5.8" Touchscreen LCD Display - 16:9 - 480 x 240 - 200 W RMS - i Here

*** EDIT***

After tinkering more with this unit i've discovered a trick. I have a genuine iphone 4s dock from apple (the small white ones), an apple charging cable (standard one supplied) and a 3.5mm headphone jack from Belkin. You can connect the 3.5mm to the iphone dock and the apple charger to the back of the dock and then you have the full functionality of the 'Pandora' functions on the unit without having to buy the $50-$60 cable. I use the iphone dock as the cradle (not the most stable but it positions nicely in my car)

I'm from Australia and bought this unit knowing there may be 'issues'. For anyone outside the US, my problems were as follows:

1) AM Radio skips by 10khz per station where in Australia it only skips by 9khz. So if you want 873AM you will only tune into 870AM

2) Locked to region 1 (USA only)

3) Pandora only allowable in the US, but can bypass this with some know-how.

4) Forget playng any digital radio.

I listen to very little AM radio so the tuning was no biggie. The DVD region lock is not really an issue as it plays avi/divx files so i'm good with that too.

So far everything about the unit is nice. I had mine professionally installed and there were no 'installation' issues they encountered for a Holden Colorado Ute. It has many illumination options and other little tweaks.

Bluetooth with iphone 4S: This works perfectly. I like how it it just seems to 'work' all the time. I've made a few calls, the radio mutes till the call is finished. I haven't heard anyone complaining about the call quality so i'm sure it works well. It shows all your contacts on the unit and you can also set favourites (haven't figured it out yet)

Pandora: I have used this quite a few times in Australia (download the app from itunes in the US) and I find it's a great service. It works off bluetooth so as soon as you enter the car your songs will start to play and usually it will play from where it left off. So far the music it has been selecting has been impressive. If you find your having issues with Pandora in Australia, I find you can use Tunein Radio instead.

Tunein Radio: This is a good alternative if your not interested in Pandora. It works off bluetooth so you don't need to have a cable plugged in. So for my AM radio issue I use this instead.

Video: I played a cartoon for the kids and they were really enjoying it until I pull the handbrake down and it 'stops'. Video quality was very good too and although the screen is 5.8inch (not 7inch) it is still very watchable even from the back seat of my UTE. The kids were in a trance.

One last thing for anyone considering this unit. It is piano black (shiny). I was expecting it 'matt' so a litle disappointed in that respect.

Overall for the bluetooth alone this unit is worth it.

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I purchased this receiver because I wanted to upgrade the factory stereo in my 09 Subaru Impreza. First off, install was incredibly easy. Just took the old stereo out and connected the wires to the harness I had bought (A Nissan wiring harness fits this car just fine) and it worked when I turned on the car. The dimmer is a really cool feature that I didn't think would work. Also, it comes with a parking brake sensor for watching DVDs which was a little bit more difficult to install, but not impossible. I don't plan on watching many DVDs in my car (I have a perfectly good TV for that) but the picture quality is fine and they give you plenty of options to adjust the picture. Now, one thing that I love about this unit are the multiple hookup options. You have bluetooth, auxiliary, usb, radio and CD. I primarily use the bluetooth to play music through my phone and the audio sounds great to me. It's also awesome having the handsfree since it's illegal to talk on the phone while driving here. The bluetooth changes songs very quickly, I was worried because there is a delay of a few seconds in my mom's 2012 Honda Pilot factory stereo. I won't go into great detail about the other hookups but the iPod hookup through USB is also very nice. I hooked up a cheap back up camera that I bought here on amazon and had the hardest time figuring out how to get it to display on the unit until I realized there's a dedicated backup camera input in the bottom corner on the back of the unit that says something like "RC INPUT" above it or something. I kept trying to plug it into the yellow "VIDEO IN" input, which is incorrect. One great thing about this unit is that it really does make factory speakers sound much better. I had complained and hated the stock speakers in my car because they sounded muffled and just terrible but now that I plugged this in and configured the audio settings and wow! It really does sound much better, my girlfriend thought that I had installed a subwoofer! The only annoying things about this unit are; 1. the backup camera will not go away when you are not reversing it just keeps popping up with a black screen so you have to go to the home screen and turn it on/off each time you want to use it and 2. the face is not detachable which is really terrible because I have to worry about it getting stolen when I park my car. All in all this is quite nice for the $ you spend because the bluetooth is great, it has much better sound quality, and many built in features. One more thing I forgot to mention is the fact that when you install it there will be small gaps between it and your vehicle's trim because it is smaller than the factory unit, they do supply a black trim to cover up the gaps but even it is loose and I had to cut the bottom off to make it fit. That may just be the 09 Subaru Impreza that has this problem but thought I'd mention it.

