HD Radio

Showing posts with label cordless telephone clock radio combo. Show all posts

Boss 647CK 240 Watt MP3/CD Receiver/Speaker Package System

Single-DIN mounting, Active black mask display, Illuminated control buttons
PLL synthesized tuner with 30 station presets, USB port / Front panel AUX input, Compatible with audio output of iPod and other MP3 players
ID3-Tag display, Quartz digital clock, Separate bass and treble

So glad I bought it, my expectations are right sounds great, me and my kids enjoy driving even more it was worth buying.thank you

Buy Boss 647CK 240 Watt MP3/CD Receiver/Speaker Package System Now

Good radio for the price. I would buy it again, good for the fixer upper or that run about vehicle

Spongebob Treasure Chest Clock Radio

When my husband opened the box to take the clock out of its box, Spongebob fell off the top. We saw that it had cracked off at some time prior to shipment and was haphazardly glued back on hastily. We had to repair it before it could be used.

Tecsun PL-390 DSP Digital AM/FM/LW Shortwave Radio with Dual Speakers, Silver

PLL Synthesized AM/FM/LW/SW Radio with DSP (Digital Signal Processing) Technology
Dual 2.5" Speakers prvoide FM broadcasting in stereo
Patented ETM Tuning (Easy Tuning Mode) plus 550 memories
12/24 Alarm clock with C/F thermometer + Sleep timer + Built-in battery charger
Earphone jack for private listening & Line-in for MP3 Players

I was very excited to receive this radio after doing a lot of research on reasonably priced but feature rich shortwave radio receivers. Several radio hobby sites metioned this radio in very favorable terms. Indeed when the radio arrived I was pleased by the build quality of the unit, and the feature set that the radio had, especially the DSP chip.

I was able to pull in a slew of shortwave stations in quite clearly (of course a lot depended upon time of day and atmopsheric conditions.) I could routinely receive signals from Asia, Australia, South America and Europe. Most came in very clearly especially considering the 390 is not a high end radio. The 390 pulled in over twice the amount of stations the Sony ICF-SW7600GR I had purchased before this radio.

I was very pleased with this radio in the beginning. So much so that I bought two as gifts and another for work. After having the unit for three days, the 390 started to continually freeze up for no reason. I would have to remove the batteris, wait 20 minutes and put the batteris back in. The day after that the tuning dial went wonky. So before the other radios I ordered arrived I had to send the first one back. My opinion of this radio plummeted shortly thereafter.

The other three radios arrived. I thought it best to test them before I gave two of them as gifts. I ran each of them for a seven day cycle, carefully testing then out. One of the three was bad right out of the box with a defective display and a defective tuner. That one went back to Amazon for a replacement. The second unit had terrible radio reception on all bands and very poor sensitivity. The third froze up continually from the beginning.

So four radios ended up going back to Amazon for replacement. To make a long story short, after several exchanges to try and get four that worked properly, I ended up finally getting two that worked properly. At that point I gave up exchanging the 390's and kept the two I had.

What I found most intersting and aggravating at the same time is that I received several radios that were consecutive serial numbers, and none of them performed the same way even though they came of the line at the same time. I'll use radio reception as a prime example. I set up three of these radios up side by side (all three consecutive serial numbers) and the quality of signals they could pull in were all over the map. One could pull in several stations very clearly, one pulled in almost as many stations in fairly well, and the third could not pull in any sations clearly and had a constant buzz .

So as much as I love the feature set of these little radios, they suffer from the worst QC I've ever encountered in a radio.

What prompted we to write this review, is that one of the two I still have has just started to continually lock up.

Until Tecsun can improve the QC on their radios I suggest you avoid them all together. This is another glaring example of a great product ruin by unforgivably poor Chinese quality control.

Buy Tecsun PL-390 DSP Digital AM/FM/LW Shortwave Radio with Dual Speakers, Silver Now

I've had two of the PL390's, do not install the batteries backwards like I did with the first one... there is a nice clear picture next to the battery compartment that I didn't look at because I didn't want to fish for glasses...

Some sellers include the batteries, earphone, charger, etc. and some don't, check what you are getting before you click the button to purchase..

I've been a radio afficionado for many decades. I first started hearing about Digital Signal Processing a long time ago and was looking forward to the day when somebody would provide the capability in an inexpensive chipset so consumers could have the experience... for FM it's a yawner, nothing gets much better but for AM and Shortwave it's a huge benefit... I had an expensive Sony handheld that would scan for available shortwave stations. It could only detect if there was a signal or not so it would collect all these frequencies that had just some steady noise. The Tecsun 390 detects intelligible signals when it scans, that is a whole 'nother level of scanning... I tossed out the 20' antenna on the beach once and the scanning found 60+ shorwave stations with intelligible signals and not a single noisy carrier one... I was very pleased with that. For Medium Wave [AM stations] it's a fine piece of gear, if there is noise, just narrow the bandwidth and tune off the center of the frequency and many times the noise can be reduced and the otherwise unintelligible AM signal can be understood just fine... The radio does have the two speakers, that probably helps with FM music a little, it all sounds fine to me basically but it sounds a lot better with the supplied earbuds and better yet with some high quality headphones... being able to recharge it with a wall adapter or from a USB computer port is very neat, the included batteries charge in a couple of hours and last me many days with the radio in use an hour or two a day...

