Showing posts with label clock radio battery operated. Show all posts
Showing posts with label clock radio battery operated. Show all posts

JENSEN VM9424 6.2-Inch Double-DIN Multimedia Navigation Receiver

JENSEN VM9424 6.2-Inch Double-DIN Multimedia Navigation Receiver
  • 6.2" touchscreen
  • Made for iPod via USB
  • Secure Digital Card slot
  • A/V playback via USB
  • Built-in navigation
  • 6.2-inch touchscreen

Since theres not a lot of people that wrote reviews, I thought I'd write a more detailed review.

Shipping is very fast, packaged very well.

Unit comes fully loaded with almost everything! GPS, IPOD capable, Rearview camera capable.

I installed this into my 2003 Honda Element. I used the 70-1721 wiring harness from this site. All the wires are pre-cut so wiring was easy.

The unit itself is fairly easy to navigate around, any dumbass can do it. The sound is incredible, the one thing I like is you can preset the sound to any level when it starts-I sometimes forget I blast it!

Navigation is quick, it boots up and finds me from 10-15 seconds. The user interface for this is also very easy, again any dumbass can use it.

I posted complete specs of the unit below. Happy buying guys!

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Jensen's VM9424 navigation receiver lets you upgrade your car's audio system to a multimedia powerhouse with a user-friendly 6.2" touchscreen. You'll have access to a powerful built-in navigation system and CD/DVD playback, along with a well-rounded set of audio and video capabilities.

Audio and video at the fore

Play your all your audio discs on the VM9424 -including CDs or DVDs you've loaded with MP3 and WMA files. You can connect and control your iPod® via USB, while Jensen's MediaLink cable offers a single connection center with an audio auxiliary input, A/V input, and USB input. Refine the sound in your cabin by adjusting the 3-band equalizer, or keep it simple by selecting one of the preset EQ curves.

You can enjoy DVD movies on the 6.2" video screen when you're parked, or share the fun with backseat passengers by adding video screens to the two video outputs. For iPod video content, add Jensen's optional J-Link cable. Jensen includes a full-featured remote so your passengers can control the entertainment.

Navigation built in

You'll find your way with ease with the VM9424's navigation system, developed hand-in-hand with industry leaders like Horizon Navigation, NavMate, and Tele Atlas. The receiver boasts 11 million points of interest throughout the United States and Canada, with accurate routes, reliable guidance and time estimates. Maps and information are preloaded on an easy-to-access 2 GB SD(tm) card, so updating down the road is a quick and easy operation.

Convenient system building

If you're building a high-powered system, you'll enjoy the utility of front, rear, and subwoofer preamp outputs, with a sub level control to boot. Large vehicle owners, you'll appreciate the ability to add a rear-view camera to this receiver -put your vehicle in reverse and the view behind you pops up on the screen.

*

General features:

* in-dash navigation receiver with 6.2" touchscreen

* internal amp (13 watts RMS CEA-2006/40 peak x 4 channels)

* fits double-DIN (4" tall) dash openings

* built-in navigation system with 11 million points of interest

* plays CDs and DVDs (including MP3 and WMA files on disc)

* remote control

*

Audio features:

* 3-band equalizer

*

Expandability:

* iPod control built in, add Jensen's jLinkUSB adapter for video content

* compatible with Jensen Bluetooth adapter and XM receiver

* inputs: rear A/V input, front auxiliary input, rear USB input, front SD card slot, rear-view camera input

* outputs: two video outputs, 5-channel preamp outputs (front, rear, and mono subwoofer)

*

Other information:

* compatible with most factory steering wheel audio controls (adapter required)

* CEA-2006 compliant

* warranty: 1 year

Display Features

2-DIN Chassis: The Jensen VM9424 has a 2-DIN chassis (also known as Double DIN or size DD), and will fit in many vehicles with a large dash opening. The unit can be ISO-mounted using factory brackets, or Euro-mounted using the supplied mounting sleeve.

Note: As always, please consult Crutchfield's Vehicle Selector to verify fit with your vehicle.

6.2" Touchscreen Display: The Jensen VM9424 features a fixed 6.2" wide, 16:9 touchscreen display with a TFT active matrix system. The screen has a resolution of 1440 (H) x 234 (V) with 336,960 total pixels. This unit has touch screen controls with interactive video graphics, making menu navigation easy. The unit has a front-loading disc-slot to make loading your disc easier because there is no panel to slide or fold-down.

Aspect Ratio: You can choose from the following aspect ratio modes for the unit's integrated monitor:

* Full: The entire screen is extended horizontally to the aspect ratio of 16:9.

* Normal: The conventional display image has a 4:3 aspect ratio of horizontal to vertical, leaving a blank area on the right and left sides of the display.

Dimmer: You can adjust the picture's brightness manually, or set the display to automatically dim when ambient light is low.

PRK SW: For safety reasons, you cannot view a video source on the built-in monitor as long as the vehicle is in motion. In order to display video, the supplied pink wire must be hardwired into the vehicle's parking brake light circuit, and the vehicle's parking brake must be engaged. The pink parking brake wire is used to connect to your parking brake light wire (video on the LCD monitor can only be displayed when this unit's pink PRK SW wire senses that the parking brake has been engaged in the vehicle).

Hard-Key Controls: In addition to the unit's LCD touch-panel controls, the VM9424 also features hard-key controls on the left edge of the screen. The unit offers a rotary volume control, source button, NAV button, and eject button.

12 or 24 Hour Clock: You can set the unit to display a 12 or 24 hour clock.

Anti-Theft Feature: The VM9424 is equipped with an anti-theft feature requiring you to enter a 6-digit password upon initial power-on.

Built-in Navigation

Horizon NavMate Navigation System: The Jensen VM9424 features a built-in navigation system to lead you straight to your desired destination. It's easy-to-use and intuitive interface lets you plan your trip to suit your personal preferences and interests, find and save (bookmark) interesting destinations before you begin your trip, and navigate your route.

GPS (Global Positioning System): The VM9424 uses a vehicle GPS-based navigation device which utillizes digital map data to guide you form your selected location (A) to your desired destination (B), using information obtained from a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).

Note: The initial GPS location lock is best established when your vehicle is in park. If the device is in motion, the signal can take longer to initially connect. Once the initial coordinates are established, the navigation software will follow you as you move and navigate.

Tele Atlas Map Data: The navigation map data covers the continental US, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Visual & Audible Commands: The built-in navigation software will guide you along the shortest or quickest route from point-A to point-B using an on-screen map and voice commands. You can choose between a male or female voice (English only).

Map Screen: During navigation the Map Screen display your route (in yellow) and your surroundings. A red/blue arrow indentifies your current position. The upcoming maneuver is visualized in the upper left corner, along with the distance and approximate time before that turn. When you come up to a turn, you will hear a voice command at the appropriate time.

2D/3D Map: You can changes the perspective of the map from 2D North-Up (displays the map in 2 dimensions with North at the top), 2D Track-Up (displays the map in 2 dimensions with your direction of travel at the top of the screen), 3D Track-Up (displays the map in 3 dimensions with your direction of travel at the top of screen). You can also choose a split-screen which displays both a 2D and 3D map side-by-side.

Color Modes: Select between Day (for a bright background), Night (for a dark background) or Auto (to automatically switch between the two).

Look Ahead Feature: The integrated NavMate software offers a convenient interactive look-ahead search function to prevent misspelling when entering in a destination using the units touchscreen keyboard. Only keys that lead to a search result can be pressed, while all other are grayed out.

Destination Search: The Jensen VM9424 offers the following destination search modes.

* Home: Allows you to save your home address, so you can quickly navigate to your house from anywhere.

* Office: Allows you to save your office address, so you can navigate back to it quickly.

* Address: Allows you to enter an address (street, city, zip-code) as a destination.

* Intersection: You can select to navigate to where to roads intersect.

* Coordinates: Route to a destination by directly entering latitude and longitude values.

* POI: Allows you to select from a points-of-interest directory (over 10 million) for your destination. You can quickly find POIs such as gas stations, restaurants, hotels, banks, movie theaters, etc. You can even create your own POI category. These places can be near your current position or near a selected State or Province.

* Favorites (Address Book): You can save your favorite destinations and addresses, so you can quickly access them.