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I bought this unit to replace my factory installed radio in my Acura RSX. It was a definite upgrade! It paired instantly with my Motorola Droid X2 No Contract Verizon Cell Phone without any problems. I use a SanDisk Cruzer Fit SDCZ33-008G-B35 8 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive Blackfor the USB input to keep a low profile database for my music. It also pairs/ reads my SanDisk Sansa e260R Rhapsody 4GB digital player / radio (with a little bit of waiting). I like all the options and it is very intuitive to figure out if you don't like instruction manuals. There is a bit of tweaking that is required to fine tune in the acoustics of the output, but that would be with any unit. Displays are very nice and clear, and the sound quality is a definite improvement from my past unit.

Now for the not so good parts (in my eyes). It has to much Apple exclusive aspects. I am not ANTI Apple (just not for it). It is a shame that there isn't an Android based link to the unit. I would liked to have had Pandora linking to Android and not only an iPhone/pod etc. Also, I would have liked to have the album art displayed for anything other than iPhone/pod sources. My other MP3 players can do it, why not this unit? Also there is a handbrake switch that denies you many features if the break is not on. Thus this required me to install a bypass system (you can find it on YouTube). All the same, a hassle and requiring more $$ for install.

All in all a solid buy. I am glad I got this unit and look forward to using it on my daily commute time of 2-3 hours a day!!

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Motorola SLVR L7 Unlocked Phone with Camera, MP3/Video Player, and MicroSD Slot--International Versi

This is a very nice phone. Call reception and battery life are excellent on the Cingular network. The iTunes features work fine but it won't replace my iPod nano any time soon. This phone has a very solid feel to it. The SLVR is not without flaws but show me a phone that isn't.

PROS:

Very solid, slim and sexy.

iTunes

Quad band

Expandable memory

Excellent reception

Excellent battery life

Bluetooth

CONS:

Camera (0.3 megapixel is pathetic in this day and age)

No high speed data (EDGE)

100 song cap on iTunes (not shocking, Apple still wants to sell iPods)

No dedicated headphone jack ( form over function compromise)

USB 1.1 transfer is VERY slow

Same old Moto OS ( Contacts list Stinks)

Conclusion:

If you're looking for a very sexy looking phone that has excellent reception and battery life I can think of no better choice than the SLVR. If you need a smart phone or all the latest bells and whistles there are better choices.

Update Cingular sent me a replacement for my SLVR. It has the same problems. That's three phones out of three two for me and one for my daughter with the same problem. Lockups and intermittent operation. I finally figured out part of the problem. Whenever an attempted voice dial fails, whether it was an intentional dial or an accident of pressing the button by mistake or pressing the headset button too long, then the phone will not make or receive any calls until you power it off and on again. At least now, if I am really careful how I handle it, my phone works most of the time. My suggestion is not to buy this phone for another 6 months or a year!

Original review follows:

This is a great phone when it works. There was a report this week on CNN about the RAZR phones that were sold late February 2006 and early March 2006 being recalled for a software bug. It is my guess that the SLVR, which is a close relative of the RAZR, has the same bug because my SLVR only works about half the time. Most of the time, when I try to make a call, the display will say "Calling xxxxxxx" but it just hangs there until I click End, even up to 20 minutes with nothing happening.

Any time I don't use my bluetooth headset for a few hours and then try to use it, the bluetooth on the phone will have quit working and to get it working again, I have to power the phone off and on again.

My daughter has the same phone and has the same problems.

When it works, though, it is a great phone. The iTunes holds only 100 songs, like the other reviews said, but that's an iTunes issue it treats this like an iPod Nano.

Cingular is sending me a replacement for my SLVR and, hopefully, it will work better and have these issues resolved. In the mean time, I suggest giving more time for the bugs to be worked out. Once it becomes more reliable, I would highly recommend the phone.

