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Showing posts with label internet radio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label internet radio. Show all posts
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Etón Raptor NSP200WXB Solar USB Charger and Weatherband Radio (Black)
- Monocrystal Solar Panel with Solar Charge Indicator , Solar Powered USB Cell Phone Charger (5V, 500mA)
- Compass Chronograph AM, FM, WB Digital Radio Tuner NOAA Weather Alert 10 AM /10 FM Station Presets Digital Clock with AlarmIPX-4 Splash Proof
- Audio Line Input DC input with mini-USB plug (5V, 500mA) 1800mAh,
- Digital Display Altimeter (altitude information)
- Rechargeable Lithium Ion Battery Battery Charge Indicator Bottle Opener Thin Form Factor
Buy Etón Raptor NSP200WXB Solar USB Charger and Weatherband Radio (Black) Now
I bought this even though I couldn't find any reviews because I figured it was worth a shot due to all the features it had. I really wanted to like it but I was completely disappointed. Right away I noticed the antenna was loose. I figured ok, not that big a deal and went into the quick setup book. Everything seemed easy enough to set. It was only until I got to the full instruction book that I started to get frustrated. Contrary to how this thing looks, it is not rugged at all. Right away they tell you that it's not splash proof or can even be used in high humidity. Also if you think you're getting a practical solar charger, radio, compass, etc you're wrong. They tell you takes 18 hours to get a full charge on the battery! And if you think you're getting a decent radio you'd be wrong as well. There were no instructions on how to start the radio! Not in the quick setup book or in the main instruction manual. The simply tell you turn on the radio! I played with it for an hour and could not get the radio to work! The instructions on how to power on and off the device were the same as the radio. The simply tell you to press the power button to turn the device on and off. I tried holding the power button down for 3 seconds, then 10 seconds and nothing! Great work Eton! You should stick to making Red Cross emergency radios. If you want a solar charger get a solio classic. If you want a radio get any old one with a hand crank. If you want an altimeter, barometer, thermometer, compass go to campmor.com or REI and you'll be able to find a clip on style device that does all that. I'm never buying another eton product unless I get the chance to check it out in person.Read Best Reviews of Etón Raptor NSP200WXB Solar USB Charger and Weatherband Radio (Black) Here
This product arrived in fine condition. It has a rugged anodized rubber outside and it is splash-proof NOT water-proof (they do not claim it to be water-proof).Pros:
-Great radio with great sound
-Compass works accurately once set
-Barometer is actually accurate, along with temperature.
-You can save radio frequencies that stay even if battery dies
-Solar panel is extremely sensitive and is great at charging, though will take about 18 hours to charge from empty (though it can be charged via USB)
-Aluminum clip is sturdy
-Illuminated background and clear screen make reading the screen easy on the eyes
-Flashlight is VERY strong, despite my initial worries (a metal strip built in ensures this)
-Can charge phones and iPods, and can be used as an external speaker for your iPod or other MP3 player
-Aesthetically pleasing (to me anyhow); it looks rugged and cool (not to mention I've dropped it several times with no resulting problems)
Cons:
-Antenna is a little flimsy-feeling, though has held its own through rigorous use
-Solar panel takes about 18 hours to charge (but come on, you can charge via USB, so even WHEN you go with it, you can use it until the next day, and just leave it in the sun to get back to full)
-Speaker may sound a bit tinny at times
-Only splash-proof, not water-proof (though I've taken it into heavy rain and never experienced any problems)
-Battery dies quickly if charging a cell phone or iPod (though most products that do multiple things do die quickly)
-Poor instructions (though not incompetent; I was able to figure everything out with them)
-User interface could have been made more laymen (though I am not a simpleton and am able to figure out everything)
Despite these cons, I must still give it a 5 star, for I paid for it knowing what I would get, and it works just as instructed (not to mention Eton's fantastic customer service). I love this thing and take it with me wherever I go.
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I ordered this after seeing a review in Wired. It would not charge. Tried USB charging to computer, AC outlet and solar. Would not take a charge so returned it for another one. Same problem. Might be a good product but getting two bad ones in a row was enough for me.Radio receives well in all bands. The power button is sufficiently recessed to prevent accidental activation.
The edges of the casing are rubber armored. When resting it on a flat surface in most positions only the rubber will touch.
The display is backlit and automatically turns on with any key press of the front buttons. Backlight remains on for 10 seconds after the last key press.
The bottle opener works and in my test didn't scratch. I was a little hesitant to try it as who wants to put a scratch on a new radio.
The flashlight consists of three 5mm LEDs with a reflector and optics to produce a focused moon beam. Not bright, but meant to be power efficient which is what you want in a device like this. The button is a simple on/off forward clicky, meaning you can use it as a momentary light without clicking it on first.
The Li-Ion battery is definitely a step up from the previous Scorpion radio's NiMH battery. Li-Ion has a low self discharge rate and holds a storage charge far longer than NiMH. The lack of a crank to recharge the internal battery isn't an issue to me. I've had crank devices before and find they are way too much effort for what they can do. The Scorpion's crank took over five minutes of cranking just to raise my iPhone's battery level up 1%, and the Scorpion's solar panel couldn't charge an external device. The Raptor has no problem charging my iPhone from it's internal battery, and this can be done overnight. Basically you can charge the Raptor in the day's sun, and slowly transfer that power to your phone while you sleep at night. That feature alone makes this a valuable tool when there is no other way to charge your phone.
As far as other issues mentioned in other reviews I tend to see it differently.
The antenna really isn't flimsy. It's solid until you extend the last half inch revealing the pivot point. This type of antenna will normally have just a little play in it when fully extended.
The speaker doesn't sound tinny to me, but keep in mind it's what you'd expect for the size.
The concern that the solar recharge time being 18 hours (more than the sun is up in a day) isn't such a problem when you think about it. It's not likely you'll run this radio down to empty in a day. The radio itself is supposed to last 30 hours continuously on low volume. Most likely all you'll need is a few hours of sun each day to top off the battery from the previous day (and also maybe night) use. I could see if you charged your phone overnight the Raptor will probably need at least a full day of sunlight to get back to 100%.
All things considered I really like the Raptor. I think Eton put a lot of thought into it and packed it with so may features it became a little too complex for the casual user. For me the Raptor will be a backup radio receiver, a backup phone charger, a backup flashlight, a backup compass, an external speaker for my iPhone, a replacement for my travel clock (it has two alarms are they are sufficiently loud), and I suppose a backup bottle opener. Oh, it's also nice to be able to check the temperature at your campsite. You might think of the Raptor as the Swiss army knife of outdoor electronic gadgets.
MOTOACTV 8 GB GPS Fitness Tracker and Music Player
- Precisely track your running and biking outside and in the gym; wireless upload of your workout data to MOTOACTV.com.
- MOTOACTV 8GB smart music player learns what songs motivate you.
- Set goals and start racing against them; audio coach gives you updates and keeps you going.
- MOTOACTV is sweatproof, rain resistant, scratch resistant with intuitive controls. Touchscreen display adjusts to sunlight.
- Included in the Motorola Retail Packaging: MOTOACTV 8GB, Motorola SF200 Sports Headphones, MOTOACTV Clip, Wall Charger with Data Cable, Quick Start Guide. (Compatible MOTOACTV Heart rate monitor not included.)
I have tried several other GPS running watches and the MOTOACTV is by far the best experience in my book. The first watch I purchased was the Nike Sportband. It was not very good. The screen went out on me after several months and I was limited to only Nike shoes where I could put the pod into the sole. It was not very sweat resistant and I kept having problems with sweat getting into the USB plug in. The watch did not have GPS so the distance calculations were not as accurate as I would have liked either. Overall not impressed. The MOTOACTV is so much better I almost feel ashamed to compare them.
The next watch I got was the Garmin 305. I felt like I was wearing a toaster oven on my wrist that thing was so big! It seemed like it took quite some time to acquire satellites as I was always waiting for it to lock on with the GPS. It was also not very comfortable to wear. The included software was pretty bare bones and, while it provides good info, was not all that user friendly or "immersive". It was nice to have the heart rate monitor but being a recreational runner I never felt like I needed it or really was making any good use out of it. Overall the Garmin performs basic functions well but the MOTOACTV really just out-classes the Garmin with all the functions at it's disposal including the more user friendly experience, small size, awesome screen, music playing ability, etc.