Read Best Reviews of Tecsun PL-390 DSP Digital AM/FM/LW Shortwave Radio with Dual Speakers, Silver Here

The Tecsun PL-390 World band Radio is an excellent radio. The radio has multiple band from AM / FM / Short Wave. I live in the Texas Panhandle and

it's hard to get radio stations in the immediate vicinity,however the Tecsun PL-390 easily receives radio stations from distant locations. I'm very

pleased with the qualities of the radio and the price I paid for it. I recommend this radio to anyone who enjoys good radio programs and excellent reception.

Want Tecsun PL-390 DSP Digital AM/FM/LW Shortwave Radio with Dual Speakers, Silver Discount?

I have just received my new PL390, two days back.

While playing with it sitting near my laptop in India, I was thrilled to note that on SW 9870 KHz this radio played flawlessly. I am sure that all other radios would have caught RF noise so near to the computer. :-)

Save 45% Off

After reading many glowing reviews for the Tecsun PL-390 I picked one up at Amazon. I was particularly looking forward to connecting it to my iPod. What a a cool little radio this is! I love the digital tuning, the ability to set up to 550 station presets, the very compact size for a dual-speaker configuration, the ability to pick up AM,FM and SW broadcasts. The manual is OK, but it's a tad complicated to figure out the tuning at first. Once over that tiny hurdle tuning is really simple. Hooking it up to an iPod is easy. All you need is a stereo connect cable. The bass response is a bit weak, but what do you expect from a radio this small? Included in the box are the radio, a set of cheap earphones, a small extension antenna, the manual and a cool carrying case that holds everything. Install a set of three AAA batteries and you're all set. I'm enjoying my Tecsun PL-390 and if you're looking for a small, battery-operated, stereo radio that you can connect to your iPod, I think you ought to check this baby out.

Sony CFDS05 CD Radio Cassette Recorder Boombox

Cassette/Radio/CD Features: Cassette Player, CD Player, Digital Volume Control, Built-In Speakers, AM/FM Radio, Digital Display
Electronic Functions: CD Player, Built-in Speakers, Digital Tuner, AM/FM Radio, Cassette Player, Cassette Recorder
CD, DVD, Cassette Compatibility: CD, CD-R/RW
Includes: Power Cord.
Dimensions: Length: 9.38 "; Width: 14.25 "; Depth: 5.38 "

Yes, it's a corny title, I know; what's not corny is this sweet little boombox from Sony. It was little difficult to find a unit like this with all of the features I was in the market for, since boomboxes seem to be on the way out -at least in their old configurations.

Pretty much gone are days of tape, but I guess that there are some folks out there who still like cassettes; these are the people who will be happy with the CFDS05's built-in tape deck I will probably never use it. The other features, such as digital AM/FM tuner with numerous presets, CD-R/RW capable compact-disc player, and AUX-in jack for portable music players, are just what I was looking for!

+ The sound, while not audiophile quality, is pleasantly full and crisp; the longstanding Sony Mega Bass feature helps the lower end a little, but don't expect miracles. All in all, it's a very nice sound from a not-too-huge footprint.

+ The digital tuner works well, picking up the new somewhat-hard-to-lock-onto local public music radio station with no difficulties at all. The presets take a little practice -I actually had to break down and look at the instructions.

+ The CD player seems to have no problems reading my CD-R discs (I always play copies, never original discs); my previous RCA stereo clock radio would conk out in the middle of a CD-R playback.

+ The aux-in feature also works very well with my MP3 player, though it's necessary to crank the volume up a bit in relation to the radio or CD player don't forget to turn it back down before switching sources!

About the only minus I can come up with, and it's a minor one, is a lack of some "snazzy" features; there's no remote, no "sleep" feature, and the CD doesn't play back mp3 discs. I'm sure Sony could have included some of these features, but likely not at this price point.

The CFDS05's construction is pretty solid, though perhaps not quite as heavy-duty as the three other Sony boomboxes we own (that are all 3-6 years old, and we haven't had a lick of trouble from any of them). I am hopeful this one will be just as reliable as its predecessors.

Overall, I would say that if you're in the market for what I think is becoming a scarce product offering, pick one of these up while you can! I am very pleased that I found yet another quality Sony boombox to meet my listening needs I've tried many, many others, and I always end up coming back to Sony.

Buy Sony CFDS05 CD Radio Cassette Recorder Boombox Now

PROS:

1. buttons (except cassette) are located right on the front in one place, and are clearly labeled and easy to use

2. sound can be turned up WAY WAY louder than I would probably use it with no distortion

3. CD player features these modes: program, shuffle, repeat disc, repeat track

4. plays both cd-R AND cd-RW (copies you made and professionally made ones)

5. very light weight

6. big handle for carrying

7. audio line in for iPod or other device is located right on the front

8. headphone jack

9. GOOD RELIABLE BRAND

10. cassette recorder and DIGITAL radio too, with memory presets for radio

CONS:

1. SHORT power cord (about 5 feet long at the most) which cannot be replaced with my generic longer ones because of the shape of the opening for it

2. so-called "BASS BOOST" makes so little difference that you can't tell it's on except by looking at the display!!!! NEEDS EQUALIZER!!!

3. can't see through cassette door so have to open it to see how much tape you have left to play

4. doesn't play MP3 discs, but I don't have those anyway

5. NO REMOTE CONTROL when Sony's website says it has one

It does what I need it to do. The sound is not that great compared to my computer's or car stereo's sound, but it's ok for the size of the unit, and sounds way way way better than the cd clock radio that I WAS using as my cd player! I haven't used the radio or cassette yet and likely won't. I just got it to put by my bed, for playing my iPod through the audio in jack and playing cd's. For me, the cassette deck is just a bonus and nice to have if I need it sometime, since I already threw away or gave away most of my cassettes.

