I/O Magic MP3 Player (DR-MP3JK20)

Average customer rating:

Useless player and unhelpful incompetent staff

Probably the best one out there!

I've Looked and looked and looked!

Jack of all trades

I/O Magic MP3 Player (DR-MP3JK20)

Manufacturer: I/O Magic
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

MP3 Players | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics | Flash Drive-Based | Hard Drive-Based | Portable Digital Media Players
Audio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics
Accessories:

NETGEAR Wireless Digital Music Player

ASIN: B00005UKAQ

Product Description

The Neo Jukebox 2200 is the ultimate personal Jukebox with its onboard 20GB drive that can store up to 600 CDs. Not only does it play music through the MP3 player, it also features an almost unlimited amount of storage capacity, stores a multitude of files for easy transportation, and has built-in USB support.Through the simple USB interface, the Neo Jukebox 2200's laptop drive acts just like a hard drive on your desktop. Anyone can quickly upload or download songs and be on their way. Once you've used a portable MP3 player with thousands of songs at your fingertips, road trips will never be the same. The Neo Jukebox 2200 is slim in size, yet it features a big LCD display (128X68 pixels). Users will find it's a snap to easily navigate the menu system and play crystal clear MP3 songs. With an integrated anti-shock buffer, you'll never have to worry about your music skipping either. You can also use the Neo Jukebox 2200 as an external hard-drive to copy files and to take them elsewhere. You can copy presentations, videos, documents, and emails - just by connecting it to any USB port on any computer.

Customer Reviews:

Useless player and unhelpful incompetent staff.......2003-01-06

I bought this about 1 year ago and have had to send the unit back 6 times so far. Every time I send it back it takes at least 4 weeks before it is returned to me. To date I have sent it back 3 times for the headphone jack (the ... headphones worked but the headphone socket has problems) and 3 times battery connection. The battery connections are very cheap and very fragile. Just putting the battery in could cause them to snap. It has now been over 2 months since I have sent it back and it looks like they have lost my unit. Now they refuse to refund me as I have had it for too long. I have notified the FTC (US consumer protection as far as I can figure out).

The menu system is NOT user-friendly, it regularly freezes or pauses even when just walking with it. The headphones are very cheap (as mentioned). If I could give it negative stars I would, it is a zero out of ten, a zero out of a google. Don't waste your money on this! Burn it,it would bemore interesting and giveyou more gratification.

Probably the best one out there!.......2002-09-15

I have owned the NEO Jukebox for over a year now and can now say that I have somewhat mastered the rig! I recently changed the hard drive from a 20gb, which came with the NEO to a 30gb IBM Travelstar. I have over 6000 songs on the 30gb and am quite happy with it. I have an aux. in on my car stereo to which I connected a "splitter" from "The Shack" and together with another "splitter" for the line out (headset) on the NEO I have complete compatability with my Car Stereo. This was the main reason for going thru the exercise of adapting to my car stereo. I now have sufficient sounds for any length trip into the unknown with no more accompanying "commercial" necessities and the unit plays flawlessly. Compared to the "overly advertised" IPOD and the overpriced Archos, I would say there is no competition for the NEO!

I've Looked and looked and looked!.......2002-04-21

After searching and searching for "the perfect MP3 player, I saw this add and got curious and did more reasearch and was given this as my 50th birthday gift! It is big- 4 1/2" X 6" X 1 1/4"; it has wonderful sound; it holds 600 CDs; it has a lithium-ion rechargeable battery with AC recharger; and it operates with Windows 95/98/ME/2000 and MAC O/S 9 and above. One complaint is that all functions are done through the function key, e.g., volume. the bulkiness means you've got to figure out your own way you want to use it. I love the case becaue it allows me to put it around my neck or shoulder and clean house or go and be submerged in it great sound. In other words, this is no small player to toss in your packet and run with. It does have the ability to buty the unit to play in your car and charge through the car's power. I love it, and it comes with its own software to download CDs to MP3.

Jack of all trades.......2001-12-12

In the four months I've owned this puppy, I've managed to put it through its paces across several different platforms. And there are many good things to report about the Neo Jukebox. But there are a few serious disappointments as well.

