Kaito Electronics Inc. KAIR168 Wireless WiFi Internet Radio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have one if these that I purchased on ebay and I also have an RCA RIR200. This radio seems to have better wifi connectivity than the RCA since it has an external antenna but I had to buy a new WRT54G wireless router to get the RCA working so that might be the reason it works well. If you still have an old 802.11B wireless router plan on getting a new G router for best performance. The IR-168 can play not only internet stations but also MP3's from an SD card plugged into the front, sort of like a big amplified iPod. They also claim it's a media player that can play files such as MP3's stored on your local computer using Upnp but I couldn't get that to work at all with Windows XP Pro or Vista. Even thought Upnp was enabled and the file folder was shared the radio said it couldn't find any Upnp devices or shared files even though the PC's could see the radio and access it's webpage to program in favorite stations. It worked great using Windows 7 Beta though and all I had to do was put the files to be played in My Documents in the Music folder and make sure it was shared. I didn't need to use Windows Media Player 11 like they say and don't see any need for that at all.
It only has one speaker but it's large and gives good sound whereas the RCA has two smaller speakers for stereo but the RCA is not as loud. The IR-168 can play stereo using amplified speakers plugged into the back or with headphones and Kaito has a second optional speaker available. The sound is much better using the second speaker but it's expensive at $30 but any 8 ohm speaker similar in size to the first one will work. The IR-168 comes with a tiny credit card size remote that's nearly useless but all the functions can be accessed using the front panel buttons. It uses a website called iradio168 dot com to find the 10,000 or 11,000 radio stations from around the world while most other internet radios use Vtuner or Reciva. Vtuner and Reciva let you go to the website to find stations and try playing them to see how they work but iradio168 does not although they claim to be working on that. The RCA can also play music from Slacker Radio and get weather forecasts but the IR-168 does not do that, only plays internet stations. Although I haven't found one there might be some stations out there streaming weather since there are some stations streaming police and airport radio scanners. Iradio168 dot com is a new site that doesn't have many US radio stations yet although they have lots of stations listed for China, Germany and other countries in Europe and a lot of stations in Canada since the radio is sold in Germany and Canada also. You can log on to the iradio168 dot com forum and have stations added if you want but you can also store favorites right into the radio's memory using a web browser so you don't have to browse through thousands of stations on the website to find them, which is a lot easier. There is also a list of 500 Top stations stored in the radio's memory but that seems to be just a bunch of random stations with names like Top40 or Golden Oldies so it's impossible to tell what they really are and there doesn't seem to be any way to edit them to add more or fix ones that don't work. There are a lot of different kinds of stations out there streaming different kinds of formats but this radio can play most of them. It does have trouble with some Clear Channel stations in the US such as KFI 640 AM that want to open a webpage for ads and send down an .asx file that only plays in Windows Media Player but it can play BBC stations that are hard to play on a PC unless you install the Real player then you might still get an error saying you can't play it because you aren't in the U.K. but that doesn't bother the IR-168. I found the gray on blue text hard to read so I replaced the blue LEDs that light the front panel with white ones to make the display clearer and easier to read.
They don't list many specs listed here so I have them below:
Specifications:
* Audio Streaming Formats Supported : MP3, WMA, Real Audio and OGG
* Firmware upgradeable through Internet without PC
* Support for ID3 & WMA tags (Album, Song and Artist)
* 4 line display, (128 x 64 pixels) for radio data with auto off backlight
* Automatic WiFi network scanning
* Support WiFi Security standard (WEP, WPA, WPA2)
* Speaker Power 3W RMS 4 ohm
* Supports Summer Time adjustment
* Display cities along GMT timings
* Auto-upgrade with the use of PC
* Compatible to 54Mbps IEEE 802.11 b/g
* Fireware upgradable via WLAN / Ethernet
* 3.5mm Headphone Jack / Audio Line out
* Power 110v - 240V, 9V, 1.3A DC input
* AC Adapter with CUL approved
The IR168 forum seems to be getting overrun with spam so I've started a new ir168 group without spam on Google Groups called iradio168-internet-radio-group. All messages are moderated. I'm going to have all the fimware on file, links to BBC station work-arounds, internal photos, lists of stations in the ir168 file, etc.
iradio168-internet-radio-group at googlegroups dot com
Update, the iradio168 dot com web site that was provided by the radio manufacturer is now down so the radio is not able to get the big file with the list of all the world wide stations when it's turned on. That's not really a big loss since they haven't updated it for over a year but it means that stations have to be added manually now by browsing to the radio's web page and entering the station URL by hand like they say to do in the manual for adding Favorites.


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Boston Acoustics Duo-I iPod/iPod touch Dock AM/FM Stereo Radio and Clock Functions (Midnight) Review

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(More customer reviews)FM reception is good, sound is good (well, make that great for the price range), *very* easy and tactically pleasant to use (set alarm, etc.)
Boston Acoustics Horizon I-Duo Volume limit problem: Mine came with "hospitality mode" enabled, and volume would not go past 19. To fix: turn on unit, turn volume all the way down to 00, push and hold volume button for 10 seconds until beep then release, then turn volume all the way up to 50 (max) and push and release volume button.
After one email to Boston Acoustics support, I received a courteous response within 12 hours with instructions.