* Recent History: Previous destinations (up to 15) are automatically saved to memory (History). This feature helps you quickly locate the address and return to a previous destination.

* Browse: Or, you can simply browse the map and press a spot on the map to navigate to.

Route Preferences: You can determine how the unit's built-in navigation software will calculate your route by setting the following preferences.

* Shortest Time: Calculate route based on the fastest time.

* Avoid Freeway: Try not to use highways when calculating routes.

* Avoid Tolls: Do not use toll roads when calculating routes.

* Use Ferries: Use ferry travel when calculating routes.

Simulation: This function lets you preview the route that has been calculated for your destination.

Intersection Zoom: As you approach an intersection, the map will automatically zoom in to show a close-up view of the roads near the intersection point on the right side of the screen.

Auto Reroute: If you intentionally or accidentally leave the current route, the NavMate software will automatically recalculate the route and prompt you to get back on track to your destination.

Turn-by-Turn List: While navigating, you can view a turn-by-turn list of upcoming maneuvers.

Detour: If you are unable to complete the route as calculated, you can add a Detour to the route that will allow you t stay on track to your destination.

Trip Computer: The Trip Computer provides information about your vehicle speed, trip related timing, elevation, odometer, and clock readings.

Trail Book: The Trail Book feature allows you to create a path using map points when navigation data is not available.

Trip Book: The Trip Book is a collection of trips, with each trip representing a set of multiple destinations.

Audio Section

D/A Converter: The VM9424 is equipped with a high-performance 24-bit, 192kHz digital-to-analog converter with a multi-bit Sigma-Delta modulator.

CEA2006 Compliant: The power specifications for the VM9424 are compliant with the CEA2006 Mobile Amplifier Power Testing and Measurement standards from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). These standards were developed as a way to equitably compare power specs from model to model and between manufacturers. The power output specs for the VM9424 are as follows:

* CEA2006 Specs:13 watts RMS x 4 channels (at 4 ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, 1% THD-N)

* Maximum Power Output: 40 watts x 4 channels (160 watts total)

5-Channel Audio Preamp Outputs: This unit has five audio preamp outputs (stereo Front, stereo Rear, and mono Sub). In addition, the subwoofer preamp output has an adjustable low pass crossover (80/100/120/140/160Hz), and level adjustment (-7 to +7)

Start Volume: You can set the headunit to turn-on to the last volume level adjustment when turned off, or turn-on to a pre-defined volume level every time you power up the radio.

Preset EQ: Preset EQ curves are stored into memory, allowing you to recall the best setting for different types of music. You may choose from the following presets: Jazz, Pop, Classical, Rock, News, Urban, Rave, Movie, Techno, Flat, or User.

3-Band EQ: In the User EQ mode, you are able to manually adjust the headunit's Bass, Midrange, and Treble. You can also choose the center frequency to be adjusted.

Source Level: You can increase the relative volume (-7 to +7) of the unit's source inputs to match the external source's output level. The Source Level can be used for the VM9424's Radio, Disc, USB, SD, iPod, Auxiliary, Navigation, or Bluetooth (optional).

Beep Tones: An audible beep tone confirms each function selection. The beep tone can be disabled/enabled in the Setup Menu.

Heat Management: The unit has a heat management system which incorporates forced-air cooling to keep the chip-sets operating at nominal temperatures for reliable operation and sound quality.

Radio Functions

AM/FM Tuner: The headunit features a built-in AM/FM tuner with manual, seek, preset, and direct tuning.

Preset Tuning: The unit features 3 FM bands and 2 AM bands with the capability of storing 6 presets for each band giving you a total of 18 FM presets and 12 AM presets (30 total). You can also automatically store the six strongest stations in your area inside the current selected band.

Preset Scan: In addition, the tuner features a Preset Scan function which allows you to preview your stored preset stations in the selected band.

Direct Tuning: The built-in AM/FM tuner also allows direct frequency tuning through the unit's touch-screen panel or supplied wireless remote control.

Local Seek: The unit's tuner also is equipped with a Seek mode that when used with the Local function, only allows radio stations with a strong local radio signals to be played.

European Tuning: The tuner features selectable North America and European tuning.

XM Satellite Radio: To receive XM Satellite Radio connect the optional CNP2000UCA XM Tuner and the CNP-JEN1 Jensen adapter cable (package item number 700XMJEN2, sold separately).

Disc/SD-card Playback

Disc Compatibility: The VM9424 is compatible with the following discs:

* DVD: DVD Video, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD+RW DL

* VCD: Video CD, Super Video CD

* CD: Audio CD (CD-DA), CD-R, CD-RW

* Compressed Files: MP3, WMA, JPEG, MPEG 1/2

Note: 8 cm discs should not be used in this unit.

MP3/WMA Playback: The VM9424 can play MP3/WMA files with ID3 Tag capability that have been recorded on CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, and DVD+RW discs. The files must be recorded in ISO 9660 or Joliet formats. The recommended bit rate is 128 kbps and sample frequency of 48 kHz. Up to 1500 songs/files can be supported from a compatible disc. This unit will only recognize 3 folder levels.

JPEG Playback: The unit supports playback of JPEG still images recorded on CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, and DVD+RW discs. You can view a thumbnail display of available images as well as rotate a selected image 360-degrees in 90-degree increments.

SD Card Slot: The Jensen VM9424 is equipped with a front-panel SD-card slot. The headunit supports playback of MP3/WMA (128kbps) audio files recorded on SD/SDHC memory cards up to 8GB. It will also playback JPEG still images stored on an SD/SDHC card. Up to 1500 songs/files can be supported from a compatible disc. This unit will only recognize 3 folder levels.

Note: SD/SDHC-memory cards larger than 8GB are not supported.

DVD Touch-Screen Controls: While playing a DVD you can press the screen to access disc information and playback functions. The following are some of the playback controls that are displayed when the bottom of the screen is pressed while viewing a DVD disc.

* Fast Forward/Fast Reverse: When playing a DVD, there are four fast-play speeds in both directions: 2x, 4x, 8x, and 16x.

* Repeat Play: When playing a DVD, you can repeat the current chapter or title.

* A-B Repeat: A-B Repeat allows you to repeat any portion of a DVD.

* Direct Search: During DVD you can use the numeric keypad on the remote control or on the touch-screen display to access a chapter directly.

Note: When playing a Video CD, the repeat function is not available. For MP3/WMA, you can repeat the current file.

Random Play: When playing a CD disc, you can play the tracks or files in random order.

Intro Scan: During CD-audio playback you can play the first 10 seconds of each track or file.

Multi-Angle Display: This function allows you to choose the viewing angle of scenes that were shot from a number of different angles.

Note: This function is limited to DVDs recorded with multiple camera angles.

Zoom: When playing DVDs and Video CDs, you can enlarge the picture using the zoom feature. You can choose one of four zoom settings.

Parental Lock: The DVD system has a built-in Parental Lock feature to prevent unauthorized persons from viewing restricted disc content. By default, the rating system is unlocked. You can choose from 8 different levels of Parental Lock. Once setup, the parental lock is released only by entering the user 4-digit password.

Off Eject: You can eject a disc with the unit powered off. You cannot insert a disc with the headunit powered off.

Mounting: For proper operation of the CD/DVD player, the chassis must be mounted with 30-degrees of horizontal.

Media Link Module

MediaLink Module: The Jensen VM9424 utilizes a separate MediaLink module for easy connection and disconnection of your iPod, portable A/V equipment, or other portable MP3 player. The MediaLink features an AV 3.5mm minijack and a USB type-A port. The MediaLink uses an attached 5' AV/USB cable that plugs into the rear chassis of the VM9424, which allows the MediaLink module to be installed under the dash or in other various locations to make hooking-up and unhooking your portable A/V equipment much easier. Dimensions: W = 2.375", H = 0.8125", D = 3.0"

Audio/Video Input: The included MediaLink features a 3.5mm AV input for connecting a portable audio/video device such as a portable digital media player.