Read Best Reviews of Sony CFDS05 CD Radio Cassette Recorder Boombox Here

I purchased one of these for my 10x6 kitchenette. It's great for listening to the news, or popping in a cd/cassette, or even feeding in my mp3 player. Don't expect super high quality sound from speakers this size (in general). The speakers are brignt with lots of treble, which sounds better listening to classical or jazz music because the strings/horns are very clear. Plus older recordings from the 1950's/60's/70's (such as the classic jazz of the Miles Davis Quintet) were made with small transistor radios in mind. The Mega-Bass feature mainly helps you shore up the low end when you have headphones on, but can't overcome the small, low-wattage speaker system.

This unit is full of great features, with perfect dimensions for a kitchen counter-top, office desktop, workbench or dresser. The sound is appropriate for a small room-but sounds better with headphones on. The audio-in feature means that this unit can be used with any number of mp3 players, rather than just the Apple iPod. Many audio books at the library are still (and always will be) on cassette, so having the cassette option is nice. I'm buying a 2nd unit for my 8-year-old daughter who has a small bedroom, a limited budget and reasonable sound expectations.

Want Sony CFDS05 CD Radio Cassette Recorder Boombox Discount?

Initially I ordered another CD Player that was somewhat smaller and lighter than the Sony. Unfortunately, that player was defective (not created during shipping) as it was unable to play the last track of any CD! Also, the other unit had volume issues. I returned that initial purchase and went with the Sony.....great choice too.

The Sony, while a bit larger and heavier, is still pretty compact. Best of all the sound quality (at least to my ear) is that of a much more expensive player! Really sounds top notch.

Finally, there is the various kind of media it can play from.

I have a vast collection of CDs, but my sons are always trying to interest me in using MP3 technology, and with my new Sony, I may just branch-out and explore these "new music frontiers".

Great buy!

I bought this because I didn't have good all-around (radio and CD) sound source while working in the garden. I was surprised to find I could set it inside my patio door and clearly hear music and commentary about 50 feet away at three quarters volume. The sound does not suffer much when you crank it up all the way. The sound is strong on battery power too.

My wife is already planning to use it inside the house and on trips when she exercises, to provide audible, good quality workout music.

The front controls are logical and easy to use, and look like they would hold up to outdoor/casual use. This boombox is a very handy size and weight, considering the features and good sound. The antenna is effective, sturdy, and tucks away under the flush handle for some protection. (The handle does have a squared off edge, and might not be comfortable for carrying for miles.) A very well thought out design overall.

I chose the Sony brand because other manufacturer's boomboxes and undercabinet systems we tried earlier had poor reception or reliability. One of those even ruined any disk you put in it. No problems with our Sony kitchen unit, and we are hoping for the same with this boombox.

I shop by price, and paid $50, about $20 more than some other brands. Those had poor reviews for sound or reliability, or lacked features like audio input. Mostly, I was put off by the bulky designs and strange protruberances. I would have liked this Sony better if it came in a more attractive color than matte gray for the case (the front is more attractive, but still basic). It's already showing fingerprints on top (the cassette and CD compartment covers). I also don't care for the markings on the cassette buttons, which are mono-color stampings, nearly impossible to see in dim light. My final gripe is the lack of storage for the power cord, which must be removed to run on battery power. I found a small drawstring mesh bag around the house, and looped the cord over the boombox handle. Otherwise someone in this household would lose that cord in a heartbeat. It would have been nice if the audio-in cable was supplied, instead of just a jack, but I suppose they had to economize somewhere.

I'm hoping for many years of clear music and radio entertainment from this player.

Uniden TRU9496 2-Line Corded/Cordless Digital Answering System

IntegriSound life-like audio
100-name phonebook with 2 phone numbers per name and up to 100-number Caller ID memory
7-way conferencing and DirectLink 2-way radio feature
Transfer phonebook memory between handsets along with intercom feature
Trilingual menus

I was looking for a system to replace an aging Siemens 8825.

After trying the Panasonic KX-TG6700B (defective), the

Motorola MD7081 and MD7091 (both have terrible sound quality),

and the AT&T EP5962 (poor button layout and feel and display) I decided to

try a Uniden product. So far, the TRU9496 is getting the job done.

What's good:

1. Good size, feel and layout.

2. Easy to set up.

3. Speaker volume on the base and handset speakerphones

Is excellent.

4. Sound quality on the base and handset is excellent.

5. Phonebook can be searched by first letter of the name.

6. Phonebook allows two phone numbers per name.

7. A handset can communicate with another handset directly,

Like a walkie-talkie.

8. Base display shows how many messages are in the answering

Machine separately for each line.

9. Base and handset displays show date and time.

10. A waterproof handset is available (TWX977).

11. Keypad on the handset is backlit.

What's not so good:

1. Range is ok but could be a little better.

2. Ringer volume control is not great. There are only two settings:

Low is to low, and high is too high.

This phone system should be seriously considered for its sound clarity

And excellent set of features.

Buy Uniden TRU9496 2-Line Corded/Cordless Digital Answering System Now

The 2-line base station is a very good solution for my home office. Clarity is exceptional. A well-thought out design for recording separate messages for each line. My line has caller ID (Highly recommended) which allows easy phone number recall and move to phone book for permanent storage.