First, the bad. Though advertised as "Mac compatible", it is, strictly speaking, PowerPC compatible. That is, it takes advantage of the fact that Macs have the ability to read PC-formatted disks. This is not the same, in my mind, as true Mac compatibility, because it means that you may encounter problems if you change its basic boot information in any way from its factory configuration. Indeed, I have lost all ability to see this drive on my Macintosh simply because I renamed it. Nor can it be reformatted as a Mac disk. Worst of all, the documentation gives Mac users only a cursory inclusion, and the supporting website is clearly weighted towards PC (and, really, Win 9x) users.

It's not that this device doesn't work properly under the Mac OS. It's that it works inflexibly. You can't really change it from its out-of-the-box configuration if you're using it on a Mac, and that's unfortunate.

Another problem: lag time. Navigation through songs on this device is sometimes noticibly slow. It can take several seconds to climb out of one folder and into another--which can be a problem if you intend using this to facilitate any kind of public performance. There's also the issue of organization. It can take you a little while to get all your music in an order that makes navigation faster. Because the Neo Jukebox organizes simply alphabetically, it can be hard, at first, figuring out the best way to organize your files. Importantly, too, this device will play only mp2 and mp3 files. You can store files of any kind, but these are the only it will recognize as playable.

These problems aside, however, there's much to cheer about this device.

It's extremely durable. I've been able to take it everywhere without problems. The included carrying case and hard outer shell of the device itself do a lot to protect it from damage.

It also has a huge amount of space. 20 GB is the standard amount, which is well beyond that of most MP3 players. Even better, this amount can be expanded, later, by buying a bigger capacity drive and slipping it into place. The expandability of this device isn't widely publicized, even by I/O Magic, but theoretically, you could build an infinitely massive library of music--as long as you didn't mind having it divided up into 20-40GB blocks. I could well see this as an excellent way to back up an entire radio station's music library without taking up any more space than a shoebox.

Unlike the problems mentioned above with Macs, this thing works like a dream on Windows-based machines. I've never had the slightest problem getting this thing recognized by Win 95/98SE/2000. Transfers of small numbers of files are very fast, but the initial transfer of all your music from your computer to your Jukebox can be an overnight affair.

However, if you're going to be doing any kind of massive backup, you may find it useful to buy a laptop drive adapter and simply plug it into your motherboard, completely bypassing the USB hookup. This will cut your transfer time to mere minutes. Also, it will allow you to repartition your drive and fully re-format it in the case of periodic problems that eventually befall most hard drives.

Finally, there's the sheer versatility of the Neo. You can use it to port any kind of file. This makes it essentially like buying a jukebox and an Iomega Peerless all in one--at a cheaper price. You can take it running with you. You can plug it into your car's stereo system (with an add-on adapter). You can even run it through your home stereo system. It even comes with a full version of MusicMatch, a powerful competitor to Apple's beloved music management software, iTunes. Long lacking in the Windows enviornment, you'll finally be able to have complete control over your music library with a single interface. In some ways, this included software (or at least its latest incarnation) provide more features than iTunes, including the very useful feature of normalizing tracks. This defeats one of the major problems of digitalized music: songs having widely varying volumes.

The Neo Jukebox is thus a powerful performer with some important limitations. On balance, it's probably the best total solution to your portable digital needs. There are other devices which are better mp3 players for Mac users, or that transfer files faster out of the box, or even that switch between files faster. But there's really not another product that will let you do as many as many different things on as many different platforms--and that come in as sturdy a box--as the NeoJukebox. The only one that currently comes close is Creative's Nomad player, so be sure you take a look at that model when shopping. Mac users should really consider the iPod as well, because, even though it doesn't have quite the same capacity, its FireWire connecftivity and complete compatibility with the MacOS and iTunes itself make up for the lower capacity.

Average customer rating:

Not worth it!

Nice idea but poor execution

Clock problems outweighed good compact feature set

The sun DOES also rise!

