Bose Wave Music System - Graphite Gray Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've had my Bose for about two years. I'm very glad to have received it as a present because, despite some of its fine features, it certainly does not merit the hefty, comparable-to-a-small-home-stereo price tag.
I like its design and its sound.
I don't like the following "features":
1) It is the most sensitive CD player I have. It will not properly play a number of CDs, especially CD-Rs. If a disc is slightly thin, the unit will either not accept it (you have to give it a push) or not eject it (you have to open up the unit, turn it on, hit "eject," and pull the disc out). This is especially annoying when my $70 boombox plays them without a problem. Refurbishing by Bose did nothing to change my unit's sensitivity.
2) It is not programmable! It doesn't program songs at all. The best it can do is "shuffle," "shuffle repeat," "repeat track," and "repeat disc." The cheapest boombox these days is programmable.
3) The lack of buttons is annoying: I found I had to order a second remote ($10) and keep it by the box. When I called Bose about this problem, the tech suggested getting the second remote and added that a lot of people had done that. My boombox is more user-friendly (it has buttons as well as a remote).
One can argue about the merits of elegance vs. user-friendliness. But the lack of programmability and the oversensitivity of this box make it a poor buy, in my opinion.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Bose Wave Music System - Graphite Gray

CD music system

Click here for more information about Bose Wave Music System - Graphite Gray

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 23% OFF

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

Read More...

Sony Walkman NWZE345BLK 16 GB Video MP3 Player (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)[Edit: Upgrade from 3.5 to 4.4 stars; see below]
After my poor experience with the Phillips GoGear mp3 player (reviewed here last week), I thought I'd see what Sony can do with an mp3 player.
I bought their first (excellent) FM walkman in 1980 but haven't used one of their portables since. I am in general a Sony fan, and my 1986 Trinitron is still running like new. Gotta love that kind of quality! But do they still have it?
First, the good:
-Excellent battery life: 30 hours for music, and it does get close to that if you don't do much scrolling. Nice.

-Lots of gigs for a c-note: about 6 bucks per gig, once you realize that it's only 14.4 gb. I hate the way companies do that, btw. Don't tell me I'm getting 16 gigs and then give me ten percent less. Be honest! Stuff like that loses customers, savvy ones at least.
-Good sound...but with that traditional Sony eq curve: very flat. I've had a few Sony receivers and cd players and tape decks over the years, and they are all very flat across the ranges. This makes for nice tight bass and decent mids, but the top end is always a little compressed and lacks shimmer and overtones. Still, a solid tone, not tinny.
And seeing as most users choose mp3 files at either 128kbps or 192kbps (I'd recommend the latter if you play this through a car or other decent full-range stereo), there's plenty of compression already, so no huge loss. Using 320kbps or wav files, which this unit does support, will result however in some noticeable loss of shimmer and breathing room for the high frequencies.
-You can use folders, saves a lot of scrolling time. Put jazz, metal, etc into their own folders. Any smart mp3 player does this.
-***Please note!***Nice, simple drag and drop of files right out of the box, with no need to install the software. Just plug the Walkman into your usb and wait for it to show up on your computer as "Walkman". Do a few clicks and you're in the "music" folder; now drag and drop your files, all at once or one at a time. Presto! That's sweetness, because almost every problem I've had with mp3 players stems from badly written software, and avoiding the need for it altogether is preferable. If you can avoid installing your included software for any player, do it; it only causes hassles in the long run unless you need a certain feature. Drag and drop is where it's at: quick, simple, efficient. And no adware etc installed surreptitiously by the software cd, a newly common scam.
PS I prefer to make the folders first as opposed to using the WMP sync feature; it has glitches, while simple folder drag and drop never has for me.
-Gets good and loud. Helps with certain headphones. Sounds good on my Koss PortaPros and great on my AKG K701s. The phones that come with this are cheese, as usual. Buds will never compare to real cans.
-Excellent for running, my main use for mp3 players. It hasn't skipped on me once and can take all sorts of shaking and bouncing. Very nice.
-Very thin, light, sleek. Takes up almost no space in any pocket, purse, etc.
-A strange design touch that I haven't seen anyone mention, but which struck me right off: the control buttons on the front panel are shaped almost precisely like Mickey Mouse's head! This can't be coincidence; surely someone in design did this on purpose. So is Sony in bed with the Mouse, or what's up? In any case, sometimes I see it and hear Mickey's estrogenic squeal in my inner ear saying, "Pluto! Punch me in the nose and let's get this party started!"
-Along with the essential external volume buttons, there's a manual lock switch on the side of the unit. Very useful to not have to scroll to make this go on and off. A good design feature that all mp3 players should have. You might want to use this when it's off and in your pocket, as the unit turns on with only minor presssure on the front panel button...but that leads to:

-Another major plus, this unit starts playing exactly where the last tune you were playing stopped, in about a half second after the button is touched. Some players take ten seconds. This baby rips right into the music in a flash (literally; flash drive players have so many advantages). Excellent.
But, the bad:
-the screen is waaay thin; it's already covered with scratches after only a few days in my empty pocket. Not good. I don't care about the aesthetics, but do need to see the screen!
-to ff or rewind quickly, you must first pause the track: took me a while to figure this out. Not a big con, but could have been been done without needing to pause.
-There's a bar showing how long the tune is but no way to see time remaining, a very useful bit of data. Until a minute or so is gone, it's hard to estimate song length via the bar, and one must hit the option button (Mickey's right ear) and then scroll down to "detailed information" to get the exact song length; too much hassle for a feature that's standard on most mp3 players. Not a big issue, but an oversight worth correcting.
-and the one thing that will make me return this item next week: you can't delete songs or files from the player. You must first hook it up to a computer! Terrible design. My years-old Muvo deletes on the fly, as do my Dell DJ and other players. This is a huge mistake: with 4,000 songs, how can I remember all the ones I need to dump? Very major flaw, and a deal breaker for me.
But, for those who only transfer stuff they already know and love, this is a pretty darn decent player. I don't know who wants to watch movies or vids on a thumbnail-sized screen, but as a music player, this offers good sound and plenty of storage for a good price.
At this rate we'll get a terabyte for a c-note within a couple years.
Can't wait! Then we can put everything on in lossless FLAC files, the only real way to go. MP3 is okay, but still a compromise.
Hey Sony: not bad...but how can you leave out such a huge feature as deleting on the fly?
[Edit: 12/30/09. I now have to give this little thang a little more than four stars...and hooray to Amazoon's code writers: we can now finally change our ratings after the original review. I returned my original to the mallwart (so nice of them to let us try stuff out! And so unfortunate they can't pay living wages so I might feel bad about costing them restocking fees...), but after looking around for a few weeks I realized this Sony unit offers far more bang for the buck than any other mp3 player out there. So I picked one up here, saving twenty over the mallwart price, and am very happy with it, barring the above caveats.
The best way to deal with no delete feature seems to be to mark the tracks you don't dig with the "wishlist" feature on the options screen, and then when you charge the unit you can open the files and delete tunes you've wishlisted. Much more hassle than deleting on the fly, but at least a workable solution to my main negative about the product.
If Sony releases a firmware update that lets us delete on the fly (not sure if that's possible or not; hope so), then I'd have to give this thing an almost perfect rating.
Pair it with Koss Portapros and you will be blown away by the sound.]
[Edit: 5/12/10. Still working fine after plenty of use while running, hiking, and hooked up to the car stereo. Zero complaints.
And here's a tip I learned from a battery expert: these lithium units apparently prefer to be full all the time, and seeing as they don't have "memory effect" like normal batteries, it's safe to recharge this unit as often as you like, with no resultant loss of memory over the long haul. But supposedly lithiums also work best and last longest if one lets them drain completely once every 30 recharges or so, and then fully fills them up again. I don't know enough about batteries to confirm or deny (though I've been doing it that way and my walkman is still running a long time before needing juice), but it was a very detailed, well-written discussion by someone with a lot of experience in the field, who wasn't selling anything, and that's the kind of opinion I tend to trust. Just FYI.]
[Edit: 1/12/11. Seeing as this review is being read a lot, thought I'd mention battery life stats after 14 months' steady usage, about a thousand hours or so. I fully charged it and left it running on shuffle last week to see how the batt's doing, and it gave me 12 hours straight. Not bad at all considering most players don't give a dozen hours out of the box. When I scroll etc in between albums, I get about ten hours now, still very satisfactory.
And I guess I got lucky, because my Walkman has yet to break down in any way. The occasional freeze is instantly fixed by turning it off and then on again.
All in all, it's given me excellent value and I'm glad this review has helped so many people get more music into their lives.]


Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony Walkman NWZE345BLK 16 GB Video MP3 Player (Black)

Enjoy hours of continuous music and video wherever you go with Sony's slim E340 Series. Enjoy a 2-inch QVGA screen, wide format support, an FM radio, and Sony's time-proven audio technologies in a slim, easy-to-use media player.


Key Features
Long battery life
User-friendly interface for easy operation
2-inch QVGA (320x240) high-brightness, color LCD
Easy drag-and-drop file transfer functionality
Compact and slim design
Supports multiple audio codecs and video formats
Clear Stereo and Clear Bass Audio Technologies
Built-in FM radio tuner
Headphones and Mini USB cable included
Available in black and red


Key Technologies
Battery The long-lasting battery lets you listen to up to 30 hours of music and watch up to 4 hours of video without needing to recharge.
Easy Navigation The E340's user-friendly interface makes navigating through your music, pictures, and videos an easy task.
LCD A 2-inch QVGA (320x240) high-brightness screen, color LCD provides you with a rich viewing experience on your video MP3 player.
Drag-n-Drop Easily manage your music, pictures, and video files via drag-n-drop on your PC.
Design On-the-go video and music is easy thanks to the slim, compact design.
Formats The E340 supports multiple high-quality video formats (AVC (H.264/AVC), MPEG-4, and WMV), as well as a variety of audio codecs (MP3, WMA, AAC-LC [.mp4], and L-PCM [.wav]), giving you more freedom to download the kind of music and video that you want.
Sound Clear Stereo and Clear Bass Audio Technologies for clearer, deeper sound without distortion.
FM Tuner A built-in FM tuner enables you to listen to FM radio stations directly from your MP3.
What's in the Box Sony WALKMAN E-340 Series 16 GB Digital Music Player (Black), Headphones, USB cable, User's Manual

Click here for more information about Sony Walkman NWZE345BLK 16 GB Video MP3 Player (Black)

Read More...

iLive CD and Radio Home Music System with Docking and Recharging Station for iPod (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I saw in a previous review that the 3rd generation IPOD wouldn't play on their system. Just got the 3rd generation and it plays fine. My daughter got this as a Christmas gift and loves it. I looked everywhere for a system that served as an IPOD dock and had a CD player in the $50 range. Very hard to find. This system fit the bill and she couldn't be happier with it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: iLive CD and Radio Home Music System with Docking and Recharging Station for iPod (Black)


Enjoy your favorite tunes on this home stereo system with docking and recharging station for iPod. The IH319B features a vertical-load CD player with motorized door, AM/FM stereo radio with digital tuning, and a play/recharge circuit for iPod.

Vertical-Load CD Player The IH319B is a great CD/iPod combo, with a motorized, dark plastic door that raises to reveal the CD player. Throw in your favorite CDs and burnt CD-R/RW discs and enjoy. You can program up to 20 tracks if you want a specific playback order. Dial in just the right sound with the preset EQ controls.

Docking Station for iPod What's that hiding under the door? An iPod dock. Keep your iPod charged and keep the tunes coming with a Universal iPod dock. Includes brackets to get the right fit for each model. Once it's docked, you can control playback of your iPod from the front of the system, or on the included remote control.

AM/FM Radio When you need some live programming, turn on the digital-tuning AM/FM radio, pull up your favorite preset and enjoy.