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I must say I was a bit shocked when I read some of the negative reviews. I buy a new cell phone every couple of months. I got this SLVR thru Cingular. But I like new gadgets. So, sometimes I buy an unlocked phone and change the sim. I have tried countless phones from Nokia, Samsung, Sony-Ericsson and Panasonic. This is my favorite so far. It is thin, sleek and easy to operate. I always laugh when I hear people complain of the Motorola menu or interface. These are people that most-likely started out on a different brand and expect every cell phone manufacturer to use that same menu. Every brand has their quirks. And, most cell phone users have their quirks.

On my SLVR I have 50 songs loaded with room for that many more. It accepts the super-small Transflash card, included. I love the fact that there is also an included connection from the USB port that allows you to use your own headphones. In addition, no one makes better bluetooth headsets than Motorola and this phone connects to it easily, with a crisp clear sound.

The only thing I would change is the color. It is a deep, almost black, brown color. I would prefer silver or matte black. I have not encountered any software problems and I have had the phone since the first week it came out.

Read Best Reviews of Motorola SLVR L7 Unlocked Phone with Camera, MP3/Video Player, and MicroSD Slot--International Versi Here

This phone is great! I love everything about it; size, function, quality, battery life, iTunes. The ONLY negative thing I can say about it is that it has USB 1 and not the faster USB 2. But the phone charges itself while it's connected to the computer updating iTunes so the slow download doesn't bother me.

Apple has limited the phone to 100 songs. The 512MB micro card is sufficient for about 75 songs at a time (saved at 192kb) not a 60GB iPod, but plenty for on-the-go music enjoyment. The iTunes integration with the phone is very nice; sleek and easy, but you cannot use iTunes for ringtones (those MP3's are stored in on the internal 5MB memory like on other phones that utilize MP3 ringtones).

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Honestly, I really do like my SLVR. It's sleek and it does everything it's supposed to do. But there is one major problem: the iTunes volume control. iTunes has volume settings 0-7, with "0" being silent. The problem is that setting "1" is as loud as my regular ipod turned up to 2/3 of its maximum volume! this is just too loud a lot of the time. I couldn't use it in the office or when I wanted to listen quietly. It's even a little too loud for walking around outside.

I contacted Motorola about this, but they denied that it was a widespread problem and said they had no plans to fix it, even though it has been mentioned in reviews of the phone. I was forced to do a sloppy fix by buying some new headphones with an in-line volume control. This works for listening to iTunes, but creates another problem. With the included heaphones, if the phone rings while you are listening to music, you can just press a button on the cord to answer. With any other headphones, you must fish the phone out of your pocket and disconnect the cord before you can answer. It's not a major thing, but it is an annoyance.

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Gpx IT209B 3.1 Channel Home Music System with Ipod

• 37 in Wide, 3.1 Channel Home Music System with Dock for iPod
• AM/FM Radio with Digital Tuning and Station Memory Presets and Last Channel Memo
• SRS TruSurround XT and Integrated Subwoofer
• Auxiliary Input for iPod Shuffle and Other Audio Devices
• Composite Video Inputs and Output, S-Video Output, Integrated Subwoofer Output

I ordered this because my TV sound seemed to be off. The room I have the TV in is always being used during the day by our toddlers, so surround sound was not an option. I mainly bought it because the TV sound wasn't projecting voices in movies very well, but picked up the music fine, so if you turned up the tv to hear the conversation, you got your ears blown off when music came on.

Problem solved. This speaker system works wonders for sound. It is crisp, clear, and balanced. Best of all it is easy to use. I really have not used it for the ipod docking station at this time. This speaker packs a lot of punch too. I have it set fairly low, and it reaches really far. Movies are better, TV is better as well.

Pros:

Inexpensive (relatively compared to what I have seen in stores)

Easy to install

Great Sound

Cons:

The remote seems to be limited in range or sluggish to respond I have replaced the batteries, etc

The antenna that comes with the bar, has a limited length of cord, so I can't really get it to where it picks up a good signal

Its pretty wide and takes up the entire width of my TV stand. If you have a smaller TV or TV stand, this may be a little too long/wide for you.