Soleil Sunrise Alarm Clock -- not very bright, does not work well

Soleil Sunrise Alarm Clock, Dawn Simulator

Manufacturer: BBHealthy
ProductGroup: CE

Clock Radios | Radios | Portable Audio & Video | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics | CD & Cassette Clock Radios | Under-Cabinet Clock Radios
Radios | Portable Audio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics
Clock Radios | Alarm Clocks | Clocks | Home Décor | Furniture & Décor | Categories | Home & Garden
Furniture & Décor Style (style_browse-bin) | Furniture & Décor (1057794) | Refinements | Home & Garden | Casual | Contemporary | International | Traditional
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Soleil Sun 300W Controller

Product Features:

Soleil Sunrise Alarm Clock

Security: The security feature automatically turns the lamp on for 5 minute periods at random intervals to give the impression that someone is home.

Krypton Bulb is manually dimmable. It can be used as a "mood light", or increased to full brightness.

Works with travel converters.

Easy-to-read Digital Display can be dimmed or used at full brightness.

ASIN: B0002TISOE

Product Description

In nature, sunlight wakes you by triggering your body to produceserotonin, an energizing, awakening type of hormone. Even with eyelids closed, your eyes sense light and signal the production of serotonin. The Soleil Sun Alarm replicates nature - a better way to wake up. The clock's small, sleek, compact design takes up very little space on your night stand. Plus, you can easily pack it in your suitcase or shoulder bag when you travel, so you can enjoy the same gentle, refreshing awakenings when you are away from home. Though it is a physically small clock, it is a very unique, dynamic clock, loaded with many desirable features (see below) that enable you to gently awaken in a relaxed, refreshed state. You will really LOVE this truly amazing, very affective clock. Battery Back-up AM/FM radio Alarm: Alarm feature for waking or timing. Snooze button: 10 minute snooze feature with a 1 minute sunrise, with optional flash and beep at the end of the cycle. Flash & Beeper: Are you a heavy sleeper? These selectable features assist with waking by flashing or beeping at the end of the alarm cycle. Sunrise: Wake with the sun! This feature can be activated at intervals from 15 to 120 minutes, gradually increasing brightness to simulate a sunrise. Sunset: Activate a "sunset" at intervals from 15 to 120 minutes, gradually decreasing brightness of light to simulate a sunset. A great feature for the kids room. Nap Timer: When taking a nap, there's no need to reset the alarm time. Nap timer can be activated at intervals from 15 to 120 minutes. Custom Sunrise: The sunrise feature activates the built-in light which fades in from zero to full intensity over the selected time intervals of 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, or 120 minutes. Security: Automatically turns the lamp on at random intervals to give the impression that someone is at home. Very Compact Size!-measures roughly 5" x 4.5" x 3" UL approved transformer 90 day Manufacturers Warranty

Customer Reviews:

Not worth it!.......2007-11-21

This product sounds good, but doesn't live up to its description. The clock ran fast, and the radio is cheap. The built-in light is very small and dim. I got the converter to be able to use my own lamp in addition, and this provided enough light, but I still had 2 problems with it. First, the light increase is step-wise in seven levels, not smooth. With my brighter light, the increases were noticeable and jolted me awake too fast. Second, the alarm-light function on this clock did not work properly. For example, I set it to reach full light at 6:30 am on a 30 minute cycle. It started the cycle early, shut off the light completely at 6:15, and turned it back on at full brightness again at 6:30. Not exactly a gradual waking process. I would not recommend this product at all. There are other much better products that don't cost that much more than this. Go with one of them, you'll be happier.

Nice idea but poor execution.......2007-08-06

The features of the clock are well selected- but they don't all work and those that do don't work well. The light is very small, too little to be effective unless the room is VERY dark. The accessory module turning on a 40W lamp helped a lot - until the module quit working. The radio can't get even nearby stations unless you take the thing apart, uncoil the antenna wire, and drape it across the nightstand; and even then it drifts so that the station you tuned in the night before is a haze of static in the morning! The speaker is small and tinny anyway, so the static doesn't make it all that much worse. Controls are all the same size and not laid out logically, hard to find in the dark. Overall, I like the wake-up-to-light concept but get a better product - I was very disappointed in this one.

Clock problems outweighed good compact feature set.......2007-06-20

I bought this for winter 2005-2006 and haven't reviewed it until now. I live in Seattle and only need a dawn simulator when the days are short.