After one week, I had problem with portable handset. Handset would "freeze" ,i.e. would not respond to any key and not light-up. I called Uniden customer service three times -each time 1/2 hour wait to talk to customer service! After a number of suggested fixes --pull-out battery and hit * # keys --to re-set handset, problem continued again after a short time.

Uniden said to send handset to Texas for "possible" replacement. Now I am one phone short for two weeks and who knows what will come back ...plus shipping $$$ on me. Uniden refused to send me a new replacement. This handset is in-use for only one week.

A great phone buy ---if it works ! Good luck.

Read Best Reviews of Uniden TRU9496 2-Line Corded/Cordless Digital Answering System Here

I replaced a Siemans 2420 desk system with the Uniden TRU9496 and I give this phone 4 stars. It is a good phone for the money and performs well. The only complaints that I have are:

1. No 2.5mm jack in that base for a headset.

2. No speed dial buttons. You have to use the Address Book. Four to six buttons would be nice.

3. Can't use the handset in the charger base.

4. More storage for messages would be nice.

5. Caller ID deletes have to be done on the base and handset separately.

Other than that this phone is great. I have the phone in my basement office and the base unit is about six inches from my foundation wall. I am able to go about 75 feet from my house to my shed in the backyard without a great loss of sound quality. I only get the occasional click here and there. That was a BIG improvement from the Siemans product which would drop calls sometimes.

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Replaced a Panasonic 2.4GHZ expandable system (that started failing miserably within 2 years) with this one and so far has been worth every penny. Needed a 2 line system, 1 line for personal use, 2cd line for home office. Originally purchased the base (with 1 included handset) and also purchased the waterproof handset TWX977 (see review), was so impressed I purchased 3 more regular handsets (TCX905) locally.

Since my purchase decision was primarily based on reviews here, I thought I would share my opinions as well.

1. Base phone AND handset clarity is excellent, I have a 2 story house (approx 3,500 sq ft) with the base unit in the lower (sub-basement) level. Reception has not been affected in the least in spite of a wireless home network and several home electronics near base. (extra handset in kitchen not affected by microwave or other appliances) Far superior than any previously owned phone equipment.

2. Handsets have great range, wandered out into back of yard whispering to husband "can u hear me now". approx. 75-100ft from base (with lots of wood decking and cement from basement) No static, no dropped calls

3. LCD lighting is highly visible, caller id shows up throughout phone ringing, ample time (mentioned because of a previous post)

4. Easy set up/phone registrations, easy menu items, phone book with 2 numbers per person great feature. Only drawback is, although you can copy an entire phone book to a new phone, you still have to program in the personal ring tones. Also, you have to erase all previous caller id's off each individual phone.

5. Being able to "name" each handset is handy when someone wanders off with a phone you know which room it belongs. Also, makes calling on intercom easier (unlike other phones we've had that only number the phones, you tend to forget which phone is where)

6. Caution on using the room monitor features, all phones default set to allow room monitoring, however, you can switch off the room monitor within each handset setup. (found this out after teens were eavesdropping in on mom and dad, luckily before any damage was done LOL)

7. As far as previous posts about the ring tone volume, haven't found it a problem. If you find a ring is too low (even on high volume) simply choose a different ring tone (some are WAY louder than others)

All in all, a great value for the price. Highly recommended for someone looking for a home business and personal phone/intercom system solution.

I've had a mish-mosh of wireless phones with various quirks and problems. 2 900Mhzs, 2 2.4 Ghzs, and 3 wireless networks all compete with a microwave and whatever my neighbors have. Keeping it all running wasn't worth the stress. In the past we'd receive a call or heat something up, and boom, Internet goes down.

Now I have this TRU9496 and 4 expansion TCX905s. The wireless phone that came with the base unit came pre programmed, and setting up the other three was as simple as selecting "Register Handset" from the top-level menu on the base and pressing # on the TCX905. They're nice too; I was a little leary of buying a whole phone system sight unseen, but they each have lots of nice features including 2 line caller ID and a surprisingly loud speakerphone (I usually have to turn the volume down while waiting on hold). If desired, you can even use these as baby monitors or walkie-talkies, though I haven't used either feature. Uniden shares this phone with their single-line models. Line one and two are menu buttons, but it defaults to the appropriate line when receiving a call or the first available line when making one. They're also comfortable in the hand and easy to dial. The clip-on belt clip makes them look a little silly.

The killer capability on this product is that at least 4 people can talk on the wireles handsets simultaneously (It says 5, but they may be counting the base line). I stayed away from systems like this in the past because although they could support 7+ handsets, only one person could use the system at a time, except for intercom. For us, we only need up to three people on the phone at once for those holiday family calls, and I might add that I can finally hear my grandmother clearly.

As far as signal goes, all I know is that it's a lot better than the equipment it replaces (SP-M937, for one), and gets to every room in 2000 sq. ft 2/floor house. In terms of the caller ID issue the other reviewer mentioned, I don't happen to have any information. I'm just happy to have caller ID, and I pick up so quickly I simply haven't noticed whether the caller ID disappears. The phone does have a "Call Screening" mode. It is always a good idea to check out the manual for features you need before buying something like this. I'm submitting it as I conclude this review.