This brings me to my most recent purchase prior to the MOTOACTV....the Nike Sportwatch GPS. This is Nike's big entry into the GPS running watch world. It looks cool, but is bulky compared to the MOTOACTV. It picks up GPS signals reasonably fast but the MOTOACTV was just as fast if not faster. The Nike has a "touchscreen" but I would call it more of a "mash my finger into the screen hard until something happens" screen. There are times when I literally had to poke much harder than I should have to get the screen to recognize my tap. That's not much fun when you're out running at night and you are concentrating more on trying to mash your finger into the screen so it lights up than you are on the road ahead. The MOTOACTV touch screen has responded quickly and accurately to all my touches without the need to mash my finger into it. While the Nike does have GPS if you are on a treadmill or something similar you still have the little nike pod that goes in the sole of the shoe so that limited my shoe choices somewhat. The nike plus site is probably the best thing going for the Nike watch right now and is aesthetically pleasing and provides good info. The Nike sportwatch GPS is not a bad watch but you get so much more with the MOTOACTV and the actual experience is more immersive due in large part to the awesome screen.
The MOTOACTV has a great little screen.....I know I have mentioned that several other times in the review but it is so nice I wanted to mention it again. The touchscreen works flawlessly. The screen is vibrant and bright (you can actually set the brightness level). You get all the relevant run data you need right on the screen during your run....and how cool is it that you can see a little map of your run as you go. Being able to sync wirelessly is another feature that is awesome....also I'm a big android fan and it is a great app. You can sync your itunes songs and it even has a "smart" music player so it can try to determine what songs motivate you to perform better...seems to pick up my "aggresive" song selections fairly well. The MOTOACTV.COM site provides a lot of great info and training planning. I still like the Nike site a little better, mainly from an aesthetic perspective, but I fully expect the MOTOACTV site to blossom and get better as Motorola really seems to take user feedback into consideration for things like this. There are a nice selction of accessories either available now or coming soon including a pair of wireless headphones that have a heartrate monitor built in! It will be nice to have the option to track my heartrate without having to wear one of those godawful heart beat bands around my chest. Another thing that may not matter to some is the audio quality....it's pretty darn impressive. I'm not an audiophile by any means but the same song played on this sounds just as good as on my ipod touch. Also, the watch and arm bands are very comfortable and should not be an issue for longer runs....although I usually only do a 5k at most.
During the past several years I have been using the running watches mentioned above and they have all had their issues. I know this is somewhat of a long review but I have been using running watch type devices like this for several years now and really wanted to at least provide some type of comparison between the other watches I have used and the MOTOACTV. The MOTOACTV comes as close as I have experienced to being the ideal running device, both from a functionality and "fun to use" perspective. Nothing is perfect and some may find issue with some things that don't bother me but I have to say I am really impressed with Motorolas entry into the running device world. While this device may be a little more expensive than some other options you get what you pay for and the added expense is more than worth it in my opinion. It actually makes me want to run just so I can use the cool little features of the MOTOACTV. In this users opinion it's highly recommended.
Buy MOTOACTV 8 GB GPS Fitness Tracker and Music Player Now
I'll admit that I was torn about purchasing the MOTOACTV after reading the reviews on Amazon, but I finally decided to purchase this product a few days ago and I'm glad I did. As an alternative to some of the detailed, product-specific reviews, I thought it might be helpful to walk through my purchase decision:It is clear that Motorola identified an unmet market need with this product: a small, fitness-specific GPS device with a built-in MP3 player. That was exactly the feature set that I had been searching for. The alternatives on the market fell short for different reasons:
iPod Nano, 7th generation: GOOD: small, clip + watch + armband options, music, Nike+ app; BAD: No GPS
Nike+ Sportwatch, Garmin Watches: GOOD: GPS, small; BAD: No music, watch only
Smartphone apps (e.g. Runkeeper, Endomondo, MapMyRun, Nike+): GOOD: GPS, cheap or free, most offer music; BAD: requires bulky smartphone, varying quality software
Despite having a feature set that separated it from these alternatives, the MOTOACTV is a first-generation device supported by first-generation cloud-based fitness tracking software. As a result, the device shipped with key flaws, not the least of which was poor battery life and inaccurate GPS accuracy. These types of issues should have been fixed before this product hit the market, but my guess is these flaws were a result of the product team being pushed to get the product out before the holiday shopping season. The nice thing is that in this day and age, the concept of "rapid prototyping" is all the rage. It's now okay to ship a half-baked product, solicit tons of input from early adopting customers, and offer frequent firmware updates to fix major and minor flaws.
Which brings me to the reason I purchased this product: I knew the MOTOACTV v1 would not be a flawless device but it had the features I wanted at a price (on Amazon) that I thought was reasonable. I debated waiting until v2, but I decided to buy this model because I recognized that most of the flaws could be fixed with firmware updates and Motorola appears committed to listening to users and releasing frequent updates. They have already released multiple firmware updates over the past few months (with a preference for the 8GB model, so be wary of the 16GB), including one just before I bought it that fixed the battery life issues. Since battery life was one of the primary complaints from early users, it was essential that they corrected that issue. In addition, they have a forum manager named Matt who is trolling all of the comments on this site and others and is frequently responding directly to customers. I appreciate that, even if he can't fix every issue.
In sum, this is not a perfect product, but I love the combination of features and the fact that it's getting better with each firmware update. Using the MOTOACTV is SOOO much better than lugging around my bulky mobile phone on long runs! As long as Motorola continues the level of support that they have shown during the first few months of this product's life cycle, I would definitely recommend purchasing this device.
------------
January 14, 2012 Update
I've been running with the MOTOACTV for over two weeks and have logged ~80 miles with it. Overall, I am extremely satisfied with the device itself. The website that stores workout data and other features, on the other hand, is decent but needs additional focus. For instance, the site does not integrate "planned" and "actual" workouts into the same calendar interface. That's a clear miss that I imagine most customers would want.
As I mentioned in my review above, this is a v1 website and thus I would not expect it to be perfect. Motorola appears committed to listening to customers and rapidly updating the product, so I trust that they are working behind the scenes to improve the online experience. At this point, I'd give the entire MOTOACTV ecosystem (device + website) 4.5 stars. Because I care more about the device than the website, however, I left my rating at 5 stars.
Read Best Reviews of MOTOACTV 8 GB GPS Fitness Tracker and Music Player Here
I run between 50 80 miles per week year round. I've currently got 4 GPS watches. Garmin 305 & 610. Nike+ GPS Watch And now the Motorola MotoActv. This is my review having been using it for the past 3 weeks.Pros
The screen is gorgeous. Color. Good definition. Much better than the garmin 610 and the Nike+ GPS Watch. It's bright too. If you're running at night it's almost like having a light on your wrist (although it does dim itself to conserve battery). No need to press the light button (garmin or nike) you can see your metrics in the dark.
Because of the additional real estate it can get more more metrics on the screen (4, plus time and distance which appear to be default). Like the Garmin, you can have multiple screens and either automatically rotate, or manually swipe as you're running.
Google maps built in. not something you're going to use everyday but it will show you where you are currently on the map. if you're out of town a nice feature to have to stop you getting lost.
Reminder function put workout calendar into their website syncs to watch. It'll tell you you're supposed to do 6 @ 8:00/hour at 8am. Then when you start it tells you how much further you have to go etc
You get vocal feedback when listening to headphones. A computerized female voice tells you fast lap times, how long you have left to run etc. I haven't looked into whether it's possible yet, but I imagine you'll be able to have it speak your mile lap times.
MP3 syncs with itunes for music, podcasts etc. Eliminate that ipod.
Syncs to your motorola phones (and others if you need) so that the watch becomes the caller ID screen and allows you to answer while running piping the sound to the headphones. Obviously you need to run with the phone too, but it could be in a pocket or spiel belt.
Bluetooth with controls for music and phone
Headphones coming out that will monitor your HR from the blood pumping in your ears so no need for a strap !
if you're a biker it'll clip onto your handlebars and work with 'power' devices. a whole cycling mode.
after a workout it's much easier than the garmin to look at the workout the screen is better and you can scroll through the splits in a much easier to read format
there's a FM radio too. It requires the headphone cable which acts as the antenna. Since I use Bluetooth headphones, I don't have the antenna so haven't tried it.
Built in wifi. Set it to connect to your network, and it'll transfer your workouts to the online tool without you needing to do anything
This is essentially a mini android powered computer. On line some people have hacked it and installed angry birds on it...