I liked this product for what it was; it's size and feature set were what I needed. The killer that earned this "1 star" was that it runs slow on wall power or batteries. I had to reset it every weekend because the clock would run slow. I kept another clock on my bedside table so I'd be sure to know the correct time and put a Post-It (tm) over the clock numbers. For winter 2006-2007 I didn't get this back out to use.

The sun DOES also rise!.......2007-04-25

I love this little clock. I got it because I get up early in the dark and I HAVE to be sharp, have mild SAD, and I also thought this would be as close to nature as possible when the sun isn't actually rising. Like other reviewers, I don't like my heart to pound in my throat when I wake up, music puts me back to sleep, NPR makes me wonder sleepily who's talking in my room... So, I asked for a sunrise clock and this is the one my mother-in-law found.

I like how small it is - it takes up NO room on my nightstand! The buttons are small. I'm okay with that, because my hands aren't that big. The controls are a bit tricky to use, but I've figured them out and can get this clock to do whatever I want. I do have a separate radio - the one in the clock doesn't pick up much (but you can imagine that by looking at it, this clock is small!). I haven't noticed the brightness of the display - I think I read in the manual that you can dim it, so I did, and I just turn it away from my bed at bedtime.

People have been complaining that the bulb is dim. That's true, it is - but you can plug in your own lamp and it's as bright as daylight in any room. I wonder if people don't know that. So, my regular reading light is hooked into the little darlin' and off I go in the morning! The solar clock also functions as a "dimmer" for my reading lamp, so I can read in lower light while my husband goes to sleep next to me.

Overall, I'm thrilled with this product. I think it is a little pricey, but once you get the hang of using this little charmer I think the improvement in quality of life alone over time is worth the expense. I wake up totally cheerful (well, as cheerful as you can be in the morning) and rested. I love the fact that you can set an audible alarm to go off in case you end up sleeping through the sunrise part. The "flash" at the end (light flashes on and off, in case you haven't woken up yet) is also a great feature.

Because of the little buttons, you have to make an effort to turn it off (which ensures you're actually awake, unlike other sunrise clocks where you can "snooze" easily, some for an hour!). Personally I just let the sun "rise" - my room is fully lit, and I take a shower and get dressed and it all turns off by itself!

I haven't had to replace anything on it yet, and I've had it for about a year and a half. I'm about to buy one for a friend as a gift. Four stars because of the radio, the little buttons, and the slightly counter-intuitive controls.

Soleil Sunrise Alarm Clock -- not very bright, does not work well.......2007-02-17

The Soleil Sun Alarm is a very mediocre product that is not bright enough to wake most people up. The product concept is great, however, in reality the Sun Alarm is a piece of junk that does not live up to its representations. The alarm clock gives off so little light that it is rarely enough to wake someone. Also, the feature that allows for gradual ly increasing light is very mediocre.

I am also very unhappy with Devine Medical Supplies and their 7 day return policy. I was giving this product as a gift and ordered it ahead of time. Once the recipient received it and realized that it barely worked and that the "Super Bright Krypton Bulb" was barely bright enough to notice, it was too late to return the item. Also, Devine Medical Supplies would not allow the return either because the recipient of my gift tried the Sun Alarm for a couple of nights before realizing that the product did not perform as described.

Average customer rating:

Good idea, mediocre execution
A dim dawn simulator
love this little clock
Great product
Sorely disappointed

ama

Manufacturer: Soleil
ProductGroup: CE

Soleil Sunrise Alarm Clock
Security: The security feature automatically turns the lamp on for 5 minute periods at random intervals to give the impression that someone is home.
Krypton Bulb is manually dimmable. It can be used as a "mood light", or increased to full brightness.
Works with travel converters.
Easy-to-read Digital Display can be dimmed or used at full brightness.

