Sony ZS-S2iP CD Boombox with iPod Dock, Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Almost did not buy this little gem after reading the rather luke-warm reviews about the sound quality and other nit-picking items. Found this on clearance at a local box store and for the price took a flyer that it would serve for picnics and other outdoor music uses. This little box is GREAT for the use I wanted it for! It is NOT a replacement for my two home theater systems sound systems. It DOES NOT have a permanent hearing loss creating bass presence. But, it DOES run anywhere off of "C" cell batteries. It DOES play almost any variety of CD media. It DOES have a decent FM and AM tuning engine, and even more interesting...although it is not indicated anywhere on the box or in the advertising....the thing allows for my new 160 Gig iPod Classic to be plugged right into the front of it (even nicer with the little docking adapter that comes with the iPod) and the Sony remote actually operates the Generation 6.5 iPod perfectly! Operates all the iPod wheel functions, skips songs, THE WORKS! If there has to be a negative, the plastic carrying handle seems a little lightweight, but time will tell how it stands up to use. Nice product!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony ZS-S2iP CD Boombox with iPod Dock, Black

Get 5% OFF

Click here for more information about Sony ZS-S2iP CD Boombox with iPod Dock, Black

Read More...

NAXA Electronics NI-3205 Two Sided Portable AM/FM Stereo Radio with CD Player and Dock for iPod Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this CD player for my daughters room and its been working great since we purchased it. I guess my only compliant is that the volume increase/decrease option is not available on the remote and it took me a minute to find it where it was on the actual radio. Turns out its a dial on the left hand side, opposite side of the AM/FM turner. Also - I put batteries in the radio and they dont seem to provide a DC voltage. They were new batteries so it shouldn't be an issue with the them... I am still looking into this. The ipod option is great and we have been using our iphones to play pandora, etc. Its very portable and we really like it so far. Its definitely worth the price. Also has a small clock that lights up blue at night so you can see the time in the dark.

Click Here to see more reviews about: NAXA Electronics NI-3205 Two Sided Portable AM/FM Stereo Radio with CD Player and Dock for iPod

Get 20% OFF

Click here for more information about NAXA Electronics NI-3205 Two Sided Portable AM/FM Stereo Radio with CD Player and Dock for iPod

Read More...

Philips PSS110 GoGear ShoqBox 256 MB Personal MP3 Sound System Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I got this little guy hoping it could be a good alarm clock replacement, but I've found that it doesn't work so well in that regard. That is not to say that it is a bad music player though, it's just not meant to be an alarm clock.
It looks like it would be perfect as a portable speaker set for an iPod or something, due to it's size and rechargeable battery. Or if you didn't have a computer at work and wanted something you could bring in to play music files on. It's very portable.
The good:
1. sound - puts out some pretty decent sound considering the size.
2. size - smaller than I thought it would be. not pocket-sized, but not prohibitively big or heavy either.
3. looks - very polished design.
4. accessories - comes with cord antenna, line-in cord & carry case, all good add-ons that complete the function of the unit.
5. firmware upgradeable, so more (or more improved) features may be yet to come.
The bad:
1. clock displays in 24hr format all the time. I'm guessing Europe is the primary market for this thing.
2. When plugged in and turned off, the LCD backlight is on all the time. Might bother some people who are light sleepers. and when you have the unit on, the backlight has a 5 sec timeout? it would seem to make more sense the other way around to me.
3. alarm snooze is only 10 minutes, and automatic. I prefer it to only go into snooze when you hit a "snooze" button, so I can leave the radio running while I get dressed and stuff in the morning. as it is now, you have to turn it off after the alarm goes off, then turn it back on again, or else it will automatically go into snooze mode after 10 minutes.
4. you have to use musicmatch jukebox to upload music to it. well, you can upload music manually, like it was a flash drive, but the device uses a SQLite database, which needs to be updated or else it won't see any new music in the music folder. there are some third party apps for updating this db for you, but they are flaky at best. I just hate having to use an app to do something as simple as moving files.
The good news about most of these bad things is that because the unit is firmware upgradeable, Philips could release fixes for them eventually, if they are on the ball.
So, I will still say I like this thing, even if I do have to still stick with my older, uglier alarm clock for now.
UPDATE: the latest firmware for this has fixed two issues:
1) it now does 12 hour time display as well as 24 hour.
2) the backlight will dim after a short timeout period when it is plugged in.
Just an FYI.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Philips PSS110 GoGear ShoqBox 256 MB Personal MP3 Sound System

Philips, Personal Sound System MP3/WMA/DRM, 256mb, FM radio, clock/alarm, AC/DC, unique styling

Get 43% OFF

Click here for more information about Philips PSS110 GoGear ShoqBox 256 MB Personal MP3 Sound System

Read More...