USB Port: The Jensen VM9424's MediaLink module features a USB type-A port for playback of MP3 (128kbps) and WMA (128kbps) audio files recorded in FAT 16 or FAT32 on a connected USB flash memory device, as well as USB portable hard drives formatted to FAT 32. The headunit also support JPEG still image playback via USB. Up to 1500 songs/files can be recognized from one USB mass storage device (it will only recognize 3 folder levels). The VM9424HD will also display ID3 tag information.

iPod Control: The optional jLink-USB cable ( 110JLINUSB, sold separately) allows you to connect select iPods or iPhones to this unit through the headunit's included MediaLink module (using both the USB port and AV 3.5mm input). Once an iPod/iPhone is connected, you can playback audio/video content from your iPod/iPhone on the VM9424. The Jensen headunit will also display text information such as song, track or artist name from your connected iPod. You can directly control audio/video functions of your iPod from the headunit's touchscreen or supplied IR remote. During audio playback of your iPod/iPhone, the click-wheel and touch-screen controls will be locked. Your iPod/iPhone is also charged when it is connected to the headunit. If you only require iPod/iPHone audio playback, you can simply connect your iPod/iPhone to the VM9424 via the USB/Dock connector cable that came with your iPod/iPhone. The Jensen VM9424 and optional jLink-USB cable are "Made for iPod/iPhone" compatible and support the following iPod/iPhone model features (as of April 2010):

iPod/iPhone Photo Playback: Your iPod's clickwheel or touchscreen is locked during music and video playback. However, to view photos, you will need to use your iPod's clickwheel or touchscreen to control playback.

iPod Video Playback: The VM9424 does not support video playback from the iPod video (5th gen) when used with the jLink-USB cable. Instead the headunit requires an AV minijack connection for video playback of your iPod video (5th gen), which offers no information display, control, or charging.

Dual Video Outs: Dual rear-panel RCA composite video-output jacks allow you add external monitors such as rear headrest monitors (sold separately).

Multi-zone Audio Outputs: The VM9424 is equipped with a pair of stereo RCA outputs which can be used in conjunction with the dual video outputs for dual zone playback. The unit will only play the DVD/CD source for Zone 2.

AV Input: The Jensen VM9424 features a front-panel 3.5mm AV input for easy connection of your portable MP3 player.

Rear View Camera Input: The VM9424 features a composite video input and a green/white wire lead attached to the harness for connection of a rear view camera. If a rear-view video camera is connected, the unit is on, and the TFT monitor is retracted inside the unit, the TFT monitor automatically moves into the viewing position and Camera modes is selected upon shifting into Reverse gear. When shifting into Drive gear, the TFT monitor is retracted back inside the unit. If the monitor is already in a viewing position and in display mode, the monitor automatically switches to Camera mode upon shifting into Reverse. When the reverse driving stops, the monitor returns to its original input display mode. You can choose for the monitor to display a Mirror mode image or a Normal mode image from the rear-view camera.

Wireless Communication

Remote Control: The VM9424 also comes supplied with a 40-Key, full-function, infrared wireless remote control.

Steering Wheel Remote Control Compatible: The Jensen VM9424 features a 3.5mm steering wheel remote control input for connecting the SWI-PS steering wheel remote interface. The optional SWI-PS interface (127SWIPS, sold separately) allows you to retain the use of your steering wheel and/or rear seat radio controls when replacing the factory headunit in select vehicles with this Jensen headunit. In some GM vehicles, this adapter allows you to retain heater control buttons as well. The SWI-PS is compatible with over 95% of the vehicles made from 1986 to the present. Compatible vehicles include many Acura, Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GMC, Honda, Hummer, Infiniti, Isuzu, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury, Mini, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Oldsmobile, Plymouth, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Suzuki, Toyota, and Volkswagen vehicles and Harley Davidson motorcycles.

Note: Please consult The Crutchfield Vehicle Selector to see if your vehicle is compatible.

Bluetooth Ready: The VM9424 supports Jensen's add-on Bluetooth interface ( 110BTM15, sold separately). The Jensen BTM15 is Bluetooth 2.0 compliant and supports the following Bluetooth profiles: HFP (Hands-free talking for safety and convenience from a Bluetooth enabled cell-phone) and A2DP/AVRCP (Wireless audio streaming and control from your Bluetooth enabled cell-phone or portable digital audio device). The Jensen BTM15 features a 9.75' cable terminated by a proprietary connector and 3.5mm connector which plugs into the headunit's BT-Bus port and microphone input (if equipped).

* Bluetooth Phone: The Jensen BTM15 (sold separately) allows for wireless communication between the headunit and your Bluetooth enabled cell-phone. The optional add-on Bluetooth interface features a built-in microphone to speak into during your phone conversation, while the other party is heard through your vehicle's speakers. Incoming phone call information will be displayed on the VM9424's integrated monitor. The Jensen BTM15 features a single "Talk" button which allows you to answer and end incoming phone calls. All other functions, such as dialing out will be controlled from the headunit and its remote control. You can enter a phone number using the touchscreen keypad, from your downloaded phonebook, or from a call history list (up to 10). The Jensen add-on Bluetooth interface features an attached visor-clip to mount the unit to your vehicle's sun-visor. The visor-clip can be removed and the BTM15 can be mounted to your dash using the supplied velcro strip.

* Bluetooth Audio: The optional add-on Bluetooth interface allows you to play back audio files from your Bluetooth enabled phone, PDA, or personal music player using a Bluetooth connection. You can also control the music stored on your Bluetooth audio player from the VM9424.

Note: Not all Bluetooth enabled devices will be compatible with the BTM15 and the VM9424.

Buy JENSEN VM9424 6.2-Inch Double-DIN Multimedia Navigation Receiver Now

I first saw this Nav Radio while on Vacation and noted the model number. I would have bought it then at the store price of 549.00 but I didn't have the room to take it. When I got home I did some research and found it on Amazon for 399.00. At that price for a Nav Radio with all of the features I though Ok lets give it a shot.

I received the product quickly and installed it the next day. If you have installed car stereos in the past this should be no problem. Just take your time and get the mating factory connector. The toughest part was deciding where to stuff all of the unused connectors as I didn't need the rear monitors or additional AV inputs.

I purchased a Dash Kit from Metra (also through Amazon) which fit the cars dash perfectly although needed to be trimmed to fit the radio, no big deal. A steering wheel control module, and the BT15 blue tooth kit as well.

All said and done everything works fine and even the rear backup cam that I all ready had in the car from a previous install just plugged right in. If you have a factory sub-woofer remember to add a 1500 ohm resistor to the amp turn on to eliminate the pop when the amp turns on.

Radio reception is as good or better than the factory Radio

Blue tooth works flawlessly ... using a Samsung OmniaII WM6.5 phone (downloads 350 numbers from address book only) It even plays MP3's from my phones media player. DVD Player works well (not that you watch DVD's while driving LOL) The Nav system is typical.

If you are looking to upgrade a factory radio with spending a fortune this system will do it.

So why only four stars? well I travel between the USA and Canada, and the unit did not include Canadian Map data, had to purchase new map data for another 50.00! Not really a big deal however almost all Nav radios these day's include USA/Canada data. I guess I could have contacted Jensen's customer support about this but I didn't really think that they would do anything and couldn't be bothered.

Read Best Reviews of JENSEN VM9424 6.2-Inch Double-DIN Multimedia Navigation Receiver Here

First, installation was a breeze. First attempt with connecting my battery back on and the unit was fully functional. I would only recommend self-installation of this unit if you have installed CD decks in the past.

Navigation function is awesome! No delay on finding my location even upon first start-up! It seems the NAV is always working in the background which makes switching to it seamless.

Ipod function is great. You only need the accessory cord if you want to view videos from ipod or iphone. Music pauses for incoming call from iPhone.

Great addition to any vehicle.

Want JENSEN VM9424 6.2-Inch Double-DIN Multimedia Navigation Receiver Discount?



In addition to the head unit, I also had the Bluetooth adapter, rear-view camera and steering-wheel control module installed. For videos, it plays DVDs as well as MPEG files from an SD card. I believe it also reads video files from the iPod/iPhone connection, but I haven't tried it. You can stream music files through Bluetooth. Once paired, the phone connects to the system automatically.

The navigation works well enough gets your location and calculates the route fairly quickly, though you need to download and install the free software update to fix the volume issues. The system boots up in good time (which is key if you have the rear-view camera) and the touchscreen is very responsive check out the video more details. Biggest issue I've had is with transferring phone contacts it re-transfers the contacts every time you restart the unit. And the contacts don't appear to be displayed in any type of order.