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Zeikos Dallas Cowboys Slumber Dock Review

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(More customer reviews)received the clock - it read military time and could not be converted. When I inquired, i was told they were working on producing new ones. I was sent a new (supposedly) and it also was military time. I asked for my money back, but the company no longer answers my emails.

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Maverick WS-1000 Weather Station Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great item, but they put a black grid into the screen. This grid makes it impossible to read the display at night unless you are less than a foot away and directly at eye level. This was so irritating I returned the product back to Amazon. The alarm clock feature had no volume control. This was also very annoying. So sad since everything else was so perfect.

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The Maverick WS-1000 Weather Station automatically sets its clock to the radio signal from the U.S. atomic clock in Colorado, ensuring accurate time.The time format is user-selectable for 12-hour with AM or PM, or for 24-hour military-style timekeeping.A single daily alarm beeps for 1 minute and can be set with or without the 5-minute snooze function active.Indoor and outdoor temperatures and relative humidity are simultaneously displayed on main station.Outdoor temperature or outdoor humidity can be displayed on the remote sensor, or the display can be set to alternate between temperature and humidity.The WS-1000 also provides a 6-hour weather forecast, and rainfall totals for previous day, week, month, and season can also be displayed digitally.

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Memorex Mi4004 iWake Clock Radio for iPod (White) Review

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(More customer reviews)I recently bought this unit in red (it's also available in purple, blue, white, and black) at Target. It was on clearance for $39, more than 50% off the original price. At the sale price, it is well worth it. I have not experienced any technical malfunctions (such as the clock resetting for no reason). I suspect those were unusual cases experienced by a few buyers. Maybe Memorex quality control isn't so good. Nonetheless, my unit has worked as advertised.
The positives about this unit are:
*Excellent value if you get it on sale
*The sound is decent (not excellent by any means, but good enough if your main purpose is to use it as a clock radio)
*Looks nice and the size isn't too large or too small
*Easy to set time and alarms
*Has two alarms and takes two AAA batteries for emergency backup
*Comes with 5 adapters to fit all sorts of iPod devices. For older Nano (which I have), it's best to use the adapter that came with the Nano. But you don't necessarilly need to use a docking adaptor at all
*Radio tuner has scan function to find stations
*The alarm starts the volume level at 0 and progressively moves up one notch every 5 seconds. I don't know why a couple of people criticized this function by saying that the unit begins playing at level 5; mine does not. Maybe Memorex fixed this issue. In any case, I love this function. I don't like being jolted out of bed by music that's too loud. This unit gently escalates the volume until it's enough to wake you...I like that.
*Comes with a cute little remote control unit.
*Has a headphone jack and a line-in jack. I don't use these often but they come in handy once in awhile.
*Backlight has a dim and bright setting. The dim setting is fine for night use. The bright setting is very visible during the day (but too bright for night). Not sure who would think the dim setting is bright...again...maybe this was a problem with a previous model. Mine is fine.
*Has a daylight savings time switch. You can automatically move the time up 1 hour or back 1 hour with a single slide of the switch...no need to reset the clock entirely. A small thing but helpful.
The negatives are:
*No radio station presets. I don't find this to be a major issue because I only use this as an alarm clock and tend to leave the same station selected. However, being able to preset some radio stations would have been helpful.
* The sound, while okay, isn't what you would get from a Bose, Sony, or Altec Lansing. Then again, consider the price difference...

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Tired of waking up to obnoxious morning DJs or depressing world news?Turn to the Memorex iWake clock radio, which includes a built-in dock that powersandcharges your iPod. It's the perfect way to get your day started off on the rightfoot.Simply drop your iPod into the universal dock, which powers and charges your iPod4G,iPod color, iPod video, iPod mini, or iPod nano 1G and 2G. Once docked, you haveyourchoice of waking to your iPod, radio, or buzzer--whatever gets you in the mood forworkor play. The iWake also offers dual alarm settings, so you don't have to reset thealarmonce your partner or spouse gets up. And thanks to the line-in jack, you can alsoconnect other digital audio devices, such as MP3 players or personal CD players,forout-loud playback.
The iWake's sound quality is enhanced by its SRS WOW enhancement system, whichimproves the dynamic audio performance of your iPod tunes. SRS WOW accomplishesthis by providing a panoramic, three-dimensional audio image that extends thesoundfield in both the horizontal and vertical planes. In so doing, the technologylowers theperceived low-frequency response so that your ears hear more bass despite thesmalldriver size. It adds up to an immersive, high-quality audio experience that fillsany roomin the house.
Other details include a slowly ascending wake-up volume, a sleep timer that letsyou fallasleep with the music on, a super-sized LCD display, an integrated buttoninterface witha prominent snooze bar, a full-function wireless remote control, a battery backupfunction (requires two AAA batteries), and a sleek white housing that looks greatinany room, from the bedroom to the kitchen. The iWake clock radio measures 10 by2.5by 5.3 inches (W x H x D) and is backed by a 90-day warranty.
What's in the Box iWake clock radio, universal iPod adapters, wireless remote control, warrantycard,user's manual.

