Sony Walkman NWZS545BLK 16 GB Video MP3 Player (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)When searching for a new mp3 player the trail always leads me back to Sony. Its more about overall quality then brand loyalty. Over the years Sony's Walkman line has gone the distance and more. The all new Sony S Series Walkman adds to the legacy.
The S-545 16gb Walkman brings it on with a crisp, color enhanced 2.4" LCD screen that is easy on the eyes. At 2" x 4" x .4", it comes in a bit larger then its older cousin. A larger body undoubtedly is required to provide support for the external speaker system. The speakers won't get confused with my home system anytime soon but they do provide an excellent source. With headphones on, this mp3 player delivers a cornucopia of sound. Missing but not that noticeable is the noise reduction feature. The on board equalizer can be tweaked to one's own preferences or users can choose one of the six presets.
The Navigation pad located directly under the screen is a breeze to operate. Three controls are located on the right side of the unit. One locks in the controls. The second one allows for easy switching from speaker to headset. Volume is the third control. The standard headphone jack and a USB port can be found on the bottom of the unit. The detachable flip out stand is an okay feature that allows for easy standing on my desk or shelf top. I would have preferred that it was permanently mounted.
The S-545 supports mp3, mp4, AAC, AVC, WMV, WMA, and PCM. PCM is Sony's version of WAV. It pairs well with Napster To Go. Its hit and miss with Rhapsody To Go. Sometimes its a smooth transfer, other times its not. Downloading my playlists from Windows Media Player was a breeze without the usual hiccups associated with older mp3 players.
Amazon video is a new option that is also supported. Video can be synced from my computer as well. I've never been big on downloading video to my player. I did download a couple of photographs on this model. The display was outstanding. Unlike my older Walkman, this model doesn't offer the wallpaper photo display option.
The built in FM tuner picked up all ten of my stations. With auto scanner functionality, thirty preset slots are available. The FM radio is crystal clear when using the headset as an antenna. The alarm and timer features are a nice add on. This model also has an impressive on board microphone located on the bottom of the unit. There are three voice settings. Voice playback quality was excellent. Battery life has always been biggie with Sony. On a full charge, I got almost a full thirty five hours of music.
The Sony Walkman S-545 16gb Mp3 player comes packed with a USB cable, flip stand, ear buds, installed operating manual and the standard one year warranty. Body finishes include; black and red in the 16GB model. Pink and violet are additional choices in the 8GB model.
Economically priced, this latest edition to the Walkman line is a durable and reliable product that delivers. Easy to use and loaded with features, the Sony S-545 is a prime time performer.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony Walkman NWZS545BLK 16 GB Video MP3 Player (Black)

Enjoy hours of continuous music and video wherever you go with Sony's S540 Series. Enjoy a 2.4-inch QVGA screen, wide format support, an FM radio, voice recording, and plenty more in a slim, easy-to-use media player.




Key Features
Built-in stereo speakers
Built-in FM radio tuner
Voice and FM recording function
2.4-inch QVGA (320x240) high-brightness, color LCD
User-friendly interface for easy operation
Long battery life
Easy drag-and-drop file transfer functionality
Clear Stereo and Clear Bass Audio Technologies
Built-in alarm clock with sleep timer
Supports multiple audio codecs and video formats



Key Technologies
Speakers Built-in stereo speakers deliver rich sound when you want to listen without headphones.

FM Tuner Built-in FM radio tuner is perfect for listening to your favorite talk, sports and music stations.

Record Voice and FM recording function lets you capture lectures, business meetings, and radio broadcasts.

LCD A 2.4-inch QVGA incredibly bright, color LCD3 provides you with a rich viewing experience.

Ease of Use Easy drag-and-drop device management and easy-to-use GUI make creating and navigating through your digital library simple.

Battery A long-lasting battery lets you listen to music for up to 42 hours or watch video for up to 6.5 hours before you need to recharge.

Sound Clear Stereo and Clear Bass Audio Technologies for clearer, deeper sound with minimal distortion.

Alarm Built-in alarm clock with sleep timer.

Formats Multiple high-quality video formats are supported, giving you more freedom to download the videos you want.

Size 8 GB and 16 GB models are available.

Color Models available in black, pink, red, and violet.

What's in the Box Sony WALKMAN S-540 Series 16 GB Digital Music Player (Black), Headphones, mini USB cable, and hands-free stand

Get 8% OFF

Click here for more information about Sony Walkman NWZS545BLK 16 GB Video MP3 Player (Black)

Read More...