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Pyle PLR44MU In-Dash AM/FM-MPX Detachable Face Receiver with MP3 Playback and USB/SD/Aux Inputs

• AM/FM-MPX PLL Tuning Car Radio - Encoding Volume, Balance, Bass, Treble & Fader Control - Blue Button Illumination Controls - Dimensions: 7''W x 4.72''D x 1.96''H
• Dot Matrix White LCD Display- 30 Radio Preset Station Memory 18FM-12AM- Seek/Scan Function
• Fold-Down Detachable Face Panel - Front Auxiliary Input Jack - AM Frequency Range: 530~1710kHz
• MP3 ID3 Tag Digital Readout Compatible - Stereo RCA Line Out Jack - FM Frequency Range: 87.5~107.9MHz
• USB Slot & SD/MMC Card Port For MP3/WMA Music Files Playback - Full Function Remote Control - 4 x 60 Watts Maximum Power Output

I was getting really tired of the poor sound from my MP3 player connected to my old radio using an FM transmitter. In my area, there is not a channel that has no broadcast, so my songs were constantly competing for the airwaves. After researching several digital receivers on Amazon, I was discouraged to find that nearly all had negative reviews, or at least some negative features. When I found the Pyle PLR44MU, it had only one review but it was 5 stars, so I decided to give it a try. I'm very glad I did! What I discovered is that this digital receiver has all the features I wanted at a price that is truly unbelievable. The unit installed without a hitch, although I was not for-warned that I also needed an antenna adapter and a mounting case, which I purchased locally. I was also not sure if I needed a wiring harness, so I ordered one with this unit that I ultimately did not use. As it turned out, I could not easily get to the plug behind the dash for the existing wiring, so I reverted to splicing the wires from the connectors included with the receiver into the existing wiring. A Google search lead me to the wiring schematic for my car (1999 Chevy Suburban), so I could match the correct leads.

THE RADIO:

I was impressed by how many clear channels I got on the FM scale. The PLL tuner was quite capable of searching out channels, and I could add any channel to memory by just holding in the memory button for 2 seconds. The display is pleasing and easy on the eyes.

USB: I inserted a usb drive loaded with .mp3 files and after displaying "USB", it began playing the songs. The Title and author of each song is displayed along with the file length. I could advance or backup one file at a time, or switch to the next folder using the "DIR+" or "DIR-" buttons.

SD/MMC: It took a while to find the slot for an SD Card, as they are mis-labeled on the instructions. I found the slot behind the face plate! I did not test this slot as I did not have an available card, but assume it works like the USB port. An advantage to using SD/MMC cards is that the media card can be hidden, rather than sticking out front as the USB drive is.

CLOCK: There is a brief reference in the manual to displaying the clock, but no instructions on how to set it. You must press the "DSP" (not "DISP" as the instructions read) and the time will display. To set it, hold the DSP button a few seconds and the hour will begin flashing. Turn the volume knob to change the hour. Press the volume button once and the minutes will flash, allowing you to set them by turning the volume button. Press DSP again to set.

OTHERS: There are buttons for MUTE and PAUSE, as well as a RF remote control unit that works.

Conclusion: This digital receiver exceeded my expectations, did everything I wanted it to do, and looks great. The instructions are very poor and riddled with mistakes, so you will have to experiment. The MP3 receiver remembers where it was when powered off and restarts from that point. I did not notice any of the memory problems noted for other receivers reviewed, and am very happy I chose this one. I cannot imagine getting a better digital receiver at any price to work with my old speakers.

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This looks and feels and acts like a higher end product than it really is. I put this into my Ford F100 1978 pickup truck and it has given new voice to the monster. Very clear and easy to use.

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I first ordered a slightly lesser model of this stereo, which turned out to be defective. A most helpful Pyle customer service guy told me to return the unit, so I asked if they needed all the wiring and such, too, as it was already crimped onto the short factory loom I had cut into.

No, just return the head unit itself, he said. Great, that saved me a bit of work, and crimp connectors.

Went to order a direct replacement, but by then the price was up a bit (and no free shipping, as I recall) but this unit was only a dollar or two more than the original.

Plugged it into the waiting wiring and...there was sound. Not great sound, but that could well be the speakers' fault.

Considering the crummy rubber antenna on the vehicle, the reception was well above expectations.

It's about time someone made a basic radio, without failure prone CD or tape accomodations, and for a very good price.

I just might buy another one, for a different vehicle.

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I have been using this for a month now and am really happy with the purchase.

Installation:

Easy. Had to by a din kit for my car which was easy to install. The physically installing the radio was easy. Doing the wiring was easy as well. I don't work on my car at all and don't have much experience with this, but the installation was easy and painless.