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ETON G6 Aviator Buzz Aldrin Edition AM/FM, Aircraft band and Shortwave Radio, Black Review

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(More customer reviews)
When the G6 arrived I must say I was a little shocked as I was expecting a larger package, but as the old expression goes "Size Makes no Difference",and that applies to the G6!
The build quality was extremely good, the rubberized coating and the "just right" weight make for a very good, solid feel.
After a brief scan of the operating manual I placed 2 AA Alkaline batteries in the G6 (you can also use NI-MH batteries and charge them in the G6) but I was very excited and did not want to wait one minute longer, I wanted to play now!
I powered the G6 up and selected the MW AM Broadcast Band, my favorite
for chasing weak, distant signals. I then thought to myself, I need a "Standard" in which to compare the G6. Being an avid radio collector I selected a Tough Act to Follow" radio from my collection for the AM MW Blue Ribbon. I chose my Panasonic RF2900.
Both radios had brand new alkaline batteries installed, as I did not want to deal with AC power line noise, induced into the units by operating from the AC Mains.
It was in middle of the day so I selected a station on 1360 KHz, KWDJ, 1000 watts day, in Ridgecrest, CA, about 100 miles from my location in Lancaster, Ca. At that distance the measured signal strength of KWDJ was less than 100 Micro volts/Meter (Measured on Potomac FIM 22 AM field strength meter)
I placed both radios on the same table ,and rotated the units so their loopsticks were optimized for reception from the direction of Ridgecrest, Ca.
Also note, that in Lancaster, there is a 1000-watt AM station on 1380 KHZ
Its transmitter, less than 3 miles from my location, and in the same heading as
Ridgecrest!
As I tuned the RF2900 to 1360 I heard Dr. Laura, pretty clear along with a fair amount of background noise.
I listened for about 2 minutes to make sure that the signal was steady, which it was.
Now it was "ShowTime" I powered the G6 up, and using the Jog Wheel, I tuned the G6 to 1360...and with the volume set about halfway....I heard Dr. Laura, with about the same amount of noise as the RF2900!
Needless to say, I was impressed.
OK I said, lets take a listen to the low side of the band.
How about a lowly 100 watt AM station XSURF on 540 KHZ in Mexico, over 100 miles away.
I rotated the radios toward Mexico, tuned the RF2900 to 540 ,and there in the noise was XSURF on 540.
I should call the G6, the "Little Engine that Could" because when I tuned it to 540 KHZ, there was XSURF with just slightly more noise than the RF2900, WOW!
The G6 had no trouble in pulling in most all of the Los Angeles radio AM signals which ranged from 75 to 100 miles away with only one 50,000 Watt signal.
Ok, I was convinced that the G6 had great performance on MW AM, but how about FM?
I went back to my radio collection looking for a portable radio to make the comparison, a unit with better than average FM reception, my Eton E5.
On FM a good test would be pulling in KGZO, 90.9 in Shafter, CA
Operating with only 1.9 KW of power, over 100 miles away.
This is a good test of sensitivity and selectivity as my location in Lancaster, Ca, is within the 1MV contour of Superpower 110,000 Watt KPFK at 90.7.
In the past the Eton E5 had no problem in pulling in the KGZO signal in full stereo, with only a slight intrusion from KPFK.
The Eton E5 repeated this task as expected.
After tuning the G6 to 90.9 and with a little playing with the rod antenna, there was KGZO in stereo with just a slightly more amount of intrusion by KPFK, but still listenable!
The G6 had no trouble in pulling in signals from all the Los Angeles FM signals from Mount Wilson, the location of 99% of Los Angeles FM Signals.
On more thing.... do not let the small speaker size fool you, this little baby can fill a small room with pretty good volume.
On Shortwave the G6 is comparable in selectivity and sensitivity to several of my Shortwave rigs including my Eton E5, my Sony 6500 ,and my Sangean 909. The BFO makes copy of SSB a breeze as well.
On VHF I can hear signals from Aircraft and from LAX and Lancaster's Fox Airfield.
On a scale of 1 through 10 the Buzz Aldrin Edition Grundig G6 gets a
BIG 10!
Chris Compton
Professional Broadcast Engineer, and Avid Radio Collector for over 35 Years
Lancaster, CA


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With the Aviator at your side, you�ll always have great listening options. Tune in to AM, FM, aircraft band or Shortwave frequencies easily with direct keypad entry. Or, use the STOP tuning feature to browse stations and stop on the next available frequency. You can also use D5 tuning to get a taste of what�s playing�stop on the next available frequency for five seconds at a time. Use the international clock and wake-up alarms to keep you on schedule, wherever your travels take you.