Backlit LCD Display Check the time or station on the white backlit LCD display. The digital clock features a handy timer function, useful for cooking/etc.

Wall Mountable The IH319 is wall mountable; on the back of the main unit and each speaker are screw slots for mounting on walls.

Auxiliary Input Connect non-docking iPods, MP3 players, and other audio devices.

What's in the Box iLive IH319B Main Unit, AC Adapter, Remote Control (Battery Included), iPod Brackets, User Manual

Get 16% OFF

Click here for more information about iLive CD and Radio Home Music System with Docking and Recharging Station for iPod (Black)

Read More...

Samsung YP-X5Z NeXus 50 XM Ready Digital Audio Player with 50-hour Playback Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)We used to have a MyFi and a friend purchased a Helix and neither unit is ready to be called "portable". If I have to hold the unit up in the air to get a signal - it's a waste. Since these units don't allow you to wear them and play them (unless you live in NY City), we opted to the Nexus. It's smaller and we don't have to "position" it in a attempt to get a signal. With 50 hours of music, we have lots of content for exercising, hanging at the beach and working.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung YP-X5Z NeXus 50 XM Ready Digital Audio Player with 50-hour Playback

Get ready for total music freedom with the Samsung Nexus digital audio device. The Nexus takes the concept of a personal digital audio player to the next level with the addition of XM satellite radio. Using the supplied dock, and an included XM Connect-and-Play antenna, you can record your favorite XM programming to the device. Then, listen to your tunes and talk radio while you're on the go. In addition to handling XM content, you can also play songs from your existing library of MP3 and WMA music files (including purchased downloads). Plus, you can mix your recorded XM content with your music files -- create a playlist with XM recordings and your own digital music.
Because the Nexus is an XM ready device, it's designed to interface with the XM Connect-and-Play antenna. Simply plug the home antenna into the Nexus and you're rocking to XM's 150-plus digital channels. No additional accessories or installation are required. In addition to charging the device's battery, the included home docking station lets you use the Nexus as an XM receiver to play live XM content through your home stereo (the dock features stereo RCA outputs).
Featuring a full array of programming -- from talk shows, comedy programs, and live Major League Baseball broadcasts to just about every musical genre from bluegrass to jazz -- XM Radio is the fastest growing satellite radio network in the world. All XM metadata is displayed on the Nexus' front panel display, including full song title and artist name, as well as information extras such as stock and sports score tickers. At 3.4 x 1.9 x 0.7 inches, the Nexus is pocket friendly and designed to go wherever you go. The embedded 1 GB of internal memory gives you ample space for storing your music -- up to 50 hours of content will fit on the device. Music is transferred between your PC and the Nexus via a high-speed USB 2.0 connection.
Another cool aspect of the Nexus is its support for the XM + Napster music service. If you hear a song you like on XM radio, simply "tag" it and easily purchase and download that artist or song via Napster. It's a great way to discover and own the music you like.
What's in the Box YP-X5Z XM radio/MP3 player, XM passport, battery, earbuds, remote control, home dock/cradle, home XM antenna, AC power adapter, RCA audio cable, USB cable, carrying case/holster, user's guide, and software CD-ROM.

Click here for more information about Samsung YP-X5Z NeXus 50 XM Ready Digital Audio Player with 50-hour Playback

Read More...