Geneva Sound System Model M All-in-One Stereo (White)

The Model M cabinet is a strikingly seamless design statement that disguises the power and versatility of the hi-fi system hidden inside. The cabinet's woodworking features traditional intarsia techniques to create the subtle radius corners
TouchLight controls full menu of iPod
Digital radio with alarm; easy to program and control
Stereo-mini input for all auxiliary audio
Piano lacquer wood cabinet, available in three finishes
A robust yet compact complete stereo with four speakers (4" woofers, 1" tweeters) individually powered by 100 (4x25) Watt Class D Digital amplifier and EmbracingSound DSP.
Digital radio with alarm; easy to program and control.
Piano lacquer wood cabinet, available in three finishes.
TouchLight controls full menu of iPod.
iPod/iPhone dock for all iPod models and Embracing Sound DSP microchip to greatly enhance compressed iPod and MP3 files. This has a 30 pin dock that will work with iPhone 4S and earlier

I honestly expected better performance from the unit. The bass is lacking and the treble/bass control does not really give the sound any dynamics.

The thing looks amazing, like someone put good thought into it. It's pretty heavy. The remote looks well designed also but seems a bit cheaply made. The iPod interface is cumbersome with the changing of the dock inserts for different iPods, although not a deal breaker.

For some reason, the volume when using the line feature with my CPU has a very low volume ( & yes I turned the CPU volume almost all the way up)

All in all. It's nice. Worth the price?? depends on what u r paying for. For me the sound lacks depth and come across mostly flat, but I must admit the sound fills the space very well.

Hope this is helpful.

Buy Geneva Sound System Model M All-in-One Stereo (White) Now

Have had the product for 6 months. Bought it for iPod dock to be used at the cottage to live stream my favourite radio station (Jazz.FM) and to listen to all my music on iPod. Have not been disappointed. Beautifully made in gloss black. It does not reproduce the lowest octaves of bass (what do you expect for 4" speakers), but the sound is well balanced and solid and bass reproduction is good. Music and voices are reproduced clearly with no distortion and musical instruments are clear and well differentiated so you hear all the nuances in the music. The overall effect is very, very good. Good stereo separation and very nice spatial room filling stereo effect. Would buy it all over again in a minute. A great product. Very pleased with the sound reproduction of this unit. P.S. I love jazz.

Update: the other night I had Lord of the Rings on the TV with the sound coming from the Geneva and I was sitting to the side of the speaker and could hear the sound beautifully. That is when I realized the purpose of the dimple design of the Geneva. It has two woofers and two tweeters clustered together in the centre of the speaker unit and the metal grill has a 6" convex dimple in the centre that covers half of each speaker. Why you ask? This design allows half of the sound from each speaker to project directly into the room while the other half is reflected off the inside of the dimple to the sides as well as up and down. That way you get the best of direct and reflected sound that gives you a much more natural listening experience. The more I listen to this speaker unit the more I like it. It provides a very, very satisfactory listening experience.

Read Best Reviews of Geneva Sound System Model M All-in-One Stereo (White) Here

This product reached my expectations succesfully. It also surprised me with some functions that geneva has. But the most important of this product is the powerfull speaker that it brings inside of it.

Jensen Docking Station/Alarm Clock/Music System for iPod (Black)

Output: 2 x 3W PMS
Remote Control
AM/FM Stereo Receiver with Digital Tuning
Multi-Function Back-lit LCD Display
Digital Volume Control

I just got this product from amazon.com. It seemed cheaply made. It was also a little difficult to get the settings set to my preferences. The alarm didn't work this morning, so that is still a work in progress. I have been using the radio and the docking station just fine. Bottom line: It is overpriced. If the price dropped to say, $35, then I would be satisfied with my purchase.

Buy Jensen Docking Station/Alarm Clock/Music System for iPod (Black) Now

Bought this for my son. It's great. My husband bought one for me which isn't nearly as nice.

RCA RCD20 Alarm Clock

0.7-Inch green LED display
Easy-to-use control buttons
Snooze functionality-large full-width button to easily prolong your wake-up
Night light with on/off switch
9V battery back-up (not included)

This is a simple alarm clock that is great for travel or if you don't have much room on your night stand and want a simple alarm clock. It would also be great for a backup alarm clock if you really need to be sure you will be awakened.

Size and Ease of Use: This is small but easy to use when setting the alarm and time. The product description says it is 4.5 x 3.9 x 2.5 inches which seems right. It takes up very little space.

The buttons to set the time and alarm are big enough to use without a problem. I have large hands and I had no problem setting the time and alarm as well as the night light switch and the snooze button.

LED Display: The LED display is easy to see. The numbers are a lttile more than half an inch high. The light is green and easy to see in a dark room without being too bright. There is no feature that allows you to lower or raise the brightness of the numbers.

Alarm and Snooze: The alarm is surprisingly loud for such a small alarm. It has the beeping sound heard on many alarm clocks. The snooze feature allows you get 5 more minutes of sleep before the alarm rings again. There is a nightlight feature which, when turned on, lights the the snooze button. The light seems a yellow/orange and adds a small amount of light to a dark room.

Quality/Other Features: The alarm clock is plastic. It is what you would expect for the price. There is a battery backup which takes a 9-volt battery in case there is a power outage or if the plug comes out. The digital display does not work in these cases but the alarm function will stay in the clock's memory and according to the instructions the alarm will still ring as long as long as the battery is not used up. ( I have not used the battery backup feature for more than a minute to see if it works so I don't know how long the alarm feature works if the power goes out for an extended period of time.)