ASIN: B000I3DB1O

Product Description

In nature, sunlight wakes you by triggering your body to produce serotonin, an energizing, awakening type of hormone. Even with eyelids closed, your eyes sense light and signal the production of serotonin. The Soleil Sun Alarm replicates nature - a better way to wake up. The clock's small, sleek, compact design takes up very little space on your night stand. Plus, you can easily pack it in your suitcase or shoulder bag when you travel, so you can enjoy the same gentle, refreshing awakenings when you are away from home. Though it is a physically small clock, it is a very unique, dynamic clock, loaded with many desirable features (see below) that enable you to gently awaken in a relaxed, refreshed state. You will really LOVE this truly amazing, very affective clock. Battery Back-up AM/FM radio Alarm: Alarm feature for waking or timing. Snooze button: 10 minute snooze feature with a 1 minute sunrise, with optional flash and beep at the end of the cycle. Flash & Beeper: Are you a heavy sleeper? These selectable features assist with waking by flashing or beeping at the end of the alarm cycle. Sunrise: Wake with the sun! This feature can be activated at intervals from 15 to 120 minutes, gradually increasing brightness to simulate a sunrise. Sunset: Activate a "sunset" at intervals from 15 to 120 minutes, gradually decreasing brightness of light to simulate a sunset. A great feature for the kids room. Nap Timer: When taking a nap, there's no need to reset the alarm time. Nap timer can be activated at intervals from 15 to 120 minutes. Custom Sunrise: The sunrise feature activates the built-in light which fades in from zero to full intensity over the selected time intervals of 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, or 120 minutes. Security: Automatically turns the lamp on at random intervals to give the impression that someone is at home. Very Compact Size!-measures roughly 5" x 4.5" x 3" UL approved transformer 90 day Manufacturers Warranty / Returns: So

Customer Reviews:

Good idea, mediocre execution.......2007-04-27

This is a great idea, if this kind of thing works for you. Might not work for everyone, though.

The problem here is that this is a cheap (and poorly designed) clock radio with a lightbulb. For that, you pay a ton of money. If this was $20-$30, it'd be fine... but for the price, you'd expect more.

The buttons are small and hard to use. It never gets terribly bright, although I guess you could read by it (the wife does, although she used to just use a flashlight!).

But there is something nice about getting up with that even increasing light...

A dim dawn simulator.......2007-01-15

I was extremely disappointed with this product. The overall workmanship appeared cheap. The radio was a lousy receiver. The timer was difficult to set, so I sometimes saw the 'sunrise' in the evening. The bulb burned out way too soon, except for being past the expiration of the return date.

love this little clock.......2007-01-04

For anyone who hits the snooze and has a harder time getting up in winter when it's dark, this little clock is perfect. I'm so satisfied with it! Having a full 30 minutes to wake up is great, especially on dark, dreary mornings. The only reason I gave it a 4 is that the radio is not that great. Doesn't matter, though, as I am usually fully awake by the time it goes off, anyway.

Great product.......2006-11-10

I received the Soleil Sunrise Sun Alarm Clock a few years ago as a gift. Living in northern latitudes I found it hard to get up in the mornings, and, when finally coaxed out of bed from a buzzing alarm clock, found myself quite groggy and still sleepy. This alarm clock changed all of that!

The functions are fairly simple to operate and navigate, and the included instructions are quite clear. The normal 'sunrise' can be followed with a flashing light function, and I've found that whether or not I wake to the initial sunrise, the flashing light always wakes me up.

The only drawback (which I don't merit to be annoying enough to give it 4 instead of 5 stars) is that the display is quite bright, especially in a completely dark room. The display does have two different brightness levels, so you can dim it a bit, however its still fairly bright. I found that simply sticking a dark colored Post-It or two in front of the display dims it sufficiently to enable me to sleep.

Sorely disappointed.......2006-10-05

My wife and I live in the midwest; in the winter the sun doesn't come up until well after 8:00AM. We have a tough time getting up, and thought a dawn simulator might do the trick. Long story short, this one did not. In fairness, I had to give this model 2 stars--but only from an ease-of-use standpoint. It is very easy to master, technically speaking. But in terms of functionality, this thing is a stinker. The "dawn simulator" only emits 96 lumens of light (less than a quarter of what is produced by a forty watt lightbulb). My wife and I weren't "gently awakened" by such a paltry little light (just roll away from it, and it's effectively not even there), so we awoke to the jarring sound of the buzzer every morning. The light is so weak, in fact, that it wasn't even enough to keep us awake! In addition, the digital clock display was so bright that I had to fall asleep facing away from it--it actually cast shadows on the wall! What a shame that the extra intensity couldn't have gone into the main light...

For those with SAD (or who just can't seem to wake up on winter days), I would strongly advise you to purchase a different product. This one just doesn't do the trick.

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