Same as Garmin
The big thing obviously on a GPS watch is the GPS and the running features. The Nike+ watch in my opinion sucks here. I can't trust it's accuracy it can be all over the place. Despite recent firmware updates it's often off on runs that I either know for sure the distance, or am comparing it with the garmin.
MotoActv is as good as my garmin 610 perhaps better for GPS. The garmin 610 can sometimes go 'haywire' particularly at the start of a run. I haven't had this issue with the MotoActv. I think the MotoActv is more accurate.
Website garmin uses 'garmin connect'. motoactv uses 'motoactv'. As I said before the 'motoactv' site allows you to put in your running schedule and it'll sync to the watch wirelessly. As for looking at the details of workouts that you've done it's very similar to garmin connect you can check your runs maps, elevation, speed, pace etc.
Race yourself like the garmin you can race previous runs from you and I believe other people's runs
Screen tailorability similar to the 610 you can pick and choose your metrics & have multiple screens.
Compatible with ANT+ devices, so for my garmin soft heart monitor and my garmin foot pod both work will work with just the foot pod if you're inside. unlike the garmin, it doesn't appear to allow you to calibrate with GPS but it does allow you to calibrate with the treadmill speed. It also has an elliptical mode too. Like another reviewer I had an issue with it under reporting treadmill miles, but realistically I'll never use it for a treadmill. The treadmill tells you how fast / far you're going. Why do I need the watch to do that too ?! You can manually enter your mileage into the tracking tool anyway.
Cons
battery this is the biggest negative. If you read reviews this is the one they'll mention. However a recent firmware update has given you more options for conserving the battery. I haven't had a true long run yet, but 2+ hours of constant use with music, gps, bluetooth and the battery still shows over 40%. It's not going to last an ultra, but a 3 hour+ marathon hopefully. And then in reality you probably wouldn't be using bluetooth or music so it would last longer.
while the screen is touch sensitive you can't use it with gloves (unlike the 610) however the start, stop, music and volume controls are all 'hard buttons' so this is fairly minimal
I don't have anything to back this up, but the garmin 610 is supposedly able to go into water to a depth of 3 feet. With the USB and headphone jacks for the MotoActv I doubt this watch would be happy if you did that to it
watch function doesn't 'stay on' you need to push a button to display the time. Kind of annoying if it's your `watch'. It does have multiple watch faces you can use. Several digital ones, several 'old fashioned' ones with hands etc. I'd imagine a firmware fix might allow the watch to stay on in future. When you're using it in GPS mode the screen stays on,
the 'watch strap' doesn't come as standard ! in reality it's not just a watch. it's designed for mounting on bike handlebars, to be worn on your wrist, or in an arm band. Each of these are extras (although at the time of writing this you get a watch strap free)
Others Observations
charges with a standard micro USB plug so the same as my kindle, phone, bluetooth ear piece etc so not an extra thing to carry around
Overall
I listen to music when I run so this device allows me to eliminate my ipod. with the bluetooth headphones I eliminate the cords too.
the screen is superior to any other GPS watch I've got
the GPS is as good if not better than the other watches too
For me this has become the single GPS watch I use.
The battery life is the only hesitation that keeps me selling my Garmin 610. I'll need to run a 22 miler in training and see how long it lasts. Hopefully future firmware updates eliminate this concern.
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UPDATED 2012.08.10, new comments following original review.ORIGINAL REVIEW
I can provide one of the most critical reviews out there, but I will not lose the big picture. They have combined the best of several different worlds (gps watch for main function, ipod nano on approximate size, form and music) into a single piece of hardware that is cheap when considering the full price of alternatives. No it isn't perfect and there are a few things that will put you off initially, like the wrist strap is separate or the provided headphones are not that great. But what you gain is tremendous. A full touch screen, ready for customization and displaying maps. Automatic synchronization via wifi or bluetooth. A single device that is smaller than all other gps watches and it also plays music, so you don't need an ipod. Audio coaching with your music (smartphone fitness app users know this great feature). Ant+ and BLE (bluetooth low energy) to get data from accurate heart rate monitors, foot pods and cycling sensors. There is a reason there was so much hype, because there is so much potential here. It also lead to excessive expectations. People forgot what is physically possible with hardware. Those that didn't forget physical limits have presented an endless list of things they want software to auto-magically do and become enraged that their idea isn't already implemented (ignoring the tedious and costly process of software engineering).
Current battery life:
There is a lot of misconception about what the device can do currently, mostly with respect to battery life. You control all those different pieces of hardware which consume additional power. So if you want a longer run than 3 hours, use the display only occasionally and don't use bluetooth headphones. I've done my own testing and scoured the internet for what people actually get:
~2.5-3 hours: gps + display always on + ant HRM + music (wired headphones)
~3 hours: gps + bluetooth headphones + music (screen off)
~7.5 hours: gps (marathon mode) + music
~9-10 hours: gps (marathon mode) + audio coaching via wired headphones (no music)
40+ hours: gps + external battery (it functions uninterrupted when plugging in or removing external power)
~140 hours: standby mode
Bugs remaining:
the motocast auto install from motoactv in osx failed (had to download motocast)
it could not connect to my WEP WiFi network, had to change to a WPA2 WiFi
Missing or desired features (some are hackable, and almost all are software based):
non-motorola phones for sync + notifications + phone calls (working on my HTC EVO 4G hacked app off xda forums). UPDATE now all android phones > 2.1 are supported.
no easy gpx or tcx export (there is a csv export for a workout, but conversion is still not simple)
no ability to add additional apps on the motoactv (give me a developer's kit)
no attribution to openstreetmaps for maps (many people think that it is Google maps on the motoactv)
no wireless updating via WiFi (for us Linux users)
no ability to pull data directly from the device
use the gps to set time instead of manually entering time
actual weather app and not just weather notifications (also record the weather with outdoor workouts)
an additional model that is waterproof + bigger battery (it will be bigger, heavier, more expensive and more limited, like no usb jack and resort to inductive charging like powermat or a special cradle for non-inductive charging) call it Motoactv TRI, probably retails for $400+
tons of other pesky things (I cut over 10 things to make the list 'short')
Why many other reviews suck:
Many call it expensive (this doesn't come from runners). Yeah if you compare it to a small android tablet that is the same price (e.g. kindle fire) it seems expensive because it is so small. Compare it to gps watches, and with all the added hardware and features it seems like a bargain.
Low battery life. Many reviews were rightfully critical of the device for battery life when it came out. Most reviews are now outdated, as Motorola has produced updates that help with battery life. Now you can do a slow marathon (walking) and still have some battery left over. While this is arguably still the biggest weakness, I think the current battery size was the right balance between size, weight and battery-life.
Version 2? Some say to wait for the next hardware version. Many based this on the battery life before the December update (see above). The GPS watch world evolves slowly compared to the smart-phone world (Garmin seems to update a product line every 3-4 years). Waiting for the next hardware version of this device (not including a different model from Motorola) would be at least 2 years from release to release (from my guess at the market), and would only come that quick if competitors like Apple entered the field.
Waterproof? Look around at phones or at GPS watches. The completely waterproof ones are much bigger and heavier and much more expensive (and for phones, much slower hardware) for a similar device. Maybe Motorola will make an additional model (as suggested above) to quiet these haters who have no idea.
Conclusion:
You are looking at this device because you are interested in a gps or fitness watch, period. If you want less, go elsewhere and you might be happier. If you are an ultra-athlete (ultra-marathons or iron-man sized triathlons) and don't want to deal with an external battery pack to get more than 7-10 hours out of the device, go elsewhere and you may be happier. If you are a sedentary person wanting to be healthier, just use your smartphone for now (I think it is a bad idea to buy a device just to motivate you). But if you don't want a huge beast of a gps watch, this is your answer. If you want a gps and music device that is watch sized, this is the only device that does both. If you want what is in my opinion the best gps watch, this is the one and it is a bargain for the hardware. I put my money where my mouth is and bought this and I am loving it (despite all the improvements that I think it needs).
.