Overall, it's a nice value head unit that pretty much does everything. Would highly recommend purchasing the Bluetooth module (part BTM15).

I've had this unit for about a week now. Made a 900 mile road trip and am mostly happy with it. For the money, it can't be beat. I bought the BT adapter as well and I like it. Touch screen is responsive and many options for what I can connect. Ipod, mobile phone, mp3 player, etc. There are several cons, but for the low price, most of them I can live with.

Pro:

Hundreds of dollars less than other units with GPS

quick GPS lock

good GPS routing

DVD playback is good

sound quality is good

BT for phone calls is excellent!

Individually adjustable levels for all input sources.

Con:

When playing music via BT A2DP it is not possible to view GPS at the same time.

Ipod controls on the unit are not so good. Some older Ipods are locked out and you need to use the controls on the dash. When you use the on ipod controls on a supported ipod/iphone the dash display for song info does not update.

Like other reviewers have said, the touch screen is recessed. If your radio is low on the dash area, you cannot see the top 1/4" of screen. Annoying when entering GPS locations, can't view clock.

POI search is not great.

At one point, my BT connectivity stopped working. Had to factory reset the unit and it repaired itself.

1 heads up: If you are doing a self install, make sure to remove the 2 phillips head screws in the top of the unit before you mount it in the dash (DVD/CD lock for shipping). If you do not, discs will not load.

Sony ICF-C212 FM/AM Clock Radio with Full Power Back-up (Black)

Sony ICF-C212 FM/AM Clock Radio with Full Power Back-up
  • Simple and compact FM/AM clock radio
  • Snooze and sleep modes for more individualized control of alarm and radio
  • Full power back-up uses 9V battery to maintain clock and alarm operations
  • .9" green LED numerals are easy to see
  • Alarm indicator confirms alarm set

What can I say, it's an alarm clock, it does what it's supposed to do. Can't expect too much from the radio. My only rant is the battery. BATTERY BATTERY BATTERY! This will not accept your regular 9V Batteries because it requires a specific type ( IEC code 6F22 to be exact). The specification is listed in the manual and on the battery lid. This can only be a problem if you so desire battery backup power. These batteries are Heavy Duty Industrial type and will set you back at least $5 per versus the buck something of the regular 9v batteries. Most stores don't even carry these. Googling these yielded returns from the UK and China. Regular 9V Engergizers and Duracells have IEC codes of 6LR61. My sister and I have two of these clock radios and have tried various Battery Brands to no avail. We haven't tried 6F22 or 8F22 (more common), though. Hope this helps.

Buy Sony ICF-C212 FM/AM Clock Radio with Full Power Back-up (Black) Now

Pros: Small footprint, stylish black color with silver buttons. The buttons are firm to press and, "drive" nicely. Mechanical alarm set indicator for radio or alarm wake-up is nice. Large time numbers on display. The tuning wheel is stiff so there's no accidental retuning of the radio. Good reception. Great, big snooze bar target!

Cons: Short power cord, no dimmer switch (bright at night). Volume wheel is easily adjusted, should be as stiff as the tuning wheel IMO. Mechanical alarm indicator is tough to read in low light.

Summary: Good clock radio, worth the money for it's overall functionality.

Read Best Reviews of Sony ICF-C212 FM/AM Clock Radio with Full Power Back-up (Black) Here

This clock does not have a lighted alarm on function. It has a red painted indicator that switches back and forth according to the alarm on/off switch. If you like a lighted indicator for your alarm, pass on this one. It does have good radio sound.

Want Sony ICF-C212 FM/AM Clock Radio with Full Power Back-up (Black) Discount?

A great little radio for the price. The sound is terrific for such an inexpensive radio, but it does not come with a light dimmer, nor does it have a second alarm.

The clock radio works reliably and FM and AM radio reception is very good. Sound quality is good, too. The only flaw is that there is no LED to indicate that the alarm is switched on. You will need to turn on the light and double check to make sure the alarm is on.

Night Light with Time & Temperature by Northpoint

Night Light with Time & Temperature by Northpoint
  • 8 Built in LED Illuminate for a Soft Glowing Night Light
  • Digital LCD Display - Celsius & Fahrenheit
  • Multi Function Clock
  • Month Date and Day Calendar Display
  • Alarm & Snooze Clock Functions

It is a good night light but it runs on batteries. The light dimmed significantly over a few night of use due to battery drainage. It would have been nicer to be able to plug this into the wall outlet.

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This clock works for the time and date, but the day stays on TUE. It's supposed to automatically change the day when the date is set, so there is no other way to set the correct day. Time and date are very easy to set, but I can't get past that.

Jensen Docking Digital Music System/Alarm with Auto Time Set for iPod and iPhone (Black)

Jensen Docking Digital Music System/Alarm with Auto Time Set for iPod and iPhone
  • Output: 2 x 2W RMS
  • AM/FM Stereo Receiver with Digital PLL Tuning
  • Hi-Lo Brightness Control for .9" Blue LED Clock Display
  • Digital Volume Control
  • Dual Alarm Clock with Sleep, NAP and Snooze

I bought this alarm clock because overall it looked like the best for a reasonable price that included iPod docking. Everything about the clock is pretty good, except one glaring flaw. There is a feature for the alarm function that automatically increases the volume to wake you up. But this feature increases the volume almost instantaneously (within 5 seconds), and the volume becomes EXTREMELY LOUD. And the worst part is, you can't set a starting volume or a maximum volume for the feature, and you can't even turn off the feature!! I like to have the volume at around 8 for waking up, but the alarm increases to 20-30 really quickly, which I wouldn't be surprised if it woke my neighbors.

If you're not using this clock as an alarm clock and just using it to tell time and to play your iPod or radio, then great, you'll be happy. But if you want to use its alarm capabilities (and keep your eardrums intact), then I suggest you look elsewhere. I am returning this clock...very dissatisfied.

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I was looking for a simple alarm clock onto which I could dock my iPhone 4 and listen to music occasionally. This model works fine for me. The sound quality is good. The alarm is loud but I don't let it go for very long so it's not a problem. It really is very bright. I bought two of these one for my husband and one for me. If it's bright in the room with just one, it's really, really bright with two, even with the display dimmed. Still, it's not a dealbreaker and I just turn the clock away from me a little. For the price, I really can't complain (I got mine on sale). I love waking up to a freshly charged iPhone and since our cell phones are our only phones, I like that it's docked right next to the bed.

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I like this alarm clock, but it doesn't work on battery power. (It has the feature, and I put brand new batteries in it, to no avail.) So this alarm clock will do me no good when the power is out. Otherwise it's fine. Of course it is made in China. When are we going to start sourcing products from a country that makes them so they actually work?

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I like this alarm clock. I read the reviews on both amazon and walmart.com (amazon was cheaper, btw) and everyone warned that it was bright. I scoffed at this as the people writing said reviews must be big babies. Otherwise, said the reviews, it was rather good. So I got it. I do like it and it charges my iphone 4 fantastically! It is bright though. But, it isn't so bad. If you are sleep deprived, it may keep you up and make it harder for you to settle down. I speak from experience on this as I have a baby. I end up putting a sheer wash cloth over it so I can still see the time but dim it a bit. It works. Good price and good alarm clock/docking station for the money, says I.

It seems that when it comes to ipod docks, Apple must charge a certain amount of money just for the company to say their product can dock with an ipod. Jensen used up all that money and only put a couple more cents into the actual product.

I'll get to good out of the way quickly. Small footprint and OK sound for the price/size. You shouldn't expect much for this price and a clock radio.

Now on to the bad.

* WAY TOO BRIGHT! I yelled that on purpose. There are two settings, blindingly bright and even brighter than that. OK. I exaggerate a bit. But even on the low setting the whole room is lit. I taped some colored cellophane over the clock and it still lights up the room, and now it's hard to read the time. Why do they make clock radios with blue numbers. Red is so much softer.

* The buttons have a very cheap feel to them and make a loud plastic clicking sound when pressed. Not very nice when I am trying not to wake the spouse.

* There is no support for your ipod. Eventually the male end of the dock will break or the dock will do damage to your ipod.

* Auto time set. This is funny. It has a battery backup in it. So before they put it in the box at the factory, they set the time. When you plug it in, voila, the time is set. Ha. Whoever set mine had a watch that was 5 minutes fast.