iriver CXW-2G Clix 2 GB Digital Music and Video Player, White Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)*I bought the Clix with the Dock as a complete package from iRiver and this review covers both items*
Packaging
iRiver does a good job with their packaging by making it simple and clean, probably taking note of Apple's packaging strategy, though not as refined. All the included accessories are placed in clearly labeled paper boxes making it simple and easy to find what you need quickly. There is no foam padding of any sort to protect any of the accessories or the player itself but I do not think this will be a problem because the Clix is a flash based player. The Clix itself is protected by a sticker with a printed on animation of the "now playing" screen. There is a "starter kit" that comes with the Clix that contains the manual, quick start guide, software CD, various documentations, and a neoprene case with a screen cleaner. The case fits the player very snugly and is padded enough to ensure proper protection. The screen cleaner does a decent job though I sometimes found that it just smeared the oils from my skin instead of absorbing it.
The packaging for the cradle dock contains a series of boxes as well with no foam padding to protect anything but everything came out of the box in perfect condition. The cradle comes with a line-in cable, 3.5mm extension plug, the dock itself, and an IR remote.
I enjoyed the packaging but it did not wow me as Apple's packaging does. I was concerned with the lack of protection for the components though none of them were damaged. I would like it if iRiver included some plastic molds to hold their components to make it seem more professional while adding some protection at the same time.
Design
The Clix is one of the most beautifully designed MP3 players I have ever seen. The button-less screen creates a very clean and sleek look that resembles a flat panel television. Since there are no buttons to press, navigation is done through pressing the sides of the screen. The sides of the screen are tactile buttons and not touch sensitive, which would have made it too sensitive. The rest of the controls are located on the sides of the player which include dedicated volume buttons, a power button, a "smart key," and a hold switch. The hold switch does not only cease the function of the screen buttons but actually locks the screen buttons into place so they can not be pressed. This is a wise choice by iRiver because it will prevent wear and tear on the buttons. The back of the player is made of glossy white plastic and has a clean look to it instead of having a bunch of Windows, SRS, WOW, and other logos. While the screen of the player seems very scratch resistant, the back seems to be more prone to scratching so users should exercise caution. One of my favorite design features of the Clix is its ability to switch between landscape and portrait modes. Portrait mode is useful in allowing one-handed operation of the player, though it is a little more difficult that I would have liked it to be. Since users have to touch the sides of the player to navigate, they will find their thumbs and hands obstructing their view when pressing some buttons. Though it this is a little annoying, it is bearable and does not take away from the overall pleasurable experience of using the player. Another gripe is that the reset button can only be pressed by inserting a paperclip into a pin-sized hole located at the bottom of the player. Both Creative and iRiver have to find a simpler way to reset the player. I really like the simple button combo that makes the iPod reset itself. Creative and iRiver should take note.
Once in the Cradle Dock, the player will resemble a retro-style television which will draw stares and wow your friends. There are tiny speakers on the back of the dock that allow wireless use of your player. The dock gives the player the awesome feature of line-in recording but also disables an important feature, the FM tuner. I assume this happens because there is no headphone lead to act as an antenna, which would have given the player horrible reception. The dock also lets you connect a line-out cable so you can listen to your music on better speakers and there is a mini-USB connector to allow you to sync your player while it is still in the dock. The included IR remote is the only method of navigating the player while it is in the dock. The remote has a very slim profile and membrane type buttons and while this remote provides excellent functionality for the player while it is in the dock, it is poorly designed because the buttons become a little exhausting after prolonged use and the directional buttons are a bit more spread out than I would have liked. The remote also looks quite cheap with an uneven fit and finish and lack of attention to detail. Perhaps I am being nit-picky but I do enjoy the fact that every function can be accessed wirelessly.
One design feature that I find refreshing is the USB cable that is provided with the player. It has a mechanism that locks the player into place on the cable and can only be unlocked by holding buttons on the side. This results in a secure attachment to your computer, making it impossible to accidentally disconnect your player while it is performing a sync which could wreck the player. More manufacturers should take note of this simple, yet ingenious locking mechanism.
Finally, if you are worried about the durability of Clix, worry no more. I gave this Clix to my sister as a present and she has the reputation of having the "touch of death" with all things electronic. It has been over two weeks and I'm happy to report that the player has not scratched. This is truly an amazing testament to the kind of plastic that iRiver chose to make the Clix's screen with.
Performance
Once I fired up the player for the first time, I was immediately impressed with the fluidity of the interface and how beautifully simplistic, yet sophisticated the menus were laid out. Everything is laid out very logically and can be picked up without reading the instruction manual, which I believe most people do. The GUI reminds me of Windows Media Center, which makes sense because iRiver worked very closely with Microsoft on the development of this player. The "now playing" screen really impresses me in that it uses its screen real estate to deliver tons of information without searching through a sub menu. Song title, album name, song rating, artist name, year of album release, time, battery meter, EQ setting, number of songs in current playlist, and my favorite, next song. More companies should add a "next song" display on their players. Though this may seem like an overwhelming amount of information to be displayed on one screen, I did not find it confusing at all. One thing that bugged me about the interface was the fact that you could not delete songs or recordings from the player.
Pictures are browsed on the player in list form, displaying a small thumbnail of the highlighted picture. Photos look accurate and fluid on the screen as it would on the computer screen though detail is lost because of the 320x240 resolution. There is no over saturation as with other players, namely my Creative Zen Vision: M. Videos can also be played on this device and look good for 15 frames per second (fps). I expected the video experience to be severely degraded compared to the 30fps that my Vision: M is capable of but I am pleasantly surprised that there was minimal difference. Music videos looked great and the screen provided excellent viewing angles. I would advise against watching anything longer than a few minutes on the Clix because of two reasons: one being that the screen is so small and will fatigue your eyes and two being the fact that the player maxes out at a dainty 2 GB.
My favorite feature about the Clix is its ability to record in several different ways. There is FM recording which is very handy for catching shows or songs you want to save, thought the RIAA will not be happy about the latter. You can also perform voice recordings and line-in recordings. Voice recordings were of average quality and had a hard time picking up sounds that were far away. I would not use the Clix to record lectures or conferences though it is a handy tool for taking notes or to do a casual podcast. Line-in recording provided much more of a use because of its excellent recording quality. If set at "high" recording quality, files are encoded at 256kbps MP3s and 128kbps at "medium" quality. Recording whole albums is a simple process though editing the file names and ID3 tags of the songs is not as fun or pleasurable. I did encounter a few problems when recording, one of which was the recording volume. Even when set at the highest recording volume and max volume from the recording source (my ZVM) the volume of the recorded tracks was still lower than I would have liked them to be. Another problem I encountered was the track splitting function which breaks up the recording when it doesn't sense any sound for 2 seconds. For classical albums, it could not sense the gaps correctly and recorded the album as one huge MP3. My final gripe about the line-in recording function is that the recordings are stored deep in the submenus of the "Extras" section which is irritating when you want to find your recordings and listen to them since they are not included in your library. Hopefully a firmware update will place a folder in the music library for recordings.
With all of these extra features, it is easy to forget what the Clix was designed to do and that is to play music and boy does the Clix deliver. This is one of the best sounding MP3 players I have ever heard. There is also an incredible amount of adjustability with this player. Users can choose from a...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: iriver CXW-2G Clix 2 GB Digital Music and Video Player, White