UPDATED COMMENTS (2012.08.10) after 155 miles running and 334.61 miles total
software updates -
As of now, 9 months after the device came out, there have been 15 firmware updates for the device itself, and the current rate is one or two times per month. Almost as many updates have been applied to the website 'portal.' Updates for the device have been great and it has improved the device, but there are still a lot of things missing. The website has gotten better, but it also still has missing functionality, and some of the website updates broke things (I couldn't plot elevation for over a month). If you are picky about post-analysis, you might need to use some other software / website (admittedly that would defeat some of the convenience of the device).
rain and sweat -
I have run in the rain several times (this is Virginia so it rains often and can be really heavy) and to try it out once, showered with the device (my wife was so annoyed with my geeky-ness because I answered her phone call while in the shower). When there is a fair amount of rainfall I turn the device to the inside of my wrist, so the headphone jack is down, discouraging water ingress. I have run with the provided headphones in a light to moderate rainfall, no problems with device. However, with any moisture (sweat or rain), the headphones cause problems with skipping and pausing audio (headphone control can be disabled though to mitigate this). After a month I got bluetooth headphones and I really love being cordless. Now I always keep the small headphone plug in the hole. I once ran for over an hour in moderate to very heavy rainfall. The 'rainproof' bluetooth headphones didn't last more than 20 minutes but the motoactv had no problem for the drenching hour. One thing to note is that water drops can be detected as finger touches, so keep the display off or locked when wet.
durability -
So I have accidentially dropped the device several times without issue. Once I left it on top of my car and drove off. When I realized it and came back 10 min later, I found it on asphalt but luckily no one had driven over it in the middle of the street. It hasn't been fragile but it will break. One day I was riding, flipped my bike and face planted on cement. Did the motoactv survive being high up on the handle bars? No, the upper right glass was ground to the circuit board and the rest of screen was cracked. It still showed stuff on the screen, but not for long because it was raining and I was drenched. Should it survive a 10 mph crash straight to cement with 30 pounds of mountain bike on it? Now I know to mount devices in a safer place.
final comments -
So now I have no motoactv and am very sad. What will I buy next to go with the 3 ant+ sensors? Definitely my pick is the motoactv, but my wife says I have to wait till Christmas. Now that they are almost half the price I paid, maybe I will get an extra one for her.
I contacted Motorola customer service and returned the device for repair. To my utter amazement, I've just been informed that it will not be repaired or replaced because it "suffered liquid damage" which voids the warranty. Moto advertises (on their website, no less) that this device is rain resistant and sweat resistant. I have only used the device for running. It has gotten wet from sweat (i.e. wearing it on my wrist) and perhaps once in light rain. I always kept the plugs in place for the headphone jack and mini-USB. In no case was it ever submerged in water. The device is meant for use while exercising if it cannot handle some exposure to moisture, then the DESIGN of the device is defective. I feel I am owed a refund for this product. But, Motorola is refusing to replace the device. This is baffling to me. Their response is the worst example of terrible customer service I have ever experienced.
Sangean ATS-909X BK AM/FM/LW/SW World Band Receiver - Black
- 406 Memory Preset Stations
- ATS (Auto Tuning System) Auto Scan
- Five Tuning Methods: Direct Frequency Tuning, Auto Scan, Manual Tuning, Memory Recall and Rotary Tuning
- Large LCD Screen with Bright LED Backlight
- Automatically Search for Strongest Signal Station within SW Station Pages
Just to mention some other things that make this portable shine are the alpha-numeric page memory system, world time in many cities which sync automatically after you set your local home time, and the many ways that you can tune stations. The 909X even has a squelch control in addition to an effective RF Gain control. Due to the very low background noise level of the 909X, I have yet to use the squelch control even when seeking for weak shortwave signals
So, in conclusion, with just using the radio's long provided whip, and better, the reel-in antenna acompanying the radio, the 909X serves as an excellent portable to carry on trips, and carry around in its nice case. I can't overemphasize the great signal-to-noise ratio of this radio. Yes, the 909X is rather large and expensive compared to other portables. But, what you get in this larger package is a high-quality speaker and a great built-in audio amplifier of very large tonal range.
Buy Sangean ATS-909X BK AM/FM/LW/SW World Band Receiver - Black Now
I bought this direct from Taipei because of detailed and impressive advance notice, though the price here is now far better. Okay, that information was PR, but in the case of this complete re-design of the ATS-909 it was pretty close to how the product performs.I've used a variety of portables over the years, including the brilliant, but rather heavy, Sony ICF-2010, and its successor, the fine 7600GR. I've also tried a few of the new Chinese shortwave competitors, including the Degen 1103, probably the best cheap shortwave radio ever made.
Sangean, however, is not competing against Degen or Kaito. Established for a very long time as a maker of superb portables, they took some heat for the ATS-909. I can't comment on that model, as I have never tried one. The ATS-909X, however, is to my mind the successor to Sony's 7600GR as the best portable for its broad range of reception, which includes FM, LW, MW, and SW. The AM range is 150-29999. (note: the ATS909X does not have synchronous detection, using DSP and digital bandpass instead to clarify weak signals, but that's not a bad thing, just a different way of handling the same problems). The MW can be set for either 9Khz steps or 10, with corresponding ranges for different parts of the world.
Issues of interest to regular listeners and DXers: a) sensitivity -it's as good or better than the 7600GR on SW, excellent on FM, and better than Sangean's CCRadio Plus on MW. Enhancing this on FM is a simple solution, a switch for mono FM, important if a signal is faint or erratic in stereo. b) selectivity -the 3-way tone control, Wide/Narrow filter's skirts, digital bandpass, and DSP all contribute to cleaning up and separating adjacent signals well; I heard what I tuned. c) The ATS-909X is happy on either the built-in aerial or with a Kaito tunable loop (I prefer the latter, an inexpensive but marvelous tunable loop). d) The DSP IC's tricks work fine with weak signals, almost as well as the Sony 7600GR's synchronous detection. e) the sound quality on any filter setting is (to my ear) as good as the 7600GR and far better than the Degen 1103, which shows distortion if not slightly detuned. It also has noticeably more audio output than the Sony 7600GR. f) squelch. Yes, the ATS-909X resurrects an old method for keeping the racket down between stations. Most scanners have this feature and, if you use it carefully, it can make exploring noisy AM bands easier on the ears. (Tune to the weakest station you can still understand; then, adjust squelch to just slightly above where the weak station blanks out. Then, anything that's below that threshold will be silent.) g) RF gain -it's rare for these to be on a portable any more. They're often not on desktop models. However, if you've got a really hot station you listen to regularly, it's nice to be able to back off on RF amplification. Judicious use of this gain control is also useful in picking apart stations that are extremely close together or where you can use a combination of antenna tuning and fiddling with RF gain to pull one station out front and put the other behind.
A few notes on FM: You don't get better FM on a small radio than this unless you include HD Radio circuitry. I don't know why Sangean didn't do that -maybe a future model. Even so, you can plug this radio into a set of powered PC speakers and get sensational audio, or it sounds fine as is. Selectivity is excellent. Signal to noise almost sounds like HD radio. Of course I live in NYC, so signals tend to be very good. The images that plague cheap radios don't exist on the ATS-909X. It's happy with strong signals or weak. RDS mode, if in use by broadcaster, will show items like call letters, program title, and sometimes what's playing.
Further on MW. Believe it, it's better than a Sangean's own CCRadio Plus for sensitivity, selectivity, and, to my ear, audio quality. I can easily pick up stations from Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, Charlotte, Boston, upstate and western New York, and that without the assistance of an external loop or Crane's twin coil external. If you've got stations on top of each other, not uncommon, using the USB/LSB control can separate one from the other, a trick unavailable on a CCRadio Plus (though you can detune the latter slightly for similar effects).
SW -even on cheap radios, DSP can give startlingly good results on SW. When you can afford a little more effort in deploying this American IC, and higher quality components to interface with it, as Sangean clearly has, the consequence is an ease of tuning that's disconcerting. On my old FRG-7, for instance, first you did the preset on the antenna side, then the megahertz setting, then the kiloherz knob, hand fiddling with preset and KHz knob until you got a satisfactory signal. The old Wadley loop circuit worked well, but it took a while to get there. With DSP, digital bandpass, and PLL, none of that's required. Sangean's implementation of these new electronic elements is as good or better than any similar radio I have ever tried, including the ICF-2010, and the 7600GR. To be fair, neither of the latter employ DSP.
Memories -here's how they're described in the manual.