There was another review that mentioned the alarm volume automatically increases. They must have a different clock-radio because that isn't a feature of this one.

Nokia C1-01 Unlocked GSM Phone--US Version with Warranty (Dark Grey)

Nokia C1-01 Unlocked GSM Phone--US Version with WarrantyI picked this guy up after my beloved Samsung T-509 (it won't let me product link it) started to die after five years of trusty service. My last few phones had been Samsungs, but I didn't find one that was cheap enough for what I wanted.

I just needed a simple phone I could use for my T-Mobile service. I don't web browse on my phone. I don't really use my phone that much to begin with actually, so while I had a normally billed plan, I was planning on switching to prepaid as I discovered it was $10/mo cheaper, and didn't lock me into a contract. My first ever cell phone(s) were Nokias, so I figured I'd go back to my roots and pick this one up.

Long story short, it does exactly what I hoped it'd do. All I needed it for is calling and occasional texting. While I don't find the texting to be quite as intuitive as it was on my previous Samsung phones, in all fairness I have to concede that that might be due to the fact that I'd had Samsung phones for several years, and my first forays into texting were on them they were all I ever knew.

The only gripe I have with this phone, besides the aforementioned texting learning curve, is that there's just a tiny bit of lag time for it to execute a command. It's not terrible, but it is noticeable. Oh, and the camera isn't much. I daresay my old T-509 had a better camera, and it was five years old! But then again, I wanted a basic phone, that is what I paid for, and that his what I got.

What I like about the phone:

Battery life I'm not sure if the claimed 10.6 hrs of talk time is accurate, but it is a solid battery

MicroSD I can put pictures and music and whatnot on there, and use them as my background, or ring tones (free, simple, and unlimited possibilities), or play them through headphones (standard head phone jack!)

Radio A feature I'll probably never use, but is kinda cool. You HAVE to have the headphones plugged in for the radio to work as they are the antenna, but reception was surprisingly solid when I was testing it. However, you can't play songs from the radio on speakerphone for all to enjoy the way you can with songs off the MicroSD card.

Small Fits in my jacket pockets well, the keys autolock to avoid too many pocket dials.

I had no trouble getting it to work with my T-Mobile service. I just popped in my SIM card and it worked. I did have to call T-Mobile tech support to have them help me with SMS messages, which weren't going through or coming in. They had to send me some text that wrote some settings to the phone's memory, but it was quick and painless. It also survived the conversion to prepay and is working just fine on that plan now. For $50 I'm fairly satisfied.

Great little basic Cellular Phone. Allows one to do embarassing things, like talking to another person. Sound quality is good, Loudspeaker on-board and a simple camera too. Dialing digits are big and there are many features available. If you prefer a Dumb Phone instead of a Smart Phone...........this is the one for you. =:)

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This phone is your basic phone for your basic needs. my only problem is it doesn't recognize that i have a data plan from t-mobile so i cant use the browser. all in all the phones is awesome for the money.

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This is a great little phone if you like the candy bar format (as I do). While it's great to have a camera, radio, mp3 player, qwerty keyboard nearby, to me the most important feature of phone is how is functions as a phone. This one is perfect for making and taking phone calls on. As silly as that may sound, I cannot say enough how much I abhor trying to hold an I-phone up to my ear for any length of time. It just doesn't feel right. This one has a great feel to it. Very sleek and discreet. Big clean display relative to overall size. Nice audio quality and still slips into your shirt pocket without you even knowing it's there. ATT has informed that I will have to get a different phone as they will be shutting down their 2G network in May. Hopefully this one still works.

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I was looking for a phone to replace my Nokia 3100 which has been a diehard. After reading the first and only review i took a chance and could not be happier. What made it even better was my wife's excitement about the phone. She is not very exciteable. So it was a real plus when she told me that she really like the phone. I was just looking for a good basic reliable phone, and got many more features than expected. I knew that it had a music player, but the 5 mp camera was icing on the cake. If you're willing to spend more, I'm sure there are better phones. But thus far me and my wife are very satisfied!

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Pyle PLR27MPBU In-Dash Bluetooth Receiver Multimedia System with USB/SD Readers and iPod/MP3 Compati

Pyle PLR27MPBU In-Dash Bluetooth Receiver Multimedia System with USB/SD Readers and iPod/MP3 Compatibility
  • AM/FM Tuner - LCD Digital Display - RCA Line Output
  • 30 Preset Station Memory - ID3 Tag Display - 4 x 80 Watt Output
  • USB/SD Compatible - Play Back Your Favorite Digital Music - Intro/Repeat/Random Playback Modes - Treble/Bass Control
  • Front Auxiliary Input Jack - Connect Virtually Any Digital Music Player - Clock/Mute Functions
  • Stream Music From Your Bluetooth Device (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, etc.) - Blue Button Illumination

It was just what I needed and for real cheap to! Glad I got it hear rather than Wal-Mart or some other place

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Easy to install in my Saturn sl2. Bluetooth works great, no sound distortions that I can hear. The mic has yet to be road tested but worked great when I tested it in my driveway.

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Installed the Pyle PLR27MPBU Bluetooth receiver in my 2001 Chrysler Voyager replacing a Panasonic CD/FM/AM stereo. Though the high end is not as clear as my Panasonic, I was pleasantly surprised how good the overall sound actually was for a $50. receiver. The blue illumination is quite pleasing, and clear to read even at night, if not a little on the bright side.

The Pyle comes with three pages of FM presets, and two for AM. It does have some EQ presets, but just decided to stick with the User settings. Not a very strong high end, I have the treble turned up to the max, as the Pyle appears to emphasize the lower bass range. It also plays MP3s from my USB stick fairly quickly after inserting into the port. The Pyle comes with a wireless remote, and the there is also a built in clock function. The receiver faceplate is also detachable.

The main reason I bought this Pyle was for the Bluetooth function, and it actually works very well. My Android phone paired with it immediately, and I was able to effortlessly stream music from my phone. I was also able to receive calls using the Pyle's connect and end call buttons on the receiver. It will automatically switch when a call is incoming, and ring through the speakers.

I could also make calls using the included wireless remote control. The built in receiver mic is not the clearest by any means, and a little on the low side volume wise, so need to speak up when using Bluetooth.

But other than a few weakness mentioned, an amazing receiver for the price.

HELLO KITTY KT2053 AM/FM Stereo Alarm Clock Radio with Top Loading CD Player

HELLO KITTY KT2053 AM/FM Stereo Alarm Clock Radio with Top Loading CD Player
  • AM/FM stereo alarm clock radio
  • Top loading CD player
  • Multifunction 0.6-Inch red LED display with dimmer
  • Wake to CD, radio or alarm
  • Skip/search forward and back

Purchased this Alarm Clock in May for my 5 year granddaughter for her birthday which wasn't until July, she was starting kindergarden in September, well the CD player doesn't shut off at the end nor does it replay, it just keeps making noises. The alarm just would not work. No one tried all this until September and of course her parents don't have the box and it's been over 30 days so I can't send it back!!! Paid way too much for it, but she's my pride and joy so I didn't mind the price, but now I'm so upset with the product and the parents for not trying it out long before the 30 days were up, but I never had any problems with anything else that I've order from amazon so I assumed that there would not be problem with the alarm clock, shame on me.

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We bought this product for our 2 1/2 year old daughter to use in her bedroom. The controls are fairly intuitive and the sound quality while not great, is definitely in line with the price-no complaints there. Everything works as advertised and the best part is that the daughter loves it and has no problem working the major controls herself.

The first one we received quit working after about a week but no worries, the vendor (J&R Music and Computer World) was very courteous and took care of all the return paperwork as well as getting us a new one fairly quickly. I was impressed with their customer service and I'm not easily impressed.

Overall a good experience with both the product and the vendor.

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This is for my 7 yr old daughter's room. Just what we wanted for her, with the CD player and clock radio. Not high quality but good quality for the price. There is a wire antenna attached whick makes it easier to pick up radio stations compared to most clock radios. CD player works good and easy enough for 7 yr old to use.

Would definately recommend.

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Bought this in December, Its March now and it is almost completely unusable. CD player skips badly, sometimes CD's refuse to start, and you need to turn it off and start over again. Was purchased for my 4 yr old because she loves Hello Kitty and it was pink to match her room. Next time need to get function over form unfortunately.