VTech IS9181 WiFi Internet Radio with Access to Online Content Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Imagine playing music directly from Japan while eating sushi in your dining room. Or playing Hawaiian music from Hawaii at your next luau. With this WiFi internet radio you can listen to music from all over the world and save your favorites with just a push of the "favorites" button. Then the next time you want to listen you can go directly the the "My Stations" list and choose one of your favorites. I have a classical station in Italy, an oldies station in France, a Celtic station in Ireland and some radio stations in the midwest that I grew up listening to in my favorites list. I also have a French news talk station to keep up on my French. In my video I'll show you how to make some of the internet radio selections and find your own favorite stations.
One of the other options is to listen to music from your computer on this device. The included manual gives simple instructions, with some photos, for setting up your computer so that you can connect via WiFi with this internet radio and play your favorite mp3's, WMA's, Real audio, MP4 and M4A files. There are instructions included for Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Mac OS 10.4 and 10.5. I've listened to music from both my Windows and Mac computers without any problem. And the good news is that it's easy to set up, even for a non geeky person. The internet radio is also simple to set up. When you turn it on for the first time it asks you if you want to set the time, weather setting (your zip code) and wireless settings. It looks for your WiFi network and asks you to enter your password. I used both the little dial on the top of the radio and the remote to make entering it faster.
I mentioned in my video review that you can use the RCA connectors on the back of the unit to connect to other speakers, such as your stereo speakers. The RCA connector cord isn't included with the radio. There is an auxiliary audio cable included to connect another device such as an mp3 player to this radio (audio in). If you wanted to connect earphones, like the type from an mp3 player I think an adapter like this would work 2 x RCA Male / 1 x 3.5mm Stereo Female, Y-Cable, 6 inch
The sound on the video is limited not only by the camera, but by the compression into a video small enough to show here. It sounds so much better in person. But I hope the video gives you an idea of the different menus and features.

Click Here to see more reviews about: VTech IS9181 WiFi Internet Radio with Access to Online Content

Get 43% OFF

Click here for more information about VTech IS9181 WiFi Internet Radio with Access to Online Content

Read More...

Livio Internet Radio Featuring Pandora (WiFi and Ethernet, Silver) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)There are a lot of buzz about HD radio being the wave of the future. I tried an HD radio, and let me tell you, this internet radio has HD completely beat! I live in an area with poor reception for local stations, and I was tired of having to listen my favorite station through my laptop. Within minutes of taking the radio out of the box, I was connected to my favorite station but then I started exploring. I couldn't believe what I found! The radio connected to my Pandora account seamlessly. I've added stations to Pandora on my laptop and they appear on the radio within seconds! Controls on the radio link to Pandora for "thumbs up" or "down." Fantastic. But the really amazing thing is the intuitive interface that provides access to countless (there must be tens of thousands) of radio stations from around the globe! The interface is so intuitive that the stations can be selected either by region or by genre. All with no buffering! Incredible! For these features, I am deleriously happy with my purchase.
For all of its exceptional qualities, the sound quality is disappointing. With one speaker, the bass is truly lacking (and I don't like heavy bass). The sound doesn't seem "full." There are jacks in the back to connect stereo speakers but I'm not sure how that would work or whether I want to go through the effort. I bought this radio based on a review in the Boston Globe. They mentioned the Squeezebox Boom as having the highest quality sound. Of course, that radio was significantly more expensive and doesn't have Pandora controls. Neither radio has an iPod connection and they don't have back-up batteries. Neither has iTunes tagging (seriously?!).
All in all, I'm very happy. When they develop a radio with audiophile-quality sound, I'll be in line to buy one. Hopefully, wifi/internet radio will really take off. I'd love to have a receiver for my home stereo (since that sends sound throughout the house).
January 2010 edit: I keep this radio in my home office. I still love, love, love it. Recently, I bought a Squeezebox Radio for my bedroom. This edit is to compare the two. I love both of these radios, but for different reasons. The Livio has quality throughout. The two standout features are the controls and the link to Pandora. The radio is so easy to set up and use! The controls are clean and uncluttered. The Pandora Thumbs-Up/Thumbs-down is easier on the Livio than it is on the computer. I also love the interface to find stations by genre. It just works so intuitively for me. On the negative side, it does not have an alarm clock built in. Otherwise, I would have bought one for the bedroom as well.
Now, the Squeezebox Radio: Also easy to set-up. The interface is a bit more daunting than the Livio. More options = more controls to tweak. As other reviewers have mentioned, the presets disappeared the first time the alarm went off. After resetting it, things have been fine. The alarm clock works well. Although the specs don't mention a back-up, I have found that if the router is out of commission, the alarm will still go off, just to a tone from the radio, rather than from the internet radio station. Other people have mentioned that the clock gets too dim at night. Not for me! I am so grateful that my bedroom is now reasonably dark at night! My old clock lit up the joint to the point that I used to cover the clock. Now, it's just right. Plus, the brightness level can be manually adjusted. Funny, someone elses complaint is one of my favorite features. The interface and controls are also more baffling than the Livio. Still OK, I just prefer the very clean controls on the Livio.
As for the sound, this would be a matter of preference. The sound in the Livio is a bit flatter. It seems to be missing some mid-range and higher range. The Squeezebox sound is bright and bold but is lacking in the low range. All in all though, I really like the sound on the Squeezebox. Especially for a small radio. I hope that these comments are helpful to someone looking at these two radios.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Livio Internet Radio Featuring Pandora (WiFi and Ethernet, Silver)