The iRiver Clix features an eye-catching, direct-click interface that makes it easy to fly through your media collection and find the right song, video, photo, or video game. The unit is centered around a vivid 2.2-inch color LCD display, which delivers remarkably clear 320 x 240 (QVGA) resolution for watching videos and playing flash-based games. With support for MP3, WMA, ASF, Ogg, JPEG, MPEG-4, and Flash Lite 1.1 files, users can choose from a ton of other audio and video formats. The iRiver Clix even works with Windows Media Player 10 and its variety of affiliated online music stores and subscription services, including PlaysForSure services such as Napster and Rhapsody.
Measuring just 2.7 by 1.8 by 0.6 inches and weighing a mere 2.5 ounces, the Clix is about the size of a business card. But don't be fooled, as the unit features 2 GB of internal flash memory, which is capable of storing approximately 32 hours of CD-quality MP3 music (encoded at 128 kbps) or 64 hours of WMA tracks (at 64 kbps). The Clix also plays MPEG-4 Simple Profile (SP) files at a maximum of 384 kbps and 15 frames per second, with audio encoded in MP3 format. Should you need to convert other formats to MPEG-4, simply download the free iRiverter utility and you're set.
The display also doubles as the control interface, so you don't have to mess with any cumbersome buttons or controls. And unlike the touchscreens normally found on PDAs, the Clix's direct-click feature responds to gentle fingertip pressure, eliminating the need for pens or control keys.
Meanwhile, a built-in microphone makes the iRiver Clix an ultracompact dictation machine. The recording quality is freely selectable and is controlled automatically. And listeners who hate to miss their favorite public radio program will dig the built-in FM tuner. Finally, the unit comes with several free Flash Lite games, including Launch Fighters (a Space Invaders remake, Log Jam, Barn Baron, and Sudoku.
Audio-wise, the Clix offers 10 EQ settings along, a user-defined EQ option, and SRS WOW virtual surround sound, which creates a 3-D soundscape and a superior bass performance. In addition, the Clix, which is compatible with Windows XP operating systems (SP1), sports a fast USB 2.0 interface for speedy file transfers. The device comes with a rechargeable lithium-polymer battery that delivers up to 25 hours of battery life per charge and is backed by a one-year warranty.
What's in the Box iRiver Clix media player, earphones, carrying case with screen cleaner, USB 2.0 cable, Easy Start installation CD, user's manual.