Portable MP3/FM Jukebox & Alarm Clock w/Li-Ion Battery (Wood) - Jukebox Plays Music From SD/MMC Card or USB Flash Drive Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I don't have a freaking clue who made this strange toy...
It's okay. You need some patience with this gadget. It's quirky. Audio is okay, not quite mediocre for what it is. The instructions are incomprehensible. Right out of the box, the unit needs to be charged for 3 hours via USB, BEFORE you use it. And don't turn it on until AFTER you've disconnected the USB. Mine now has a slight burn in pattern on the display because I turned it on while still connected to the USB. It still works, though. I wouldn't bother with the alarm (or the clock, on 24 hr. time) unless you have a way to keep it powered 24/7. The thing runs for about 2-3 hours, then it needs to be charged again, another 3 hours via usb. The remote is junky, but necessary. Don't lose it or leave it in your jeans on laundry day. If you lose the remote, the unit is one notch above worthless. With the remote, it's two notches on the same scale. Using the remote is the only way you can tune in stations without it going into scan mode. Once again, the instructions are hopeless. You cannot preset stations, although, it looks like it's supposed to be able to do so. Perhaps someone can enlighten me on how to do it. I've tried applying the instructions, but the information is so poorly written (And missing details) that it doesn't work. I've learned that it's good for line in (IPODS, CD player) and getting a few local stations. The on/off switch is a tiny button in the back. The remote on/off turns off the radio, but leaves on the lighted dial. (A nightlight, perhaps?) The unit is small enough for travel, and cheap enough that if some TSA jerk removes it from your luggage for their shopping convenience, you won't cry very hard. I would rather lose this thing over something nice.
Nice concept, bad execution.
--Right after I delivered this review, I plugged the USB cord for my Apple Ipod right into the front of the unit where the USB connection is located. Immediately, the same said unit ran out of juice (we're talking seconds), so it's back to a three hour charge. Ipod is ok. USB in front of machine is merely for decoration, I suppose. I'll see if the gadget works after I recharge the battery. If not, no great loss. I'm beginning to think that this thing is something I should give to the Makerfaire people just so they can do something interesting with it, like incorporate it into a robot..
Is there any point to this device?


Click Here to see more reviews about: Portable MP3/FM Jukebox & Alarm Clock w/Li-Ion Battery (Wood) - Jukebox Plays Music From SD/MMC Card or USB Flash Drive

Click here for more information about Portable MP3/FM Jukebox & Alarm Clock w/Li-Ion Battery (Wood) - Jukebox Plays Music From SD/MMC Card or USB Flash Drive

Read More...

COBY MP-C341 Portable MP3 Boom Box w/256 MB Flash Memory & SD Card Slot Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Coby MP-C341 boom box is the real deal. For the price, you really can't go wrong with this product. I can't think of a better companion to hit the beaches with this summer.
It is not only a boombox but also an alarm clock, an FM radio, external speakers for your iPod, and a direct-to-mp3 recording device. Try getting that from other manufacturers. Let alone for the price of $100 or less.
On the outside, it looks like a white gigantic capsule. Something a giant would swallow when he has a headache. Four speakers are embedded in front for pumping out your favorite tunes. There is a 4-line orange-yellow display right in the front center; just adequate enough to display its current mode. The slots and connectors are at the back for additional SD card, USB cable, AUX in and earphones. You don't even need to buy the cables, they come with unit. The only thing you need to shell out your money for is an extra SD card.
The boombox supports two digital audio formats: WMA and MP3 up to 256 Kpbs. As expected, it does not support DRM, so you can't play any of encrypted WMA song files. The sound quality is what you'd expect out of a low-to-mid end speaker. But still, pretty good. The 256MB internal memory is hardly enough storage. So I suggest buying an additional SD card for this little baby.
What if you already have loads of your music on your iPod already? Well, no fear. Use this boombox as your external speakers. Just connect the provided audio cable from your iPod to the AUX-in jack and you're rockin'.
OK, I saved the best for last. If you're still not impressed with this device, at least get it for its direct-to-mp3 capability. Still have a 45's collection? Convert those into mp3 using this device. Connect the boombox to the audio source and hit the "Record" button. it cannot be simpler than that. In addition, you can also record off the built-in radio or internal microphone.
Why am I not giving it 5 stars? Well, two minor things: the build quality and that 4-line display (hardly enough to get any detailed information).
Want more information? You can contact me at [...] and I'll be happy to share my experience on this device with you.

Click Here to see more reviews about: COBY MP-C341 Portable MP3 Boom Box w/256 MB Flash Memory & SD Card Slot

An ideal choice for those looking to take group jam sessions on the road, the Coby portable MP3 boom box comes with 256 MB of built-in flash memory and an SD card slot for unlimited playback capacity. Measuring only 11 inches long and only 3.3 inches in diameter, the boom box's capsule-like shape makes for an easily portable device. The convenient size and shape of the boom box makes it easy to throw it in a backpack or beach bag, and it even comes with a detachable shoulder strap should you want to carry the device alone. Complete with four built-in speakers powered by four C batteries (included), you'll have enough volume output to party like it's 1999, no matter where you are.
Loading music onto the boom box is simple: All you need to do is connect the boom box to a PC or Mac with the provided USB cable, drag files onto the device, and then you're ready to rock and roll. The boom box also features a digital voice recording mode and real-time MP3 encoding, useful when you want to record directly from other audio devices or live performances. A built-in FM tuner helps you keep tabs on current weather and news updates. To ensure that a variety of playback comes out loudly and optimally clearly, the series of equalizer presets includes normal, classic, rock, jazz, and pop. Other great features include an easy-to-read LCD screen that can display song title and artist information, an alarm clock, mass-storage capabilities, and upgradable firmware. Designed for plug-and-play convenience, the boom box supports Windows 98 SE, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Mac OS X operating systems.
What's In The Box MP-C341 portable MP3 boom box, AC adapter, USB cable, stereo earphones, shoulder strap, and installation CD.

Click here for more information about COBY MP-C341 Portable MP3 Boom Box w/256 MB Flash Memory & SD Card Slot

Read More...