Radio Reviews

I was one of a hundred lucky people who got to beta test this unit for FREE from Philips. To start off, let me say that the cd, tape, regular radio, volume, etc. are all just like any other player on the market and perform quite well. Where this box distinguishes itself is the internet connectivity. I used the box with both a DSL and T1 (at work) line and it was pretty solid, it didn't have any connection problems or anything. At first, I liked the idea of having lots of internet radio channels, but in reality, I found that I couldn't find stations that played more of what I wanted to hear than my regular old FM stations. So check out the IM network to make sure there are things you want to listen to over the internet first. If you do find things, I will say that the sound quality, even at the lowest compression setting was very good. Okay, so a couple of other cool things I liked about this, I liked being able to set radio stations using the IM networks web site that were then sent down to my box, that was cool since it is harder to search for stations using the buttons on the unit. I also liked sending MP3's to the unit, my only complaint is that most of my MP3's weren't named properly so that they would display on the unit screen the title etc. If you've got a network in your house though, you could send mp3's from any PC to your unit which is really neat. ....

I was chosen by Philips to beta test this beast, and I enjoyed every moment of it. At first I couldn't get it connected to the net, but then noticed I had DHCP turned off on my router. In this broadband world we're in, I think most people would have a router to share a cable modem or dorm type ethernet connection among computers. Anyways, after the beast was connected all was good, I downloaded the JukeBox player software from IM Networks, I believe it is now known as Sonic Box. The JukeBox leaves alot to be desired and is mediocre at best. The software allows you to stream Mp3's from your hard drive to the Fw-i1000, sound quality is great.

Indeed this box does boom, it has a feature called wOOx technology, with these cool little woofers atop the left and right speakers, with the wOOx level on 3 (the highest) you can definitely feel it.

Push the connect and you have a whole world of internet radio stations at your fingertips. The remote is really easy to use, I never really found a use for the tape player, and the CD player didn't get much play.

I had fun playing with it and it makes a great addition to my computer den.

I've used this for box for years, thought it was the coolest thing, but now it is not able to connect to any Inet stations (all I use it for really). Soo.. if you are thinking of buying one used, might wanna research to make sure it still works with net stations... (if thats something you are buying it for)

I just bought a MC-i250 (the newer one from Philips) has more features (plays MP3s, but is less power - 100watts)
Just wish the fw-i1000 still worked over the net

The worst thing I can say about this clock radio is that the LCD panel does not get very bright. So, for someone as blind as I am, it is hard to see the time in the middle of the night. Otherwise I have been quite happy with my clock!

I love the fact that it not only has a digital time but also has a digital radio. No more dials that you are trying to get in exactly the right place so that your station will come in. It also gives you 5 stations presets (much like your car)...bonus!

One thing that has been great for me is that you can turn your alarm off in the morning without turning it all the way off. My alarm goes off at the same time each morning without me having to make sure it is set on the alarm setting the night before. I don't have to take it off of the alarm setting to turn it off in the morning. It's a great feature! You can set 2 alarms. It has a radio alarm and a buzzer alarm and you can program each separately.

I've been happy with this Sony clock

Well, I own this clock and I've used it for three years. The alarm has never failed to go off, and the time is always accurate. The best thing about it is the digital radio, which means that you are fiddling with a knob to try and find a station, adn the reception in the morning is as good as when you set it in the night.

I agree that the controls were difficult to find: you hold the clock button on the back and push the + or - button on the back to set the time. You hold the Alarm A, or Alarm B (depending on which one you want to set) button and push the + or - on the back to set the alarm. Then you hit the Alarm Mode button to switch on Alarm A (the radio), Alarm B (buzzer) or both (which is nice for usuing the radio at first, and the buzzer as a backup). Once I figured that out, it wasn't a problem anymore.

I'd believe that it's delicate, but since it just sits on my nightstand, it's still in good condition.

sure, it's overpriced, but it's just so cool looking. hard to find minimalist, modern design in the "more is more" world of consumer electronics.

i find that it tunes in stations very well, and the sound is decent for a unit so small. as for the people who couldn't set the alarm, here's a novel idea: READ THE DIRECTIONS. actually, i didn't, and figured it out after a few minutes.

the buttons are sort of oddly placed, but i wake up the same time every day so i don't have to really worry about hitting anything but the button to turn off the radio. if you have someone else who needs to get up at a different time, it has duel alarms, which is a great feature.

the radio seems sturday enough, not that i put my clock radios through a obstacle course or anything. it's everything that i've come to expect from sony through the years; a fairly well thought-out, solid product.

hey, it's small, looks great on your nightstand, and wakes you up when you set it. what else does a clock radio need to do?