Get 55% OFF

Click here for more information about iriver CXW-2G Clix 2 GB Digital Music and Video Player, White

Read More...

Orb Music Player (MP-1) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Nice device that uses your wireless network to stream music. There are a number of devices that can to do this (small computer, Sonos, etc), but this is by far the cheapest. They also provide an app for iphone and android that lets you control what music it plays.
It works pretty well - the software will index your itunes library for you. I don't think they support music indexers other than iTunes, but I'm stuck with it either way as I use OS X. You can also listen to music from a few different places: youtube, sirius (if you have it) and pandora(!!). The pandora functionality is, by far, the feature that gets the most use for me.
I hooked an old pair of speakers up to this in my kitchen and I use it to listen to Pandora / itunes playlists all the time.
It would definitely get 5 stars if they let my play music on my phone. Right now, you can only play music that's on your computer and your computer has to be on the whole time you're playing music. If I can tell it what to play from my phone, why can't I play the music on my phone? More services also wouldn't hurt (I have an internet radio station that requires authentication - it didn't work >_

Click Here to see more reviews about: Orb Music Player (MP-1)

With Orb Music, you can enjoy all your digital music all around your home by turning any Stereo into an internet-connected Digital Appliance. Setup is simple and even easier to use. Control your selections (iTunes, Pandora, Sirius XM, internet radio stations), volume, playlists all from your favorite touch devices (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android phones and tablets) or from your PC/Mac

Click here for more information about Orb Music Player (MP-1)

Read More...

