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It is 31x15x4cm. There are two swivel feet that can increase the last figure the width by up to another 6cm dependant on the amount of swivel.

The rear of the unit has DC input and the 3.5mm jack socket beside it, on the top left of unit is a six piece (42cm) rod aerial that gave good reception wherever I used it including my office that on occasion is not that good on DAB reception especially with units that use wire aerials rather than the rod type that to me always seem superior.

See also: DAB Radios

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The right side of the unit has a headphone/earbud socket as well as three push buttons, the top one is on/off (called standby) the centre one is preset and the bottom one is set alarm. In my opinion these need a rather firm push.

When the unit is on standby the display shows time on the top line in 24 hour ‘hour, minute and second’ format. The second line shows the date in day, month and year format, by default this is in a slightly dimmer mode. The display either way shows blue on black background.

The display is two lines of sixteen characters. The top line shows the radio station while the second line can show any of nine different items including one for time and the other for date. The default however is scrolling info.

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The six touch items below the display in two columns of three are scan, skip -, mode, select, skip + and info. However between the two columns are volume + and volume -. All these buttons require only the slightest touch. My only slight quibble is once you have changed the channel on DAB you see the new channel but it does not change until you touch the ‘select’ button rather than the centre of the diamond that seems to be what you should touch; in this case anyway you miss the ubiquitous centre part of the five position joystick arrangement.

Selecting stations on FM works better than on most dual units with a long push on skip + or skip – takes you up or down the waveband and unit a good reception is met it continues and then stops right on the strongest signal.

Setting presets is a little fiddly and the instructions in the eight page English manual could certainly be clearer but this is made worse by having to press the preset button on the side of the unit that as stated with the on/off needs a solid push.

The initial DAB scan (remember to pull up the rod aerial first) is quick and efficient and found all the available stations in my area. When you press the Mode button to change from DAB/FM/Auxiliary it remembers the station you were last on in each mode.

There are two alarms available and either or both can be daily weekdays or weekends and you can choose buzzer, FM or DAB as the wake method. While it can play anything connected to the Auxiliary socket you cannot have this as an Alarm.

Sound quality on the unit was good, the design shape and appearance was fine, it would be good in a bedroom giving adequate volume even for a deep sleeper. My only doubt are the three side buttons that don’t seem to mesh with the light touch needed for those on the front, in fact I doubt you could use any of them with a single hand without moving the unit.

Doing my Internet searches found the Intempo MODE at a best price of £99.99 including delivery from the first link below.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003YDY7LI?ie=UTF8&tag=gadge0a-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634

http://www.intempodigital.co.uk/products/Digital-Radios/Mode