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Delphi SA50000 XM SKYFi Radio Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)The SA50000 is well-worth the money. It's a bit bulky compared to the Roady 2 but you have to remember that the Roady is for car audio use only. The SA50000 can be installed on a boombox/indoor unit or in the car so you get both functions with this receiver. When you buy this receiver, there are no accessories included except the remote. Use a C2032 battery to power the remote. So before you head out and buy this, don't forget to buy the battery. I had to open one of my old motherboards and pulled out the battery. I don't think it's mentioned on the packaging about what type of battery it uses. So I'm saving you all a headache and telling you. Ok let's start off with the installation. I bought a Delphi Boombox to hook up the receiver. To actually review this product, I would have to review the boombox as well cos without a boombox or car adaptor, this receiver is useless. So...installing the receiver is quite easy on the boombox. The boombox has a cradle that catches the receiver. Be careful not to force the receiver into the cradle mount. Just slide the receiver into the cradle. The contact pins should catch the receiver in the cradle, and then lightly push the receiver forward. Push the receiver on the top-most part of the device. Push the receiver until it clicks. To unseat the receiver, just push it again and it will make a faint click. Pull the receiver off gently.
Now, to activate. It's really a painless process. Make sure that the receiver is hooked up and seated properly in the boombox cradle. Ok, power-up the boombox and receiver. Just have your credit card ready, a pen, and a piece of paper. Once the receiver is powered-up, go to Radio ID channel. To switch channels, use the rotary dialer until it says Radio ID. It should give you the Radio ID number. Copy it and then activate it online. Activation fee via online is about $2.00 less than if you activate it over the phone. Once you get a message on the XMradio activation page, go back to your receiver and start looking for the channels, starting with channel 1,4,5,6,7, then 122. You can also use the number keys to switch channels. The ENTER key is that big button on the rotary dialer's hub. If after activating it, you don't get any sound from the channels I mentioned, please don't blow a gasket. Give it like about 30 mins. for the satellite to update your receiver. After about 30 minutes, you should be getting most if not all 120 channels.
Now the remote...well one thing is missing on the remote and that's the MENU key that's found on the receiver. Maybe it's somewhere on the remote but I haven't found it yet. Remote is fairly straightforward operation. As for the boombox, it comes with an antenna. It has a 20 ft. cable. I suggest you put the antennae close to a window in your house. It says to look for the southern part of the house to get best results. I didn't bother looking for itcos how many people here in US know exactly where the south part of their house is? Anyways, get the antenna on an elevated position and turn it towards the window. The receiver has a function that will tell you the signal strength of the satellite waves and the terrestrial repeater waves. You can access this by going to MENU and then scroll down to Antenna Setup. If you see four-bars filled for satellite and three bars filled for terrestrial, then you are GOOD TO GO. The boombox packs a wallop! The sound is crisp, tight, and powerful. I have it at level 20 volume and it's shaking my lounge. I don't know what the max volume is and I won't even try it. The boombox comes with a humongous sized power adapter to power your receiver and boombox. Overall, the SA50000 is a fantastic receiver, it's easy to install, activate, and it gives a nice clear sound and signal. My suggestion is buy SA50000 and keep it for home use only. If you want to have a satellite radio for the car, I suggest you get the Roady 2.

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Delphi's XM SKYFi Radio Receiver gives you plug-and-play satellite radio for the car, home, office, or virtually anywhere you want to enjoy XM's 101 channels of programming. SKYFi is your XM satellite-radio interface, pulling in the radio signal and letting you navigate between channels. Besides a monthly subscription to XM Radio ($9.99 per month), you'll need a home or vehicle kit in order to listen to the SKYFi receiver.The SKYFi receiver's large display concurrently shows channel number, channel name, artist name, song title, and channel category. SKYFi also comes with a remote control for convenient channel navigation. Select a large font size for viewing the song title, artist name or channel number from across the room.You can navigate through direct-channel entry from both the receiver and the remote, and you can program up to 20 channel presets for one-button tuning to your station of choice. The channel guide lets you view 5 channels at a time while scrolling through the channels by channel name, number, artist name, or song title. You can also skip or add channels while scrolling. In addition, a "favorites" mode lets you preview the artist name and song title currently playing on your favorite channels before you select one. SKYFi accessory kits for the home and vehicle let you enjoy uninterrupted XM radio service in any vehicle, at home, or at the office. The SKYFi vehicle adaptor kit can adapt to any existing car stereo system with mounting options, and the SKYFi home adaptor kit is adaptable to most home or workplace audio systems and multimedia speakers.XM's digital programming lineup features 70 music channels, many of them commercial-free, from hip hop to opera, classical to country, bluegrass to blues; and 31 channels of sports, talk, children's programming, and entertainment.What's in the Box Receiver, remote control, remote battery, a user's manual, and warranty information.