Performances:

Audio is great. I love using the SD card to play my music. I also use the usb port to charge my phone (though keep in mind this is will not charge it a lot. my phone barely consumes much as its not a smart phone. it does not charge a smartphone more than its normal consumption.) Also, as a side note, that if your phone acts as a mass storage device when you plug it in, then you can play music on your phone through the usb cable.

Complaints:

None so far

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The radios great; some things to think about?

THE GOOD, price is the best.

Easy operation, the remote makes this part easy.

Great reception, i also have an antenna booster which helps a great deal.

The screen resist glare so easy to read.

Not so good, good for a small system but not enough power alone to push subs so an amp will be purchased in the near future.

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Etón American Red Cross ARCFR360R Solarlink Self-Powered Digital AM/FM/NOAA Radio with Solar Power,

• AM (520-1710 KHz) & FM (87-108MHz) NOAA weatherband ¿ all 7 channels Built-in 3 white LED light source 1 flashing red LED
• Can be powered from four different sources: Dynamo/hand crank which charges the Ni-MH battery; From 3 AAA batteries (not included);
• USB cell phone charger (USB cable not included) 3.5 mm headphone input Dimensions: 6.25x 6.5x 2.75and 158.75 x 165 x 69.85 mm (W x H x D)
• Accessories: owner's manual, warranty card Specifications subject to change.Weight: 1 lb. and 450 g
• From the AC via USB adapter (not included); Solar power which charges Ni-MH battery

The features of this radio made it sound like it would be a good thing to have handy in case of an emergency, particularly the ability to recharge a cell phone from it. But I was very disappointed to learn that this radio was made so poorly, and so many things were wrong with it that I'm having to send it back for a refund. The backlight for the display did not work. The alert button would not operate. I could run it on crank power but the button to switch to battery power would not operate. I could get AM stations only (not even static on FM or shortwave) and it would not stay on a single station for long. The instructions were minimal. The overall design is poor. It's made of cheap plastic and everything feels like it might break if you bumped it. I won't be buying another one of these, that's for sure.

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EDIT:

I forgot about this review and this product altogether really. It lasted about a year and then just fell apart. The antenna just up and fell out. I pretty much only used the radio for AM so i hardly ever even pulled the thing out. But one time i took out the radio and the antenna just fell out and i couldn't get back in. That was on top of the fact that the thing just stopped working around the same time. The tiny LCD was the first thing to go, just stopped turning on. Shortly after that the only thing that worked was the flashlight. Thing worked two years at the most not including the flashlight.

I wouldn't buy this again. There has to be something better. Something that comes with a charger, doesn't have a waste of battery power LCD, and doesn't fall apart like a cheap POS. I really liked it when it worked and i'd consider buying something similar, but this thing was an overall disappointment.

OLD REVIEW:

I bought this about 6 months ago and i really like it. Some people apparently expect this radio to work miracles. I mainly bought the radio as something to take with me when i'm fishing. I thought initially some of the knobs seemed sort of cheap, but they get clanked around in my fishing bag and i don't see them breaking. The crank knob seems a little cheap and the rivets on it hurt your fingers after cranking for a while. You get about 15 minutes of decent volumed radio for 1 minute of straight cranking(and you can listen while you crank).

The battery life isn't super long but we're talking three AAAs here, so you shouldn't really be expecting much.

A decent sunshine will charge the battery or play the radio at a decent volume. The more sunshine, the more power.

Other reviews whined about reception. Well, i was fishing in a storm 4 1/2 hours away from my local AM station and that station came in crystal clear, it was unbelievable. Although the distance was due to the storm, that shows you the distance this radio is capable of. I have had absolutely no tuning problems, especially with AM which is what i normally listen to.

I can't speak to HDMI, cell phone charger, or audio in jack; but i like everything else on the radio. My only major gripe is that they should charge you 5 extra bucks and give you an adapter instead of forcing you to order it. Idealy, i'd like to have batteries for back up and be able to charge my radio in the wall for recreational use. I also don't think the digital screen is necessary, which is why the Eton FR300 might be better. Even with that said, for my 50 bucks i have been pretty happy with the product so far.