406 radio station presets
FM 3 pages: 27 presets
LW 1 page: 9 presets
MW 2 pages: 18 presets
SW 39 pages: 351 presets + 1 priority preset)
Okay, it's not got 1000 memories or more, but the way they're distributed makes a very good fit with each band. I challenge anyone who claims to have more than 27 listenable FM stations in their area. There's a lot of stuff pre-set, which has never been particularly useful for me. Further, these pre-sets are not, as far as I can tell, going to be updated by Sangean (as they used to be by Sony and ICOM). However, you can create your own preset mixes for each page as a substitute for what's provided. The way they do it is a good model. They've put 9 pre-sets for a major outlet, such as DW, on one page. Select that page, and DSP hunts for the one that has a readable signal. Neat.
Another tuning tool is ATS, which is fabulous for the traveler. It's been around for a few years. You go to LW, MW or FM, press one button, and all of the readable signals are put into temporary memory. Get off the plane, tune into the new city, done in a few seconds. Not unique to Sangean, but a marvelous addition. (On some setups, such as the Degen 380, ATS works on SW bands, but not on the Sangean.)
The clock, once set to local time, will show the correct time at the touch of a button in 42 other cities. It's a useful feature.
The package I received included two adapters, one for Asia and one for the US (this may not be true in some packages). The US power supply is perfect; it puts out no detectable RF noise. On batteries, the radio will run quite a while though, to be honest, I haven't measured its endurance exactly.
The included long wire aerial is nice to have for SW, but Kaito's tuned loop is such a nice antenna, despite its tiny controls, that it's a better choice, and not very expensive.
The faux leather case is quite nice and strong enough to protect the radio when your bag is being tossed about the airport's luggage handling area.
For design, I find the ATS-909X one of the most satisfying portables I've ever tried. It's just solid enough to not fall over when you tune it, but it's not heavy. The finish quality is excellent. You can tune it in five different ways, without spending a lot of time with the manual. It has fewer memories than some, but the distribution of memory pages to FM, MW, LW and SW is well considered, not to mention amazingly easy to use. It's also beautiful to look at, and has the most readable LCD display I've ever seen on a portable. Add that to its exemplary radio performance and you have a great and advanced alternative to several older standbys like the Sony ICF-2010 or Sony 7600GR. You also don't need to buy two radios to get both very high quality SW and MW!
My only issue was that there was no English manual, but I addressed that, finding a multi-language manual on Sangean's US Web site. To be honest, it doesn't really need a manual, as most functions are easy to find and use. But Sangean will have a finished English manual by April. I'm not quite convinced the DSP is a better solution than synchronous detection, but this seems to be the way Asian radio designers and manufacturers are going, and this manifestation of DSP is by far the best I've heard.
Get one now before they raise the price! And a note to Sangean, for the ATS-909X Model 2, include HD to this great radio.
Read Best Reviews of Sangean ATS-909X BK AM/FM/LW/SW World Band Receiver - Black Here
I have read all the reviews of the New 909X,and I have to say some are quite misleading. I don't know if the nay sayers have under performing radios,I was told recently by a very high ranking person associated with a major radio companythat after a new model is relaesed that the mfr will quietly make engineering evaluations and upgrades based on the first field reports, and never make public the changes, so I will assume that the early reports were based on the Beta radios.
My first impression of the 909X out of the box was that the build quality was very good, with a nice feel in my hands. The first order of business was to read the English portion of the operation manual, then after installing 4 AA alkaline cells and setting the battery charge switch to the correct setting it was time to power up and "walk through" the functions. After I verified the 909X was 100% it was time to put it through it's paces.
My first interest is AM MW DXing, so I tuned the 909X to 1360,and proceeded to pick up KWDJ operating with only 1000 Watts 100 miles away. At my location I am 2 miles from KOSS 1380 with 1000 watts. Picking up the signal from KWDJ 1360 100 Miles away with a measured field strength of only 400 Microvolts and with a 60 Millivolt signal only 2 channels away is quite a chore for any radio, the 909X with it's DSP IF amp easily seperated the two signals with no problems and no bleed-over.
Another challenge was on low end of the AM dial. KMJ 580 from Fresno,200 Miles away
has a measured filed strength at my location of 350 Microvolts and KAVL 610 2 Miles from me operates with 5000 Watts and has a measured Field strength of 100 Millivolts. The 909X easily picked KMJ and much to my surprise also received KTIE at 590 from San Bernardino, 100 miles away operating with 2500 Watts and with a measured signal strength of 400 Microvolts at my location!
The 909X pulled in signals from AM stations all along the dial with ease.
On FM the 909X displayed excellent selectivity and sensitivity,example: KPFK 90.7 Los Angeles operates with 110,000 Watts and has a signal at my location of more than 1 Millivolt (60DBU) and KGZO 90.9 Shater,CA is over 100 miles away and has a very weak signal at my location of less than 90 Microvolts!To receive the KGZO signal in full stereo is nealy impossible, however the 909X easily received the signal,full quieted and in solid stereo!
By the way the 909X through all the tests, AM and FM used ONLY the built in FM rod antenna and built in Ferrite rod antenna
with no external help whatsoever!
I was also impressed by the great audio quality from the built in speaker.
Another item was battery life. The original 909 was a HOG when using batery power,however all the tests I performed used one set of 4-AA Procell Alkaline batteries and after the tests, and listening with a moderate volume,the battery indicator in the LCD display never changed! Quite an improvement over the original!
On SW the 909X copied many stations with equal sensitivity from the low to high.
On SW I used my RF2200 as a standard to gauge the signals on SW.
All the memories and alarms worked as advertised, the RDS was a nice bonus when listening to stations that transmitted information about the content of the programming.
I am very happy with my 909X. FYI,I purchased this out my own pocket with no ties to any MFR or retailer, and no special prices or incentives to have a favorable review.
My recommendations are few, a sync detector would be nice,also a carry handle. It would nice to have the direct entry without having to hit the F key,frequency,and than enter.I did notice the keys on the touch pad required "extra" effort.
All in all looks like a winner for Sangean.
Chris Compton,
Broadcast Engineer
Lancaster, CA
May 8, 2011
Want Sangean ATS-909X BK AM/FM/LW/SW World Band Receiver - Black Discount?
As an owner of many radios over several decades, and a long-time Sangean fan, I REALLY wanted to like this radio. Often an early adopter, I put off buying this radio because a Chinese reviewer of a first-run sample complained that it was "deaf". Watching and waiting, I saw this attributed to a faulty component in that lot, and later people said that it performed well. Unfortunately, there is more enduring truth to the early Chinese review than I was willing to admit at first.First, the pros: the design and construction quality are first-rate. Yes, there are some design-freak quibbles that can be raised (for example the spinning-disc tuning knob, the use of an LCD segment layout for the RDS that is poorly suited to alphanumeric display, the "narrow" filter being still too wide) but overall the positives outweigh the negatives. It looks, feels, and sounds great. There are very nice design touches (like a continuous RF gain control that works on MW as well as SW, for instance).
In the end, though, I found that on MW/SW/FM it was lacking in sensitivity when using the built-in antennas. An inexpensive DSP-based radio like the Tecsun PL-310 or PL-390 "hears" much more, especially daytime MWDX, than this radio costing several times as much. Even on FM with a shorter antenna, the Tecsun models were hotter. I realize that I can always add an external antenna, and of course that is the usual technique for SW listening, but I was not going to fiddle with an external loop antenna just to bring MW reception up to par. In the end, I reluctantly sent it back. Perhaps a later production run will get it right; but for me right now, at this price point, I couldn't justify keeping it.
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Since perhaps 2004, I've been an enthusiastic fan of the Sangean ATS 909 radio. Naturally, then, I was excited to hear the company would be releasing a new version of the 909, and ordered one shortly after it was available. I'm very happy with the 909X, with just a few exceptions.Unlike many shortwave enthusiasts, I consider audio quality to be an important feature. I keep this particular radio at my desk and regularly use three bands AM, FM, and shortwave and I listen for about one to three hours per day. Therefore, I'm not going to tolerate poor audio. In this department, the 909X has to be one of the best portables. The speaker tone is crisp, clear, and well-rounded enough for both voice and music. Compared with the older 909, the newer model is brighter better for AM talk and shortwave. But this brightness can be a little too much when listening to music on the FM band. It can be somewhat mitigated by switching the filter or adjusting the tone switch. By comparison, the older 909 sounds warmer and darker, but after an hour or so of the AM or SW bands, this quality can become wearisome. For FM, though, I do prefer the tone of the old 909.