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

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Warning: Most of the truly worthwhile features for this alarm clock are only functional through the iPhone / iPad App ("iHome+Sleep" App on iTunes store). Without the app, it's merely an expensive speaker system with a clock (and not a very accurate one, either). I have had the iA100 for over two months now and unfortunately, the app is extremely buggy and erratic and the direct support from iHome has been completely useless and unresponsive. This makes the iA100 less useful and less worthy of its $[...] price tag.
I recommend you refer to the following support threads on iHome's own support forums before considering this item:
[..]
Do a search for more on the iA100 topic and you'll find similar issues with similar concerns. You'll notice that these and other postings have almost zero responses from iHome support except for one (which was not specific or helpful in any way). Direct emails to their tech support (I've sent three over the past two months over the same issues posted) go ignored. I intend to call directly, however I read a customer's posting that the phone support lacks adequate knowledge about the product, software app or remedies, and were advised to post their question on the iHome support forums for better response. This tells me that they have a limited staff and relies solely on their support forums for communicating with customers.
Needless to say, I'm very disappointed with this purchase considering it's a pretty expensive, high-end alarm clock that is customized to work with your iPad / iPhone. People on the forums have complained that their iA100s are unreliable for daily use. I simply can't rely on mine either due to the problems noted in the forum postings. I'm assuming people are merely using the iA100 as a $[...] speaker system for now. I personally wouldn't mind the time needed to gradually improve their iHome App, but it would be appropriate (and for $200, they should be obligated) to respond to customers with some kind of confirmation, remedy, workaround, or timeline to the fixes posted on the iHome support forum.
I'll be happy to update this post when iHome promptly responds to these and other support postings regarding similar issues regarding the app.
In the meantime, purchase this at your own risk!

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Emerson iC2196 CD Stereo Dual Alarm Clock Radio with Recharging Dock for iPod / iPhone Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Emerson makes cheap junk and their iPod alarm clocks are no exception. If you need an alarm clock capable of waking you up at the right time in the morning, this is NOT the one you want.
I have to admit to being stupid enough to buying this model after another earlier more expensive Emerson iPod alarm clock failed to ring its alarm. The iC2196 also failed to ring the alarm less than a year after I purchased it. The buttons on these cheap alarm clocks also stop functioning within a few months.
There is no quality built into these products. It's alright if you just need something to charge and play your iPod out of cheap tiny speakers, but don't rely on these pieces of junk as alarm clocks.

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Coby Portable CD Player with AM/FM Radio and iPod Dock CSMP142BLK (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The CD and iPod player broke after 2 months. While still under warranty, you have to pay $10 to get it repaired in addition to paying the shipping. While the customer service person was very friendly, there was no relaxing these policies even though it only worked for a short time. These extra charges are considerable as a percentage of the purchase and the player is certainly no bargain now in addition to the inconvenience. I do not plan to buy Coby products in the future.

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HD Radio Portable Player with 2.4" Touch-Screen Display Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)An upgrade from the previous HD radio from Insignia - attractive, rechargeable and producing very rich sound in a small form. But sloppily conceived ergonomics mar my review: the headphone plug is placed on the side, making it difficult to grasp and press the on/off button or work the volume controls. How dumb! All kinds of bells and whistles are featured, some of which don't seem to work well, making tuning sluggish. The lock screen works intermittently and I cannot locate a 60 minute automatic turn off, a great feature on most pocket radios, preventing unintentional battery drain. Firmware upgrades would solve some problems but I have never seen any available on the BestBuy website. Perhaps the next version will be better.

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Jensen JIMS-211i Docking Music System for iPod and iPhone (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I got this iPod docking station for Christmas. It was on sale for $50. While it has some nice features and is a good size, it has serious flaws...
Pros:
- decent sound for the price (cheap)
- nice size
- good clock radio functions
Cons:
- ipod docking is terrible. Connector is not reliable. Some of our family iTouch's could not connect at all. Other times it was tricky to get my iPhone to connect.
- Clock - numbers become invisible if your head is below the face of the clock
- No instructions on using a ipod with the docking station
conclusion: if I cant connect my iPods reliably to the Jensen then what is the point. Returned product.

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JVC Home RAP1 Portable iPod Dock/Alarm Clock with FM Tuner Review

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(More customer reviews)The sound of this small speaker is very good, it's clear and no bass booming, especially when playing music with iPhone and receiving a call, the speaker smoothly fade out and replace with ringtone, no any GSM interfrence noise could be heard. Only ONE thing I'm not satisfied, the iPod dock base, it looks like one size fit for all generation iPod but it too deep for iPhone 3GS, JVC should provides user-changable dock base(like iHome) for iPhone and not just as a accessory.

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Griffin TCENTNOFI TuneCenter Home Media Center for iPod Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this simply as a means to have an easier means to connect my iPod to the stereo (easier than the mini-stereo jack). It does this, of course. As a bonus, it also has a perfectly serviceable remote. The remote is not a lot of use if you're scrolling through hundreds of artist or album names as it doesn't approach the speed of moving with the click-wheel but, the for on/off, pause/play, it is terrific. The capability to play video out to the TV or make menu selections via TV isn't really important to me but, I've played with them and they work fine.
Word of note: I had to do a little online research to discover a slight fault in the product. If you turn the volume down to far on the unit itself, you may experience signal distortion. If you keep the volume up on the TuneCenter, and use the volume on your amplifier, the sound is fine (though, I'm no audiophile).
Overall - price/features/function - bargain!