Need to see if I can find the warranty card as J&R only covers 30 days after purchase :(

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I usually don't make a habit of writing a review unless a product is really great or, in this case, really bad. I would have given it 0 stars, if I could. The sad thing is that this item got mediocre to poor reviews to begin with, but I couldn't help myself and went for stylish instead of functional. I bought this for my daughter and its clock-radio-cd function. I use all three, but the CD player was most important, since we put our daughter to sleep with music. I bought this in February (it's now August), and the CD is skipping so badly that I have to set it upside down in order for it to play--sometimes it gets stuck. I imagine that its only a matter of time before its unusable. The clock and radio portions seem to work fine. Given the high cost, I recommend spending half and getting a much better product!

HTC Sensation 4G Android Phone (T-Mobile)

HTC Sensation 4G Android Phone
  • 4.3-inch TFT LCD display
  • Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking with mobile hotspot sharing with up to 8 devices plus Wi-Fi Calling capabilities; Ultra-fast 4G-enabled, Android 2.2-powered smartphone
  • 8-MP camera; HD 1080p video capture; Bluetooth 3.0; 4 GB internal memory plus 8 GB microSD card; DLNA capabilities; web browser with Flash 10.1; dual-core 1.2 GHz processor
  • Up to 6.7 hours of talk time, up to 400 hours (16.7 days) of standby time; released in June, 2011
  • What's in the Box: handset, rechargeable battery, charger, 8 GB microSD card, USB cable, quick start guide
  • 8-MP camera; HD 1080p video capture; Bluetooth 3.0; 4 GB internal memory plus 8 GB microSD card; DLNA capabilities; web browser with Flash 10.1
  • Ultra-fast 4G-enabled, Android 2.2-powered smartphone with 4.3-inch qHD touchscreen display and dual-core 1.2 GHz processor
  • Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking with mobile hotspot sharing with up to 8 devices plus Wi-Fi Calling capabilities

Spectacular Phone!

I am a long-term Blackberry user that uses his phone mostly for business but also for managing personal accounts. For several years, I have used Blackberry to handle my messaging demands including two (2) exchange accounts and four (4) personal accounts. I had been waiting to move to phone that could smartly handle these needs, and I have found it with the HTC Sensation. I bought this phone early and have been using it since 6/10/2011.

Email / Exchange Capabilities

HTC has customized the email application, and it is smooth, elegant, and fast. I had no problems configuring my Exchange, MSFT Live, and various POP accounts with the phone. The Sensation quickly synced all my accounts with ease. The Exchange integration is exceptional: you get push email, push calendar, and push contacts integration.

HTC also features a flexible presentation model where it unifies your emails into a single box and color codes the email by account received. You can also use a dropdown menu and select to view a single mailbox at a time. This mail implementation is better than anything offer with the BB, and more robust than the messaging application on the iPhone.

When you receive an email, you will get a notification through Android's notification menu AND and LED indicator will flash. BB's universal implementation of a notification light is a simple yet necessary function for me, and I am glad that HTC has decided to include a notification light. It is not as bright as the one found in my BB, but it does the job.

I don't use gmail, but interestingly, that is managed by a separate Google provided email program.

Contacts Integration

HTC has again included its Contact management application instead of the Android stock, and it is an elegant solution. One of the benefits of their application is that it will link duplicate entries into a unified contact account. So, if you have someone listed in your Exchange, POP, social networking address book, it will allow you to link these into a single contact entry to simplify your contact list. It's a great feature and helps you organize everything.

Push Calendar

No issues with it. I believe that the included application looks great and has no problems syncing with Exchange.

Build

This phone has exceptional build quality. It is made of aluminum and plastic and feels great in your hands. Not only the phone comfortable to hold, but it feels heavy. I like a heavy phone: it speaks to the quality of the build materials and does not feel like it will break apart with use.

The main navigation buttons are virtual, haptic buttons located at the bottom of the phone. The one issue with these virtual buttons, is that sometimes I accidentally trigger the "back" button when I intend to depress the space key. This is not a major issue, and one that with practice you begin to avoid.

The power/wake up button is on the top of the phone. It is responsive and has proper travel and response. The only other physical buttons are the volume rocker on the left of the phone. The one thing I miss is a dedicated physical camera button. Instead, you have to trigger the application through the menu system and then use the virtual shutter button on the screen. Again, I wish there was a physical camera button, but it's not a deal killer.

Phone Audio

Phone calls are loud and crisp, and the large ear grill allows you to hear calls very well. Callers commented that they had no problems hearing me as well. When this phone makes a call through Wifi, the call quality increases even more and the voice quality becomes even more outstanding.

The speaker is on the bottom of the phone; so, if you turn the phone over, the volume picks up. My Blackberry has the advantage of having the speaker on the top of the phone; so, this phone flip is not necessary.

Keyboard

The other important departure from the Blackberry was the physical keyboard. I was very skeptical and had not been impressed by other Android based keyboard's such as the one on the Galaxy S. HTC has implemented two custom input methods. Its keyboard substitute works very well and functions like the excellent keyboards found in Windows 7 Phone phones. The large screen also minimizes errors. HTC has also implemented its own version of a Swipe keyboard. It works fine, but I prefer the HTC keyboard. Coming from the Blackberry physical keyboard, I am actually faster with the HTC virtual keyboard, which was my biggest surprise when using this phone!

Android Wifi Calling

I relied on Blackberry and T-Mobile's UMA implementation. This allowed me to get perfect service from my home, receive signals at work, and make calls when traveling internationally. T-Mobile has integrated its version of UMA calling the HTC Sensation. It works just as well at the Blackberry's UMA implementation. Once you active the feature, it signs-in seamlessly with WiFi networks without further intervention. This is such a huge feature that T-Mobile should aggressively advertise, since it allows you to place calls in locations where no phone can receive cellular signals.

Conclusion

In short, buy this phone. It's fast, well-built and packed with a great package of software features that make it perfect for business and pleasure.

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Let me start this review by stating one thing first : This is an EXCELLENT "SMART"Phone.

This phone is a pure joy to hold it in your hand. The Build quality is top-notch and the back of the phone feels rich and stylish.

The front is full Gorilla glass top grade.

Due to it's smart design, this does not feel big, its just the perfect size for a smartphone and fits perfectly in the front shirt pocket.

The screen is absolutely breathtaking and gorgeous. I have compared this with the Samsung Galaxy S 4G screen, and my personal opinion is that this blows Galaxy S out of the water.

Okay, that takes care of the look and feel of the phone.

Lets get right down to the actual review.

I bought this phone on 22nd June and have been using it extensively for the past 5 days.

Voice Quality :

The biggest drawback of this phone is it's Voice quality.

The in-call voice quality is not up to the standard of a Blackberry.

The in call speakers have a buzz/rattle/crackle and this is very very annoying, specially since I have grown accustomed to the excellent voice quality of a Blackberry.

I have done extensive research on the web about this issue, and this issue exists with all Sensation phones, other people are also complaining about this.

Th equality is just average to passable, and this is something that I don't expect from a high quality smartphone like this.

Very dissatisfied by this.

Speakerphone Quality :

The speakers are really really weak. Whenever someone is on speakerphone, they sound very tinny.

And this issue is when using the speakerphone for calls.

Again I am comparing the speakerphone to my previous Blackberry. They were excellent, and the Sensation speakers for voice calls are just not up to the mark.

Again did some research on the web and this seems to be the issue with all HTC phones.

This is very unfortunate that HTC did not care to improve upon this feature for such a high end phone.

The good thing is, the speakerphone is good when listening to media, like music and movies.

So it's very surprising that media sounds good on this speaker whereas voice calls are very very bad on the same speaker.

Lag Issues :

Even though this phone is a beast as far as specs are concerned, I can still feel some lag on some applications and web browsing it is smooth, but still stutters a bit. I can actually see the web browsing and scrolling struggling bit and this becomes annoying pretty quickly.

I just feel that this is a software issue and is fixable with a fix from HTC.

It just feels that such a beast of a hardware is held back by the software.

Dissapointed a bit by this.

Camera Quality :

Excellent 8 mp Camera with dual led flashlights.

The outdoor pictures are crisp and clear and I think this is the best smartphone camera that you can get.