Not good for car to car talk on highway at highway speeds. Distortion due to the speed of the vehicles.
Good for hiking and backpacking.
They work better the further away from eletrical interference you get.
Rating of 2 miles is for little inteference. In a shopping center there is A LOT of interference!

It's my first time buying a pair of these Family Radios, and I'm very happy with the Uniden FRS420. With 14 channels, 38 subcodes, 5 different call rings, and a vibrating alert. It can't be beat for the price.

These Uniden FRS radios are great. My friend spent about three times as much for a pair of Motorola radios, and they lack some of the features included on the Unidens.

I really like the different call alert tones and the ability to use a vibrating alert. The carabiner clips are nice for attaching the radios to you belt loops or the straps on a backpack.

Overall, I think these are great radios for the price. You can spend a lot more, but you're not going to get any more features or better performance.

Not good for car to car talk on highway at highway speeds. Distortion due to the speed of the vehicles.
Good for hiking and backpacking.
They work better the further away from eletrical interference you get.
Rating of 2 miles is for little inteference. In a shopping center there is A LOT of interference!

It's my first time buying a pair of these Family Radios, and I'm very happy with the Uniden FRS420. With 14 channels, 38 subcodes, 5 different call rings, and a vibrating alert. It can't be beat for the price.

These Uniden FRS radios are great. My friend spent about three times as much for a pair of Motorola radios, and they lack some of the features included on the Unidens.

I really like the different call alert tones and the ability to use a vibrating alert. The carabiner clips are nice for attaching the radios to you belt loops or the straps on a backpack.

Overall, I think these are great radios for the price. You can spend a lot more, but you're not going to get any more features or better performance.

Despite all the talk about satellite and Internet radio, I had been hunting around for a small shortwave that could also handle FM stereo and was happy to come upon the Grundig 100 Mini PE Portable Radio.

The 100 is the smallest world band receiver I've come across, similar in size to Sony's Walkman-style radios. This is an analog, dial-driven set that can use either a built-in (mono) speaker or stereo headphones. It features six shortwave bands (49, 41, 31, 25, 19, 15 meter bands) plus AM and FM Stereo. The 100 has a telescoping antenna and is very compact, measuring only 4" x 2 1/2" x 3/4" in size. My set included earbud style earphones, a vinyl carry pouch, two AA batteries, a four page manual, and Grundig's shortwave listening guide booklet.

Performance is an issue with this radio. Reception is reasonable for a receiver of this size, with many strong signals being heard at night, such as Radio France and Radio Havana Cuba. However, the 100 has no SSB or adjustable filters, even Am and FM can be spotty, and it is certainly no competition for a serious world band receiver such as the Grundig Yacht Boy 400.

I recommend the 100 if you need a radio while travelling or commuting, or as a gift to introduce someone to world band.

This is the only shirt pocket size shortwave radio worth buying. For this great price you get a pocket radio without any drift (meaning the station you listen to won't change to another station because of a loose or faulty dial), great stereo FM on headphones or ear buds (the buds that come with it are OK. Buy a better set and get ready for great sound), good AM reception, and Shortwave reception that is adequate for the big international broadcasts like BBC but poor for most everything else. The speaker is only good for talk radio. For music, this is a tinny and tiny speaker (about one inch wide). If you want a pocket radio that also gets BBC, Radio Canada, and Voice of America, this is the trick. Listen in on good earplugs and you will be happy with your purchase. It also has a good vinyl case. The radio looks sturdily built and will probably last for years.