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The Griffin 9802-TCENTNOFI TuneCenter with Wi-Fi Home Media Center for iPod attaches to your television and stereo for viewing photos, watching video, and listening to your iPod music library or Internet radio. With the included 14-button remote, this unit turns your iPod into a complete home media center, requiring only that you dock your iPod in TuneCenter, and let the entertainment begin.
Griffin's TuneCenter features the ability to display iPod playlists and song information on your TV screen, taking music sharing to a whole new level by allowing the whole room to see at a glance the song title, artist, album and progress of the current song. TuneCenter's remote allows you to navigate through your iPod's entire library, as well as choose your preferences such as shuffle and repeat modes, and EQ. You can use the TuneCenter's remote to skip forward and backward, choose the next or previous song, browse playlists and more -- all without getting up off the couch -- which makes this the ultimate solution for taking full control of your iPod.
This Griffin home media center also expands your musical resources by providing access to Internet radio stations. By simply plugging the TuneCenter into your network you can choose from thousands of free channels, ranging from quiet atmospheres to things that don't seem to even qualify as music, all with slick, on-screen navigation. For added convenience, the 9802-TCENTNOFI is Wi-Fi capable, so you can hook it in with your network without the hassle of having to run cables, making it even more portable in case you want to take your media system to a friend's house for a party.
The Griffin TuneCenter, however, makes better use of your TV screen than just through the displaying of song lists. This unit also lets you display your iPod's photos on the large screen, as well as play movies from your iPod video on your home entertainment system. When it comes to movies and photos, bigger really is better, especially when you are talking about your own works of art. The TuneCenter lets you display slideshows of your latest vacation and special events, or provides you with the most compact business presentation system ever. Just choose a slideshow and a soundtrack to go with it and let fly, all while using the convenient remote control to skip forward and backward, or pause to emphasize a special point.
The Griffin 9802-TCENTNOFI is compatible with all dockable iPods, including: 4th-generation iPod and iPod photo, iPod mini, 1st and 2nd-generation iPod Nano, and 5th-generation iPod video models. This system includes an S-video and a composite video output for connecting to your TV, an RCA left and right audio output for connecting to your stereo or home entertainment center's speakers, an Ethernet RJ45 10-100base T connection and an internal 802.11b wireless card for hooking up to your network. The Griffin TuneCenter includes an NTSC/PAL video format switch, measures 3.9 x 4.5 x 3.7 inches (W x H x D), and it's backed by a manufacturer's limited 1-year warranty.

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Etón Sound 100 iPod Dock, Black Review

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(More customer reviews)
The Sound 100 iPod Dock comes in black and white. The radio only version adds other colors including silver, blue and red. I've had the white one for a while and I've been pretty happy with it. This Black Etón Sound 100 iPod Dock is very similar, but loses points for the non-black speaker face. As a stand-alone radio this device is average. But the stellar iPod dock integration makes this unit a cut above and one you must consider.
Without the iPod dock the unit ranges from being $30 to $50 less than this model. I don't believe it's worth getting this unit without the iPod dock. Still, they have been having periodic sales for the stand-alone model in the $30 range, which is very hard to pass up.
Eton Sound 100 AM/FM Radio, Silver
There are many iPod radios and alarm clocks on the market which may be able to compete against the Sound 100 iPod on price. The competition does not come close on engineering.
The remote allows you to completely control your iPod! That means menu control and navigation in addition to the standard FF, RW, PLAY, STOP, and PAUSE functions. This is so simple, yet few devices have this ability. The Line-in and auxiliary jacks can connect other MP3 players (Creative, Zune) sans the menu control.
The speaker is monaural, but optimized to prevent distortion. At the highest volume the sound won't hiss. If you like modern design, the Eton is one of the best looking. It is sleek, COMPACT and light. Wish this guy was all-black, but I can live with the silver toned speaker.
Most of the shortcomings are from the radio aspect of this device. The internal AM antenna is below average. You can use an external one, and most users will need to.
The features could be better. There are only 10 programmable station presets. The RDS broadcast data is only 8 characters at a time. The screen is hard to read; you have to be right in front of it. There are no external RCA, speaker or subwoofer jacks, only line out. There is no EQ, treble or bass control and no way to adjust the backlight.
This radio came out in January 2007, well into the HD radio era. Only 10 presets? Why no speaker or subwoofer jacks? Why didn't they add Short Wave or HD capability?
If you only need an alarm clock radio, there are better options. This unit is above average on FM but below average on AM. Competing products by Sangean, BA and Sony have higher ratings at this price.
Sangean WR-2 Digital AM/FM Tabletop Radio, Black
Sangean WR-2 Digital AM/FM Tabletop Radio, White
Boston Acoustics Receptor Clock Radio (Platinum)
Sony XDR-S3HD HD Radio
At the present time, there is also a larger 2 speaker version which will be widely released within a month. Some may opt to get that one, but on sale this is still a great unit to own.Pros
+ Remote control functions are very well integrated with the iPod!
+ Very nice iPod serial interface for digital sound quality
+ Line-in and auxiliary jacks for MP3 players and other devices
+ Good speaker sound with surprising bass
+ Shielding protects the radio from interference
+ Battery backup possible for power outages
+ Nice alarm clock function
+ Nice looking design in a small and LIGHT form factor
Cons
- Standard pricing means you should only be looking to get this on sale
- Many newer alternatives coming to market for those seeking the alarm clock feature
- Display light may be too bright for some when used as a bedroom alarm clock radio
- No equalizer; no treble or bass control
- Requires external antennae for good radio reception
- No RCA jacks or stereo connections for external speakers
- No Subwoofer connector - only standard stereo line out
- RDS only displays 8 characters at a time
- Backlight is not adjustable; you must be close to it to read it
If you are VERY picky about sound and want a nice compact iPod radio alarm clock, this unit is worth a look. Enjoy!