The sensitivity off the whip antenna is good, and it's greatly improved by using the included reel antenna. Try to stretch it out full length in a straight line near a window. This substantially improves the radio's shortwave reception.
The selectivity is also very good. In fact, I methodically compared the 909X with the Sony ICF-SW7600GR, and found the sensitivity of both to be about the same, but the selectivity of the 909X was superior. And of course, the audio quality of the Sangean is far superior to that of the Sony. The comparisons are unavoidable, since these models have probably been the two leading portable shortwave radios for about ten years now. In my opinion, the Sangean is in an entirely different league. The Sony might suffice as a back-up or travel radio with effective synchronous detection, but I'd honestly rather have two 909Xes than one ICF SW7600GR!
A complaint sometimes made about the older 909 concerned the display window: it was relatively small and poorly lit by a dull olive green light. With the new 909X, Sangean has done a fabulous job. The new window is large, well arranged, and beautifully lit by a bright white light. It gives the entire radio a sharp new appearance. I would add, though, that the digits indicating the time are still rather small for easy middle-of-the-night viewing.
I'm pleased with the 909X radio, but I would still add two qualifiers. First, on some units the buttons do not function as well as the older model's. You have to press them firmly and deliberately, and often they require a second or third press. This is probably going to be an issue that Sangean will need to fix in future production runs. In fact, the first unit I received was entirely spoiled by this problem. Some buttons just would not register, no matter how firmly or repeatedly they were pressed, and eventually they would trigger other functions. I finally ordered a second 909X. The newer unit is better in this regard, but the buttons still require a firm press, an occasional repeated press, and at times malfunction as well. It seems to be a matter of quality control at Sangean.
My second reservation concerns the tuning wheel. I actually like the old 909's wheel better, but the newer one is still good. However, because it's detented, it can get a bit jittery. Between clicks, there can be a little give that allows the frequency to change by one step without the wheel actually moving to the next physical step. By lightly jiggling it back and forth, you can make the radio jump a digit. When dialing through the frequencies slowly, it's possible for the wheel to skip over frequencies. As with the button issue, Sangean will need to refine this feature in future runs. I think the problem might be resolved by returning to a non-detented wheel. The old 909s came with one or the other type of wheel, and I personally prefer the non-detented, which maintained the audio as you scrolled through the frequencies.
In spite of these two qualifiers, I still consider the 909X to be my favorite radio alongside the 909. My older unit is seven or eight years old, and it continues to function flawlessly in every way. That said, the 909X's ergonomics are logical, so that it's a cince to operate. It sounds crisp and looks sharp, performs well on SSB, and includes a power adapter and an external reel antenna that can be connected either by a jack or a clip. It also comes with a well written and fairly large-print operation manual. The radio is on the expensive side, but that's the way it goes. I'm giving it a full five star rating on the presumption that the two units I had were part of a bad batch, and not the norm.
Both the 909 and the 909X are superb multi-band radios with many features that make DXing and SWLing both an ease and a pleasure.
[Update: I finally bought a new 909X (the standard model) from Radiolabs, and it's 100% free of the troubles I had with the previous units bought from Amazon. I believe they examine each unit before shipping. An absolutely superb radio! I highly recommend buying one from Radiolabs.]
GSI Quality Multi-Function Waterproof AM/FM Bath And Shower Radio With Alarm Clock - Line-In Aux For
- All In One AM/FM Radio Provides Music In Shower Or Bath, Completely Splash Proof
- Carrying Handle Can Be Used As A Hanging Hook, Upright Standing Dock
- Easy Tuning Dial Spans Across All AM And FM Stations, Volume Control Dial
- Built In Digital Clock, Daily Alarm With Radio Alarm Option
- LCD Display For Time And Radio Station, Note: Do Not Place Underwater!
Disney Pixar Cars Dashboard Projection Alarm Clock - Cars Alarm Clock
Bought this for my boys room. Now I see why they don't tell you much about it.1. It ONLY operates on batteries.
2. So how does it project light on the ceiling without running down the batteries? Easy it ONLY projects for a few seconds after you roll over, reach out and find the tiny button on the back of the clock and push it in! I have owned 3 different projection clocks which only use the batteries for back-up and project the time 24 hours a day.... not this one.
3. The clock is so light that in order to push the button you have to hold the clock to keep itfrom moving around. Then, the tiny button you have to push to turn on the projection is the same size and only 1/4 inch away from the alarm on and off button! And So if he uses the alarm to get up for school and hits the wrong adjacent button in the middle of the night he turns off his alarm!!
I am returning it tomorrow, especially for $27.00
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The clock is really small for starters. On top of that the numbers are backwards on the screen. I'd like my kid to know how the number are supposed to look and not be confused by a cheap and clearly broken clock. Not to mention the projector for the time doesnt stay on for more than 15 seconds. I would never tell anyone to get this clock. Worst purchase of the holidays for me.Read Best Reviews of Disney Pixar Cars Dashboard Projection Alarm Clock - Cars Alarm Clock Here
TEAC SL-D88 Clock Radio and CD Player
- Multi-mode CD Player with up to 20 track programmability
- Rotary illuminated AM/FM radio tuner with built-in 4-Digit LED screen for clock display
- Dgital Clock, Sleep Timer. Timer-on and Snooze modes
- Headphone Jack
- 120V 60Hz AC powered
This radio was built with quality. The sound quality was quite good. Most importantly, everything works, which isn't a low standard given my experience with the other radio. It even has an plug for earphones. My daughter has had it for several months now, and she is very happy with it. I think this is the best CD clock radio that you can find under $300.
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Needed a new radio for the office. The 'used and new' category offered one of these new in box for $104, so I bit, and am glad I did. Everything works as advertised, and the selectable-color lighted dial was a nice suprise. The analog tuner performs better than most clock radios, though not as well as the unit's bigger digital brothers (one of which I also own). The CD section works fine so far with commercial and home-burned discs.If I had a complaint, it would be that the long wire FM antenna isn't detachable It's not needed where I am and is currently rolled up under the unit. From a functional viewpoint, I'd rather have a digital tuner and an analog clock, but that wouldn't look as good and looks are definitely a big part of the package.
This unit works fine and looks good. Noise is low enough it won't drive you (totally) nuts to listen through headphones, and everyone thinks the styling is -verycool. It is! That's worth $104 any day. Right?
Read Best Reviews of TEAC SL-D88 Clock Radio and CD Player Here
The color of the illuminated ring around the dial is selectable: seven fixed colors, including three shades of blue, two of green, one each of red and violet; also, my favorite option, is to have the color vary (never does red though); the illumination can also be powered off.The set has a nice weight (it isn't light) and feel, like it is a quality piece of equipment.
However, the bass is boomy out of the box and there are no tone controls. I corrected the boominess by partially blocking the bass reflex ports with tissue--audio enthusiasts will know how to do this (don't try otherwise)--sound quality out of the box should be fine for non-enthusiasts.
Overall, I love this set.
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Looked good, sounded good. Then I noticed the low-volume hum (60 Hz?) coming from the bass ports on the back. The lower you turn the volume, the louder the hum, though it was always very subtle. The more I tried to ignore it, the more annoying it became.Repositioning the unit had no effect, nor did moving the cord or antenna or trying different modes (CD, radio, aux). The power cord has a two-pronged plug, and there was no way to ground the unit to see if that would solve the problem.
Since this was to be used right next to the bed and normally played at low volume, the hum was unacceptable, particularly at the price of this radio. Paying shipping to return the radio has also left a bad taste in my mouth.
Very disappointing.
It provides enough volume to fill a small office, the kitchen, or even the garage. I would call it an all-in-one package. You can play CD's, listen to the radio, and even plug your ipod into the input jack if need be. But the thing I like most about this stereo is that it feels like it's stright out of the 60's. The analog clock has a color changing illuminating light which surrounds it and gives it a little pizazz.
All in all I would recommend this clock/alarm/CD player/ "ham radio" to whomever is looking for a good price and a better product.
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.
Naxa NCA-670 Detachable Stereo AM/FM Car Radio with Compact Disc Player and Aux-In Jack
- Manual Tuning Stereo AM/FM Radio Tuner
- Mechanical Front Face Detachable Panel with Carrying Case
- Large LCD Display with Power Level Meter & Clock Function
- RCA Line Out Jack/Pair of Low impedance RCA Line-out Plugs
- High Output Power
Was very easy to install and we are very happy with it.
Unit Works Good,Looks Good and Sounds Good With a Great Price.