I won't delve into all the technical specs listed in other reviews. I was looking for something small to listen to AM & FM and a little shortwave, and I figured you can't go wrong with a brand leader like Grundig. And I was pleasantly surprised by its performance...but if you're looking for a radio which pulls in stations that a $100+ SW radio does, this probably won't do the trick. So let's look at the radio:<br /> <br /> The internal speaker has decent fidelity and good volume, but little bottom end (understandable considering its size)...the included earbuds are slightly below average (scooped midrange), so be prepared to pick up a decent set of earbuds (I use a $10 Sony 16Hz-22kHz set) to improve your sound tremendously. FM reception is very good, with great stereo separation not found on radios this small and inexpensive. AM reception is also very good, and SW will pull in the major strong stations (VOA, BBC, etc.) adequately. A couple of unusual things to point out, to be fair...the tuning for all bands is right-to-left, requiring a little getting used to...and the headphone-in jack is peculiarly placed on the right side a little past halfway down...strange.<br /> <br /> But those a just minor niggles...for the performance it delivers, it's quite a bargain for a radio this small. I'd give it five stars except for the earbuds and the headphone jack. But I'd still recommend this to anyone looking to get their feet wet in the world of SW radio, with very good AM/FM performance for a low price...and a vinyl pouch and brief listening guide are also included...nice touches.<br /> <br /> Pros: great FM sound, easy to use, decent SW reception.<br /> Cons: marginal included earbuds, headphone jack poorly placed.

i wont know il you ship two headset for motorola talkabaut

...There are quite afew out there that are more bulky looking. This particular one is more compact. Its features include: an earbud with a mic and PTT (push-to-talk). THe cord is a bit short; however, with my height (5,6), it stands to be just right. I was told that an extension can be pick up at a local Radio Shack.

I ski (or board) all day with this earbud and a 280SLK on a NiMH battery. I have used TalkAbouts while skiing for a few years - but just got the 280 and the earbud, and it makes a WORLD of difference! The 280's lock feature lets me pack it down under layers. The earbud and wires stay well under layers (hat, shirt, etc) as well. Only the mic sticks out from the side, which I can click to talk at any time. It has been over a foot under the snow with my head when I blow a 360 - and still works perfectly. This earbud is a *must* for skiiers (or boarders! I do both.)

There is a license required for GMRS radios. It is $75. Funny how the merchants don't tell you that. Perhaps because of the "extra" cost? By the way... the fine for unlicensed operation of these radios is up to $10,000.

I have two of these radios which I use for recreational purposes. I have used them in urban areas and in the woods. While I cannot get 7 mile range, I do get 2.5 to 3 miles, which I am still satisfied with. The conditions I have used them in are rolling hills to small mountainous terrain of North Georgia which translates to very little LOS. Here, radios that are supposed to have a two mile range are lucky to reach 300 yards, so in comparison I think these are well within the ball park.

It is necessary to read and re-read the operators manual accompanying these radios to first familiarize yourself since some functions are not readily recognizable. Such as: The transmit power will vary based on the channel selected and/or the transmit power selected by the user. The manual could use some help from a technical writer to add more description of functionality. It is difficult to determine what accessories are available and specific to the 4000 unit but can be done using a combination of the Operators Manual, Cobra website and information on the container.

I recommend purchase.

I reviewed a number of radios and concluded that these were the best way to go. Now that I've been using them for a couple weeks or so, I've seen how great they are! I've been able to get good conversation with my wife for up to about 1.5-2 miles within the city (200,000+ people, no skyscrapers).

The call feature works the farthest--getting up to three miles or so.

One thing that other reviewers lack is knowledge about how radio signals work. You're only going to get the full miles on your receiver in the most optimal circumstances where there's not going to be a lot of noise (like outside of the city.)

The user interface seems to be decent; the only part of it I would change is the button named "lock" which really means "select". Other than that, it's been fairly user-friendly.

I've been using it for a while, and still haven't had to change the batteries yet. So, that's a plus.

So, if you want a good value for your money, go ahead and get these. My wife and I have been very pleased.

I was looking for a radio to bring to work with me. The am and fm stations I enjoy are adjacent to much stronger stations, and I was constantly having trouble picking up a clear signal on a conventional dial tuner radio, whether it was plug in or battery. When I got the Sangean ATS 404 digital radio, I was pleasantly surprised to hear how well it received the weaker-signal stations that I enjoy. Since I don't use the short-wave function, I can't review that aspect of the radio. The sound quality is quite good for the size of radio, the functions are easy to use after reading a poorly-written instruction manual. The main drawback with this radio is that it consumes batteries (4 AA's) rather quickly, after about 16-20 hours' worth of playing time. I've hooked it up to an adapter, but then it's not as portable. In summary, a nice radio that has provided me with easy access to previously difficult to receive am-fm stations.