Bose Wave Radio - Clock radio - graphite gray Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is the original, the first of its kind. Then came the copies. This radio from Bose may look pricey to you but once you know all you can do with this it is very useful and you don't mind the price anymore and think your money was spent well. The sound of this radio is VERY clear, you get every little detail in music, and it is lifelike and spacious too. I have seen this rado used in big stores, they just put one radio on one corner and the other on the farther opposite one, and the sound is amazing. Deep bass, clear sound, just like if there were a lot of speakers placed around the store. The FM Antenna is integrated into the electric cord and it can pick a lot more stations than any other conventional system, as much stations as a car. It's very sad to see people criticize this system instead of appreciate it. It has enough bass and it is always deep, except in RARE cases of songs that have too much bass and it doesn't go down deep enough to hit those notes. Just make sure to place the radio close to a wall, especially right in a corner, to boost bass by a lot! This radio makes FM sound like CDs and CDs sound even better than they should. You even have one RCA Input to connect something like your computer or DVD Player and enjoy great crystal clear bassy sound for movies and MP3s in your computer or games too. For movies you don't feel the surround effects as if they were behind you but they sound very spacious and clear, away from you, getting the feeling of almost surround sound, as long as you are close to the radio. Also if the radio is right in front of you the bass is way deeper, so if you will use it in your computer there's no problem since you'll have it in your desk in front of you. It is built from quality, and the speakers dont distort even at loud volumes. The only thing is if you go over 95 in volume the bass isn't as strong, but you'll never have to go over 75 or 80 for sure. This system is great even outdoors or at parties too. It's great to wake up to GREAT sound and it's very nice how the alarm starts quietly and gets louder slowly and also how the display dims depending on how much light there's in your room. This is a product you have to place well and use well, and you will enjoy it for years. I suggest the Bose Wave Radio Series 1 over a Bose Companion 3 and Bose Mediamates for your computer, mainly for even better sound quality then them and more surround soundish effects. The Wave Radio/CD Series 2 or Bose Wave Music System (new name for Wave Radio/CD2) just came out, and it wasn't over 3 months since I bought my Wave Radio for $350, so I was able to exchange it for the latest one for $500 with CD, even deeper bass, even more clear sound, louder volumes, same shape and size but it looks A LOT more cooler! It kills the first series by a lot in bass(it feels like a big subwoofer and all songs get bass no matter what), adds extra volume, sound is even more lifelike and has better imaging, especially for movies. It's worth the extra $150! Bose is the best in sound. Those who don't like Bose either bash them for the sake of it, bash them because of not doing thorough testing with their products, bash them by believing what "audiophiles" say in reviews, bash them with opinions more than facts and probably haven't even heard the Bose Product they are bashing. Get the Wave radio or even better the New Wave Music System and you will be happy forever with your system! It will surely become the main system in your house.(I have on my computer Bose Mediamates with a Klipsch sub, for my movies a Bose Freestyle with an RCA 650 watt receiver, for portability Bose headphones and CD Player and since I bought the Wave radio and then the Wave Music System, I've been using it more than the others, by the way it is great to wake up to a CD, thats another feature you get with the new Radio!) Bose is about making lifelike sound. If youd rather have fake sound with way too much treble, or fake bass that goes way past the levels of real bass(I am talking about insane deafning bass) then dont call that kind of sound lifelike please! Many radios may get close to the original Bose Wave Radio and Wave Radio/CD but none beat the newest Bose Wave Music system.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Bose Wave Radio - Clock radio - graphite gray

Fourteen years of research by Bose Corporation bring you the benefits of patented acousticwaveguide speaker technology, which was named "Invention of the Year" by the IntellectualProperty Owners association.Using this technology, a tube efficiently transfers energy from a small loudspeaker to theoutside air over a whole range of bass notes. And there is a 34-inch long waveguide foldedinside the Wave radio, enabling this tabletop radio to produce room-filling sound with full, richbass.Your Wave radio also includes:? Integrated system design for acoustic quality without inconvenient adjustments? A high performance stereo tuner - offers up to 6 AM and 6 FM station presets? Two independent alarms, with battery backup power to remember settings? A credit card-size infrared remote control with mounting strip provided? Inputs for an additional sound source, such as a CD or tape playerPlease take the time to follow this owner's guide carefully. It helps you set up and operateyour radio and enjoy all of its features and high-fidelity sound

Click here for more information about Bose Wave Radio - Clock radio - graphite gray

Read More...

Yamaha PDX-30BL Speaker Dock for iPod and iPhone, 1 Each (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have checked out almost all the iPod/iTouch speakers on the market ever since I added the XM radio app to my iTouch. Since I was hoping to play XM fo rextended periods,I needed a speaker that would charge my second generation while it was playing. Here is a word of caution to anyone in the same situation: not all docking players will charge as they play, especially when it comes to the second generation. Before I bought the unit I actually called Yamaha and they assured me on two different occasions that their player would indeed charge as playing. And it does. Then you have to hear it to believe it. The sound is exceptional, probably better than units that are twice as expensive. The reputation of Yamaha as a maker of quality audio products shines through. Now would anyone want to buy a somewhat used Altec-Lansing?

Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha PDX-30BL Speaker Dock for iPod and iPhone, 1 Each (Black)

Compact design fits any decor

Get 23% OFF

Click here for more information about Yamaha PDX-30BL Speaker Dock for iPod and iPhone, 1 Each (Black)

Read More...