Would recommend and would buy again.
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I purchased this stereo based on it's price and good reviews, apparently I should have paid a bit more attention to the details. This stereo is awkward in it's setup with the volume on the right and the station selection dial on the left. This is a setup that I am not used to and is a pain to change while I am driving.The other thing that is quite strange is the lack of radio station presets. There are six buttons at the bottom of the stereo and none of them besides the aux button are of much good.
If you are only going to use this for an ipod or as a cd player then this is a great stereo, but if you listen to the radio even just once in a while then this is not the stereo for you.Very nice lil unit.I installed it in my 78 Dodge rv,easy to install ,sounds great w/ 4 speakers.Cd player works good.I used a trim kit from walmart & looks like it came from the factory.I would buy again.
UPDATE-Dec-2012
Took this unit out of my rv & put it in my ole 87 honda accord.Did fine for a few months,now yesterday,no sound,lights up,but no sound.So now its trash.Thats the problem with todays crap,not made to last at all.This radio cannot pickup any of the stations in Atlanta.... The ipod hookup is nice, but I need to listen to traffic and news in the mornign and this just doesnt cut it. Pretty cheap
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I love it my partner got for x-mass and we finely installed and it was worth the money works great so far .
iHome iH55 Clock Radio with Dock for iPod (Silver)
- Compatibility: iPod mini 1G; iPod nano 1G, 2G, 3G; iPod 3G, 4G, 5G, 5.5G, 6G
- Wake to iPod, radio, or buzzer; sleep to iPod or radio with gradual wake and sleep feature that gently increases or decreases volume
- Full-function remote control
- Tuned Reson8 speaker chambers for rich, true sound
- Features line-in jack for playing other audio devices
Buy iHome iH55 Clock Radio with Dock for iPod (Silver) Now
One daughter loves pink, the other loves blue; one falls asleep to music, while the other is awakened by it; one likes a little light in her room at night, the other likes her room as close to pitch black as possible; they both love listening to their iPod Nanos, and they both needed a new alarm clock. This iHome product was exactly what we needed! The sound quality is amazingly good for being a small alarm clock; my girls love the fact that it charges their iPods as well as plays them; and the remote control allows them to easily access the basic functions of the unit while half asleep. I love the fact that this unit sets the time automatically, has a simple switch on the back to adjust for daylight savings time, and also a battery backup in case of a power outage. Both units have been functioning beautifully since Christmas day and were easily worth every penny we paid for them!Read Best Reviews of iHome iH55 Clock Radio with Dock for iPod (Silver) Here
Great sound for a fairly compact radio. Remote control works great and is very convenient. I like the interchangeable color fronts that came with it.Want iHome iH55 Clock Radio with Dock for iPod (Silver) Discount?
This looks good, and the sound is really very good. Unfortunately, I decided to purchase in spite of some of the negative reviews here, and I experienced the same issues. I'm not able to get clear FM reception no matter how I arrange the antenna wire or move the clock around the room. And while the dimmable display is great, once it is dimmed you can't read it unless you are standing on top of it, so forget seeing the time once you are in bed.
Sangean America Inc WR-22BK AM/FM-RDS/Bluetooth/USB Table-Top Digital Tuning Receiver (Black)
- 10 Station Presets (5 FM, 5 AM)
- Built-In Bluetooth Wireless Audio Streaming
- Clock Available For FM RDS-CT
- Rotary Bass And Treble Control
- 3-Inch 7W Full Range Speaker With Enlarged Magnet
Forgot to say but the black model I got is all black. The wood case has a nice shiny think coat of black paint. Think I saw it referred to somewhere as piano black.
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iHome App-Enhanced Alarm Clock with Bluetooth and FM Radio for iPad, iPhone and iPod
- Compatible with iPad/iPhone/iPod models
- Universal dock charges & plays iPad , iPhone or iPod while docked
- Wake or sleep to iPad/iPhone/iPod or app alarms
- Bongiovi Digital Power Station technology
- Customizable with advanced iHome apps - free iHome+sleep app creates alarms, local weather, etc. & iHome+radio app accesses up to 10,000 Internet radio stations from around the globe
I recommend you refer to the following support threads on iHome's own support forums before considering this item:
[..]
Do a search for more on the iA100 topic and you'll find similar issues with similar concerns. You'll notice that these and other postings have almost zero responses from iHome support except for one (which was not specific or helpful in any way). Direct emails to their tech support (I've sent three over the past two months over the same issues posted) go ignored. I intend to call directly, however I read a customer's posting that the phone support lacks adequate knowledge about the product, software app or remedies, and were advised to post their question on the iHome support forums for better response. This tells me that they have a limited staff and relies solely on their support forums for communicating with customers.
Needless to say, I'm very disappointed with this purchase considering it's a pretty expensive, high-end alarm clock that is customized to work with your iPad / iPhone. People on the forums have complained that their iA100s are unreliable for daily use. I simply can't rely on mine either due to the problems noted in the forum postings. I'm assuming people are merely using the iA100 as a $ speaker system for now. I personally wouldn't mind the time needed to gradually improve their iHome App, but it would be appropriate (and for $200, they should be obligated) to respond to customers with some kind of confirmation, remedy, workaround, or timeline to the fixes posted on the iHome support forum.
I'll be happy to update this post when iHome promptly responds to these and other support postings regarding similar issues regarding the app.
In the meantime, purchase this at your own risk!
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**Revised 01-07-2011 after iHome+Sleep v2.1 releaseI've owned the iA100 for about a month, and have used it extensively. It is one of the sharpest looking iHome products on the market, and I purchased it after reading pre-release announcements and waiting for iHome to make it available for several months, while comparing the competition and deliberating whether or not it would be worth the asking price. An app-enhanced alarm clock is an incredible idea, especially since apps can be improved over time based on customer feedback. I experienced a lot of performance issues during the first few weeks while using v1 of the iHome+Sleep app, but iHome released v2.1 in late December 2010, and although there are still a few stability issues, many of the problems have been resolved. I've revised my original review 's consideration points with 0 to 10 ratings for the iA100 below:
iHOME CUSTOMER SERVICE (0 out of 10)
iHome experimentally created a user forum in November 2010, but abandoned it in December, so all of the customer posts made since then have gone unanswered by iHome employees. I've emailed them with questions about functional problems and never heard back. I've called their tech support number directly, and after waiting for 17 minutes to get a human, I was told that I called the 'computer support' number and that I should have called the 'audio support' number. Upon calling the second number they gave me, and waiting another 10 minutes for a human, I was told to call the number I originally called because they had no idea how to help me with my questions. Amazon sets the global bar for customer service, and all other companies should attempt to imitate them. Return shipping instructions are included with each order, RMA processing is automated online, and you can have them call you within seconds at the click of a button and they already know your issue. iHome has the worst customer service I've ever dealt with, but unfortunately, at this time, they are the only manufacturer of a bluetooth-ready, iPad docking, close-to-Bose-sounding alarm clock on the market.
BUILT IN DEVICE ALARMS VERSUS CUSTOM APP ALARMS (8 out of 10 improved with iHome+Sleep v2.1)
The iA100 clock itself has 2 device alarms that can be set to Tone, iPod, FM, or AUX. You can set the device alarms using small buttons hidden on the back of the clock, but it's obvious that iHome intended for customers to use their iDevice to configure the alarms. Device and Custom Alarms have improved and are easy to set using the app, but v2.1 did not correct the issue from v1 where there is no way to change the tone used by the two iA100 device alarms. With custom app alarms, there are many stereo tones to choose from, but the two device alarms are stuck using the xylophone tone. iHome also added gradual sleep and wake functionality to custom app alarms, so users have the ability to specify how many minutes the volume decreases or increases per alarm. However, this functionality is not offered for the two device alarms, and the `wake volume' slider in each of their settings is hard to adjust to a desirable volume, since the alarm blares on at that setting. It took me several tries to find the perfect wake volume using the slider. I personally prefer to use device alarms as opposed to custom app alarms, because app alarms don't go off unless the app is running and in the foreground all night. The app has a brightness setting to dim the iDevice once the `bedtime' slider has been activated, but even turned all the way down, it is still too bright for me to sleep, and sometimes the custom alarms don't go off when the app is active but the iDevice is asleep.
iHOME+SLEEP APP STABILITY (8 out of 10)
Version 1 of the app was extremely buggy. However, iHome has fixed most of the stability issues in v2.1. The app used to lose connectivity to the iA100 upon multitasking away and coming back, either while docked or connected through Bluetooth. This problem has been fixed, and the app reliably reloads the device settings every time it is made active. The only functional issues remaining are that the Overnight News integration to Twitter and Facebook never works, and sometimes the app crashes as soon as I slide the `Wake Up' slider when a custom alarm goes off. If these two issues are addressed in the next app release, the device alarms are made as functional as custom app alarms, and the reliability improves for custom alarms to go off while the iDevice is asleep, I will rate the app a 10.