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Do most iPod speaker systems look a little too modern (read: stale) for your decor? Turn to the Eton Sound 100 system, which pays tribute to the retro glamour of radios past with swooping, curved lines and a stylish front control panel. The radio is designed expressly for iPods, with an external docking station that holds and charges all iPods with 30-pin dock connectors, including the iPod 3G, iPod 4G, iPod photo, iPod video, iPod nano 1G and 2G, and iPod mini. Simply plop your iPod into the dock and you can enjoy all your favorite tunes and playlists within seconds--no additional connections required.
Eton is recognized internationally for the quality of its radios, which is why the company added a high-sensitivity digital Phased-Locked-Loop (PLL) AM/FM tuner to the Sound 100. The advanced circuitry not only searches instinctively for the strongest station, but also locks in the frequency once it finds the signal to guarantee superior clarity. As a result, the radio's reception is crystal clear whether you're listening to the ballgame, catching up on the news, or kicking back to some classic jazz. To make tuning quicker and easier, the radio also includes five AM and five FM station presets.
Audio-wise, the Sound 100 is equipped with a 3-inch, full-range, front-firing speaker that produces distortion-free, room-filling sound with a wide range of frequencies (80 Hz to 20 kHz). The 16-character, two-line LCD display, meanwhile, offers a viewing area of 2.4 by 0.98 inches (W x H), with a gentle blue backlight that won't keep you awake during the midnight hours. And despite the display's relatively small size, it still shows quite a bit of data, including the time, selected station, alarm status, sleep status, band, and preset information.
Unlike many iPod speaker systems, the Sound 100 also handily replaces your bedside clock radio, with alarm, sleep, and snooze controls. Among the options are 12- and 24-hour formats, an alarm that wakes to either the radio or a buzzer, a programmable sleep timer (between 15 and 90 minutes), and a 5-minute snooze duration. And even though the Sound 100 is designed for iPods, it also includes a 3.5 mm auxiliary input for connecting a separate MP3 player or personal CD player, along with a 3.5 mm auxiliary line out.
Additional features include an encoder volume control, a headphone jack for private listening, a battery backup function (requires two AA batteries), a remote control, a 360-degree pigtail FM antenna, a built-in external loop AM antenna, and rubber feet on the bottom to prevent scratching and movement. The Eton Sound 100 measures 8.27 by 4.53 by 5.1 inches (W x H x D), weighs 2.82 pounds, and carries a one-year warranty on parts and labor.
What's in the Box Eton Sound 100 iPod system, external iPod docking station, pigtail FM antenna, infrared remote control, pigtail FM antenna, AC adapter, user's manual.

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Kicker zKICK Digital Stereo System for Zune (White) Review

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(More customer reviews)Anyone who owns a Zune is well aware of the limited dock options on the market. It's hard to find any one alarm dock that is well reviewed for both form and functionality. I looked for something for several years but never felt comfortable slapping down the cash. Then the zKick 150 came on the market, and given that most other Kicker audio and dock products usually get very favorable reviews, I took a chance and made the purchase.
Initially, I was really happy with the device. The setup was very quick and easy, taking just a few minutes. The sound is really amazing for such a small unit. The EQ options give you the chance to do a rudimentary adjust to the audio output. With no EQ built into the Zune, this is a welcome feature and allows you to get a mix that is more customized to your preferences. I listen mostly to vocal and orchestral stuff, so treble is more important to me than bass most of the time, and the highs from this machine are pretty rich and never tinny. The bass is definitely more than adequate, even when I've cranked it up for more rocking selections. The unit has a pretty decent sound output as well. I've yet to have it anywhere near full volume and I've been able to enjoy it all through my 1300 square foot place. Does it sound as great when I'm 3 rooms removed from it as it does when I'm listening from the same room? Of course not, but no system does.
There are a range of brightness options for the device display. I keep mine on the lowest setting and have never had a problem reading it whether the room is lit or dark. The blue light makes it a little mellower than orange or white display options and it doesn't light up the whole room like noon when on the lowest setting. The radio works fine, but even here in Los Angeles where there are a billion close sources I've noticed that the unit does have to have the external antennae attached to function well. The headphone/output jack is nice for quiet listening, or attachment to an external speaker source.
If you should have the device set to wake you to your Zune, but the Zune gets jarred out of the dock overnight, the device will default to the beeper alarm to wake you, which is really good. Not all units will do that.
The audio quality and options are such that I kinda felt like the unit was worth the extra in price. Cheaper dock options sound cheap, and this one easily matches some higher end products I've heard.
Now on to the not so good part. The alarm functionality. I'll mention some stuff that other reviewers have mentioned: First, I'd recommend a volume pre-test on any tune you choose for waking music. All but the most mellow arrangements at a really low volume can be heart attack inducing to wake to on this puppy. Seriously. A gradual wake volume function is pretty common, even on inexpensive offerings, and it would have been great if Kicker had included that option in this pricier unit. Next comes the control configuration - challenging little buttons packed on the front of the unit in a really small space. The snooze button is accessible and easy to get to. The alarm on/off button.....not so much. Not a problem when you're fully awake and aware. Kind of a problem when you've just been jarred out of sleep and are muddled. Many mornings I've fumbled with the alarm with my glasses off trying to shut off the alarm and have hit the source button instead - moving from jarringly loud music to really loud radio static. It's just not easy to turn off without being fully awake and focused.
Now, the biggest con of the alarm, and one I don't see mentioned in other reviews. The snooze function is seriously flawed. If you hit the snooze and let the time lapse play out, it does come back on as it should. That's not a problem. If you let the snooze go off again and you turn the alarm off while the unit is playing, the next time you use the alarm, it works as it should. Also not a problem
The problem happens if you hit the snooze and then shut the alarm off BEFORE you let the snooze reactivate.
What happens then is that the alarm will go off the FOLLOWING day at the end of that snooze time. For example. On Monday, clock is set for 5 am. It goes off at 5 am and you hit the snooze, activating a 10 minute snooze period. Uninterrupted, the alarm would go off at 5:10 am. But, say you get up at 5:05 am and turn the alarm off. The snooze doesn't go off at 5:10 am that day, which is good. What is not good is that no matter what you do, short of unplugging the unit to power it down, on the next day, Tuesday, that alarm is going to go off at 5:10 am. I don't care if you leave the alarm set at 5 am, or set it for 7 am or 4 am or noon or 3 pm, if you turn the alarm back on, it is going off at 5:10 am. Period. This happened consistently when I first got the dock, and I thought it might have been a malfunction in that particular unit. I took it back and exchanged it for another, and found that the second unit had the same exact problem. It's not at all random either. It happens consistently if you hit the snooze and then shut off the alarm before the snooze reactivates.
You learn to work around it, but at the price, and from a reputable manufacturer, you shouldn't have to work around anything so basic. It's pretty annoying and might ruin the whole experience for you if you're primarily buying it for an alarm, and not an every day docking/listening option.