The Livio Radio, featuring Pandora, goes beyond making more than 11,000 free Internet radio stations easily accessible anywhere you, a power source and a Wi-Fi connection should meet. As if that isn't cool enough, the Livio Radio, through Pandora and the Music Genome Project, gives its users the ear of their own personal DJ, one that actually pays attention to what you like, and what you don't. The Livio Radio puts you in the driver's seat, empowered with clean, easy-to-understand controls, allowing you to tap into the power of Pandora, sans the tether to your computer or cell phone. Empower up! What is the Livio Radio?The easiest way to enjoy Pandora Internet Radio at home or at the office, without the need of a computer.The first Internet Radio to feature the Thumb-up and Thumb-down controls right in the front of the unit. What is Pandora? Pandora is your personal DJ. Enter the name of an artist or song and start listening. Discover new music you'll love and rediscover old favorites.Give songs a Thumb Up or Thumb Down and Pandora will instantly change the music selection to better match your tastes. Enjoy all styles of music rock, pop, urban, country, jazz, classical, latin and more. Listen to your stations on the Livio Radio or on the web at Pandora website.

Get 32% OFF

Click here for more information about Livio Internet Radio Featuring Pandora (WiFi and Ethernet, Silver)

Read More...

22690 .6" Red LED Alarm Clock Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)We had a clock just like this one for nearly 20 years. We were so happy with it that when the switches finally wore out, we wanted another. But this one is better quality, so we expect it to last even longer! The LED display is compact, not too big. The brightness is just right by night or day. The controls are intuitive and very easy to set. It keeps time even in event of a power failure (blanked until power is restored). It's a simple, no frills design, well executed and at an unbeatable price. Full marks!

Click Here to see more reviews about: 22690 .6" Red LED Alarm Clock

Get 42% OFF

Click here for more information about 22690 .6" Red LED Alarm Clock

Read More...

The Sharper Image EC-B100 Sound Soother Alarm Clock Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Sharper Image Sound Soother has a very sleek and modern design, however, there are a few flaws that detract from the overall experience.
First, the digital display is very bright in a dark bedroom. Unlike a regular, cheap alarm clock where only the time is lit, the entire display of the Sound Soother is backlit. If your bedroom has little ambient light at night, this display will emit a glow that some people may find too bright. Although there are three display brightness settings, there is little difference between them and the lowest setting is still bright. We have to turn the clock away from the bed at night so it's not directly in our face, but the glow is still significant.
Second, the sound quality could be better. This could be a tradeoff for the sleek design, but the sounds are not very natural coming out of the small rear speakers and are a bit tinny as another reviewer has noted. The volume control is not very good either, as the difference between the first, second, third, etc. volume selections are very noticeable. In other words, 1 is too soft for some sounds, but 2 is way too loud. The audio loop on some of the sounds is too short as well, and if you are concentrating on the sound you may be able to detect the pattern, which can be distracting as you are trying to fall asleep. Also, the control buttons themselves make a very loud and abrasive "click" sound when you push them, which seems odd for a machine designed to relax you.
Overall, the Sound Soother is a decent alarm clock that gets the job done, but it could definitely be improved (display too bright, audio quality is lacking, and buttons take away from the overall experience). Although it is made by Sharper Image, it has a somewhat "cheap" feeling to it. Despite the flaws, it is one of the better sound machine/alarm clock I came across that was less than $50.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Sharper Image EC-B100 Sound Soother Alarm Clock

Get 29% OFF

Click here for more information about The Sharper Image EC-B100 Sound Soother Alarm Clock

Read More...