Reviews related to : Portable entertainment
If like me you are old enough to remember the original Ghetto Blaster it was large and you needed strong shoulders to walk it around, it did not have that many features apart from being very loud. This unit is very different.
Yes it is heavy at over 9 kilos (that more than 20lbs) it can be loud should you wish/want but it has four quality speakers and separate bass and treble controls as well as a balance control. It has radio – both FM and DAB – cassette, CD, it can also play from USB stick. It has Aux and Microphone inputs and also has the ability to record both to cassette and also to USB stick. It can be run via mains or battery power, there is a solid internally rechargeable battery provided.
Having looked at a smaller model the HC-20 around six weeks ago what has the bigger HC-30 got to offer that the HC-20 does not have? From the outside if you just think slighter bigger with all the fitments then you have it.
The Panasonic HC-30 measures 48x19x9cm and the last figure the width is less at the top of the unit. The 9cm only applies near the base where the aerial lead and mains power enter the unit on a protrusion at the rear of the unit. There are other differences the first is that it is wall mountable and quite a substantial bracket is provided to facilitate this.
As a radio lover I was very interested to get my hands on this pocket DAB radio from Goodmans. Billed
as the "smallest personal/pocket DAB radio in the world" this could be exactly the replacement
for my pocket FM radio.
Despite being a great fan of radio (I admit it - a Radio 4 listener) - I actually have very little time in which to listen. The best times for me are either when gardening or when running, and with the weather this year precious little gardening has been done! The Goodmans GHDAB101 measures 69.5 x 44 x 21.4mm and weighs a mere 68 grams. Power is provided by two AAA batteries, something I fully applaud.
You know you are in for a variety of visual treats when the Polaroid gang are in town showing off the latest range of products (and that doesnt include the strong rumour that Kylie was in the immediate vicinity).
The new offerings feature digital photo frames; digital cameras for all ages; LCD TVs; a portable photo printer; and a PMP (Portable Media Player). First up are a couple of digital photo frames that both feature a black bezel. The XSU-0770S is a 7-inch model with a contrast ratio of 250:1, brightness of 300cd/m and a 480 x 234-pixel resolution.
This is a total touchscreen MP3 player that can also play video and much more. The only physical controls are on the top the on/off hold and on the side the tiny record button.
It is 10x5x1cm and finished in a matt metal effect with chromed sides. The total weight is only 65grams it will sit comfortably in your palm. The hold (lock) part of the unit is very important as when it is in your pocket the slightest touch on the screen is likely to change tracks. The screen is 5x3.6cm and it can display video quite well.
The iM207 is a small stand-alone speaker for those on the move, intended to be plugged into various sound sources - an MP3 player, iPod, your mobile phone or computer for example.
Having recently reviewed the I was interested to see how Altec Lansing served the lower end of the market. Where the iM600 is a top of the range stereo speaker system specifically aimed at the iPod - this time we're looking at a small circular speaker with built in amplifier. To look at the 'Orbit' is fairly simple. From above it's circular with the Altec Lansing logo embedded in the silver speaker grill while from the side it's a squat cone.
While size can be an important factor, it should be complimentary to other features making up a device.
Claiming to be one of the cheapest MP3/Video players on the market, the MP-CS155 is MPMan's latest entry into this heavily populated sector. Decked out predominately in black with silver embellishments, the MP-CS155 is small enough, measuring 80 x 42 x 10mm (L x W x D), to fit in any pocket without causing even the hint of a bulge. Its weight of less than 50grams also ensures it will not over-burden you on your travels.
Wind up radios have been around for a while, Solar power has been usable abroad, now with global warming they become viable here, combining the two could suit the UK.
, as this is the ultimate green product it is no surprise that it is a green colour. It is 7x5x8cm and weights only around 200grams. It may come in other colours as the packaging shows a white unit. This is a rectangular unit The front is a grill mesh with a 4cm circular speaker behind it. The top has a small five piece rod aerial that extends to 22cm and 4.5x3.5cm solar panel. The left side has circular volume control and earbud input.
It is small, feature-rich with plenty of storage capacity and has taken over the task of providing my mobile entertainment.
While the iPod family continues to be the market leading brand when it comes to mobile entertainment, it is not the only choice for the discerning user. With its long experience in the field of MP3 mobile players, Creative has a number of possible products including the Creative Zen V Plus.
This is small about the size of the pocket offerings that were MW/LW radios in my youth, the difference the battery is rechargeable and of course the sound quality is far superior.