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KICKER is known for their performance audio gear, so when they make an alarm clock, it's one that rocks. The KICKER ZK150 digital docking system with alarm makes it easier for Zune users to wake up in the morning, or to just enjoy music in full-range glory. With a stylish white cabinet, the ZK150 is ready to fit in any room of the house, and deliver the tunes on demand.

KICKER Power in a Zune Docking Alarm Clock
Powerful KICKER SoundThe ZK150 dock takes a page from KICKER's 30 years in car audio, with a tuned-port enclosure design to deliver clear sound with enhanced bass response. Whether you're enjoying your Zune content, AM/FM radio (with 12 memory presets), or another portable media player, ZK150 cranks 20 watts through a pair of 3-inch speakers, complete with digital signal processing to help deliver full-range sound.

The ZK150 is compatible with all current Zune models, and an isolation bracket secures your Zune player and reduces vibration during louder volumes.

Dual Alarm ClockWith a choice of Zune, radio, or alarm, the ZK150 almost makes it fun to wake up. The dual alarm is convenient for couples, and features a large snooze button within easy reach. If the electricity goes out, the ZK150 provides a no-fail, internal power back-up that saves all settings without the use of batteries.

If you like a little music when you drift off as well, a 1/8-inch (3.5-mm) sleep timer can be set up to 120 minutes, and the LCD clock display has 10 brightness levels for an optimum glow.

Auxiliary InputThe ZK150 works great outside the bedroom, too. An auxiliary-input allows for more entertainment options such as connecting a computer, satellite radio units, CD players, or additional media players.

A 1/8-inch (3.5-mm) headphone minijack is also included for a private listening option.

What's in the Box Kicker zKICK digital stereo system for Zune (white), power supply, power cable, AM/FM antennas, and documentation.

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Galaxy DX-959 40 Channel AM/SSB Mobile CB Radio Review

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(More customer reviews)Been a driver for 20 yrs, always ran "el cheapo" radio stock out of box. decided to get big radio and looked for awhile b4 deciding on a 959, (same as 949 except has freq meter) it has features only found(and not found in some cases)on much more expensive models!! The ones that got me were variable talkback,4 stage LARGE meter that you can actually see and use ,(signal, modulation,power and swr),freq meter, ...so, I paid more than this site because i bought at a truck stop(pilot) paid 200. took to local radio shop and did basic peak and tune and added echo board (70$total)
and now get nothing but compliments all day!!! Big Galaxy sound!!! my driving buddies tell me i key up all over traffic on 19 and sound great doing it. my out of pocket is well below 300$ and you can save even more buying online. Also 2 year warranty is not voided by any mods you do as long as the mod doesnt cause the problem you send it in for!!!couldnt find that with any other radio!!! Another reviewer mentioned swr warning light may come on before 2.5 to 1 and this is true with mine also but i dont mind this ,i consider it an "early warning system" however if it bothers you galaxy is aware of prob and has solution on their support site. prob a 5$ fix at a radio shop
For example my buddy has a general lee, has about 350$ in it and it does sound great and all but he is jealous of all the features and good looks of mine and considering getting one!!

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