Though the software sometimes makes some portions of the picture a bit soft, still this is an excellent camera.

Video recording at full 1080p stutters a bit, but 720 p video is smooth and of great quality.

No complaints here at all.

Web Browsing :

Apart from the lag issue mentioned above, web browsing is a joy and gives a very satisfying experience overall.

It feels you have a small laptop in your hand.

Email and Calendar integration :

Email and Calendar integration is excellent. You can have pop3, yahoo, gmail, live etc all integrated in the email app.

The exchange calender integration is also top notch, no issues here.

To wrap this up, this is an excellent smartphone if all you want to do is web and the smart stuffs.

If you want to use this heavily as an actual phone for voice calls, you might be a bit dissapointed. Thats jus my personal opinion, many people will be just fine with the voice quality, I am not.

Thanks for reading this review and may god bless you all.

Comments always welcome.

Thanks,

Sujoy

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I've had my HTC Sensation (T-Mobile) for a week now and I just love it. I upgraded from a myTouch3G, which rocked my world when I first bought it but which had become very frustratingly slow and confused and easily overburdened. Not this phone, holy cow! I've tried to stress this phone and I can't. The data transmission rate and the dual-core processor are both incredibly fast. The display is beautiful. Sound quality is great.

Let me tell you the things I don't like, although believe me, I'll live with them.

I don't like that the USB port is on the side of the phone, and on the left side in particular. I prefer it at the top or bottom. It's hard to hold the phone in your left hand with the cable attached to the port.

The cable that came with the phone is ridiculously short.

I'm not thrilled with the lock button feature. If the screen goes dark, in order to activate the phone you have to press the lock button on the top of the phone and then swipe a ring that appears on the display at the bottom of the phone. When the myTouch went to sleep, you could wake it up with two taps of the menu button.

I'm unimpressed with the battery life, but that may be simply because I can't put down the phone. LOL I'm on the Amazon site now to order a spare battery.

It's a beautiful phone, you're going to love it.

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I just upgraded from the HTC Touch Pro 2 to the HTC Sensation 4G and the difference is incredible. Granted, the Touch Pro 2 was running Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5 while the Sensation 4G is running Android 2.3 so it's not an apples to apples comparison but the features of the Sensation are all there. Being able to record video in 1080p/High Definition is really nice and the rear camera and its 8 megapixels really takes nice pictures. The only disappointing item I've found after using this phone for a day has been the speaker phone. The sound isn't as loud or clear as the Touch Pro 2 but if you aren't using the speakerphone much, it's not a show stopper by any means. I would highly recommend this phone.

This is going to be a very long review. But I'm writing this review specifically with iPhone users in mind. If you're an iPhone user looking for a head-to-head comparison with this phone I think you'll find this very helpful. Don't feel like you have to read the whole thing, you can just scroll down and read the subjects under the headings you're interested in.

So you'll know where I'm coming from... a quick background: I've been an iPhone user since the first iPhone 3 came out (can't remember if that was 2, 3 or 4 years ago). But I used the iPhone 3 for a year or so then upgraded to the iPhone 3GS when it came out. And I'll be comparing this to the 3GS.

PROS vs. iPhone

4G is awesome. It's much, much faster than the iPhone. The 4G speeds combined with the much faster operating system, makes web pages download at seemingly blazingly fast rates.

FASTER PROCESSOR: 1.2 GHz dual core makes a huge difference in speed. Opening programs and web pages are very fast. You get accustomed very quickly to the blazing fast speeds. I don't play games so I can't really comment on that aspect.

BIGGER SCREEN: The screen is BEAUTIFUL! The BIGGER size really is nice. It's amazing how much more of a web page you can view on this screen. And how much more of a book page for you eReader fans that you can view. Reading books is really a pleasure on this device.

BATTERY LIFE: The battery life is great compared to the iPhone. If I had written this review when I first got the phone I would have said it was abysmal. However, I made a couple of discoveries that have greatly improved the battery life and I can now say it's much better than the iPhone's!

I had purchased an app, JuiceDefender, for about $3.50 that was supposed to improve battery life but I couldn't detect any change. However, a few days later I was playing around with the phone and got around to the Quick Settings screen and noticed you can easily disable whichever network/communications features you don't need. By disabling even just the GPS the battery life improved immensely!

You can also disable WiFi (which helps a lot too). I have WiFi Hotspot disabled unless I'm actually going to use it, but I leave Mobile Network (which you have to have enabled in order for the phone to work as a phone) and Bluetooth on.

As a comparison, two hours ago I had this phone and my iPhone fully charged to 100%. Then I unplugged them both from the chargers. I have not even turned on the iPhone and it is at 79% charge right now! (And since my phone service with the iPhone is cancelled it's not even using 3G anymore). The Sensation is still registering at 99% with some light use a few text messages, and a couple of 3-4-minute phone calls. So with actual use it's doing far better than the iPhone which is only running WiFi right now!

If GPS and WiFi were enabled however, the Sensation would probably be around 80-85% right now. So the GPS really makes a big difference in battery usage.

My concern in disabling GPS was that I wouldn't be able to find the phone using T-Mobile's phone finder service, and if I went out and lost the phone while forgetting to turn it on I might never be able to find out. However, it's still findable. The accuracy is a little bit less, but it'll get you close. You can also still send an audio signal to it and you can still lock it and/or wipe all the data from it in case you lose it. So I find that GPS is only really necessary if you actually need to use a maps/navigation program.

INTERACTIVE HOME SCREENS: And after 3 or 4 years with the iPhone, I was so sick of looking at that static, stale screen I thought I was going to shoot myself if I had to look at it one more day! One of the "themes" on the HTC phone is "weather". It's completely interactive. The background changes depending on the time of day and weather. If it's day time and partly cloudy, you'll see blue sky with clouds. If it's nighttime and cloudy you'll see dark sky and clouds. Last night I was surprised when instead of looking cloudy it looked foggy. And sure enough I looked outside and it was foggy!

I love using this theme because it constantly changes and it gives you valuable information at the same time. No more getting tired of looking at the same stale screen day in and day out. All the themes and backgrounds that come installed with this phone are far more visually appealing than any that come with the iPhone. And that makes a big difference when you have to look at it all day every day!

The weather screen also automatically picks up your location. With the iPhone weather apps you had to request that they pick up a new location. So this saves a step or two and puts the information right up front along with the big easy-to-read clock.

CAMERA: The 8-megapixel camera is far better than not only the iPhone camera but even the newest iPad2 camera! The apple products simply don't compare when it comes to quality of images and videos. It's amazing that this little phone takes such higher quality videos than the much larger, more expensive and supposedly cooler iPad2!

STORAGE: I really like that we can use SD cards for storage and easily add space when we need it. Can't do that on the iPhone. And the iPhone becomes vastly more expensive when you buy the models with more storage. The base price of the HTC is the same regardless of which $30 storage card you decide to put in it.

KEYBOARD & TYPING While the keyboard looks very similar to the iPhone's, somehow amazingly I'm able to type on it a lot more accurately! It may be the actual tactile feedback you get when you hit each key, or maybe their automatic spell check is better. But I make far fewer mistakes.

And the Swype feature, where you can type simply by dragging your finger from one letter to the next across the keyboard is really amazing! Even on the first few uses of that feature my typing speed was about 70% of my regular typing speed. But as I've gotten more used to it it's now about 90%. I expect the more I use it that it will eventually be faster than regular typing. But interestingly I make far fewer typos with it than I do with regular typing! So it's a very cool feature that makes a real difference. If you have large fingers like I do it can be hard to do regular typing with two fingers. But the Swype feature makes it really easy to do the typing with just one finger.

ME.COM VS. MY.TMOBILE.COM If you used me.com for its phone finder service, the ironic thing is that it didn't work with iPads or iPhones! By which I mean that if you were out with your phone and your iPad and you happened to lose one of them and wanted to use the web browser on the other one to login to me.com and find it it would tell you that the service doesn't work from your device's browser! You'd actually have to go find a real computer to connect to me.com from to find your device. How idiotic is that!?

The T-Mobile finder works fine from any device including iPads and iPhones! It also works exactly the same way the iPhone phone finder worked. It will locate your phone and display it to you on a map. You can send an audible signal to the phone, and you can lock and wipe data from the phone. It also has an additional function which allows you to choose to send your phone's location to the service periodically, you can choose the time frame, every few minutes up to every 90 minutes. That's handy if you ever want to track the route your phone has taken. Could help you catch a thief by tracking his tracks.