BLUETOOTH (10 out of 10)
The iA100's Bluetooth features are awesome. There is a button on the back that puts the clock into pairing mode, at which point you can discover it on your iDevice, PC, or Mac in seconds. Once paired, you can wirelessly stream audio from music or video at up to 33 feet away. I carried my iPad into the living room, at least 30 feet away and through two walls, and the clock was still blaring without a hiccup. When paired to my iPhone, the iA100 rang loudly when I received a phone call, and the built in mic worked flawlessly from across the room without having to raise my voice. I also used the clock to stream music from iTunes on my MacBook Pro and as a Bluetooth speakerphone for Skype. There is a 'Sync Time' feature that syncs the clock to the AT&T time on your iPhone, and it works great over bluetooth (or when docked).
SOUND (9 out of 10)
Although the iA100 doesn't sound as big and full as a Bose system, what does?? The Bongiovi sound engine is awesome. There is a button on the clock and a feature in the app to disable it, but I don't know why anyone would. The volume ranges from 0-40, and it is loud enough at 25-30 to fill my 20x25' master bedroom with full, bassy sound. I can't tell any difference in the sound quality between docked and bluetooth wireless streaming audio they both sound great.
UPDATE POTENTIAL (10 out of 10 as proved by v2.1 of iHome+Sleep app)
iHome already corrected most of the functionality issues in the app with their latest release, v2.1. There are still a few issues, and I am personally hopeful that they will make enhancements to the device alarms, but v2.1 of the app verified my initial willingness to pay two hundred dollars for an app enhanced clock. As more customers provide feedback, iHome should continue to improve user experience. The iA100 also has the ability to download and install firmware updates directly through the iHome+Sleep app when the iDevice is docked and connected to either 3G or WIFI, so there are limitless possibilities to functionality upgrades of the physical clock itself in addition to the app.
OVERALL RATING (9 out of 10 improved substantially with v2.1 of app)
Despite it's few flaws and iHome's blatant lack of customer service, I love the clock even more after v2.1 was released, and recommend it. Although it is one of the most expensive iDevice docking clocks on the market, it has features that you won't find in the competition. At the time of this review, it's the only app-enhanced alarm clock with an iPad dock (although iHome added in-app support for their upcoming iD85, which will also support iPad docking). The bluetooth speakerphone, wireless control, and streaming audio features are awesome (the iA100 also includes a remote control, but you don't really need it if paired through Bluetooth). It looks great, keeps all of my iDevices charged, and I didn't need to buy universal docks to support any of them. There is a rubber insert that can be removed to support some of the larger iPad cases on the market, but I can comfortably dock my iPhone 4 with Apple Bumper Case or iPad with iLuv Silicone Sleeve on the iA100 without removing either, and the iPad feels sturdily fixed in place against the metal support bar.I had been holding off on getting an alarm clock that will also charge my iphone and play music off my iphone because of all the negative reviews. I took a chance on this product and regret it.
I was specifically looking for an alarm clock that could be dimmed all the way to black and had 2 alarms that could be set: one for weekdays and one for weekneds. This one does that, however, my weekend alarm never goes off even though it's set to ON. You HAVE to set the alarm using your phone, which is a pain in the neck. Also, it's not easy to tell if the alarm is set by looking at the clock itself. It is hard to determine what the volume of the alarm will be when it actually goes off in the morning too. Then, to top it all off, this thing is bluetooth ennabled, but any time I take my phone out of the bedroom, and return, I have to make it forget the device and re-pair the stupid thing. What a pain.
On the good side, it sounds great when playing music through it.
I'm packing the stupid thing up and sending it back. When you pay $200 for something, you don't expect to have this many issues with it. My trusty old alarm clock will be returned to service at my bedside.
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If you are looking for an alarm clock that integrates well with your iOS device, stay away from this one. There are a few big issues with device:1. As an alarm clock, 2 of the most important buttons are on the back side of the clock: the ones to set/adjust Alarm 1 and Alarm 2. The Nap button is also back there, but that is simply frustrating rather than annoying.
2. The dimmest setting on the clock is still extremely bright, making it difficult to go to sleep. Though you can turn the light off, see the next point.
3. The clock based button for changing the brightness of the display does not work when an iOS device is plugged in. This makes it completely useless. The only way to control the brightness with an iOS device in the dock is through the iHome App, and the controller is way to small to access from bed. This alone is enough to make the clock useless.
4. The software for iOS is buggy at best. It will often fail to show the built in Alarms of the clock or fail to show other clock specific features. The Firmware update process is a mystery. No matter how many times I try to update the Firmware, it always shows there is an Update and that the Update installed.
5. Customer support is non-existent.
Overall, a total thumbs down.
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I've read some of the negative reviews regarding this radio so naturally I was a little hesitant on buying it especially given its hefty price tag. After doing a few hours of research about this radio and investigating others as well I learned that iHome updated its iHome Sleep App just recently, addressing many concerns that some reviewers have been commenting on so I decided to give the ia100 a shot.First off I must admit after opening the box and playing with the iHome app I was very disappointed with the app and its reliability of waking me up in the morning. I ran a few tests using all aspects of the software to see how the alarms performed and originally they did not function properly. The sleep timer worked as it should however when it came time for the alarm to go off... nothing! This was concerning and quickly a deal breaker for me obviously because if this thing can't wake me up in the morning I have no use for it. So I tried reinstalling the app and still the same issue. There really isn't that much documentation from iHome for their devices so your left with learning this device on your own for the most part. After some more trial and error I was getting frustrated and was just about to repack the clock to return it when I thought to restart my iPhone 4. What do you know that did the trick! Now the iHome app functions perfectly.
So now that I've got the most important feature figured out and working properly, I must say I really enjoy having this thing next to my bed. I get to fall asleep to either my ipod or internet radio (which is a separate app that they force you to buy which is $1.99 but hey I what's 2 bucks after paying for this radio but it does add a lot of extra listening variety) and then wake up to a completely different station or playlist. So at night I listen to ambient type music and in the morning either dance music or sports talk radio. Cool.
I think one of the reasons this radio gets some bad reviews is because it is so complicated to use and as I said before the documentation from iHome leaves a lot to be desired. The app has some limitations. It has to be left open and your iPhone unlocked for it to function properly. iHome states that this is due to the way IOS5 now functions by putting all programs in the background when the phone is locked. But this is no biggie because you can set the screen brightness to near zero so that when putting the app in bedtime mode not much ambient light is added to the room.
A few more positives:
1. Sound clarity for the size of this unit the sound is quite good and produces a balanced mix of bass, mid-tones, and treble. Plus it has an EQ if you want to refine the sound even further to suit your listening needs.
2. Bluetooth this feature made me go wow. I like the idea that I can answer phone calls with my iPhone disconnected from the iHome and also be able to listen to music wireslessly as well as control volume etc. This is a nice added feature that adds much convenience.
3. Build quality The ia100 is built solidly and the buttons are good quality. Overall you can see that this radio is built to last. I also have no problems with some of the buttons be put in the rear of the device because basically anything you need can be controlled by the software and those buttons would overcrowd the top of the device.
4. Remote nice size remote included which is good if the iHome is far from where you sleep.
5. Ability to sync iHome Radio stations into the iHome Sleep app so you can fall asleep or wake up to any of the hundreds of internet radio stations available in the app.
A few negatives:
1. Text messages are inaudible when the iPhone is docked. I tried changing the alert type and we'll see but so far that one big negative. If I'm half asleep and I get a text the phone only vibrates thus unlikely to wake me up. I hope they figure a workaround for this (maybe having the option to use the iHome's speakers to alert you)
Overall I really like my iHome ia100 and hopefully they continue to improve the iHome Sleep app. I would like to give it a 4.5 stars because of the text message issue and the dearth of instructions and support for the device, but once you figure it out the iHome ia100 delivers a solid bedside clock radio.