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If you're of my generation you remember the old transistor radios with the antenna you'd have to tweak "just so" to get your station. Well this thing makes that look like rocket science. Even close FM stations fade in and outmore so when you personally move away from the unit making tuning a joke. Plain crummy sound when you do get anything. The rechargeable batteries barely hold a charge for a week when not being used, and I'm fairly sure (although they never said it) that the system only charges a cell phone (one of the big reasons I bought it) when you're turning the crank. It doesn't seem to charge through the solar cell. The tuners are crummy, buttons hard to see and use and it is very easy to deplete the 3-AAA "real" batteries by unknowingly leaving the unit on somehow.... but it's a cute little thing.

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I don't know what may have been wrong with the other reviewers products, but this radio works great and I couldn't be happier with its construction or what is designed to do. I made sure the rechargeable batteries were plugged in before I ran the hand crank and I have been listening to it while I have been typing this review. Works great and I can't wait to use it for camping and for my emergency preparedness kit.

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I am sorry that I didnt read the reviews before I bought this piece of junk. This thing goes through batteries so fast that I cant keep up with it. I've had better service with a $10 transistor radio. If you like to crank your arm off then buy one. In case of an emergency they'll find your body with your hand wrapped around the crank handle because you probably used up your batteries in about 1 hour.

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DreamGear i.Sound Dreamtime Speaker System and Alarm Clock Radio for iPod (Black)

• Compatibility: all iPod models
• Built in AM/FM digital radio
• Choose to wake up to iPod, radio, or alarm
• Back up battery feature saves your settings when the power fails
• Dock connector allows for iPod charging

I've had this speaker/radio for my Ipod Nano for about six months. I got it for around $50 at JC Penney on sale. My problem with it is that every time I touch it, the plug-in wire in the back of the radio comes unplugged, so I lose my time on the clock and it's very tiresome. I'm going to use it in a spot that I don't need a clock and then buy a replacement after I've done a little research. I though $50 was a good deal for this but knowing what I now know, it was too much because I hate resetting the clock so much. All other functions work well.

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The sound is average; not bad to use for an alarm clock but not great for quality listening. Also, the cord easily disconnects from the back. Had to tape the cord to the back so that it would not come off. Bad design. All in all, decent product for the price.

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This product touts on its box that it works with ALL iPods. It does not work with the iPod touch unless you use the non-iPod line-in jack that it comes with or live with the static that comes when using the plug-in connector. It does NOT charge the iPod touch. If you have even a slim-fit case on your iPod it has to come off each time you plug it in.

The sound is tinny and the volume flucuates up and down.

All-in-all I would say it's a pretty poor product.

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this product works great , but the plug for the power do not you may have to tape it to make sure that it stays.

This alarm clock is perfect, the sound is great and it's very easy to program.

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Elgin 3465E Multifunction Alarm with Projection

• Displays time, day, date and temperature
• Projects time and temperature
• Repeating snooze function

I ordered this clock thinking it was electric with a battery back-up, but I guess I should have read the product info more closely. it's a good clock, but it's totally battery powered. Easy to use. Snooze button must be pushed to have it project the time on the ceiling/wall. Projection image is clear & easy to read. When you tap it a second time it displays the temperature...very cool. Just wish it had been electric!

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Sony CFD-S500 Portable AM/FM/CD/Cassette Boombox

• CD, cassette, and radio boombox with audio CD-R/CD-RW compatibility
• Includes stereo headphones, compact remote control with 10-key direct-track access
• Mega Bass low-end sound enhancement, 4 electronic sound modes (rock/pop/jazz/vocal), Mega XPAND
• CD play modes include program, repeat, and shuffle; unit performs synchronized CD-to-cassette dubbing
• Operates on 6 D batteries (not included) or AC power (cord included)

I like this boombox for its versatility, appearance, and ease of use. The sound quality is excellent. The features I use most often are the CD player with the sleep function. I compared other models and prices and am happy with my choice. For the price, I think it packs a lot of features and quality.

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The sound is OK, the display is a bit small to display mp3 info. But the most challenging thing about this unit is to try to tune an FM station. I admit this is my daughter's boom box, and I didn't have the manual. BUT should you need the manual to tune an FM station? I have an advanced degree in CS, but it didn't help me with this product.

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I bought this as a gift for my mom (she's visiting right now) & she's complained that the buttons are a little stiff & the cassette door doesn't open & shut too easily. She isn't too impressed...

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