This radio is very similar to a panasonic I purchased 7 years ago, though that one was $100 and had limited sw bands. For its price, this is an excellent deal.

None of the information I could find prior to purchase explained the sw band range, which is 2.3 to 26.10 MHz, from 11M to 120M. I'm giving this radio a "4" on the basis that some die hard SW enthusiasts would probably prefer something similar to the more expensive models available from Sangean, Grundig, and others. For my purposes though, this radio is more than suitable. Radio Netherlands, Deutche Welle, BBC, Radio China, Russia, etc.. are all easily heard.

Size overall is about 4" high, 6 or 7" wide and 1.5 deep. Light and easily portable for travel.

Other details - has an alarm function, 9 am presets, 18 fm presets, and 18 fm presets. Also comes with "ear bud" head-phones and a nice case. A filter switch cuts out high end noise in the am and sw bands. Has a back illuminated light that can be turned on or off 7 seconds at a time. Has a stereo and mono switch for headphone use. An adaptor may be used instead of 4 AA batteries.

Sound projected from a small 3" speaker, but the clarity is very good without distortion. Very good reception.

In all this is a good way to own a quality SW radio.

This radio is the best of its type for the money. The Sangean 505 gives you SSB and a nice fine-tuning knob, but it is considerably more expensive, and also quite a big larger. If all you want is a good, small, AM/FM, basic shortwave radio with a speaker and memory, you can't beat this.

I find its reception to be quite good, on all 3 bands.

As far as battery use, it works very smoothly with rechargables. It has a 3-segment battery indicator that displays when you first turn it on. When only 1 segment is lit, it means you are getting toward the end (maybe about 1 hour left). At that point, you can charge a second set of batteries and install them when it finally dies.

You can also just disregard the battery indicator and wait for it to die, and then charge the second set. As soon as the battery power gets too low, the radio shuts off, but still retains the time and memory station settings. It can run in this low-power mode for hours. In my case, I had 4 nicads in it that died, and it took me 6 hours to charge 4 NiMHs that I use as the 2nd set. The radio's time and memory settings were still intact when I finally installed the NiMHs (you have 3 minutes to make the actual switch). Very nice!

...The FRS310-series radios themselves, they seem to be good quality for the simple toys they are. Reception is clear to a range of about six blocks when talking between car and wood-frame building. The claimed two mile range might be possible, over flat remote terrain, at night, in a period of low sunspot activity, but I doubt it. The preset squelch level is adequate for use in urban areas. Scanning works efficiently, and channels may be locked. Displays are NOT back-lit as claimed by the manufacturer, but side-lit LCD and therefore less legible than the back-lit type in low light. A nice feature rarely found in low-cost rechargeable devices of any kind (until recently) is a simple yet well-designed charging circuit that makes it difficult to damage the NiCd batteries by carelessly overcharging ("cooking") them. The radios also will work while they are being charged, a sometimes useful feature evidently not found in some other designs.

We purchased a large quantity of these radios to use in conjunction with our business. The radios work well, but have a failure rate that seems a little high (appx. 10%) - but the company was very good honoring the warranty - they immediatley replaced our defective radios with new ones.

I purchased two of these radios and I did transmit/rec. the 2-mile range with no problem.Purchased two GMRS and will advise on these later(had to get a license)

...The FRS310-series radios themselves, they seem to be good quality for the simple toys they are. Reception is clear to a range of about six blocks when talking between car and wood-frame building. The claimed two mile range might be possible, over flat remote terrain, at night, in a period of low sunspot activity, but I doubt it. The preset squelch level is adequate for use in urban areas. Scanning works efficiently, and channels may be locked. Displays are NOT back-lit as claimed by the manufacturer, but side-lit LCD and therefore less legible than the back-lit type in low light. A nice feature rarely found in low-cost rechargeable devices of any kind (until recently) is a simple yet well-designed charging circuit that makes it difficult to damage the NiCd batteries by carelessly overcharging ("cooking") them. The radios also will work while they are being charged, a sometimes useful feature evidently not found in some other designs.

We purchased a large quantity of these radios to use in conjunction with our business. The radios work well, but have a failure rate that seems a little high (appx. 10%) - but the company was very good honoring the warranty - they immediatley replaced our defective radios with new ones.

I purchased two of these radios and I did transmit/rec. the 2-mile range with no problem.Purchased two GMRS and will advise on these later(had to get a license)