SYNCING: Syncing this phone to Outlook calendars and contacts works flawlessly. I used to use Apple's horrible me.com service to sync over the air. It worked great for a few weeks, then it stopped working all together. It also destroyed my Outlook calendar and it still hasn't recovered (it creates multiple entries for everything I enter to it... enter an appointment and it shows up 5 times)!

But I was very happy when this phone connected and synced perfectly with Outlook on the very first try. You can also create a folder to hold files that you want to sync with the phone and it does a very good job at that as well.

WEB BROWSING: Just one word: FLASH! It's amazing how many sites use Flash these days not just for fancy graphics, but for basic functionality. On any Apple mobile device you're totally locked out from viewing that content and functionality. The Sensation works flawlessly with Flash and it's so nice to actually be able to use ANY website and have access to all its functionality. Steve Jobs, you really need to wake up on this one. It's a major reason I switched.

Also, the larger screen makes it possible to see a lot more content. There's also a feature where when you double-tap to zoom in on the text of a page it will actually resize the text in that column so you can easily read it. On the iPhone you'd sometimes have to turn the phone sideways so the text could enlarge to fit the wider screen. But this does it for you automatically without having to re-orient the phone. You can also turn this feature off if you don't like it which is another thing you don't get much of on the iPhone: CHOICE!

FREEDOM: Last but not least is the feeling of FREEDOM you get with Android and the Sensation! I'm not sure I can totally put my finger on it... but I think iPhone owners will understand this. There's just a feeling with Apple products that everything's so restricted. They try to control every single little thing. Maybe it's "Digital Rights Management" and the way the use of audio files is so restricted, even your own audio files. You MUST transfer files only through iTunes. And you can never transfer any audio file on your iPhone back to your own computer. If you ever connect to iTunes on another computer you own you can transfer what's on the phone back to that computer. It's really infuriating... it's almost like you don't own the things you've purchased... or created on your own. Or maybe it's the fact you can only buy things from the apple app store and they must be approved by BIG BROTHER APPLE before they can be put into the app store (you won't believe how many legitimate things they won't approve). With Android there's just a feeling of choice and doing things your own way... even if a few of them aren't quite as "perfect".

CONS

FOLDERS: This is the biggest drawback in my opinion and the reason I give the phone 4 stars instead of 5. Android doesn't come with the ability to create folders. There are apps that try to emulate this ability but none of them really come close. They're all very cumbersome and convoluted to use. Nothing comes close to the simplicity and ease of use of the iPhone folders.

Within the first two days I had already decided to create home screen shortcuts to enough apps that I filled up the first two home screens. (that's 24 8 on the main screen and 16 on the others). And I hadn't even begun to download apps I knew I'd want.

So without the ability to create folders, you'd end up constantly cycling through the various screens to get to what you wanted. A real nightmare for people who have a lot of apps.

The Droid folders programs that I've tried at least solve that problem but not with the visual appeal and ease of use of the iPhone folders. For instance, when you create a folder (through a very convoluted method involving the opening of two other programs!), you have to select a single icon to represent the folder. So instead of actually being able to see the contents represented by tiny little icons you just see the one icon that you chose.

Charging Cradle: There is no cradle that I'm aware of at the moment to set it in. I just lay it flat on my desk. Wouldn't mind if it had a cradle like the iPhone to prop it up so you could actually enjoy seeing the screen. Especially since unlike the iPhone this screen will actually stay on for as long as you like giving you a new clock and weather center within an easy glance.

NO CLOCK RADIOS MADE FOR IT: I have iHome clock radios all over my house. Wherever I am I can take the iPhone, plug it into the radio and it will charge and play music or podcasts. I'm not aware of any similar products for this phone.

PODCASTS: I used the iPhone pretty heavily for podcasts that changed daily. iTunes downloads them automatically and the sync to the phone whenever you sync it. So it was totally hassle-free to update those daily podcasts. You can still do this with the Sensation but it takes your human intervention. I now copy the podcasts I want to transfer to the phone to a separate folder and I tell the phone to sync with that folder. That does the trick, however, it's not as automatic as it is with the iPhone.

In fact, nothing with this phone is as automatic. Pretty much everything you can do with the iPhone you can do with this phone, but this phone just takes a little more work to get some things working the way you might want them.

CLOCK: The clock on this phone is a little primitive. For instance, you can't set the timer to turn off the music player. I used to like to go to sleep with my iPhone playing some audio files and I'd set the timer to 15 minutes and instead of playing a sound at the end of the 15 minutes you can set the iPhone to shut off the iPod player. But not on this phone.

Also, the stopwatch is a little quirky. I liked to turn on the stopwatch when I go to sleep. Then when I wake up in the mornings it's really easy to tell how long I slept. And I'd leave it on all day until the next. If the stopwatch read 24:00:00 that would mean exactly 24 hours has elapsed since the last time I went to bed. If it read less than 24 hours I knew I was getting to bed a little earlier than the night before (always a good feeling)!

But the default stopwatch, when it gets into hours it goes a little crazy. The first night when it should have read 24:00:00 it read something crazy like 69:00:00. I still have no idea what the 69 was counting, but it definitely wasn't hours! I downloaded a clock app and it's a little better but it won't turn off the music player either. It does show hours, but when it goes over 20 hours you can't see the 2! So you'll see "0:00:00" or "1:00:00" you just have to know that's 21 and not 1. I'm trusting someone will come up with a better clock and soon! I'm going to time them!

EMAIL PROGRAM: The default email program basically SUCKS! It doesn't read html emails! Today most emails are html... so to not have this ability is pretty unforgivable. It's like a throwback to early 90s when email programs didn't read html. Fortunately though, you can download email apps. But that's the thing with this phone. You can eventually get it to do what you want but it will take more effort on your part. Things the iPhone does out of the box can be achieved but through some work and effort on your part.

I'm using the Gmail app although I don't use gmail for my mail. I have my own website and use email with my own domain name. So I created a gmail account and set my own email to forward a copy of all messages to the gmail account. The fortunate thing is that Google lets you customize your gmail reply-to address, so when I reply to these emails it shows my real address to the recipients instead of the gmail address. It works fine and the benefit is that gmail will "push" messages to your phone, so the minute you open up the program you'll see your latest messages. You don't have to wait for all the messages since the last time you checked to download. They'll already be there.

VOICE DIALING: Unfortunately the HTC Sensation doesn't have voice dialing. They have a very rudimentary form of it, basically you have to manually open up your contact list then click the search button and say the name of the person you're looking for. However, you can't just hit the button and say "Call Gina Rigsby". This phone's voice dialing is apparently not tied into the actually names in your contact list like the iPhone's is.

TIPS & TRICKS FOR FORMER iPhone OWNERS:

When I first got this phone there were many things I wish a former iPhone owner could have told me how to do! There were simple things I couldn't figure out how to do like when reading an email message how do you get back to the list of emails!

The main thing that I found disorienting when I first started using this phone was how to get back to where I was. So for all iPhone users, remember, the "back arrow" at the very bottom of the phone (part of the hardware) is your best friend! That's how you get back to where you came from. Remember it and use it!

If you're reading an email message you'll be disoriented because you want see a way back to the email Index on the screen. That's because it's the back space button at the bottom of the phone. Just click that and it'll take you right back to the Index.

The other thing I found really disorienting was how to get the list of programs I had just used. On the iPhone you click the round button at the bottom of the phone twice fast and it'll give you a list of your most recently used programs.

On this phone there are several ways to do it but the quickest way is just to push and hold the Home button at the bottom of the phone until the list pops up on the screen.

Another disorienting thing for iPhone users is that when you're in a program it's often not clear what you click on to see the list of program options. Turns out it's the "list" button at the bottom of the phone (the one to the right of the Home button). When you click that a list that is specific to whatever program you're in will pop up... and it will usually have an Options or Settings choice that you can use to customize the program.

Oh and the Search button also at the bottom of the phone is the quickest way to find phone numbers and calendar entries. When I first got the phone I must have messed around for 30 minutes trying to figure out how to Search on contacts! You can bring up the contacts list but there's not always a search box at the top of the screen.