Overall: There is a lot to this small alarm clock. I am impressed with the ease of use for such a small clock and the battery backup is a nice feature for such a small and inexpensive alarm clock.

Buy RCA RCD20 Alarm Clock Now

Since I had to switch my Tivo boxes, I quickly learned that my new Tivo box did not have the subtle clock that the previous Tivo box had. I was peeved, to say the least, but that's another story. Since then I went through several alarm clocks, looking for that perfect one. Some were inconsistent; Some were so bright that it would burn my retina in the middle of the night. The medium dark LCD color of this clock is very gentle on the eyes and it is never too bright. The brightness level isn't adjustable, but hey, it doesn't need it. As a bonus it has a snooze button, which can be used as a mini night light! The price is also very low, which makes this a great bargain and a great gift for anyone who is looking for a new alarm clock.

Read Best Reviews of RCA RCD20 Alarm Clock Here

Clock seems to work fine, but man is it *bright*. Using it on a bedside nightstand is like having a nightlight right next to you. I find it unfit for its intended purpose.

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This is a basic LED alarm clock. It runs on 120v current and has a battery backup. It is rudimentary. No radio, no fancy alarm options. But if all you need is a basic alarm clock that will go off when you need it to, this one is fine. It's easy to read, and it isn't difficult to set. It is loud. It feels a bit cheap, but that's not unusual in this market segment. Overall, a decent alarm clock.

There's really not much to tell about this clock...it's not amazing, it's not crappy...it's about as basic as you can get. I don't use the glowing snooze feature, but I can see how that would be a nice night light for kids or for guests who aren't familiar with your home. The clock is extremely basic...you can set the time, set the alarm, and that's about it. The green letters are very bright, so I end up turning the clock away from me when I'm trying to sleep. The alarm is good and loud...scares the bejeezus out of me most times when it goes off. Overall, it does it's job without being complicated.

Samsung YP-T7JZ 1 GB Digital Audio Player with FM Tuner & Recorder

Lightweight, multi-format digital audio player with 1.2-inch color LCD
512 MB flash memory holds 8 hours of MP3 and 16 hours of WMA audio
Compatible with MP3, WMA, Ogg Vorbis, and PlaysForSure secure WMA
Integrated voice recorder; FM tuner (with record function); 8 EQ presets
Rechargeable battery; measures 2.5 x 1.5 x 0.6 inches (W x H x D); 1-year warranty

Great sound. Sensible menu structure. You can use Windows Media Player or drag and drop files and folders. Has line in. Has built in microphone or you can use line in. FM radio actually works fairly well. You can record from FM too. Compression rate is selectable from unit as opposed to PC. Very small but still able to push buttons with old, beat up fingers. Screen very readable, unlike my Erickson/Sony cell phone. Battery life is reasonable. Customer support has been great. I had one problem that required help from the "next level" and he explained how to fix PC related problem.

Draw backs. Requires USB port to charge (or separate USB charger that you buy). Supplied ear buds are terrible. If you want to listen to music you will have to buy something better. Does not work with Mac OS X. You cannot drag and drop from Mac. Player is not recognized at all by Mac. Technical support says if you put more than 9 folders on player, it may (or may not) erase something already there. They are working on upgrade to firmware to address this issue.

Overall I am very pleased with player and use almost all the features. I highly recommend it. iPod comes up short on features by comparison.

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This is a great product, its small & chunky (like a Zippo lighter), wonderful craftsmanship, a very nicely made quality device, the screen is bright and colorful, for such a tiny device the controls are surprisingly easy to operate (I love the background strobe or flash light which comes up everytime the navigator button is depressed), it works with Windows Media Player, its loud, has a hook for a neck strap,its easy to sync, you can even drag & drop files, feature by feature it beats iPod (even the dimensions make it easier to carry it around in the pocket), has an FM Tuner/recorder, Mic, Voice Recorder and best of all line in encoding (with this feature you can record from virtually any other device if it has a line out (an earphone port i.e. a headphone socket would do just fine as well), I actually have the YP-T7JX which is identical except that it only has 512MB but comes in a cool Aqua color.

I had to reset the device after I had to shut down the computer when I was charging the device for the very first time via the USB port and it left the device lifeless, it wouldn't load or charge, anyway I called Samsung customer service and they adviced me to hit the reset button which I did and then everything went just fine (make sure when you are charging it the first time that you don't disturb...don't have your computer go on standby or hibernate).

All in all, I recommend this 100%, you can't go wrong here, this gadget is cool.

Just an idea for Samsung for the next evolution of this product, build tiny speakers into this like a miniature boom-box, so one can just leave it on the desk and listen without the headphones (its possible to do this even now for a short while in a quiet room, the sound coming out the headphones is quite loud when its set to full volume)

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I just picked this up in December and have not put it down since! What a terrific product Samsung has put out for us music/gadget fanatics! This little guy is impressive to look at with a very robust and colorful screen, the menus are easy to navigate through and it is user-friendly all the way around. I was torn between this and the iPod Nano but I'm very happy with my selection thus far especially since it offers the option of an FM tuner which you can record from directly into the unit! I bought a rubberized cover for it which I highly recommend to keep it clean, prevents slipping when you put it on a surface and protects against scratching the outer casing. Other owners have dinged the earbuds on this but I don't have any complaints except that they fall out from time to time (as with any earbud) so I'll most likely upgrade to BOSE noise-cancelling earphones. The sound on this unit is EXCELLENT as it has surround sound capabilities and different settings to choose from. In addition to my 1GB unit, I purchased two 512MB units as Christmas gifts so that should tell you something about my level of satisfaction. I also purchased a two year replacement contract since as with any portable device, the risk of damage is greater. If I could put something on a wish list it would be that Samsung include a case and neckstrap with the unit as mine did not come with those items. Definitely one of the better mp3 units I've seen out there!