It is 15x8x2.5cm with the rod aerial collapsed this when fully extended (six piece) adds another 40cm to the 8cm height. The weight is a little under 300grams. The face is silver with the sides and back a black rubberised material. There is a small 15x10cm manual of 10 pages but once you have located the on/off switch most will be able to work out at least the basic functions.
I first saw a prototype of one of these over three years ago at an annual Innovation event held at Cambridge. Now a year after the first model was launched I can review one.
This is a mass market offering from Bush but it uses the technology and chipset I first saw three years ago. It is 25x7.5x15cm it runs on mains only, however it requires a wireless connection to the Internet. This means you need a broadband connection but no PC need be turned on or even connected only the router.
This DAB and FM radio also features ReVu that allows what you have just heard to be replayed. It can also accept a Charge PAK meaning no more batteries to buy, or course you can also run it from the mains.
Pure are perhaps the best known name in DAB technology and have produced a whole range of offerings. I recently reviewed their excellent
a real portable unit. Here we have a more conventional portable unit that can go with you round the house and out into the garden. Pocket DAB1500 (28/8/06) The is 28x7.5x17cm however the last figure the height increases by 48cm when the seven section rod aerial is fully raised.
This tiny unit is somewhat confusing as being so small the controls are multi purpose and therefore there is a learning curve. However it is more than a standard MP3 player.
Ultra Thin MXT Flat Panel Technology speakers for laptops, MP3 players and anything with a standard headphone socket.
Over the years I have owned various sets of portable speakers for walkmans, Minidisc players and MP3 players but now I was looking for a small, but powerful speaker package for my new laptop. I needed something that would fit nicely into a laptop bag, look the part (important for me) and of course, and most importantly, sound OK.
The Phillips speakers are rated at 50 watts and described as Hi-Fidelity sound. With the sub-woofer tucked away the speakers are small enough to fit into most layouts.
I used these speakers not only on a PC and a notebook but also connecting a couple of MP3 players and I was not disappointed. The black wooden sub woofer box is 30x18.5x20cm with leads inserted, there are no controls on the front, in fact the rear has two built in leads for the remote control and the mains lead, also a single twist knob for the bass and a jack socket to take the leads from the speakers.
Maxfield, the German developer of personal audio products, has expanded its range with the release of its Max-Movie device.
If it is meant to be portable then common sense suggests it should combine the attributes of lightweight and a minimum of size. The Max-Movie device, from Maxfield, certainly adheres to this philosophy in its role as a portable music player and image viewer. With its built-in 1GB of flash memory, the Max-Movie measures 69 x 33 x 16mm (L x W x H) and weighs in at around 35g - small and light enough for me.
This is a music and FM radio player, it can also be a rather good voice recorder. All this in a very tiny case that easily sits even in the smallest palm.
This is a MP3 player, voice recorder and FM radio all in a very small housing. It is 7x3.5x1.5cm and weights only around 60grams with it's two AAA batteries inserted. The screen is only slightly more than 2x1.5cm but is amazingly clear and can display up to six lines of information all easily readable.
For those looking to change their current mobile phone, O2 has put together a collection of attractive offerings.
O2, in its role as a leading supplier of mobile telephony services to both consumers and businesses, has been particularly busy of late with a raft of announcements regarding new products and accessories on offer. Leading the way is the new O2 Ice which has been designed exclusively for O2 (that's the company and not the device) and is being promoted as an extra-cool, chic handset.
A truly portable DAB radio that can run for the best part of the day on a single charge on its built in battery. Now could this be a true portable DAB radio.
I have reviewed a couple of small DAB radios but they both used standard batteries. Now technology has improved, battery drain is less and above all the earpieces that form the aerial have improved and the unit is far more useable in a whole range of environments. It is 11x6.5x2cm and weights less than 150grams. The centre on the right side is where the excellent Sennheiser earbuds fit.
This is a DAB and FM radio, as supplied it works on mains but can be run on standard batteries or the proprietary ChargePAK from Pure.
The Pure One DAB radio is 21x14x7cm and the version I saw came in a creamy white colour. I understand it is also available in a TalkSport (black) version from . I also see from the Pure website there is a shocking pink version available. Amazon at £49.99 It has an 75cm 8 piece rod aerial that extends from the top of the unit and retracts into a recess. On the face towards the right side is a 5x1.
Main Menu