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I was so undecided between getting this Samsung vs. the iPod Nano. Going with the Apple felt 'comfortable' as they are everywhere and my kids both have one. Problem I had with Apple products is that there is no FM Tuner (biggie); and I also hate the little 'roadblocks' that Apple places on music file movement between programs (another biggie). My final reason for choosing the Samsung is that I've NEVER had a bad product with their label on it.

Now onto my general thoughts on the YP-T7z: 1 gig, color screen, multiple adjustment options such as full band EQ, Bass Boost, 3D effect adjust, Surround adjust. This Samsung is simply amazing when it comes to sound tayloring. Earbuds are adequate however a larger driver phone really sets off all the adjustments you can do. Battery life is fair I really wish this ran on a AAA vs. the rechargable ION. Look for 5-6 hours of MP3 and about 10 hours of FM usage. Product fit and finish is A+++. Locate and remember where the reset button is, I connected mine to my wife's older (slow) laptop and, while the file swapping worked, the unit had to be reset before it would operate again (just FYI).

Highly recommend this product if you want to avoid the iPod cattle call.

After losing my Sony NW-E505 =( I decided to get this Samsung product for a refreshing change. I'm glad I did! You might not agree from the picture, but it's very beautifully designed...A+ for craftsmanship! The screen measures 1.2" diagonally (which I frowned upon at first) but it's actually an adequate size for viewing photos. However, it's just a little extra feature to sweeten this baby up...Samsung clearly did not try to make it a grand bling-bling thing. You can view photos while listening to music, but there's no slideshow feature (you have to manually flip through the photo album). Bummer, but I can live with that just fine. The navigation is a little weird at first, but after 30 minutes of messing around with it and referencing the online user manual it was totally user-friendly. In fact, it's almost like navigation around your typical cell-phone. When you listen to music and have to stop or turn the device off, it will pick up where it stopped when you turn the player on again! Neat-o! Someone said the headphones are horrible, but I thought it was pretty good in terms of sound. It's just annoying in that it falls out of your ears easily. There's also a drag-n-drop feature, which is great. I'm not into playlists, so I haven't bothered with that feature yet. The radio feature is always a plus! Though it works just fine, I thought the Sony had slightly better reception...well, I guess that's not really relevant. In terms of battery life, I measured it out to be a little over 9 hr. This sucks compared to my old Sony because the Sony lasts waaay longer than 9 hrs, but I guess that is another shortcoming I'm willing to overlook. Lastly, when connecting or disconnecting the USB cable to the player, you must use extra force (it's OOOKayyyyyy) or else it'll never work...

Update 2/25/07:

Wow...I love this samsung even more. I accidentally left it in the laundry machine and it survived! Now, I'm not saying that it will survive a second time, but at least you're given a little leeway for carelessness.

Sangean PR-D8 Portable Digital AM/FM Stereo Receiver with SD-MP3 Recorder and MP3/WMA Player (White)

Time Record AM/FM/Aux-In/SD Programs anytime automatically
2 Alarm Timers-Radio and Buzzer
5 AM and 5 PM Presets
Line out for external amplifier
Recording Code: MP3 format, stereo, 64k/128k/192 kbps

Radio section works really well. You'll need headphones to hear stereo on FM. AM section does a good job of pulling in weak signals, but does not feature RF selectivity filters to control whistles and adjacent channels, just three audio filters (Music, Norm, News) which control tone. On very weak AM signals, the built-in MP3 recorder creates enough RF noise to add noise via the built-in antenna. The Scan button is extraneous, as holding the tune-up or tune-down button scans in that direction. The scan button only scans up in frequency. Radio will not automatically pick up and program the station presets, like good in-dash car radios often do.

Unit takes 'C'-size batteries, and seems to go through them pretty fast. Much, much shorter battery life than the C. Crane CC Radio which uses D cells.

The white finish seems to resist scratches very well, but will show smudges and dirty fingerprints. Key-lock feature blocks button inputs, but the volume control is NOT locked it's a real potentiometer, not a digital volume control (pros and cons to this).

MP3 controls are horrible really needs a firmware update to de-bounce the fastforward and reverse functions on the rocker. Will only go one speed in FF, when it would be nice to have it speed up after 5-10 seconds depressed. Navigation of folders and MP3 files is really crude. Records in 1-hour per file. You can't use the Fast Reverse to access the end of a file, and if you're patient enough to hold the FF to get there, any hesitation on the button will bump to the next file.

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I ordered the Sangean PR-D8 months ago before it was actually even released, and after shipping delays, my order being canceled due to uncertain shipping date,etc., I re-ordered. I am glad I did! I love this radio (and I hate to call it that because it is SO much more!). The reception is fantastic on this (and I do not even put the antenna up!), the speakers are awesome and sound like a very large boom box is in the room, rather than this tiny radio. It is just unbelievable! There are 3 sound settings (news, music, and something in between which is what I usually use, as the music setting seems too boomy and the news seems to sound better for talk). Anyway, I just love the SD card player! I have looked for something like this forever!!! I put about 20 CDs on my 4GB SD card, popped it in, and it played them all w/out any problems at all. There is a search button that shows you all the folders on the SD card, so you can choose which CD you want to play. I have this stereo in our large bathroom, and it fills the room with music while I shower. I was considering the Sangean shower radio before purchasing this, but I really wanted the SD card feature, which that model did not have. I mostly use this on AC, but have tried it on batteries for an entire day and it did not really use them much at all (there is a battery indicator on it). Only 3 things I could wish for with this: 1) that when running on AC, the light should stay on (rather than go off after a set period of time) so I can see the clock from across the room, 2) I wish it had some way to hang it on the wall (ie. bracket or holes on back), and 3) the AC plug comes that out of the side should be an "L" shaped plug so it is more invisible when you are trying to hide the cord... it just sticks out way too far from the left side of the radio. Overall, I am very happy with the Sangean PR-D8, and I am so glad I waited for this model! You will not be sorry if you order one! In fact, I want a couple more for other rooms now!! (I just wish the price were lower though)

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We use this in our newly remodeled master bathroom. FM reception is great. We have always had issues with getting good FM reception where we live and that is why I purchased this brand. The SD card option for mp3 is also perfect. I put in a Class 6 8Gig SD card and navigation around the sd card is nice and fast. The ONLY thing that this radio is missing is a handle. I knew that going into it. Everything else on my list was either satisfied or exceeded with this radio.

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I have been looking for something that does what the Sangean PR-D8 for a long time. I'm a big fan of NPR and I also listen to a lot of spoken word presentations like audiobooks, podcasts, and the such. I have my what my wife calls a fetish for radios and have over a half dozen radios of all shapes and sizes. When I do work around the house or relaxing in our hot tub, I'd like to be able to listen to a podcast or maybe baseball or football game. And listening off my MP3 player with earbuds is either impractical or a bit of a pain after several hours.

For years, I've wanted something to playback audiobooks or podcasts with an external speaker. I had been using MP3 playback CD boombox but had going through three of those over the past 5 years. I also had purchased an small MP3 player with an external speaker, but that little speaker just didn't have enough power to be heard more than three feet away.

There was just nothing on the market that did what I wanted -that is until Sangean offered up the PR-D8. This is nearly everything I wanted and more. I now have a radio that plays back MP3 files with a robust speaker. Plus I also get a device that allows me to record over-the-air radio programs and has an Aux-in jack for recording. Woo-woo.

The speaker is mono-only, but that doesn't bother me since I primarily use it for play back spoken word presentations. The sound the speaker's put out is a real joy when I think back to having to wear earbuds in the past.

I also like folder style organization of files. The files are on the SD card just like a folder on your computer. And there's no need for music management program that forces you to do things only the way it will allow.

I have recorded a couple programs off the air and it worked quite well. I will be using it to transfer over a large cassette collection very soon.

I do agree with people who think that is sort of bulky. I didn't read the dimensions and was sort of surprised by its size. I was expecting something about the size of a portable transistor radio, but it certainly is not pocket-sized by any means. My biggest concern about size was that I was hoping to take it when travel and I'm not so sure that this will work.

My biggest problem with this unit is the fast-forward feature or really the lack of a practical one. Although, the controls look much like an early iPod controls, the rewind on MP3 back just doesn't work at all and fast-foward feature is almost impossible to use. I've twice been into a one hour program when I wanted to go back and listen to a segment. When I attempted this, the rewind took me back to the beginning of the segment. Then when I tried to fast forward, the player would jump forward to the next file 4 or of 5 times and when I did get the fast-foward to work it only creeps along at around twice the normal speed. One slip of your finger while fast-fowarding will also make you skip to the next file. Plus it has no bookmarking feature.

So, listening to long audio segments isn't always the most practical thing do on this device. Despite this critical failure, I'm still happy with this device as it is a long sought after device.

It also has a great sleep feature which I use every night. I'm sure I will learn more trick soon as I have only had the unit for about a month.

PROS

MP3 play back with a decent sounding external speaker

Good AM & FM radio reception

tons of recording options with line in and over-the-air recording

External inputs

Uses SD cards which are plentiful and cheap

takes rechargeable batteries

lighted control panel (great for night work)

CONS

It's a bit bulky

Fast forward on MP3 play back is frustrating and almost impossible.

No bookmarking of files

BTW: When researching this device before purchasing it, I actually called Sangean because their website said that they would be introducing the PR-D9 soon and I wanted to know if they were fixing some of the flaws with the D-8. I spoke with a representative of Sangean and he said they were not going to include MP3 playback with the D9. So, instead of waiting for something new to appear on the market, I went with the D-8. I just hope it gives me many years of service.

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As a highly anticipated gift for Christmas, I received this radio/recorder for the specific purpose of recording Coast2CoastAM in the off hours for later enjoyment. It is a very good AM/FM receiver and has an equally good MP3 recorder built-in. It has all the necessary features to start and end recordings at will. One issue I have with the playback of MP3 files is the FF>> button is hard to keep from actually stopping and thus resetting the counter back to zero very annoying. Also, the 3-way tone switch is not tailored to the sound frequencies I'm accustomed to. Finally, the price is high for a unit without an SD card and rechargeable batteries. Bank on spending another $50-$60 for those items. Although this is a niche device, I absolutely recommend it for the purpose I'm using it for and wouldn't be without it by my side. Throw in the batteries and SD card, then it would be a perfect 5!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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